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Speaking of the editing… I will not be surprised if Hollie ends up the winner. Remember, the winner is chosen strictly on the merits of the final Killer challenge and is not cumulative of the whole season. All Hollie needs to do is knock that one challenge out of the park. The editors love the “underdog, comes from behind to win” stories in “reality” TV, and we’ve twice heard the “heart touching” story of how she’ll use the money to “see her family, who she hasn’t seen in 6 years” complete with pictures. If we’ve heard from any other contestants about their plans for the money, I think we’ve only heard it once; usually in the episode where they then went home.

I watched Wheel of Fortune back when contestants had to spend their “cash” on prizes. I have a lot of fond memories of that time, watching with my grandparents and most recently with my aging father. I guess I believed Pat and Vanna would be there till then end, but I accepted Pat’s decision to retire. I’ve tried to give Ryan the benefit of new host nerves, and for him to grow into the roll, but I just can’t. Maybe his style doesn’t jive with me, or maybe there were just too many changes at one time (host, set, etc) but Wheel of Fortune is no longer must see TV for me and my family. End of an era. I hope the people enjoying the new format, get to develop the same fond memories I have of the Pat and Vanna era.

This is why, to me it feels scripted. Alex showed week over week that he could execute creative, clean work. The caterpillar for example. But as they got to the end it feels like the producers went “oh, wait we can’t have a final three of all men, we need the remaining woman in the finale” and so Alex was told to make amateur mistakes. It feels like this every time there is a classically trained pastry chef, who is obviously head and shoulders over the rest of the competition but doesn’t fit the producers’ “narrative.” Putting my tinfoil hat on, I wonder if that’s why the French chef from the Molly Yeh debacle walked off. I’m sure the sprinkles were a large part of it, but he was also told to “make glaring mistakes” he might have said “no.” I would be more willing to just go along with it, if I hadn’t been following Valerie’s exit from Food Network and things she’s said about behind the scenes stuff. Food Network executives aren’t interested in actual cooking skills anymore, they just want competition shows with the right “story.”

Did some thinking about this over night and just a few additional thoughts come to mind. I'm still done with this season. Not interested in watching any more of these people, even though Charlie, Maria and Ben could have been watchable, and I think I've narrowed down the source of my annoyance. Jeff, last night, highlighted what I don't like about this group of people, with his cushion and popcorn. If I wanted to watch Jerry Springer, I'd watch Jerry Springer. If I wanted to watch chaos, conspiracy theories, and egotistical 'ME, ME, ME' people, I'd watch Jerry Springer. I used to watch Survivor for the challenges, the strategy playing and because the editing was such that I let myself become involved in these peoples' journeys. Maybe I wasn't paying attention, but it seems to me that in previous seasons, people played their game, and THEN pitched their game to the jury. Now it seems as if people have their pitch to the jury pre-planned and then twist themselves into knots trying to fit their game play to the narrative. People aren't playing the game. I can't help wondering what today's casting choices would do if they were made to play old school style Survivor. No idols, no advantages, no SITD, the only immunity is the necklace/statue.

I’m out. If it was just one unlikeable personality I’d hang in there but with the exception of Charlie and Ben every remaining player grates on my nerves.

Okay, I’m tapping out. This season is too ego/stupid driven and the remaining players are too unlikable to keep watching. Fingers crossed that 47 is more palatable.

Whatever season MaryAnne was in I didn’t watch 🤷‍♀️

Some season a person is going to have an idol and KEEP THEIR MOUTH SHUT But this is not that season 🤦🏼‍♀️

Shut Up Liz 🙄

It isn’t a conspiracy exactly, but it does read as scripted when a baker who hasn’t put a bake wrong and who is obviously talented suddenly makes absolutely amateur mistakes in back to back bakes in a near penultimate episode.

LOL!! I love Charlie Venus can leave sooner rather than later

In what universe does that purple monstrosity top the decorating efforts of any of the other five cakes? Says it's the best tasting all you want but I didn't see a "flower" anywhere in that purple mess.

Is this the first time someone has won the pre-heat and gotten no advantage? I watch all the baking championships (Halloween, Holiday, Spring, etc) and I honestly can’t remember a contestant winning the pre-heat and no advantage. All I can think is maybe since they’ve scaled back the stupid “twists” that they ditched the “you won’t have to do the twist” advantage and that’s why Alec didn’t get an advantage.

Random, but I like how supportive the producer and the dancers are being.