ownedbysetters

This native Hoosier had to chime in on the No vs So IN discussion. I was born and raised in Michiana, which is the northern companion to Kentuckiana. In many ways we are atypical Hoosiers. We have far more in common economically, politically, and culturally with Detroit and Chicago. Michiana lies in the very heart of the automotive industrial corridor. When I attended college in So IN, it was quite a culture shock. It did feel like a part of the south, both linguistically and culturally. In my four years of college, I picked up just enough of a drawl that my eventual hisband, a No Carolina native, thought I was a southern gal when we first met. I agree with all of you that find Emily insufferable. Although, to give the devil her due, she has apparently put out decent food in the first two weeks. Every season seems to need its villain(ness), and I believe we are supposed to view Emily in that role. It is certainly not a stretch. lol Hopefullt rookie chef BJ learned that if you are going to brag about your prowess in some particular area, you had better be able to bring it when the time comes. It is good to see Brooke again. I found her to be both talented and likeable in her season and wouldn't mind seeing her get the win she may have been robbed of in her first go around.

Finally got the chance to watch this. Ric so deserved the win. He made something his mother (client) would like and wear, he made it well, and the heart that personalized the outfit was placed so that it could be concealed beneath the jacket, if it would be otherwise be inappropriate. Bravo to Ric snd brava to mom for working toward her degree. Jenni betrayed her age with her passive aggressive attitude toward her mom. While her mom was trying to be open and let Jenni pick whatever type of outfit Jenni thought she could best run with, Jenni could only see her as being unhelpful, indecisive, and the cause of all Jenni's design issues. I hope when you rewatched this epi on tv, Jenni, that you apologized to your mom who was solidly in your corner to the bitter end. Erin is awful. That is all. I actually liked Dexter's outfit, although it was nothing new, creative, or different. Safe was the proper category for it. Roberi is the only designer in this seasin who has a true artist's eye. He takes risks and while those risks aren't always successful, one has ti give him credit for pushing the envelope and bringing his own vision to these challenges. He is the one designer this season that I think we may hear from down the road. I liked his piece this week. It was quirky and fit his model well, both literally and figuratively. I think the issue between Mah Jing and his mother has as much to do with how different they are in personality as anything. He is open, emotional, demonstrative. She is restrained, driven, and tough (success in a man's world usually elicits those qualities). I didn't see her as being cold to him. Her smiles at their planning lunch lookedd genuine to me. And when she came out on the runway in her outfit, she looked totally in her element. Can you even begin to imagine what she would have done if given Erin's hot mess to wear? Mah and Ma should sit down with a counselor who could point out their disparate styles and show Mah how to better read his mother. As always, just my opinion. I have no psychology bona fides. I had to laugh at how much Corney and his mom looked alike. I think she genuinely liked her outfit, even though it was a bit of a mess. I agree with everyone who says Nathalia should have been auffed with Jenni. She had no issues with her mom at all. There was no reason for such unfortunate craftsmanship.

This show has not only jumped the shark, it has lept over an entire ocean of sharks. Hopefully the show will mercifully end after the next two epis, as it appears no one will be left alive.

What this show has done for me is to point out that the 'escape' is not always black and white for the escapees, or for those aiding them. They are escaping oppression and a slave mentality, but there is a very real possibility that they will not see siblings or friends again, that virtually everything about who they are will have to change. As euphoric a moment as it may be to get new clothes or a haircut, it has to be terrifying to fit into a new world where everything you have ever believed is turned on its head.

I used to really enjoy this show. The contestants were varied and most had actual potential, the challenges were at least somewhat connected to the eventual prize and did serve to separate the contenders from the rest of the herd. But ever since it became the Bobby and Giada show, it has been reduced to a popularity contest (ie who B and G find attractive), with off the wall challenges that show nothing, and confusing directions to the contestants that change from week to week. What happened to the mentoring they once did? Now it is merely unhelpful criticism that leaves the contestants scratching their heads. It is more than time to make it go away. Bring back Iron Chef. Tregaye seems to be the anointed one, unless its tricky editing to confuse viewers. If that is the case, that is unfair to all the contestants. Never show favorites openly......even if it is nothing but a fake out.

The toxic Latina Housewife takes down another likeable contestant. So what if she can cook? Give her an off screen job in your test kitchen. I would never watch that woman fumble and bumble (or get bawdy, because she only has those two gears) through a half hour show on the network. She should have gone home week one or two with her total lack of charisma. This will be my last season watching this mess.

Liked all 3 collections and would have been happy with any of them winning. But I have to agree with the judges when they say that Dom has an artist's eye. Her impressionistic dress was a stunning piece of art. She could be a standout artist if design didn't work out for her. The other print she made fit the theme, but wasn't original. I keep saying 'they had 4 days' because their collections would have been tighter had they gotten more time to work on them. I try, mentally, to look at the vision they were going for when critiquing, as they undoubtedly took shortcuts based on time. Agree totally with all who say past winners should have their own 'winner off' instead of pitting them against folks they already beat. Takes the fun out of seeing the redemption of the also-rans.

I felt a bit insulted by the 'sew off'. I felt manipulated by the show as they desperately attempted to make me believe that Sam had been an inspired designer these last few weeks, and that it was a close close choice on keeping him. I suspect Nina threatened a revolt if the final result wasn't axing Sam- Isaac's crush notwithstanding. Her comments on Sam were measured, but I suspect her true feelings weren't represented in those comments. I thought both Dom and Kini had prints that would have looked good on a phone case. I think Sam's might have made a cute little raincoat, bright and cheerful in a dark day, or even a pair of rain boots. It wasn't a terrible print, but his outfit was ugly, poorly made, and looked like everything else he had already done. Ken's dress wasn't a wow in any respect, but was squarely in his aesthetic and would have been liked by the woman he dresses. Dom, I think, figured the challenge would be in the bag with her skill with prints, decided to really go outside of the box and do something crazy.....because she could. There were some good ideas in her outfit, but as a unit, it didn't coalesce for me.

No, Bunnyhop, no! Say it ain't so! (but sadly, you are probably right). I'd better stock up on some anti-nausea meds in advance of this episode.

It was perhaps lumpier than it absolutely had to be, but short of stuffing an actual mannequin's head inside the fabric, there were bound to be lumps from a 'real person's' hair and facial features. I found that to be a really weak critique.

It must be nice and cozy there in Sam World where you never have to pay the slightest attention to those pesky rules that only apply to people less cute than you. In Sam World, challenges are for everyone else. In Sam World, you do whatever you want and just insist it fits in with the challenge. (Extreme eye roll) I'm still irritated about Emily. It's true that her dress wasn't avant garde whatsoever, but she paid such close attention to her art work and interpreted it in her dress with artistic honesty, did something with it that was outside of her own personal wheelhouse, and wound up with an outfit that I would wear in a New York minute. I realize in the real world there is no prize for trying, and that now that we've reached the end of a middle-of-the-pack safe space, Emily, the permanent 'safe space' dweller was bound to go soon. But it must really hurt to have done what was asked of you completely and be cast aside for someone who did, essentially, nothing.

I think Sam's 'understanding' of his art piece was along these lines. "oh, that's kind of a neat hologram/picture thing, but I'm going to ignore it completely and do a gay rainbow theme."

Isaac is married and often refers to his husband when he appears on other venues. If I were that husband, and watched this season's shows, I'd be packing my bags and leaving. Whatever brain is driving Isaac's decisions on this show, it isn't the one between his ears. He's chasing after this youngster so hard he's risking his reputation as a designer. That's a pretty self-destructive crush. I was disappointed, as a group, with this season's AG challenge. I did like, however, that everyone (except Sam, of course) made a diligent effort to stay true to their piece of art. Had I seen the art after the runway, I'd have been able to figure out which piece inspired which designer (again, with the exception of Sam). Alyssa is so pretty in that 'gal that lives next door and is the star of her company softball team' way. Why in the heck they can't work with that aspect of her instead of forcing her into stiff so-called high fashion looks that don't flatter, I'll never know. Alyssa has an easy natural grace about her and would look lovely in more natural styling. She was clearly very unsure walking about on those sky high stilettos they put her in. And that eyeliner made her look like an extra from Angry Birds. I have to give Ken a shout-out for doing what he's been dying to do for weeks now and giving Sam a piece of his mind, and doing it in what was, for Ken, a very restrained way. He was so nasty and unlikeable in his season, but he is proof that people really can change if they work at it. I wonder if seeing the season played back cast a spotlight for him on just what an unpleasant person he really was.