BryroseA

I was a little surprised that no one tried to add an extra story onto their dock. I live near an area with a lot of lake vacation homes and two- three- even four- story “party docks” with full outside kitchens, viewing balconies, slides into the water, etc. are a big deal. I wonder if that was a money issue, a dock size issue, or a dock structure issue (presumably you have to have a certain amount of under structure to support a second story?) Whatever it was, it sure made this week underwhelming. I think the twins adding the solar panels might have just won it all for themselves. That’s a huge value add, that may make it hard for the other teams to catch up.

I thought someone on this show was going to listen to my primal cri de coeur and screen in a porch. I was SO HAPPY, and then it was cruelly yanked away. 😅 If you’re in the South, Screen. It. In.

I hate to say it, because I have loathed everything else I have seen them design, but I loved the Bauemlers’ living room. The curved walls and the ceiling treatment along with the full glass wall just really made it look luxe, but in an interesting way.

It’s baaaaack! I think HGTV broke Keith and Evan. I’m so sad at how much they tamped their style down in pursuit of sale-ability. I actually loved their home on their original season (it worked a lot better as a whole home than as individual rooms, imo) even though it was very specific. People side-eyed their round shapes - windows, curved shower, etc. - so much that season and now this season all the designers are adding curves. Maybe the peach walls were ahead of their time, too! 😂 I think this season is Paige and Mitch’s to lose.

I liked that they switched up the finale order and did the master class last, announcing the winner in front of the audience - it felt like a better arc. This was a fun season to watch, as always, but I do feel the creative looks - like last season - continue to feel very “same-y.” Same kinds of prosthetics, same placements, same color blends, someone adds moss, etc. I really don’t think the show has ever managed to hit the artistry levels of Season 2 - particularly Ophelia. Her Bangkok neon lights look, or the full moon / dark face look were so stunning I remember them today - just with makeup.

…back to another season. I just can’t quit hate-watching this show and remembering how much I liked the first few seasons. I *HATE* that the producers keep leaning into the smack talk/ginned up competition between trucks. I don’t want to hear teams yelling at each other or putting each other down, and you know a lot of that is coming from behind the camera. I am, however, relieved that the actual quality of the food seems high this season. Lots of those opening dishes sounded AMAZING & no one is doing “stuff on a waffle” or “stuff on Mac & Cheese” type truck. 🙏🙏🙏🙏 producers - good food and fun, friendly competition. It would work, I promise!

Sure, sure, food, cooking, yes, good, but what I’m really here for was that split-second thirst trap shot of shirtless Ali by the window. 👀

I see a lot of consensus that Christian’s cake was “brown” but I loved the muted color scheme and thought it was absolutely gorgeous - that edging line of gold and the sea foam accents were genius, imo. Perfect for a “Boho” wedding cake.

I do! They do usually take the other bakes from that episode into consideration, however - it isn’t only the showstopper. My mediocre comment was referring to the look of some of Luke’s bakes - that chocolate box for the preheat challenge - oof.

Oof, that’s a disappointment for me. I like Luke a lot as a person, but it’s hard to see someone other than Clement or Christian win when they have been turning out professional, GORGEOUS dessert consistently all season. Luke has done some beautiful work (the Holi cheesecake comes to mind) but lots that was mediocre or subpar as well, including two bakes of the three in this literal finale episode. Hard to believe his cake tasted *that* much better.

Yes! I don’t know how many of the teams had hot tub money remaining, but that feels like it would have been a good addition.

Another year, another season where no one screened in even part of their porch. Bug haters of the world, unite and demand your porch be screened in!!! I thought an outdoor shower, especially one with a dog shower area, would have been a good use of that $1000 challenge. Maybe throw in a kayak/ski rack for gear storage. Everyone I know in CO does a TON of hiking, kayaking, etc with their dogs.

I wonder if the show told them they weren’t allowed to add any extra bathrooms or bedrooms to the listing? The last few seasons that has become the obvious go-to to bump the appraisal price up. Didn’t one team last year kit out their downstairs as a complete rental apartment? For not one single team to even think about throwing a bathroom and a closet down there I wonder if the producers stepped in to stop that from being an obvious avenue to victory?

"This is a tough decision, they're all so different..." said the judges about four kitchens that were, in fact, incredibly similar.

I don’t know why I keep coming back to this godforsaken show, but I think one reason might be to see if anyone - ANYONE- will finally add a screened in porch to one of these homes.