Cramps

Braiden Sunshine is the giant killer--he's beaten two of my three favorites from the blinds. (Luckily my third, Evan, isn't a female singer on Gwen's team, or he'd probably be road kill too). Braiden was good this week, but I don't find him particularly special. The quirky girls love Gwen, but Gwen loves helping the young boys. Bye bye Ellie. I will miss you! I don't get the Amy love. Her knockout was so boring and awkward to me that it's the only performance this season that I fast forwarded through. I just couldn't take watching the whole thing. I thought Rhianna was great as a guest mentor. Especially when she got Madi to stop singing in that pretentious quirky voice and use her full voice--which is actually really good! Wonder if Gwen can get rid of the lounge singer factor in Viktor. My husband has been in and out of the voice this season. He walked in during the Jordan segment and couldn't figure out why they were raving about him and calling him the unicorn. I said that there must be some element to his voice that is not fully translating to the TV. I was somewhat surprised Adam got rid of the twins, but then again, when they're not harmonizing, their singing voices aren't that great. And Cassadee Pope showed on her season that Stupid Boy can be a great song to show off your voice with, if you have the right voice. Blaine's voice was really good tonight. It seemed like there was the Patti Smith/Bono influence. But I Hated his shirt. It was so un-rock and roll that it actually took me out of his performance. He can be hard to watch. Similarly, Barrett's moves are hard to watch. I prefer Blind Joe's voice, although the two of them yelling stuff out when the other is singing (which Joe did way too much of last week), was really distracting.

I think Peter Farelly saw that Effie was spoiling for some on camera fights and realized he didn't want to be part of that kind of reality show. That's why he started advising Jason off camera.

Last year didn't quite a few steals come from Gwen's team, because her coaching was good? So far this year she has almost all quirky women. It would make sense strategically for guys to pick her, just because they might have a better chance at lasting longer.

For what it's worth, if they are a couple, they hadn't become one yet when the blinds were filmed. So we may see chemistry later.

Well, Jordan has sold the most on iTunes. But they'll have completed the battles by now.

Right? I've always wondered why more people didn't choose that strategy. I mean I get the country people picking Blake. And I see people hoping Pharrell will produce them (but how many people can he produce?) But a three or four chair turn going to Gwen might have a better chance of lasting longer. I thought Evan's audition was great, and different.

Finally. A couple of artists I am interested on as arises. Evan and Ellie. Evan has an incredible voice. Even in the rock song the tone was great. And Ellie choosing to arrange We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off like that was really interesting. --(loved her excitement over the queen if ska!) I actually thought Gwen was a good coach on her last season. Just not great at pitching contestants.

Very entertaining and likable episode. But musically, nothing I have any desire to download.

Nah Jace wasn't a pretty boy jock. He fell into their weirdo/surfer/pizza guy slot that they've had the last few years.I can't see him fitting in or lasting long in a brigade type alliance. Jeff probably could. But if it weren't for AR I can't imagine why they'd cast him. He's not particularly good looking or interesting. Audrey certainly must have been their biggest disappointment. She started the season fantastic-- charming, strong, smart, strategic plus it was historic casting. And a few weeks later she was hiding under a blanket. Edited to add--thank you Big Brother for giving us the least prejudiced group of Houseguests in years!

I wouldn't get too excited. This was the first year in ages we didn't have a bunch of annoying frat boy jocks thrown at us. With the exception of Clay, they purposefully chose a bunch of misfits toys (and as far as I'm concerned, that was a breath of fresh air. It was a much more interesting group,). Perhaps Les is lamenting the lack of pretty boy jocks who in the cast.

Casting has given us such lame women over the years. Occasionally we'd get someone who was a powerhouse at competitions, but so rarely have we had good strategists. It's always been more about the bikini factor for them. There were exceptions. I loved Danielle from season three. Maggie was like a cult leader, but wasn't enjoyable to watch. And Nakomis changed the game. Whether you like Vanessa or not (and I do), she had been one of the most brilliant players ever to play this game and has kept it really interesting. She is the reason there are no floaters left at the end. She is a force of nature and I hope she wins. That said, I don't know if I'd want to be stuck in a house with her for a whole summer. PS-at least one of the twins and Steve would probably have been booted early if Vanessa hadn't decided she wanted them in her alliance. She has completely controlled this game.

Well, according to the tabloids they now are...! Supposedly, why the blinds they've become a couple.

Marie- good points, on all points!

Steve's blog is quite insightful. I wonder if it's obvious to everyone that Vanessa is hiding something about her outside life.

Whoever edited this episode has a great comedic sense. The cutaways to John sulking when he was bitching about the twins in the HOH room! Austin's expression over learning his girlfriend thinks it's Sigmund and Freud! And the time clock on Steve's popping in and out to wake Austin up. Really funny! All that on top of good strategy-- definitely one of the best episodes of the season! Vanessa for the win!

Nutella when I saw that you posted a video of Austin wrestling and said he was a loser, I thought that you were probably being too harsh and didn't realize that indie wrestling can be rougher and weirder than the WWE. But then I watched it----oh my gosh- that's a mess! They barely even used any wrestling moves--maybe one or two-- it was bizarre-kind of fake boxing thrown into a tango. I'm not sure what the hell that was!!! Ouch.

As annoying as Austin can be, I have much more of a problem with Liz. Despite her recent pronouncements in the diary room, she seems to be fairly turned off by him. Which is really crappy. I didn't like when Boogie used Erica and I don't think this is right either. In other news, while Vanessa would drive me nuts if I had to live with her, I hope she wins. She's playing one of the strongest games any woman has played in this house in years.

No there hasn't been a woman host. Anthony J is the first host they've ever had who has made me laugh a lot on the show. Partially because he distances himself from the material when it's not good with his sarcastic delivery. Jay Moher was not good. Anthony Clarke was much worse. Bill Bellamy was okay. Craig Robinson was too goofy, and I couldn't understand what JB was saying half the time because he swallows his words.

That Comic that did the JK Rowling bit was super old school hack. The minute he started that joke, I knew the second book would be Harry Potter and I figured out every beat of it before he said it. Most of the rest of his jokes were equally dated and predictable except for his last one. I didn't laugh once at that last comic that Roseanne said had the best set of the night, but thought the pharmacist had a real natural talent. Norm can be a really harsh judge, but he's often correct about who isn't good--although sometimes I think he doesn't give his real reasons. I'm not super excited about anyone yet this season.

The Audrey impression is fantastic.

Yes this season, for the first time in a long time, there is no one who is really offensive or hateful in the house. No racists. No real sexists. No mean frat boys. No homophobes. Austen can be creepy and idiotic, but he's more pathetic than anything else. Also this season has the strongest female players we've had in years. Well done casting!!!

They can probably buy sewing tools for their kits at Mood during the next challenge with some of their money. I don't think the show would let any contestant go off on their own. I liked the New Zealand designer but thought his dress wasn't good on the runway. Zach is truly a master of gown construction -- both architectural and with draping. To the point where some of his designs could be in a museum because so much thought and work goes into their construction. So he is going to be very critical in this category. The salmon toga didn't show the model's figure and there didn't seem to be much thought put into where it was or wasn't draped. He might have been able to save himself If he hadn't said he was still trying to find his point of view.

I can't imagine them getting rid of Chet - although they do keep hinting at killing him Off due to his drug use. Quinn's feelings for him are too complex. There is too much potential plot between them.

I want another season! Good season or series finale. Well done show!

Just learned Rowdy Roddy Piper died. His Wife Swap with Rick Flair was one of my favorites. It was interesting to see two friends and former colleagues with two such different lifestyles make the switch.