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Drag Race UK vs The World episode two power rankings: ‘Just what’s going on with Jujubee?’

From Janey's comeback to Cheryl's car crash RuPaul-inspired dress, Jamie Tabberer rates the queens.

By Jamie Tabberer

Words: Jamie Tabberer; picture: BBC

Spoilers for episode two of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World follow.

After episode 1’s controversial elimination, the stakes on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs The World mmediately felt higher as the eight remaining queens took to the runway for episode two’s drag ball/sewing challenge extravaganza.

With the cast charged with creating a look RuPaul herself would wear, the seamstressing was matched only by the stressing, and when the dust had settled, it was Essex’s still-badgeless diva, Cheryl Hole, who was given her marching orders.

After examining the evidence, where the queens stand in our own (highly subjective) rankings this week…

1) Janey Jacké

Janey Jacké knocked it out of the park with her Studio 54-ready RuPaul look, even if we were less impressed with her Orange Is the New Black and Katy Perry-inspired vibes previous. But we’re giving Janey the crown because her gameface during a flawless lip-sync – Alison Goldfrapp at Eurovision vibes! – said it all: despite a rocky start, she’s playing to win.

In fact, the seriousness with which she’s taking the competition may prove be her Achilles’ heel: there wasn’t anything remotely fun or entertaining in her overblown reaction to Jimbo for selecting her to go home last week – it was just uncomfortable. (Remember Lawrence Chaney’s overegged fury at Ellie Diamond?) Here’s hoping she relaxes into her talent next week.

2) Jimbo

Another robust outing for last week’s standout, whose commitment to improbable heels is unrivalled. We’d so flirt with her masc-femme Cher-esque biker, and as for the immortal line: “What would you do, tiny sofa?” We’d have it as our ringtone, if that was still a thing.

Her Scary Spice-meets-Tigger ensemble was also ferocious, if somewhat reminiscent of a Charity Kase creation last year. Indeed, one minor criticism is the slight repetition in Jim’s looks thus far. But at least Ru has signalled awareness of her overreliance on breastplates.

3) Mo Heart

Poison Ivy herself would have beeen proud to wear Mo’s underrated finale gown: the luminous green and tangerine orange looked sensational on her. The butch biker look that preceded it was confusing and sexy in the best way: was this a drag queen, or a drag king? Or half-and-half? Or a drag queen posing as a drag king? Actually, like Mo’s swagger, it was everything.

After Blu spilled on Mo’s frostiness on the gigging scene last week, it was also nice to see her helping out her fellow queens. (Lord knows, they needed it.) But there was a clear distinction between Mo’s measured tough love and Pangina’s more… self-defeating approach with Baga.

4) Pangina Heals

This week saw this 70-year anniversary of The Queen’s reign; naturally, a sludge of sycophantic press coverage followed. As such, this writer is decidedly Royal’d-out, and thus wasn’t living for Pangina’s Spencer-inspired Queen Lizzy hunting moment. It was, however, interesting to see her repurpose the denim jacket she first wore out of drag in the werkroom. (Also, has anyone ever looked as adorable as Pangie in that patchwork jumpsuit?)

Elsewhere, we’re apparently the only ones to find her Ru look, and its accompanying make-up, messy. The cat look, though, was epic: so imaginative and out of the box, it gave Jimbo and Blu a run for their money.

5) Blu Hydrangea

Blu continues to impress on and off the runway, not least during daringly direct interactions with Baga and Jimbo. Later, like Bimini and Ginny before her, she bared her soul while opening up about her gender journey; such moments of truth-revealing profundity – which illuminate and simplify complex subjects like identity politics – are the franchise’s true legacy.

Looks-wise, her outlandish, intergalactic cat was on-brand, if predictable. Her butch ensemble, meanwhile, displayed innate creativity – as well as an aversion to self-editing. The biggest surprise was her muted take on Ru’s drag, though. Clean and classy, like Janey, it proves she understands assignments. More of this, please.

6) Baga Chipz

Baga falling asleep during Ru’s walk-through: brazenly disrespectful, ballsily brilliant or both? In fairness, Ru didn’t seem to care/notice. (The fandom, on the other hand…) And despite her painfully evident disengagement with the task – and her forgettable soldier garb, in keeping with the last week’s flimsy Oscars statue look – everything worked out for Britain’s Most Famous Woman in the end.

The Bagpuss-inspired look was fantastically absurd, and that glossy pink frock to finish – completed with at least some help from Pangina, undeniably – looked fab. But might Baga’s complaceny catch up with her next week?

7) Jujubee

What exactly is going with Drag Race veteran Jujubee? After yet more basic, underwheming looks (although that delicate, floaty Ru-inspired dress was a winner) her underperformance thus far defies comprehension. We’re struggling to even pluck out memorable moments to provide commentary on.

But the theory that it’s all strategy – albeit a very risky one – makes a lot of sense. And there’s no denying Ju’s ability to make Ru laugh, which counts for a lot. We suspect she’ll pull out some surprises next week.

Eliminated: Cheryl Hole

Poor Chezza. It was truly quite saddening to see Essex’s finest so frequently undersell herself. And when she spoke so beautifully of drag-induced identity crises – honestly, this artform sounds like such a headache half the time – we so wanted a redemption arc for her. But that’s not how this self-professed ‘mediocre’ cookie crumbles.

That said, her vomited dog’s dinner of a Ru dress, and that erratic scrawl of a picture of it, belongs in a museum. (Or ‘Ru-seum’? Note to World of Wonder: we’ll sell the idea to you for one million do-llahs.) Why? Because it perfectly encapsulates the rough-around-the-edges charm of British drag. Cheryl, we salute you.

Drag Race UK Verses the World continues next Tuesday 8 February at 9pm on BBC Three.