S09.E01: Intergalactic Zoo

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Two teams of artists construct original alien animals that incorporate two models into one large creation.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I have to admit that after the first five or six introductions, I was like nope, not even gonna try to remember any of these names.

[Monty9]

PICKY NOTE:  Because they were asked to make "animals" vs. "creatures" they would not have worn clothes or be carrying a staff. Maybe if they were agricultural animals they might have worn a blanket.

 

Yay! Megan and Matt are back as models!

"I have to admit that after the first five or six introductions, I was like nope, not even gonna try to remember any of these names." I'm going with Cirque du Soleil girl, older divorced guy. Nose pierced tomboy etc.

 

I did remember Meg (partially shaved head who didn't want to put her work out) and she was not believing in herself as she promised. Good thing her partner (drag queen traffic cop) calmed her down. Though I would recommend practicing a lot over believing in yourself as a tactic to win to future contestants.

Edited July 29, 2015 by Monty9

[Portia]

I'm always surprised when the judges give a pass to the Lame Cloth Drape...especially when the creatures don't warrant any sort of costume. When one of the judges raved, "It looks like a subterranean dinosaur," I added, "...wearing clothes."

Is it completely shallow for me to note that this season's contestants are a pretty nice-looking bunch? Even the more "out-there" looking folks are not really difficult to look at. I don't mean to sound intolerant of people with unique looks, but sometimes the artists seem to be working really hard at looking off-putting.

The only names I've learned so far are first winner Ben, whose dorky/groovy 'stashe puts me in mind of my brother's first boyfriend in the 1980s, and Stevie, who has cold, soulless eyes.

[Maelstrom]

Another season! Here we go again folks :)

 

I never learn any of the names until the herd thins out a bit and the standouts make themselves known. To that end, the one blond guy looked eerily like Martin Freeman in his talking head. I kept wanting to call him Bilbo.

 

Wow, that's an absurd amount of work for three days, even by this show's standards. Very happy they didn't send anyone home tonight (which IMO should be the norm for these elimination shows - no one goes the first ep, then two go the next to even things out).

 

Glenn's hair never fails to entertain me. Hee. It's looking especially, uh, unique tonight. And Ve's pink racing stripes seem to have brought out her snark, big time. I mean, Glenn was the nice judge to one of the bottom looks (!) Never thought I'd see that.

 

Despite its tattered bathrobe, I thought the winning look was the best makeup of the night. The paint job - what I could see of it beneath the noxious pink robe - was beautiful. I wouldn't have put the tourmaline monster in the top looks, though, I thought it looked… unfinished? Flat? Crappy? Not sure. Must've looked a lot better in person, I guess. I liked the blue slug lady that Megan modeled, and was surprised it wasn't a top look.

 

So grateful for this show's refreshing lack of Drah-ma and staged sniping - Skin Wars, this is how it's done.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

So grateful for this show's refreshing lack of Drah-ma and staged sniping - Skin Wars, this is how it's done.

Shhhhhh, there's still time for one of these contestants to reveal that they are a classically trained artist!

[Rhetorica]

Welcome back everyone. Time flies. I agree with the winner. (have no idea of names yet) The saves surprised me, although it was a great deal of work even for a team. I love how the contestants are confident but at the same time self-effacing. That make for a drama free show.

[Maelstrom]

Shhhhhh, there's still time for one of these contestants to reveal that they are a classically trained artist!

*runs screaming from the thread*

[phoenix780]

PICKY NOTE:  Because they were asked to make "animals" vs. "creatures" they would not have worn clothes or be carrying a staff. Maybe if they were agricultural animals they might have worn a blanket.

 

I don't think it's picky to expect them to reward people who stuck with the challenge.  One of them, if I remember correctly, described it as an "intelligent creature" who chose to merge with a parasite.  Not cool when you have a mentor advising everyone to eradicate the human form and go full animal, imho.  

This episode made me miss the Henson show.  Is that coming back?  

 

On the bright side, I appreciate that the teams who were falling apart didn't turn on one another at any point.

[GaT]

Well, that was a new....look for Glenn tonight. 

 

Too many people to really remember or like/hate anyone, but thank you Nora for being named Nora & not something like Chris or Pat so that I know you are a girl.

 

Alien animals = monsters, as far as I'm concerned

[Iguana]

It's baaaaack.... Hello, Face Off. While it was technically a monster challenge, I give the show points for adding the second model requirement. It forced the contestants to create different body shapes and silhouettes, and thankfully Neville was there to remind them to keep it not humanoid. And while I also don't like the idea of draping "clothes" on what are supposed to be alien animals, there is no way the contestants could do a full two person body suit in the amount of time they had. So like the judges tonight, I'll just go with it.

Couldn't disagree with the top or bottom looks this week, and approve of the decision not to eliminate anyone. As much as I want the herd to be thinned, this was an insanely hard first challenge, and I like the idea of seeing more of what the contestants can do before the first one goes.

[OakGoblinFly]

Yea, so happy the show is back.

 

Too early and too many names to remember, however I really hope that the Wynnona Judd wannabe, half-a-head-of-hair girl, and the two girls who worked with native silver do not continue to cry, meltdown, and panic every challenge ..... that will wear real thin real fast.

 

Every time they showed a talking head of the younger half of the clam duo, I just wanted to brush his hair.

 

I got a chuckle of the one girl who said "I don't have much experience with make-up.  Obviously" --- I liked that bit of self-deprecating humor.

 

I'm glad that the show did not eliminate anyone the first episode.

Edited July 29, 2015 by OakGoblinFly

[MizArk]

I'm so glad this show is back! I love the lack of vitriol among the contestants -- I recognize the drama of stressful deadlines, and even understand people snapping at others occasionally under that stress, but these contestants almost always seem to understand they have to learn to work in teams for the jobs they are basically auditioning for. I did think the winning look suffered from the draped fabric, which made no sense in context. Would Glenn have hated it if they'd draped fake fur, instead? Loved seeing everyone's faces when they saw all the "goodies" they were going to get to play with. Just an all-around fun show that always leaves me wanting to play with clay.

[Rosieroo]

I think the fact that they are casting people who graduated from make-up school yesterday says a lot about the caliber of work we're going to be seeing.  I wish they would give them more time ...maybe even another whole day....to complete the tasks so we wouldn't have such awful results as last night's vag-head creature and mr. clam. I feel like the best of this season would be the worst of some of the earlier seasons.  

 

Even so.......Yea,  Face Off is back Woo!

Edited July 29, 2015 by Rosieroo

[jaigurudeva]

Not sure if it's the contestants or I who need a Freudian analysis, but that clam creature was a like walking vagina dentata, and that last creature (the two-headed one joined at the...lower regions) just looked like two separate creatures making "the beast with two backs" ifyaknowwhatimsaying.

[Primetimer]

To introduce the new season, the designers are paired off. And so are the models! It's not entirely successful.

Read the story

[CherZ]

Yeah I responded to one of Nevile's Tweets on Twitter and said how hard tonight's challenge was. He retweeted me with a classic "Face Off is Harrrrddd." Made me laugh, so glad the show is back!

 

I do thnk tonight's challenge was very difficult for the first time and am glad no one is going home because using two models, in a lab you've never been in etc. it was too much.  Does look like an interesting group though. Hard to pick out favorites as my favorites in the past I ended up not liking as the show went on.

[Lorimac]

....(drag queen traffic cop) .....

 

Thank you, Monty9.  Now I will never get that out of my head, but it will make me smile everytime!

[Pop Vulture]

Aaaaand we're back. Hooray! But wait - with a team challenge? BOO.

I remember at the beginning of last season, when the final looks came out for the judges on the first episode, I thought to myself, "Wow - this is a really talented group!" I certainly didn't get that vibe this time - everything looked pretty awful, and I find myself a little less excited about the season going forward as a result. Don't get me wrong - I'm not stomping my feet and refusing to watch - I just notice in myself that this disappointing first group of designs does affect my enthusiasm about the season. Maybe this didn't have to be the VERY FIRST challenge?

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Papa Mac's "mentoring" is WAY too specific/intrusive. He's supposed to help the designers find their voice, not insert his own design ideas into the design. If he is going to be that specific in his "advice," he should be judged too.

[LoveIsJoy]

I'm no special effects makeup artist, but as a home crafter, I was just as in awe of the lab as the contestants were!  In fact, I always wonder what the materials must cost for each episode.  To get to play with all of the makeup, paints, clay, accessories, foams, plastics (and who knows what all else) must be a contestant's dream.  Wish we could get a behind the scenes look at lab contents, as well as an idea of the cost/budget.

[Rosieroo]

 

Ol' Crotchface

HA!!  Sometimes it all goes wrong going from design to stage but the minute I saw the ol' crotchface drawing (or as I called it vag-head)  I knew it was going to be so very very wrawng.  

[Monty9]

 

Yeah I responded to one of Nevile's Tweets on Twitter and said how hard tonight's challenge was. He retweeted me with a classic "Face Off is Harrrrddd." Made me laugh, so glad the show is back!

by CherZ

 

Jealous! Soooooooo jealous.

 

 

....(drag queen traffic cop) .....

    

    Thank you, Monty9.  Now I will never get that out of my head, but it will make me smile everytime!

by Lorimac

 

Why thank you. It took me a couple of mental tries to  come up with a desription ("Leather Mommy in a....No. Rebel with a Kabuki brush ....No")

Edited July 29, 2015 by Monty9

[Quilt Fairy]

I got 'alien' rather than "alien animal' from several of them, mostly due to the draping. The non-winner in top looks was especially egregious, IMO. That 'animal' not only threw on a cape to go out but took a walking stick as well. But I guess draping is better than legs that are obviously human legs wearing painted pants; there were a couple of them like that. I couldn't believe that the creation by the red-haired traffic cop and her team mate were not in the bottom; when that came out I thought "Gee, THAT is really bad and amateurish". OTOH, I really liked the first one that came out, the one with alligator skin, that looked really colorful and creative.

 

I don't agree that Mr. Westmore inserts himself too much into the final designs. He's not drawing or sculpting for them like Laura did last season. (I like Laura but it seemed like she was way more hands on than the other 2 mentors and never got called on it.) If he tells someone to 'change the eyelid here because otherwise you'll have an alien face with human eyes' or 'don't get your browns too muddy', he's doing what I think a mentor should do, lend his experience to prevent people from making mistakes. They're free to take his advice or not. He's certainly a better mentor than Tim Gunn and his well-worn and useless 'Make it work!'.

 

ETA: I was really glad to find out that Nora was a girl; when she did her TH I wondered "When did Nora become a boy's name?"

 

ETA2: It does not bode well when the season's teasers include Neville asking a question many of us have asked in previous seasons:

Do you not understand what 'whimsical' means?

Edited July 29, 2015 by Quilt Fairy

[sourpickles]

Well, welcome back Face Off! I'm glad I now have something else to watch! My whole overall impression was an "eh" for the night, but that's first night stuff for ya. I didn't hate the clam as much as the rest of the world, thought it was one of the more thought out designs. Didn't get the whole idea of the museum at all.....hey, it's random stuff day!!! Oh, and we'll somewhat recycle the two model idea right from the body painting challenge last season. Which was, if I may say so, way more successful. I couldn't really get an accurate idea of talent, too many people I guess, though I spent way too much time thinking "hey there, someone who looks like someone else! Hi, Alan Cummings and Carnie Wilson and you who looks like you were on ANTM! Hey! I watch too much reality tv!". Terrible, I know. I am happy about the non elimination, I always get mad that someone hasn't gotten to show their stuff, so show me next week, people! And if contestants have to get inspired by an Audi, Project Runway needs to drop all their random acts of fashion as well.........

[Ketzel]

I was amused when, after the bottom four had learned no one was being eliminated, one of the judges remarked that the purpose of the first challenge was to learn a bit about the new contestants, and "we learned a lot." I wonder if they were making some preliminary assessments about attitude and professionalism, because the bottom four, imo, showed some real weaknesses there. The two-guy pair, especially the one with the messy hair, looked really pissed at being in the bottom and increasingly sullen as the critique continued. I wondered if they'd never heard anything negative about their work before, or at least never in a situation where they had to accept the authority of the critters and the real-world consequences of doing sub par work. The two-girl pair dissolved into tears immediately. Also not a sign of readiness to take on a competitive, high pressure job. I hope all four of them prove to be more mature than they appeared on the first show. I bet the judges are hoping that also!

[Kromm]

Didn't the last season just go off the air like five minutes ago?

Too early and too many names to remember, however I really hope that the Wynnona Judd wannabe, half-a-head-of-hair girl, and the two girls who worked with native silver do not continue to cry, meltdown, and panic every challenge ..... that will wear real thin real fast.

There were actually two women who were vaguely W. Judd-like.  But heh. I know you mean the one with the stupid hat and the clown hair, not the one that looked like a blond toned down version.

 

I felt sorry for the two girls with the silver creature. That just seemed like the standard "everything went wrong from Day 1" scenario.  They get one more chance with me. Especially since the paint job WAS surprisingly good (especially considering they had ZERO paint on the models before Last Looks).  The concept sucked. The decisions sucked. But at least it showed talent in application.

Edited July 29, 2015 by Kromm

[Kaoteek]

Oh man, I'm glad Face Off is back, but I only had two thoughts during this episode : "the judges are gonna have a hard time finding a second top look, cos those are pretty much all mediocre except for the top one", and "Glenn's new look rivals that (drag queen traffic cop)'s in the WTF department".

 

And that clam monster... still laughing about that one.

Edited July 29, 2015 by Kaoteek

[ElectricBoogaloo]

That challenge seemed like it belonged on Jim Henson's Creature Shop more than Face Off (although if it had been done on Creature Shop, you know there wouldn't have been any draped fabric or leggings showing). I want to cut most of the contestants a lot of slack for this challenge because team challenges are difficult, especially with someone you just met, and the amount of work they needed to do for this challenge was ridiculous (which is why I am trying to overlook the togas that many of the models were sporting). And for that reason, I am okay with no one being eliminated this week.

 

But (and it's a big but), most of the final results were uniformly disappointing. I want to be wowed, not think, "Are you serious?"

 

I really want to know if blonde Brittany was putting on her own fake eyelashes at the age of six. Call me old fashioned but I try not to give children the opportunity to glue their eyes shut until they're at least 10.

[Edna Crandall]

I audibly booed when no one was eliminated, mostly because I figured it would be messy hair clam guy. Dude did not take criticism well, crossing his arms and looking away and sullen. I thought the non-winning top look was way too humanoid. I would have picked either the alligator skin, rams horn, or twin flower pot over that one. On the other hand, I couldn't believe that drag queen traffic cop and shaved head weren't in the bottom. It looked like a badly painted pantomime horse. All that was missing was a giant hook pulling one half off the stage. 

 

So glad this show is back. Skin Wars has been a poor substitute. 

Edited July 30, 2015 by Edna Crandall

[starri]

You know, I was kind of thinking the Face Off well was completely dry, but then they manages to turn out a really good episode with a bunch of artists who actually seem to be really talented (for the most part).  I really appreciated the surprise free pass (much better use of the concept than the judges' save, IMO).

 

I disagree with some of the judging.  I don't remember which team it was, but my favorite makeup was the one with Megan, and I was really surprised that was only safe and that the makeup that I honestly didn't think was that great was the winner.

 

Still, after watching this episode mostly out of habit, I think they've roped me back in.

[Darian]

I would have thought it would feel too soon, but, no, I was happy to have the show back. I'm going to have a hard time not rooting for a fellow Hodgkin's Lymphoma survivor (I was diagnosed in 1977). On other shows, I may have favorites based on personality and want the obnoxious contestant gone regardless of talent, but on Face Off I usually like everyone so choose based on talent only.

[needschocolate]

There was a design school, and only one design school, mentioned by a bunch of the contestants.  I don't remember it ever being mentioned before and I wondered if the school came to the show and said "You have had a lot of contestanst from our school inthe past, we will pay for each time they mention our name in future seasons."

 

Regarding animals in clothing - I assume that the artists get more detailed instructions that we hear, that include things like how much fabric is okay to use, etc...

 

It was amazing that all the teams worked so well together, considering that they just met and had no idea what their partner's strengthes or weaknesses are or the quality of thier work. There was no one steamrolling their partner as we have seen in the past (and is a likely scenario in this sort of situation - one person taking the lead because they don't want to go home for someone elses's ideas paired with someone who doesn't give an opinion because they just want to get the work done).  

 

Like the rest of you, I really appreciate that the contestants get along so well and that the drama comes from the challenge, not from the contestants.  That is not to say that everyone is all butterflies and rainbows all the time, but they they are like normal people that you might find at any workplace, not the extremes.

 

I also appreciate that the judges really seem to understand the difficulty of the challenge and how much effort was put into it, even if the end results don't show it.  They get that sometimes a mold breaks or the foam doesn't set right and those things will put someone way behind.  They don't try to be funny by making fun of the contestants or their work (looking at you , Michael Kors).

 

I was bothered by the voice of Drag Queen Winona Traffic Cop - there was a weakness to it. She sounded really nervous/upset and I felt bad for her. The only other thing I found bothersome was the younger clam guy's hair - how does he get it to look like that?

[Lugal]

I've heard other contestants in past seasons mention the Tom Savini School (or the Tom Savini Special Make-up Effects Program, according to Wikipedia).  It's fairly well known, so it doesn't surprise me when they get a lot of contests from it.  I remember Dina, the winner of season seven, attended season four winner Anthony Kosar's make-up school as well.

 

It's nice to see a show where everyone gets along and there's a lack of drama.  I think there's several reasons, like having Joe the Whack-job a few seasons back and because these people, if they're working in Hollywood, will likely be working with each other again.

 

They definitely threw the contestants in the deep end this time, and I was kind of pleased to see no one eliminated that way everyone gets at least two shots (I'm guessing next week's twist is a double elimination).  I did think the non-winning top look looked too human as well, but the winner was amazing, and even the fabric didn't bother me too much, although if this wasn't the judges seeing what they were capable of, they would have dinged the contestants for using fabric on animals.

[LoneHaranguer]

 

There was a design school, and only one design school, mentioned by a bunch of the contestants.  I don't remember it ever being mentioned before and I wondered if the school came to the show and said "You have had a lot of contestanst from our school inthe past, we will pay for each time they mention our name in future seasons."

Casting probably just hit up the school for contestants to fill out this season's roster. The pool of professionals who may be inclined to compete and haven't already has to be pretty thin by now.

[ratgirlagogo]

Glad this show is back.  Don't have much to say about the episode, partially because I cannot keep all the people straight at this point, and partially because there were so many of them that I felt like we didn't spend much time with most of them. Love the LA Natural History Museum - great idea for inspirations.

 

I'm one of the (apparently unusual) fans of this show who has always enjoyed and appreciated Glenn's looks throughout the seasons - but whatever the fuck he has done to his hair, he needs to stop doing that right away and come  up with a better idea. 

 

ETA:  forgot to say that the giant clam would have fit right in on H.R. Pufnstuf.  Too bad this wasn't a "whimsy" challenge.

Edited July 30, 2015 by ratgirlagogo

[April Bloodgate]

As others have said, I was bothered by the 2 top looks using so much fabric, especially the runner-up. It's not just that animals shouldn't be wearing clothes, but also that it seems lazy. Most of the other teams completed full bodies w/o draping them in fabric. (I agree that the one wearing pants was pretty bad too.) And I didn't think the runner-up was very good at all. I would have put Scott and Nora's (the one w/ Megan as the model) in the top. I was also very surprised that whiny Meg and Winona Judd's makeup wasn't a bottom look. Meg and Kevon (bad hair guy in the bottom) made bad first impressions on me, so I would have been fine w/ Kevon going home.

[Passing Strange]

I don't agree that Mr. Westmore inserts himself too much into the final designs. He's not drawing or sculpting for them like Laura did last season. (I like Laura but it seemed like she was way more hands on than the other 2 mentors and never got called on it.) If he tells someone to 'change the eyelid here because otherwise you'll have an alien face with human eyes' or 'don't get your browns too muddy', he's doing what I think a mentor should do, lend his experience to prevent people from making mistakes. They're free to take his advice or not. He's certainly a better mentor than Tim Gunn and his well-worn and useless 'Make it work!'.

 

I agree. I love Michael Westmore as the mentor. We're only seeing a snippet of his interactions with the artists. The artists have probably filled him in on what they want to achieve, so he's not inserting his own design ideas, he's helping them accomplish what they've told him they want to do. I've often wished someone would point Tim Gunn to this show and tell him that's how you mentor.

[snakenax]

 

I've heard other contestants in past seasons mention the Tom Savini School

I know at least Drew, a season 7 finalist, is a teacher at the school(which is probably why he was extremely good at little technical aspects of make up a lot of other contestants mess up, like thinness of the application).

 

Casting probably just hit up the school for contestants to fill out this season's roster. The pool of professionals who may be inclined to compete and haven't already has to be pretty thin by now.

Well, the last time the show had a majority of people who actually work in the FX industry was season 1. Since then it's mostly been 1-3 people with actual industry backgrounds, people who just came out of FX school, people in peripheral careers(fashion make up, body painting, sculpting etc) looking to branch out and people who do make up for Halloween haunted houses.

 

Though i'm not really sure how much being a industry professional vs up and comer or amateur really effects things much, given that many of the actual industry professionals on the show give very disappointing performances, while the fan favorites are usual the up and comers or amateurs or people who's primary career is in a periphery like Laura, Anthony, Dina, Cig Neutron, the entire group of season 8 finalists, Tate and Roy.

Edited July 31, 2015 by snakenax

[LittleIggy]

I'm glad I'm not the only person who was bothered by alien "animals" wearing blankets!

[KBS1607]

Well, I'm excited, I'm good friends with Stevie's mom. I don't know Stevie that well, but she seems nice.

[Betelnut]

I'm disappointed that the top two looks were both of animals wearing clothes.  Animals don't wear clothes unless they are in the circus or owned by people.  It has been one of my pet peeves with Face Off designs--animals in clothes.

 

Overall weak designs but I think that is because it was a very difficult challenge.

 

About half-way through the show, I thought, "I bet they don't eliminate anyone and I bet some of the animals will be wearing clothes."  It was nice and irritating to be right on both counts.

[Reishe]

Overall weak designs but I think that is because it was a very difficult challenge.

I totally agree--I would have liked to have seen what they could do with an additional day. I also think it was dirty pool to give each team advice that sometimes ran along the lines of "your concept stinks, start over" and then promptly take away their models and send everyone to the studio (at least that's the impression they give--hard to tell what happened before editing). Why not give them more model-time to figure out the mechanics of their project post-criticism?

 

I know we say it a lot, and we'll say it again. It warmed my heart to see Ben give lots of credit to his partner, as well as his overall graciousness. With so much bad behavior in the news right now, thank goodness there are a few people out there modeling how it should be done.

[qtpye]

I don't know what you guys are complaining about.  I know my dog likes to don a cloak and a walking stick before he leaves the house. It is a perfectly normal thing for an animal to do.

[Maverick]

What, no monocle?

Edited August 12, 2015 by Maverick

[qtpye]

Unfortunately, my dog is not that fancy.