We're Here is a HBO reality television series featuring former Drag Race contestants, documenting the drag queens as they travel across the United States to recruit small-town residents to participate in one-night-only drag shows. The show premiered on April 23, 2020.[1][2]

We're Here
GenreReality television
Created by
  • Stephen Warren
  • Johnnie Ingram
Starring
Opening theme"I Am America" by Shea Diamond
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes26
Production
Executive producers
  • Stephen Warren
  • Johnnie Ingram
  • Peter LoGreco
  • Eli Holzman
  • Aaron Saidman
  • Erin Gamble
Production companies
Original release
NetworkHBO
ReleaseApril 23, 2020 (2020-04-23) –
May 31, 2024 (2024-05-31)

In September 2024, the series was cancelled after broadcasting four seasons.[3]

Cast

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Production

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HBO announced the six-part reality television series on November 5, 2019, to star former RuPaul's Drag Race contestants Bob the Drag Queen, Eureka O'Hara, and Shangela.[1][2] We're Here was created by Stephen Warren and Johnnie Ingram, and is executive produced by Warren, Ingram, Peter LoGreco, Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman. LoGreco also directs.[1][4] Caldwell Tidicue (Bob the Drag Queen), Eureka D. Huggard (Eureka O'Hara) and D.J. Pierce (Shangela Laquifa Wadley) serve as consulting producers.[4] HBO EVP of Programming Nina Rosenstein said, "Drag is about confidence and self expression. We are so thrilled to showcase the transformative power of the art form with our audience."[1] On February 19, 2020, it was announced that We're Here would premiere on April 23, 2020.[4]

The final episode of the first season, which was slated to be set in Spartanburg, South Carolina, was halted by the imposition of lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.[5] The episode instead became a Zoom-based discussion among the three hosts about their own personal journeys through drag.[5]

On June 5, 2020, HBO renewed the series for a second season which premiered on October 11, 2021. The second season launched with a return to Spartanburg.[6][7] On December 16, 2021, HBO renewed the series for a third season which premiered on November 25, 2022.[8]

On July 12, 2023 it was announced that the series would be returning for a fourth season but with new queens: Jaida Essence Hall, Priyanka, and Sasha Velour.[9] On September 6, 2023, it was reported that Latrice Royale has joined the cast of the fourth season.[10]

On September 6, 2024, it was announced that HBO had cancelled the series.[11]

Episodes

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Series overview

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SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
16April 23, 2020 (2020-04-23)June 4, 2020 (2020-06-04)
28October 11, 2021 (2021-10-11)November 29, 2021 (2021-11-29)
36November 25, 2022 (2022-11-25)December 30, 2022 (2022-12-30)
46April 26, 2024 (2024-04-26)May 31, 2024 (2024-05-31)

Season 1 (2020)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byOriginal air dateU.S. viewers
(millions)
11"Gettysburg, Pennsylvania"Peter LoGrecoApril 23, 2020 (2020-04-23)0.122[12]
22"Twin Falls, Idaho"Peter LoGrecoApril 30, 2020 (2020-04-30)N/A
33"Branson, Missouri"Peter LoGrecoMay 7, 2020 (2020-05-07)0.103[13]
44"Farmington, New Mexico"Peter LoGrecoMay 14, 2020 (2020-05-14)0.130[14]
55"Ruston, Louisiana"Peter LoGrecoMay 21, 2020 (2020-05-21)0.070[15]
66"Spartanburg, We Make It Werk"Peter LoGrecoJune 4, 2020 (2020-06-04)0.113[16]

Season 2 (2021)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byOriginal air dateU.S. viewers
(millions)
71"Spartanburg, South Carolina"Peter LoGrecoOctober 11, 2021 (2021-10-11)N/A
82"Temecula, California"Peter LoGrecoOctober 18, 2021 (2021-10-18)N/A
93"Del Rio, Texas"Peter LoGrecoOctober 25, 2021 (2021-10-25)N/A
104"Selma, Alabama"Peter LoGrecoNovember 1, 2021 (2021-11-01)N/A
115"Evansville, Indiana"Peter LoGrecoNovember 8, 2021 (2021-11-08)N/A
126"Watertown, South Dakota"Peter LoGrecoNovember 15, 2021 (2021-11-15)N/A
137"Kona, Hawaii"Peter LoGrecoNovember 22, 2021 (2021-11-22)N/A
148"Grand Junction, Colorado"Peter LoGrecoNovember 29, 2021 (2021-11-29)N/A

Season 3 (2022)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byOriginal air dateU.S. viewers
(millions)
151"Granbury, Texas"Peter LoGrecoNovember 25, 2022 (2022-11-25)N/A
162"Jackson, Mississippi"Peter LoGrecoDecember 2, 2022 (2022-12-02)N/A
173"St. George, Utah"Peter LoGrecoDecember 9, 2022 (2022-12-09)N/A
184"Sussex, New Jersey"Peter LoGrecoDecember 16, 2022 (2022-12-16)N/A
195"Florida, Part 1"Peter LoGrecoDecember 23, 2022 (2022-12-23)N/A
206"Florida, Part 2"Peter LoGrecoDecember 30, 2022 (2022-12-30)N/A

Season 4 (2024)

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byOriginal air date [17]U.S. viewers
(millions)
211"Tennessee, Part 1"Peter LoGrecoApril 26, 2024 (2024-04-26)N/A
222"Tennessee, Part 2"Peter LoGrecoMay 3, 2024 (2024-05-03)N/A
233"Tennessee, Part 3"Peter LoGrecoMay 10, 2024 (2024-05-10)N/A
244"Oklahoma, Part 1"Peter LoGrecoMay 17, 2024 (2024-05-17)N/A
255"Oklahoma, Part 2"Peter LoGrecoMay 24, 2024 (2024-05-24)N/A
266"Oklahoma, Part 3"Peter LoGrecoMay 31, 2024 (2024-05-31)N/A

Reception

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Awards and nominations

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We're Here is a 2022 recipient of the Peabody Award for entertainment. The Peabody's governing body, in its May 2023 award announcement, highlighted the series' offering of "poignant and show-stopping performances," and for its embrace of drag as "a form of artistic protest" at a time when the art form faces attempts by conservative activists and lawmakers to regulate or restrict it.[18]

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2020 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program We're Here Nominated [19]
TCA Awards Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming Nominated [20]
Dorian Awards Best LGBTQ TV Show Nominated [21]
2021 Independent Spirit Awards Best New Non-Scripted or Documentary Series Nominated [22]
GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Reality Program Won [23][24]
Queerty Awards TV series Runner-up [25]
2022 Reality / Docuseries [26]
GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Reality Program Won[a] [27][28]
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Costumes for Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Programming Casey Caldwell, Diego Montoya, Joshua "Domino" Schwartz, Marco Marco,
and Patryq Howell (for "Evansville, Indiana")
Won [29]
Outstanding Makeup for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program Jeremy Damion Austin, Martin De Luna Jr., and Tyler Devlin (for "Kona, Hawaii")
Peabody Award Entertainment We're Here Won [18]
Dorian Awards Best Reality Show Nominated [30]
2023 GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Reality Program Won [31]
Queerty Awards Reality/Docu-series Runner-up [32]
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Costumes for Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Programming Diego Montoya, Marco Morante, Joshua "Domino" Schwartz, Blake Danford, Sharon Malka, and Ricky Reynoso (for "St. George, Utah") Won [33]
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program Abdiel "Gloria" Urcullu and Tyler Funicelli (for "St. George, Utah")
2024 TCA Awards Outstanding Achievement in Reality Programming We're Here Nominated [34]
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Hairstyling for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program Abdiel "Gloria" Urcullu and Tyler Funicelli (for "Oklahoma, Part 3") Nominated [35]
Outstanding Makeup for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program Tyler "Laila" Devlin and Kalyd Sebastian Odeh (for "Oklahoma, Part 3")

Notes

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  1. ^ tied with RuPaul's Drag Race

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Petski, Denise (November 5, 2019). "HBO Orders Unscripted Drag Show Series We're Here". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 30, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Rudolph, Christopher (November 5, 2019). "Drag Race Legends Invade Small Town USA in New HBO Reality Series". NewNowNext. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  3. ^ https://deadline.com/2024/09/were-here-canceled-hbo-four-seasons-1236080092/
  4. ^ a b c "New HBO Series We're Here Debuts Thursday, April 23, Exclusively on HBO". The Futon Critic. February 19, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  5. ^ a b Dino-Ray Ramos, "‘We’re Here’: Shangela, Eureka O’Hara And Bob The Drag Queen Talk Season Finale And How Pride Month Promotes Unity" Archived 2020-09-21 at the Wayback Machine. Deadline Hollywood, June 3, 2020.
  6. ^ "HBO Renews "We're Here" for a Second Season". The Futon Critic. June 5, 2020.
  7. ^ "HBO's Emmy-Nominated Unscripted Series "We're Here" Returns October 11". The Futon Critic. September 9, 2021.
  8. ^ Cordero, Rosy (December 16, 2021). "'We're Here' Renewed For Season 3 At HBO". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  9. ^ Nolfi, Joey (July 12, 2023). "We're Here season 4 to replace 3 Drag Race queens with new hosts Sasha Velour, Jaida Essence Hall, Priyanka". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  10. ^ "'We're Here' Adds 'Drag Race' All-Star Latrice Royale as New Host for Season 4 (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. 6 September 2023.
  11. ^ https://deadline.com/2024/09/were-here-canceled-hbo-four-seasons-1236080092/
  12. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (April 24, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 4.23.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on April 24, 2020.
  13. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (May 8, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 5.7.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on May 8, 2020.
  14. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (May 15, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 5.14.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on May 15, 2020.
  15. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (May 22, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 5.21.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on May 22, 2020.
  16. ^ Metcalf, Mitch (June 5, 2020). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Thursday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 6.4.2020". Showbuzz Daily. Archived from the original on June 5, 2020. Retrieved June 5, 2020.
  17. ^ "Shows A-Z – We're Here on HBO". The Futon Critic. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  18. ^ a b Award profile for We're Here on PeabodyAwards.com (accessed 5/10/2023)
  19. ^ "72nd Emmy Awards Nominees and Winners". emmys.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2019. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  20. ^ Hayes, Dade (September 14, 2020). "'Watchmen', 'Unbelievable' Lead TCA Award Nominations With Four Apiece; HBO Tops With 16 Overall Noms". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 9, 2020. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  21. ^ Reynolds, Daniel (July 9, 2020). "Schitt's Creek (Nearly) Sweeps LGBTQ+ Dorian TV Awards". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  22. ^ Lewis, Hilary (January 26, 2021). "Film Independent Spirit Awards: 'Never Rarely Sometimes Always,' 'Minari,' 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom,' 'Nomadland' Top Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 18, 2021. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  23. ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (January 28, 2021). "GLAAD Unveils Nominees For 32nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards; Deadline's New Hollywood Podcast Honored With Special Recognition Award". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 21, 2021. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  24. ^ "Disclosure, Schitt's Creek, Sam Smith, Happiest Season, I May Destroy You, CHIKA, Veneno, Star Trek: Discovery, The Boys in the Band, The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo among award recipients at the 32nd Annual GLAAD Media Awards". GLAAD. April 8, 2021. Archived from the original on April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  25. ^ "TV Series Winners". The Queerties. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  26. ^ "Reality / Docuseries". The Queerties. Archived from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  27. ^ Harvey, Spencer (January 19, 2022). "GLAAD announces nominees for the 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards". GLAAD. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
  28. ^ Cordero, Rosy (27 April 2022). "2022 GLAAD Media Awards Winners List". Deadline. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  29. ^ "Juried Award Winners Announced for 74th Emmy Awards". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on August 11, 2022. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
  30. ^ Coates, Tyler (August 17, 2022). "'Abbott Elementary,' 'The White Lotus' and 'Yellowjackets' Among Top Winners at LGBTQ Critics' Dorian TV Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 14, 2023. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  31. ^ Pedersen, Erik; Complex, Vanessa (14 May 2023). "GLAAD Media Awards New York – Complete List: 'Fire Island,' 'Anything's Possible,' 'We're Here,' 'Heartstopper,' Win Big; Honorees Include Maren Morris & Jonathan Van Ness". Deadline. Archived from the original on 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
  32. ^ "Reality/Docu-series Nominees". The Queerties. Archived from the original on 25 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  33. ^ "Juried Winners for 75th Emmy Awards Announced". Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  34. ^ Longeretta, Emily (June 10, 2024). "'Baby Reindeer', 'Ripley' and 'Shogun' Lead 2024 TCA Awards Nominations: Full List". Variety. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  35. ^ "2024 Primetime Emmy Awards – Nomination Press Release" (PDF). Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Retrieved July 17, 2024.
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