The fifth episode of RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 2 is the most shocking episode in years. After the pandemic caused a seven-month hiatus, the queens return to find out that one of the contestants has tested positive for coronavirus and will not be able to return to the competition.
After the queens re-enter the Werk Room RuPaul informs them that Veronica Green will not be returning for this season, but she has an open invitation to come back for season 3. Three mascots then walk into the Werk room and take off their furry heads to reveal Joe Black, Cherry Valentine, and Asttina Mandella. The remaining queens are asked to vote for one of the eliminated queens (minus Ginny Lemon, because she removed herself from the competition) to return!
Most of the votes go to Joe Black, who was the first eliminated queen on RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 2. The girls state that they want to see more from Joe Black, so she is allowed to re-enter the competition. The mainstage challenge is a spin on Eurovision called RuRuVision. The dolls have to sing and dance again. They each have to write their own verse and perform to it. This challenge is an opportunity for the queens to use their creativity and show us what they so often do in bars in their hometowns. The first group, the United Kingdolls, absolutely kills it. It feels like watching a great All-Stars episode. They are dancing their butts off, their verses are super fun, and most importantly, they have star quality. The second group, Bananadrama, is the polar opposite. Their outfits look basic and the choreography might as well come with a crossing guard because it is so pedestrian.
On the Drag Race UK "seaside" runway, Bimini looks stunning. They are giving 1920's gorgeous beach body with the perfect color scheme. Tayce looks sickening too, but a little simple. A'Whora is a bag of chips... but so is Sister Sister! Tia Kofi is an ice cream cone, but it does not fit well. It reads a little bit costumey. Joe Black is windblown and the details of it are pretty great, but it just won't make up for the off-the-rack dress she wore in the performance. The United Kingdolls win this week's challenge, so all four of them win a RuPeter Badge. Don't spend it all in one place, ladies! The other four queens are left to hear the judges' critiques. Ellie Diamond gets strong critiques from Michelle Visage about her outfit, but Graham Norton points out that it is not drag enough. She is dressed as a pretty seagull, but it is way more Halloween costume/cosplay than it is telling a story. Ellie is gorgeous, but sometimes her lewks feel like an Instagram photo come to life. On the opposite end of that spectrum is Tia Kofi and Joe Black. They both lead with camp and end up not paying enough attention to details.
RuPaul pops off on the queens in a way that has never been seen on this show. Mother is really angry at them for bringing lackluster drag to the runway. When Joe Black reveals that she wore an H&M dress in the challenge, RuPaul says: "The world is ending by the way... I don't want to see any f**king H&M!" If Katya can have a glow-up in the two months between filming season 7 and All-Stars 2, these queens could have borrowed new wigs and clothes in the seven months that they had to prepare to come back. RuPaul's disappointment feels warranted. She says, "I came all the way across the pond. I expect more!" The bottom two are Tia and Joe. Joe Black is eliminated in the same episode that she returns. Hopefully, these queens step up their game next week, because we do not want mother to yell at them again. Actually, at that moment, she was so pissed at them that they should call... her... father.
RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 2 airs Thursdays at 11am PT / 2pm ET exclusively on WOW Presents Plus in the US and select territories worldwide, day-and-date with its international airing on BBCiPlayer in the UK.