AriAu

I have a soft spot for TC episodes with family members and this was a good use of the family member gimmic. I enjoyed the slow reveal of the special guests (way to go Buddha for guessing immediately) and I really liked that the cheftestants got to spend some time with their family members and enjoy the food. I think this was the first time the cheftestants got to taste the food of the others.. Did they all start to breathe a sigh of relief once they tasted Ashleigh's dish, knowing she was going home? It wasn't even a case of Padma getting the only undercooked squid-seemed like everyone had the same unpleasant experience. I think this is a very talented group, but they are making some pretty basic mistakes for this late in the game-overcooked "macaroni" this week....overcooked rice last week. Nick seems to be a step behind the top 3 of Buddha, Demarr and Evelyn...and I am not sure he has much left to pull out, but it seems like the other 3 do, particularly Buddha, who seems to have a lot left to show. I thought that Adrienne and Sheldon were 2 of the better guest judges this season-they did a really good explaining what the cheftestants did right and wrong and, frankly, made it clear who was going home and why. And, having watched their seasons, I am not surprised that they took a very low-key approach and made no attempt to make it about them like some others do....yeah, I am looking at you Blais (in prior years). The product placement this season has been over the top....but this week topped it all. Between the constant VRBO references (yeah, that was the nicest VRBO ever), the Mastercard "tap" in the market and Nick raving about how great the BMW was to his mother, it was just one long commercial with some cooking thrown in.....oh, and a travelogue for Galveston and the trolley and the saltwater taffey etc... And, yes, that squid must have been really bad and really unexpectedly bad for Padma not to make some double entendre about spitting it out/not being able to swallow!

And maybe they decided there was only so much "miserableness" we could all take!

Very touching episode and certainly well acted, but, and I am sure that this is not a popular opinion, but Rebecca was a good, loving dependable mom-at least to me, she didn't do anything that other moms don't do....TV moms and real moms. She cleans up diaper blow outs, and handles late night or early morning wake-ups (actually, in my house, I got that job!), taught them to tie shoes and worried about them. All that being said, I think it was great that they showed us that the kids appreciated all these standard non-superhuman mom things, which I guess is what really matters. By the way, I know this is TV and all, but that was a whole lot of important and life altering decisions for a bunch of people in like 8 hours time! Where are Franny and Nicky going to school-not in the Poconos, right? Likely New Jersey, which is not around the corner from Kevin. As mentioned, up thread, they showed more chemistry in that 45 second call then Kate and Phillip have ever shown us. Or maybe there is just more chemistry between the actors??? On a slightly different note, Kevin and Randall did not seem to be on good terms in the death bed flash forward, which made sense at the time we saw it, which I think was after Kevin and Randall went at each other on the front lawn/worst day of my life. However, that level of tension between the 2 looks totally out of place after this episode. That has been the real issue-they did too much telling and not enough showing.

Over-cooked rice and still on the show...DaMarr is very, very lucky that either the rest of his dish was great or Jae's was really, really bad. Gotta respectfully disagree with the first part-check out Season 4 (Chicago), Season 6 (Las Vegas-both Voltaggios, Jen Carroll and Kevin Gillespie), Seattle or either All-Star season (and I guess Charleston, which was a combo). But, I absolutely agree with the 2nd part of the sentence-would be very lucky indeed. I love the minimal drama and that the challenges are straightforward enough to let them cook great food, but something is just a little off. Not quiet enough personality shining through-everyone is very even keel and low key so I am finding it hard to have a rooting interest in any cheftestant. This is the only reality show I watch so I love that there is little, if any, needless drama, but not quite enough to get me to care. Maybe it is driven by the fact that they are not in one house due to Covid so we miss out on them interacting- I don't need or want a "bad guy/villain", but we aren't even really seeing who are the "good guys" that everyone likes or admires Plus, I think they are all talented, but no one is at the "next level" like a Voltaggio, Izard, Blais, Kish, Paul Qui, Shota, Brooke, Sheldon Simeon, Gregory, Mei, Nina Compton etc... Buddha seems like the only one doing super creative stuff, but he isn't always executing, unlike someone like Shota from last season. Everyone seems to be good chefs making tasty food....that I would love to taste.

I'm smirking just thinking about the amazing snark that would have come from the recaps of this show. Wind up Wing Chun or SARS or Deborah or Miss Ali or LTG and watch them go on many, many aspects of this show.

Well made and interesting episode....but with only 4 episodes left, I wish it had advanced the story lines of the truly main characters. It's like this should have been earlier this season, without the last 5 minutes, which could have been inserted at the end of another episode (since it was chock full of spoilers that we learned as the season moved along) answering the question of whether Rebecca outlived him. I just feel like there is a lot more to learn about the Big 3, but YMMV

I'm curious to see the time jumps-is it all in the future and the way past. It would be hard to be current since we know a few big facts like Kate/Toby divorce, Madison marriage and new baby and of course no more Kevin love mystery.

Very enjoyable episode all the way around. Interesting and visually stunning QF, no ridiculous constraints on the elimination challenge, good food and the right person went home...finally couldn't out-run the bear. For some reason, it did not get me in the "feels" like prior years (the one from All Stars at Ellis Island hit all the feels) and maybe it's because they didn't have family members show up, but still brought out the best in them. I agree that it is nice to see....but even better is that they are 5 of the 6 best cheftestants this season...still partial to Jackson over Ashleigh....and in all ways it feels genuine and appropriate since these chefs have cooked the best food and just happen to be POC. The Elves found talented chefs and they then performed!

Maybe the retconned Madison we see today....the one who appeared when the showrunner decided to make his real life wife have a decent character to play! While I am happy with the result, I have a couple of issues 1. Wow, that was a boring speech from Sophie. 2. Wow the whole interaction was slow moving and boring and frankly, uninteresting. If not for knowing the history, there is no way I would have been interested in seeing that relationship, let alone clap for it. 3. Other than love at first sight, I am not sure that we ever truly saw them in a good relationship. YMMV 4. Finally, Sophie said that she wanted a relationship based on who they are now, but there is no way she saw something in the 24+ hours that leads her to reach that conclusion....we as viewers did not! 5. Randall's speech made no sense at all!

Although I could see it coming last week, particularly with the references to The Princess Bride, their special movie, I enjoyed it-I guess I am just a sucker for a happy ending! I don’t know why I felt the need to look it up, but when I saw The characters talking, I found out that Mandy Moore is actually one year younger than Alexandra Breckenridge!

Who is the dark haired woman next to Toby-is that Parfait? If so, it is odd we didnt see her in bed with Toby when he got the call to come over.....and again, why was he so close to the Cabin???? Anyone able to Zapruder in on Alexandra's/Sophie's left hand....looks like no ring on the ring finger, or certainly not a big blingy one

That is why the writers/show runners did it...gotta be, right? And that is why I think Sophie has to be the end game. YMMV

Does he like mutton, lettuce and tomato sandwiches, where the mutton is extra lean...!!!! Supposedly, Billy Crystal ad-libbed all the lines and Mandy Patinkin broke a rib holding in the laughs

A few random thoughts: 1. Tom seemed to be outvoted again...is this a meta nod to all the complaining on this board and other sources that his decision rules the day?? 2. Was Matriarc the best Restaurant Wars performance or only that they were the most well oiled machine? I seem to recall a few seasons back that Tom and Padma said it was the best RW performance ever. I think it was Charleston....but don't recall. 3. I hate that they have to pick decor, linen, flatware etc.....just a waste of time and something that takes more than a moment's thought. I am glad that the judges didn't comment on it or have it affect the decision....or at least as we saw. 4. Buddha must be really, really annoying, because as they were picking teams I was shocked he didn't go 1st, then 2nd etc. Jae was stupid not to pick him and Nick got very lucky he was still around.....and was willing to do front of house and make the best bread based on Tom and Padma. And this cuisine isnt his sweet spot but he still made great food. I'll be shocked if he's not there at the end and with his high end skills, he will be a force in a Finale. By the way, just goes to show FOH can be great without having Fabio's personality (the gold standard for TC RW), smarmy as it may be...and I love Fabio and his restaurants in Chicago. 5. Is Luke the worst chefestant (not the worst chef since you dont get the position of sous at the best restaurant in the world if you are anything less than a GREAT chef) to make it this far-maybe Robin in the Vegas season. Lisa Fernandez in Chicago? Talk about not out-running the bear. Certainly the most avoidable single challenge flameout. Kristen Kish getting knifed by Josie is still #1, but that was not avoidable-she had Josie as a teammate! He just made terrible decisions as FOH-he intentionally chose to focus on the guests and not the judges-not sure what he was thinking-was it COVID fog. How does he not introduce the dishes and how they are intended to be eaten is all on him. He doesn't need to suck up or spend all his time there while "Rome is burning", but how do you not great them with wine etc.... Inconceivable. Loved how Gail kept grabbing him and basically asking him to do his job in the nicest/Gailest way possible. 6. The product placement is getting very heavy handed-not just the touchless Mastercard (still makes me nervous, but I am old so what do I know), but Padma didnt just order wine, she ordered "Terlato Pinot Grigio". 7. I get that she was Exec Chef on the winning team, but not sure how Ashleigh was the winner. That gumbo must have been incredible. 8. Why the hell did Jackson decide to share the news about his lack of taste then.....kind of a dick move. "I am going to keep quiet about it until I am about to get eliminated...and after one of my teammates got told his dish was under-seasoned after asking me (and admittedly the other teammates) for taste advice."

I guess it is coming or came to Disney Plus, but it is most definitely NOT a Disney movie. Rob Reiner made it for Castle Rock and it was released by Universal...... and I can not agree with anything more than this. It is truly a spectacular movie, that can be enjoyed on many different levels by people of many different ages. Saw it in the theater and then again with my kids and other people's kids and my grown up kids and we love it every time. To think that people on this board haven't seen the movie is, in one word,.........INCONCEIVABLE..... And, while appropriate to the situation....sorta.....he is quoting some of the weirdest parts of the movie-not surprised he didn't get laughs, since it isn't funny! All, I'll say is Watch it.

Forgot to mention the amazing, almost unprecedentedly amazing ret-con of Madison. She was the most annoying person ever and now she is cool and funny and playing detective with Beth.

Kevin says "Hey Mom"...checked it out on Youtube and then Nicky comes in and says "Hey Dad". In looking at the clip, it struck me that the coldness between Kevin and Randall made sense when the episode appeared, but makes less sense with what we saw in the wedding fast forward, which showed a happy and good relationship between the 2. So we will see at lot more retconning

TIU has never really shown Rebecca as missing Kyle....after the very beginning. Not saying she didnt because she is a caring mother and I cant even fathom the pain they suffered, but it is not something they really showed us.

First off, Mansonlamps, you are absolutely correct- she would be the one to break her marriage vows and while both are to blame, she is even more wrong than him. However, given the history between them (twice), I would think he would look bad for not respecting her marital status, KNOWING full well the attraction. Plus, on the show, they really don't like making Kevin look really, really bad....a little whoring around bad, yes, but otherwise they show him trying to live up to Jack Pearson.

I think Cassidy decided it wasn't a friend's with benefits evening and he slept with the wedding singer, but was still thinking about his talk with Sophie....who I hope was telling him about the break-up of her marriage, since otherwise Kevin is a very bad man if he broke up that marriage.

Since we haven't seen much of their courtship or even relationship, it is hard to assess the depth of relationship and feelings. With what we have seen, their relationship appears to be more about companionship-they have their TV shows and routines, even before the dementia kicked in. We never saw a lot of passion or even joy between them. He is clearly a quality person, loves Rebecca and is a great friend to Jack (and Rebecca), but he is clearly not the love of her life (altho she might be the love of his). Maybe that is giving short shrift to it, but based on what we have seen, the history of TIU (and it tendancy to want grand gestures) and frankly TV dramas, if she is going to be "greeted" in the after life, it WILL be by Jack.....altho maybe Miguel and William will be standing in soft focus a few yards behind!

That would be just about painful/miserable/agonizing enough for this show! While I was pretty sure before the episode that his night of passion must have been Sophie, I am having my doubts because unless we find out that she and her husband had separated, it would paint Kevin in really, really bad light. We know that he and Cassidy do the "friends with benefits" thing from time to time so would not be surprised if that was her bra (so to speak), but he is all kinds of conflicted about his talk with Sophie. Well, we'll know in 6 days

Is she missing a pink bra?

So "Mr. Rising Star" runs for Senate....are we sure he wins? Is he a 1 term senator since I don't think Senators just wander around without security or bodymen/entourage like older Randall is wandering around Tess's office and then the dance studio in the flash forward. It appears the flash forward is 5 years after the wedding so unless he was already a Senator at that time, he would have been in the middle of his 6 year term at the time of the flash forward. I am strangely excited about seeing how they wrap the stories up...not excited about any particular part (who Kevin ends up with, is Miguel alive etc...) but just how they bring it to a conclusion and put a bow on it

Or because he had lots of money when he was Arvin in Modern Family!