It’s that time of year again. The season when ghouls and ghosties stalk dark alleys and the even darker recesses of your mind. A time when outlandish outfits are the norm and celebrated for all their oddities. A moment for friends to gather around the television while personalities clash, leading to blowout fights through smeared makeup and tears. An unfortunate few are strapped to electric chairs and covered in cockroaches as buckets of blood rain down on the victor. Did you… think I was talking about Halloween? Ugh, that’s so mainstream. No, my Uglies, it’s time for another season of The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula on Shudder, and this time it’s personal!

Season 5 of the Boulet Brothers’ Dragula Premieres 10/31

As the looming season draws near, we at Horror Press found it a fitting time to reflect on what the show means to us. We’re horror fans, first and foremost. And similar to how Horror Press seeks to be a safe and inclusive space for hot takes and deep dives into today’s representation of the genre, so, too, does The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula seek to do that for alternative drag as an art form.

When the word or idea of drag comes to mind, many imagine gorgeous gowns, comedy queens, and sickening dance performances – less Divine and more Ru Paul. All of that is valid, and the alternative drag scene can often incorporate these popular facets of drag performance and culture, but there is typically more at work. It takes on a version of performance art that often examines internal and external strife, while also allowing underrepresented members of the drag and queer communities their place in the spotlight. It can be shocking and scary, funny and camp, genuinely emotional, or all of the above. And, of course, sometimes it’s simply someone in Final Girl beat who slays their way around a studly Michael Myers on stage. Nevertheless, it’s always presented in a spectacularly ghoulish fashion that celebrates all things horror.

None are more familiar with this subgenre of drag than the Boulet Brothers. Icons in the nightlife scene for many years before the show’s creation, the Boulets have spearheaded a grassroots campaign to raise their demonic baby into something that is now a widely popular reality competition program and a staple of the Shudder platform. Every episode, at the start of critiques for that week’s challenge, the Boulets are careful to remind their Monsters and viewers of the following:

“We are not here to judge your drag. Drag is art, and art is subjective. What we are judging you on is your drag as it relates to this competition.”

This resonates with us at Horror Press because we always try to err on the side of fairness and critical thinking when discussing the genre, despite some efforts leaving a less savory aftertaste. Trashing horror and the tireless work of those who bring it to our screens is not in vogue, and we can appreciate the Boulet Brothers’ sentiment.

Delving deeper into what makes The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula and alternative drag special, the show breaks itself up into three fundamental tenants: Filth, Horror, and Glamour. These key themes are represented best in the show’s finale episodes, during which each season’s finalists perform their interpretations of the big three in an exquisitely epic floorshow.

Filth

Forever the most uncomfortable and fascinating floorshow, Filth explores taboo. We might witness anything from a 1950s housewife eating from kitty litter, a haunting depiction of autoerotic asphyxiation, or a nun using her bible for less wholesome activities. It’s boundary-pushing and layered, and some of the best horror accomplishes similar feats. At Horror Press, we recently discussed how modern horror has become largely sexless – a far cry from decades of nudity and sexually charged terror that has come before. On The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula, however, nothing is off limits, and you’d be hard-pressed to find drag this blasphemous anywhere else.

Horror

Part of what’s gotten The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula a legion of fans is that it’s not a one-off Halloween special. For the Boulets and their Uglies, horror is year-round. We’re treated to cinematic cold opens that play out like short films and floorshows themed around slashers, exorcisms, infamous horror icons, and sci-fi. There are easter eggs and nonstop homage to the genre as a whole, and for those who live horror 365 – as I’m sure you do, dear reader – it’s a playground for the macabre.

Glamour

Looking past the blood and gore, you don’t think the Boulets would forget about the lewks, do you? The third – and gayest – tenant is all about the Glamour, baby. It’s drag, after all, and people still want to see fabulous outfits and bodacious babes. And don’t forget, horror is queer, and The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula is a safe space for LGBTQ+ horror heads. With the show’s popularity reaching new levels of Hell, and a sure-to-be insane season 5 ready and waiting, we hope to see even more queer lovers of horror find themselves under the Boulets’ spell.

The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula is a story of underdogs and community, and the devilish duo at its center created the show from nothing but the darkness of their hearts. It gives a platform to black performers who are often outsiders in this subgenre of drag, trans artists, and drag kings alike. We know what it’s like to root for the final girl who doesn’t appear to have a chance in hell, and the Boulet Brothers have given their Monsters a shot at glory. Horror Press is less than 2 years old, so we know what it’s like to be a fresh face on the scene. We thank The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula for embodying everything we love about the genre and what we hope to highlight through our work. Now, put in your sanguine-colored contacts and let the floorshow…BEGIN!

All four seasons of The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula, the Resurrection special, and Titans are available to stream on Shudder.

Tune in on October 31st for the season 5 premiere of The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula, and make sure to check back for our coverage!

Art by the incredibly talented Catherine M. Rogers.