BBC’s brilliant and uniquely British sitcom cements itself as the best comedy you’re missing out on

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RuPaul makes it look effortless, but being a drag queen is actually really challenging. And no one understands that better than Dickie (played by Phil Dunning), the hilariously over-the-top star of the BBC sitcom Smoggie Queens – which is back for its second season today.

Dickie is driven by a mix of envy, self-deception, and a nicotine habit, and he’s really trying to get his business off the ground. However, his constant search for romance and his obsession with competing with Stuart (Elijah Young) are preventing him from actually getting any work.

Don’t let the premise sound serious – Smoggie Queens is delightfully silly and over-the-top, much like its first season. Despite this playful tone, the show, written and created by Dunning, feels incredibly fresh and original. In fact, Smoggie Queens stands out from everything else on television, and that’s a good thing.

The second season begins with Stuart coming out, but his story isn’t the typical tale of self-discovery or overcoming difficult past experiences often seen in LGBTQ+ narratives.

While you can find aspects of both in every season, Smoggie Queens doesn’t fit easily into typical comedy or drama. It’s more of a realistic, though very over-the-top and chaotic, portrayal of everyday queer life. The show has been nominated for 3 BAFTA awards.

The second season starts with a flamboyant reveal, quickly turning into a frantic chase through a carpet shop – for no apparent reason! The story blends elements of Alice in Wonderland and classic escape films as the group desperately tries to save a rabbit trapped in this incredibly elaborate and confusing carpet maze.

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The show doesn’t let up, with each episode featuring equally creative ideas. These include a *Wizard of Ozthemed office party, a charity football match with lookalikes to support breast cancer awareness, and a playful detective mystery starring Dickie and Mam (Mark Benton) as the characters Detective Sexy and Inspector Voluptuous.

Throughout the long history of drag, it’s rare to find queens with names as fitting as these two. However, many fans consider the second episode of season two – currently available on BBC iPlayer – to be the best, as it features a more realistic story taking place in a neighborhood Italian restaurant.

While Stuart is on his date, everyone else gets caught up in their own funny and over-the-top storylines. Dicky goes on a disastrous blind date, and Sal struggles with a terrible girlfriend, all while keeping an eye on Stuart’s romantic evening.

The first season was excellent from the start, but the second season is even stronger, with more developed characters and bolder storylines. The acting is consistently superb, and the cast is arguably one of the best on television right now.

The actors have a natural chemistry, like a real group of friends, and it seems likely they’ve become a close-knit family while working together, much like the family they portray on screen.

The characters are incredibly well-developed, making you genuinely care about what happens to them, no matter how wild the situation gets. You could happily watch Alexandra Mardell as Lucinda enthusiastically support her friends endlessly, or enjoy Lowe’s dry wit as she navigates life in Middlesbrough.

We want to give a special thanks to Benton’s mom – she’s the heart of this family and truly keeps everything running smoothly. She’s a legendary drag queen, well-known in local gay bars, and a mother figure to all of us. She might not be on TV, but she’s a beloved icon in the community.

I’m a huge fan of Dickie, and she’s honestly the kind of queen you just don’t see a lot on TV, which is a shame because she’s incredibly talented. Her ‘Slutty Tin Man’ look is amazing and I think she’d kill it on Drag Race UK. Though, let’s be real, her football-themed outfit was… a choice. Even Michelle Visage might have been a little shocked! It’s cool she’s making another cameo this season, though!

Joining her are acclaimed actor Monica Dolan, known for her roles in shows like Sherwood and Mr Bates vs The Post Office, along with broadcasting favorites Jeff Stelling and Chris Kamara from Middlesbrough.

This season, Dolan delivers a particularly moving performance as the ex-wife of a character who moved away with their child years ago. The writing is noteworthy because it handles a difficult situation with sensitivity, acknowledging the genuine pain and challenges—often specific to the LGBTQ+ community—without becoming overly dramatic, a nuanced portrayal rarely seen outside of daytime television.

The show’s greatest strength is its ability to effortlessly shift between humor and heartfelt emotion, even when dealing with difficult subjects. It can make you laugh one moment and feel deeply moved the next.

There’s a uniquely British quality to this viewpoint, and it feels especially important because the story is so strongly rooted in the North East of England. It’s a reminder that LGBTQ+ people live and thrive everywhere, not just in cities like London and Manchester, even though that’s often how media portrays it.

Dunning probably understands that the detailed and local focus of Smoggie Queens is exactly what makes it appeal to so many people. Even if a joke or two falls flat, it doesn’t matter – this wonderfully silly show is fantastic and a real point of pride for the Teeside area.

Smoggie Queens cleverly presents the idea of a sitcom led by a drag queen, and it makes the process seem surprisingly straightforward, even if the queen isn’t perfectly polished.

And that’s exactly why we love Dickie, a true queen among ‘Smoggie Queens’.

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2026-05-15 11:20