7 Queens of Drag Race Who Left TV Too Soon

Logo's juggernaut hit RuPaul's Drag Race has revolutionized the world of drag and made it into the mainstream phenomenon that it is today. It has been a long time since the low-budget, Vaseline-lens days of season 1, and during the run of Drag Race, we have had to say goodbye to a few queens who clearly had more for us to gag on.

So we went into the vault of eleganza to determine which queens were made to sashay away a little too soon.

Tammie Brown
In season 1, Tammie Brown, a.k.a. Keith Glen Schubert, brought a form of drag to the show that was all her own. But this campy comedy queen didn't quite get the chance she needed to shine on the main stage before a girl-group challenge a la Destiny's Child failed to fit with her retro-cool style. Since then, she got a return ticket for the All Stars season and emerged as a cult favorite among Drag Race fans, becoming one of the series standouts and a true queen's queen.

Sonique
Season 2 showcased the talent of Sonique, who was the first trans contestant to compete on Drag Race. However, Sonique, who now identifies as Kylie Sonique Love, did not reveal that she was trans until after she was eliminated during the reunion episode. Her powerful presence post-race leaves us to believe that the blond siren will take the judges by storm if ever there's another All Stars season.

Delta Work
Delta Work, a.k.a. Gabriel Villarreal, was an early standout in season 3 but was eliminated on the eighth episode in an epic lip-synch battle with Manila Luzon. Delta was equal parts comedy and fashion and served as an example of how big girls can get it done. She could read a queen to filth without her even knowing it, which is exactly why we could never get enough of Ms. Work.

Willam
The only Drag Race contestant ever to be disqualified, Willam was our pick as the girl who we wanted to see more of, and it is easy to see why. Her razor-sharp wit, high-fashion sense, and knack for getting under the other girls' skin made her an early favorite for the win. In fact, Willam won the main challenge on the same episode that she was sent home on, leaving us to believe that she could have made it all the way.

Alyssa Edwards
In season 5, this Texas queen brought big hair, big personality, and an unintentional knack for making the audience laugh. Alyssa Edwards, a.k.a. Justin Johnson, may not have been able to impress the judges with her acting chops, but she has since gone on to prove that everyone still wants to know her secret.

Gia Gunn
This queen may have looked high fashion, but Gia Gunn, a.k.a. Scotty Ichikawa, gave us more one-liners in one episode than some comedy queens gave during their entire time on the show. It was surprising to see her in the bottom two so early on, but it was even more of a shock to see this drag dynamo sashay away.

Trixie Mattel
This season may still be unraveling, but it is already clear who the most underrated diva of season 7 is: Ms. Trixie Mattel. Since she was eliminated, fans of the show have erupted on social media with #JusticeForTrixie. Even past contestants of the show, Alaska Thunderstruck and Milk, have called out the judges for eliminating this talented queen way too soon.

In an exit interview with The Advocate, we asked Mattel if she was surprised by the elimination. "I was literally shocked," said MMattel. "My parody video was funny -- I came up with the concept and wrote a lot of the lyrics -- my green runway was beautiful, and I slayed in my lip-synch! So even after watching the episode, I still don't understand it. Maybe I stumbled into some unflattering fluorescent lighting."

Even though she only lasted four episodes, we have a feeling that Trixie, just like our other underrated divas, will have a long and successful career.

And who knows, we may even see her again. Hey, Shangela.