Welcome to our weekly recap of each episode of the second season of Rupaul’s Drag Race UK.
If you want to avoid spoilers for Rupaul’s Drag Race, stop reading now.
I can’t quite believe it’s the finale already but here we are! We started with 12 British queens all ready to takeover from The Vivienne as the UK’s next drag superstar. They have dealt with a mid-series filming break due to Covid restrictions (seeing one queen testing positive and not returning to the show – I have missed you Veronica!), one queen sashayed away of her own volition and perhaps one queen’s over reaction to a challenge may have cost her the crown? We shall see.
Last week, after Ellie and Tayce lip-synced for a place in the final, Rupaul surprised everyone by declaring that they should both chantay and stay in the competition. That meant that four queens would be battling for the coveted crown and the chance to record her own online show with the makers of Drag Race; Tayce, Bimini, Lawrence and Ellie. As the four celebrated Lawrence couldn’t help give a backhanded compliment to Ellie – will you let it go Lawrence!!
As we join them for the final week in the Werk Room, this week there is no mini challenge just a chat with Ru and Michelle to spill some T and one final maxi challenge; to write and record a verse for Ru’s song ‘A Little Bit of Love’ and perform a choreographed routine to it.
When it came to the interviews Tayce was up first and talked about her pride at being Welsh and explained how she would always get looked at as a kid not only for her flamboyant dress sense but the fact her mum is white. She also revealed her dad was the bass player in Wham! Ellie talked about her mum and how she taught her to be self-confident; Lawrence talked about his thick hairline and how drag brought out his creativity and Bimini explained that she had voices of doubt in her head when they had the filming break. However, the day she started back she had a fire in her belly and wanted to do it for a friend who had passed away nine years ago.
As the lights went down on the Main Stage, Rupaul was joined by Michelle, Graham and Alan. The four competing queens came on stage to lip-sync to ‘Little Bit of Love’ all wearing outfits that shared elements of hot pink. There was something off with the lip-syncing, not sure if it was the girls or the post-production but it didn’t seem quite, well, in sync. Bimini was first with her solo and if all felt a little hurried and her choreo frantic. Ellie and Lawrence felt similar with only Tayce seeming to deliver a popstar fantasy. Something was off about the whole performance for me but it was nice to see the eliminated queens join the stage for a dance routine. Only odd thing was Veronica was the only one not wearing hot pink?
The runway category was Final Four Eleganza Extravaganza and Bimini kicked it off with a bridal twist. Ellie looked like a giant toilet roll dolly (although she said Glenda the good witch); Lawrence was in a figure hugging mermaid skirted dress with checkerboard Drag Race finish flag elements; Tayce looked like she had dead animals hanging from her nude body suit.
As the four received their final critiques, Bimini was praised for the journey that she’s been on – slutty football player to slutty bride! Ellie was told she was serving Marie Antoinette’s gone to Claire’s accessories. Lawrence was told that people come to see him for his personality..not his dancing and Tayce was given props for her performance for her energy and lip-syncing prowess. Each of the girls then had to give advice to their childhood photos. It was the usual positive message of don’t pay people no mind, it will get better and you’ll have a fabulous life. They then each had to say why they should win. Bimini wanted to celebrate weirdness and uniqueness; Ellie pushed her self-taught skills and her having to lip-sync only once; Lawrence focused on escapism for others and Tayce said that people tried to dim her light and wants to perform her ‘tits off’ around the world…as well as putting beans on toast with ketchup and butter on the map.
The girls then went back to the Werk Room where they were reunited with the previously eliminated queens. Lawrence confessed she thought that Veronica would’ve been Top 4 had she stayed. A’Whora couldn’t resist a dig at Ellie..uh-gain! Good for Ellie that she stood up for herself, it was all lighthearted…well I think…A’Whora was bleeped out again. PS what was Veronica wearing?
Rupaul called the girls back to the stage and asked Lawrence, Tayce and Bimini to step forward before eliminating Ellie. The other three then had to lip-sync to Elton John’s ‘I’m Still Standing’. Bimini went for it but looked very serious. Tayce gave a good performance too. Lawrence was a little overshadowed by the other two’s athleticism but played it with his face and added comedy.
Rupaul crowned Lawrence the winner of series 2, not the decision I was hoping for but not really a surprise as Ru seemed to love Lawrence from Day 1. Personally, I would have given it to Bimini, as it feels like she’s pushing drag more than the others.
Overall, a bit of an underwhelming finale episode, but a great series. Roll on series 3!
Rupaul’s Drag Race UK Series 2 is available on BBC Three through iPlayer.
