Ru Paul's Drag Race Season 4 Episode 2 | TQS Magazine

There’s something almost comforting about a sense of routine, of knowing roughly what’s going to be coming around the corner. I know, for example, that the second episode of every series of Drag Race always involves the queens being put through their paces in some kind of performance-related challenge. Last season it was acting in their own short science fiction films, and the time before that it was working the stage (and the pole) at a burlesque club. Then again, sometimes it’s good to be surprised. This week saw the production values of RuPaul’s Drag Race go through the roof, with the twelve queens battling for $100,000 and the title of America’s Next Drag Superstar literally fighting it out in a wrestling ring, as they transformed themselves into the ladies of WTF – Wrestling’s Trashiest Fighters.

‘Plus-sized Asian Barbie’ Jiggly Caliente is feeling the pressure after lipsynching for her life last episode, and she’s walking around feeling like she has a target painted on the back of her head. Her runway look last week was pretty damn awful, and she really needs to pull it together if she wants to stay in this competition. On the flip side, I’m intrigued to see if last week’s winner, Sharon Needles, can keep up the pace she set for herself – is she just scary, or can she pull off pretty?

The mini challenge saw the girls making asses of themselves, or rather for themselves, creating some DIY body padding out of foam and packing materials. Sharon Needles taught us that when creating ass padding, you should always draw the shape of Africa, “or, as Latrice would say, ‘the homeland!’” Now, when we watched this for the first time, there was a pretty sharp intake of breath here. However, as we quickly learned, Latrice Royale can not only take a joke, but she can run with it – “I’m Polynesian, bitch, get it straight!”

The three winners of the mini challenge became team captains for the main wrestling challenge, and got to pick their own teams. The wrestling was amazingly over the top, and had me and everyone else in the room in stitches – from tiny Kenya Michaels slapping Phi Phi O’Hara in the face with a make-up puff to Madam LaQueer’s Divine-esque tongue wagging as she lifted Sharon Needles clear up over her head, this was one of the most entertaining episodes that this series has turned out so far, and that is saying something.

The queens then had to prove they could do girly and cute on the runway as well as they’d done butch and scary in the ring. First we have the good – Kenya Michaels. She successfully pulled off an gorgeous Nicki Minaj/Barbie look, and adding that to her brilliantly animated performance in the main challenge, I’d say she’s definitely a favourite to win. Then we have the bad – Willam. I don’t care if you’ve acted with Sarah Jessica Parker, bitch, we can see your five o’clock shadow through your makeup. Lastly, we have the ugly – Dida Ritz. Can somebody please tell this queen that unstyled, ratty blonde wigs are categorically not a good look? Please?

I’m not convinced the right queens were in the bottom two this week, and I definitely don’t think the right person went home. However, the dragtastic dictator RuPaul has spoken, and only eleven queens remain. What on Earth will this show throw at us next week?

Word by @badlydrawnroy