Charlesman

What was up with the faux-drama on the third and final spot? Dave voted for Creepy Jason to take spot #2 ahead of Laura... how did they think he was going to vote for spot #3 when it came time to break the "tie" between Peck and Nunez?? Overall I did like the format of the episode in that there was a blind judging of identical tattoos, but, I also felt it was contrived to result in a "no winner, everyone tattoo again!" ending. I wish blind judging and strict head-to-head like that happened more often. And I wish I could believe there was a chance that one or two people would get sent straight to the finale from it, instead of being obvious filler.

I was surprised the flash challenge even had a winner. I seem to remember in a previous season that when it was a challenge like that, they didn't declare any winner or loser.

The only defense I can even attempt to muster about Dani's eagle is that we're seeing it foreshortened in 2D. Maybe, maybe, the effect is different seeing it in real life, with the wings wrapping around to the front of the neck. Maybe.

The exit interview, after staring daggers at the judges, with the red eyes and the teardrop stains on the pink shirt was the most satisfying thing I've ever seen.

Agreed, there were more young guys aged 18-24 than I expected. Not as many older moms and dads. Like Henry, Stephanie, Priya, Helena, and Alice Not a fan of Jamie, just in how he blows off everything and seems to admit he's out of his depth.

It is weird. Wikipedia says seasons 1, 4 and 6 were 11 episodes, but doesn't say which (if any) had reunion episodes included as part of that count. Seasons 3 and 5 were 10 episodes. Season 2 was 13 (a more normal order for other channels). I don't know, maybe there is a "floating" number of episodes, 10 to 13, that the network allows them to have, and it just depends on how much interesting stuff happens. I don't mind 10 and 11 episode seasons if that means there isn't two extra hours of padding of nothing happening.

They might have an emergency-emergency evac plan, just not a standard tap-out-at-night option. I mean, at some point they can call in a military medevac/coast guard chopper at a cost of a hundred thousand dollars, right? If the guy is literally bleeding out on the ice I'm sure they have an option faster than 8 hours. But their standby chopper didn't seem to have a searchlight on it, so I guess the call is "can you make it to morning, or do we call in the army?"

It was honestly bigger than his leg. His friggen leg. Good lord he sets the all-time record for food haul.

Not sure about this season, but in past seasons, often after being told the challenge, they stop recording and get a lesson and recipe. They've often also been allowed to consult recipe books. Also rules are gone over with Broadcast Standards/network lawyers, questions can be asked, etc. Also not entirely sure about MC compared to other cooking shows, but, the contestants are sometimes asked to cook the same meal three times: once to be judged, once to get in extra shots of them cooking and technique, and another to produce the version of the dish they get the beauty close-ups from.

Shari served a literal turd, but wasn't even close to going home.

I believe there was dry ice and some lemon zest in there, and the flavor was supposed to float down into the bowl

I dunno, this happens every season. The nice, soft, fan-favorite type who just isn't really all-around skilled enough to win but you still like them gets a golden parachute upon elimination. It's pretty much guaranteed that Micah will be offered a job at one of the judge's restaurants once he's finally kicked off. No doubt.

I thought so too, but it was just how he was holding the camera (with the long microphone attached) with his arm straight out to the side. The shadow from the setting sun made it look weird.

I'll admit I experienced some schadenfreude joy with the sequence: "I won every single flash challenge, right up until the men stopped listening to me" All the men listen to her The men lose

I didn't care for Ash's tattoo, and she'd been circling the drain for so long, I'm glad she's out. Jason's was totally off though. The top of the axe handle was twice as thick as the bottom. It made no sense. Even so, floating handcuffs and that terrible canton on the flag, so dark and making the skull disappear, I don't really have a problem with that decision. It may have been biased, sure, but she didn't help her cause with an equally bad if not worse composition.