The Big Blow Out - General Discussion

[TVbitch]

AJ Odudu hosts the search for the next generation of super hair stylists in `The Big Blowout', from the makers of `The Great British Bake Off'. Eleven passionate stylists, from newly qualified to salon owners, face two days of tough challenges set to test their creativity, technical ability and passion. For the first challenge they need to impress real clients with specific styling demands against the clock, before letting their imagination run wild to produce gravity-defying creations in the "Masterpiece" challenge. Each week one won't make the cut and must leave the competition.

[TVbitch]

Thanks for the heads up @Aulty, I am enjoying it. Like with Glow Up, I tend to enjoy the more normal/commercial challenges more than the crazy wacky stuff, but the host is good and the judges seem on point. Don't think I have a favorite quite yet, but there are some front-runners. 

[Aulty]

Thanks for starting a thread for this. I'm always unsure how many Primetimers watch stuff thats not officially available to US viewers.

My good friend trained as hairdresser and I used to be a hair model for her and her colleagues. She was on the team for the London hair show a couple of times and now works for Schwarzkopf Professional, teaching hair professionals new methods and introducing them to the new salon products. I have to introduce her to this show and see what she thinks.
She used to cut my hair until she got the Schwarzkopf gig, now I cut it myself and I feel even I cold do a better job than some of the contestants did in the cut challenge.  If they had given the cut-models who weren't happy with their look a chance to pick one of the other contestants for a second go (the precision cut dude with the long hair probably could've done something nice for the girl who was talked out of cutting her hair very short) that would've been worth watching. I also get what the guest judge was about when he said he wanted them to take it a step further that would make other people ask for a hairdresser's phone number.
The colour challenge was cool, but keeping such a colourful look neat requires a lot of further salon visits once the roots start showing again. The models all had amazing hair.
The hair models for the creative brief, I feel for. I would not volunteer for something like that ever again. You basically have no say and some of the creative challenges didn't look very hair friendly. I hope they get the stuff taken down properly and some hair treatment to clean and relax the hair before they get sent off.

As a show I think its very similar to the make-up based Glow Up and the 'creative' challenge is all about that picture for Instagram. There isn't much for the average person to learn. Explain some techniques, some of the corner stones of hair care and styling.
I feel that with both shows I would like to see a regular make-over challenge with regular people. Give me something that is attainable for me.

[TVbitch]

Yes, you have to be a special kind of brave to volunteer to have contestants do god knows what to your hair. They could really do some damage! I have to assume people who have been butchered get a redo courtesy of the show.

I do wish both Glow Up and this show would make the challenges more realistic. I enjoyed the show "The Cut: Brazil" which did focus more on cutting and styling everyday people's hair. They did some elaborate stylings on that show too, but they were more WITH the hair versus piling crazy stuff onto the head. 😁

[Aulty]

I told my friend about this show and all she said was: I am glad I don't have to do that sh*t anymore.

I doubt she'll watch the show.

Between the shitty pay and working conditions (even though she worked in a very posh, high end salon) she has become pretty fed up with the customer facing side of the industry.

[Aulty]

The bridal episode was really underwhelming, I didn't any. It would've been a lot more interesting were they able to colour and cut the hair too (although I can imagine those models being hesitant if their wedding isn't far off), but coming up with an idea and do it for 2 people in 2 hours is a mean setup. The creative challenges I just skip through, but the re-interpretation of Amy Whinehouse was pretty good.

[Aulty]

I finished the season, but I can't even remember who won - the dark haired lass.
As I've feared, once you've seen a couple of episodes of this show, you really have seen them all. The final 2 episodes didn't have much that I thought was stunning, interesting or inspirational.

Considering how many hair tutorials videos are popping up on my socials and pinterest at the moment, the MUA business seems to shift a bit further North at the moment (my hair product specialist friend HATES working with influencers), so maybe I am completely wrong and the show is totally on the money. Lets see if they do another series.

[Aulty]

The show will not be back. It is one of a bunch of programmes axed by Channel 4 due to a slump in advertisement revenues.