Monday, July 23, 2007

'Hell's Kitchen' - A Quick Take on Episode 8

Hell's Kitchen
I know recaps are necessary, but why must they be narrated so dramatically?

Gotta love Ramsay's grimace for the opening scene, though. Rock likes to think he's in charge and he's quite possibly the most qualified one, but his personality does him in.

It's down to one team tonight with black and white jackets. Good. Um, okay... Ramsay squirts champagne at them in celebration. Who's going to clean up that mess, eh?

The first individual challenge is ready to go down. They're cooking for "trendsetters," but the twist is that they'll go to them. One hundred hungry high school students. Now, there's a crowd that's used to slop!

Rock is serving Kobe beef? I hope they're wealthy students! Julia is about the only one preparing what I'd call a traditional sort of dish. But it appears that they're not looking for something which could actually appear on a high school menu, so 51% of the kids voted forJulia. Heh. Practicality beats fancy!

She wins a trip to Las Vegas with Chef Ramsay and gets to choose one person to go with her. So, it's Jen and Julia. They took a private jet and saw the restaurant they may (probably not) be working in. They also visited last year's winner Heather at her restaurant.

The others get to clean the entire restaurant and linens. Josh doesn't know how to use a vaccum cleaner. Rocket scientists! After cleaning the three (Rock, Josh and Bonnie) had to prep for the service. As usual, Bonnie screwed up. After they did the prep, they sat around talking about Ramsay's idolation of Julia. I like her, but I don't see that at all. I think they're just sorry losers. She chose a menu that kids actually enjoy!

The five wannabes have to work together to serve the patrons tonight. Josh tried to get a head start, got yelled at. Rock burned his scallops, got yelled at. Josh got yelled at again. Bonnie actually cooked a Wellington right! Then it was Julia's turn to get yelled at. Josh kept trying to cook spaghetti ahead despite getting yelled at and his risotto is undercooked. Oh, no!

Ramsay kicked Josh out of the kitchen, telling him to take off the jacket. Will that be it for tonight? Will two go home? He packed his bags and left.

But the meal goes on.

Jen took over Josh's appetizer station and did well. But then Julia forgot the monkfish garnish. She's looking hassled and it shows in her performance. Poor Julia. "Rock has hit rock bottom." -- according to Ramsay. He lost his turbot, oh no!

Jen seems to be doing the best. Rock thinks the others are putting him down to make themselves look better. The guy has an attitude problem once again. He just won't stop. Jen snapped back at him, but I think Rock was the communication problem, not her.

They completed the service despite the fighting. Ramsay is discouraged due to the fighting. He said that Bonnie had her best service so far and it's up to her to pick two to nominate to be fired. Rock is pouting like a t-year-old boy. He's even crying, but it seems that he's more mad at himself for screwing up.

He seems to have an epiphany, but I can't help but think it won't last. Bonnie has real problems trying to decide which girl to put up with Rock. She's in a quandary, folks!

She nominated Rock and Julia because she's struggled on garnish and has a lot to learn on product.

Julia's gone, but Ramsay is a sweetheart to her. He's seniding her to culinary school and wants her to come back. He told her there's something amzaing about her. Good, he has a heart. I knew she wouldn't win, but I think she's one of the best PEOPLE there if not the best chef.

So, it's Bonnie, Jen and Rock as the final three. I know from the Internet spoilers who should win, but none of the three thrill me. Rock has temper issues and has indeed screwed up in the kitchen. He doesn't work well with a team. Bonnie hasn't the commerical experience and Jen tried to serve pasta she had thrown in the trash.

Send them all home next week and end the season early, I say.

'Big Brother 8' - Live Feeds Quasi-Bulletin

They're still talking about everything under the sun except the nominations. Kail and Mike were talking "as if" they're both on the block. Kail told him if she's gone next week and he's still there, not to trust Jen. Mike made a reference to himself possibly not being there next week ... she's to trust no one.

So, I'll go on a limb without concrete verification and say I believe it's Kail and Mike on the block with Jen removing herself.

Right now Dick's rehashing why he did what he did with Kail (regarding putting her on the block). Still nothing concrete, but I think I have it right.

I will correct/confirm this when I finally really hear an outright declaration.

UPDATE 6:51 PM ET: Still no outright declaration, but I see JokersUpdates and others are making the same call I did. So, I'm going to fly with it. ;-)

'Big Brother 8' - Live Feeds Report - Into the Day Mon. 7/23

Oh, no! Now Kail is pulling her hair out!

Okay, I lied. I just a negative kind of person, y'know. I'm so, like, not what, like, Jen wants in the house!

Amber cried.

Oh, wait. I started too soon. Here are the happenings from that Big Brother House of Vandals and JenBots:
  • Jen told Dick that he'd be her third choice to get out of the house.
  • Jen and Dick, while not working together by any means, do get along together much better than seen on the show.
  • Jen told Dick that in all of her time she spent with Kail, she can't trust her because she didn't tell her about the Mrs. Robinson alliance.
  • She also told him that Daniele, Nick, Dustin, and Amber are in an alliance ... which doesn't include him.
  • Jen accidentally tipped Dick off about her knowledge of the show. She's been telling everyone she never watched it, but made the mistake of talking to Dick about the coup d'etat last season. So, he's aware that she's smarter about the game than she lets on.
  • Dick wants to work with Jen, but she seems reluctant.
  • eric told Kail that people in the house think if they say something enough, it's the truth. ("My alliance betrayed me?" ;-) )
  • Eric's America's Player task was to vandalize something of Jen's. I'm not sure if they told him what to do, but I don't like this one. Not at all. He squirted mustard on one of her shirts which was on her pillow. Now, if he had taken the J off of one of her Jen hairbands or something, maybe that would be funny. But this is just nasty and mean. It's not MY America's Player task. Both the pillowcase and the shirt were damaged.
  • Jen didn't get upset. She just asked who was in second grade, thought it was "funny and weird."
  • Kail was upset about the prank.
  • No one can figure out who did the deed.
  • Dick (why doesn't he just stop) told Amber again she's playing the game too emortionally.
  • Amber cried.
  • Okay. She didn't. I lied again. It just seemed to fit well there.
  • After she talked to Dick, Kail came to her telling her she could tell her all about it. Amber didn't. Instead, she went to Jameka to talk about it, then to Dustin..
  • Jameka and Amber think Nick might have put the mustard on Jen's shirt.
  • Eric told them Nick was with him, so then they thought it was Dick.
  • Jen thinks it's weird that the Internet probably knows who did it, but not the houseguests who are right there.
  • The POV Ceremony has been held, but no one's saying anything about who's on the block. I'm giving up, getting this posted, and will post a bulletin when I hear something concrete. I can only think it's something which is no surprise -- which would lead me to think Mike or possibly Zach. I'll let you know when I know.

'Big Brother 8' - Live Feeds - Sunday Into Monday - 7/23

<---Amber whispers the evils of Evel Dick to Jameka in the wee hours.

The biggest event of the evening was Jameka's non-birthday. Her real birthday was Friday, but the house celebrated it yesterday. I have YouTube clips of the birthday party and her letter from home posted. Her family is very proud of her and I think they should be.

Here are the other newsy bits from that Big Brother House of Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters:
  • Amber has been trashing Dick to anyone who will listen -- from Dustin, to Eric, to Jameka and beyond.
  • Amber cried.
  • Eric said he got his nipples pierced because he was bored. (I guess that will wake a person up!)
  • Nick claims he doesn't need the money (the winnings), he doesn't like Zach and he fears that Daniele is playing him.
  • Amber cried.
  • Daniele said that Jameka said that the sequester house will be filmed this year. Shae and Amber are upset about the possibility, but I would love to see it. I don't know how true it is, though.
  • Dick told Jen that she had been safe when up on the block because all of the votes were going to be for Kail to go home. Jen said she doesn't care.
  • Although he knows nothing of Eric's America's Player tasks, Dustin has been pulling a prank on Eric on the side. He's taking an item or two of his clothing daily and hiding them in the storage room.
  • Nick is upset because he thinks Daniele doesn't trust him.
  • Amber cried.
  • Nick told the cameras he's not in an alliance with Jen and Zach -- he can't stand either of them.
  • Dick had words with Daniele and told her she can't go around telling people he'll evict them.
  • Daniele cried.
  • Daniele told Nick she was trying to help Dick. He comforted her.
  • Nick and Daniele flirted once again and cuddled.
  • Dick had an argument with Nick. He's really worried about her relationship with Daniele.
  • Amber and Eric had a "date." She fussed about Dick most of the date.
  • Kail is thinking that Zach will be going on the block instead of Mike. She's happy because it would be more likely that she'll stay in the house.
  • Dick has alienated many of his followers -- Amber, for one, just can't stop talking about him. He better be more careful! He's putting a target on his own back.

Sunday, July 22, 2007

'Big Brother 8' - 7/23 Show Live-Blogged From the East Coast

Jackie's TV Blog, BB8, Big Brother 8

The show has started here on the East Coast. So far, it's still in a recap mode. This entry will be updated as the show airs, so please forgive any typos and misspellings. Feel free to jump with your thoughts on tonight's show! And, hi West Coasters...!

Kail doesn't think she's said anything personal to hurt Dick. @@

She confronts Mike, but he did tell her that he was changing it! We saw it, but I guess he didn't make it clear enough to her. She keeps telling us how cowardly and weak-willed the men in the game are.

Time for Dick's HOH room. You can tell he's thrilled. Aw, Daniele was such an adorable child in her picture! Amber cries about how beautiful the pictures are. Dick tells us he won't be in the room much as he wants to keep an eye on the Mrs. Robinson alliance. Kail spills the beans about being in an alliance with Nick and Zach. Dick points out that she's betraying her alliance.

Kail told Dick that she thinks he's going on a personal "vendenna" against her. Earlier on the feeds, Jen mentioned an aJENda, but at least she knows the difference!

Now Eric and Jen are wrestling. Eric is laughing so hard that he could do better, but then she nailed him. Right in the...!

Now they're talking Hot Five Guys and Nick's lisdt sounds a bit non-heterosexual. What a shock and a surprise! He tells us he's happy with his won sexuality. His list is guys he would date if he was gay. Daniele thinks he's just joking around. Yeah, right! He's telling her now how she has usurped his top five girls list. She tells us about her boyfriend.

Now they're airing the Dick/Daniele talk I told you about a few days ago -- the one in which she's upset about being torn between her boyfriend and Nick and wants to go home.

Dick is being so good with her. Why, he sounds fatherly even!

Now he's all teary-eyed telling us his reaction about her coming to him. He's talking to Dustin about it. Thankfully, Dustin is wearing NO shirt, not that awful v-necked grey one!

Ack, Jen is wearing her cut-down Jenitard. The girls are talking about the slop. They're not happy campers. Amber is crying about Jameka not liking to eat slop. Jen doesn't care because she hasn't been on it. Me, me, me!

The guys are pigging out. Dick set off Jameka when he mentioned starving kids in Africa and he thought she took it racially. She told him that she wanted to point out that Africa isn't the only place. She's very worried about being the only black person in the house and cried to him about it. Dick told her he loves her to death and all is okay. He is really understanding that she's in an unusual spot in the house.

Food comp time! Mission Inpastabowl. Two giant slides to slide into giant bowls of pasta. Earning for the entire house. Buried in the bowls are meatballs, pairs of HG must find matching meatballs and bring them to the scoring station to win that food item for the week.

They only have five minutes. Halibut. Dessert. Sweetbreads... Jessica thinks it's any kind of bread that tastes good and isn't normal bread. @@

Eggs. BBQ grill. Bananas. Lobster tail. Chicken. Cucumbers... Jen and Kail got, the others not happy. Beer. Juice. Chips. Cereal. Then they had a huge pasta fight. Heh... Daniele didn't know what sweetbreads are, either. Dick announced that it's cow pancreas. I prefer to call them variety meats.

It's time for Eric's America's Choice. He wants it to be Kail or Jen. We chose Jen, so he campaigns to Dick. He's pushing the "Jen tried to break up you and Daniele" point of view... he's optimistic.

Oh. My. God. Kail is ignorant of real life. She asked Dustin if Robin of Batman and Robin and Barney the Dinosaur are gay. Does this woman live under a rock or what?

Zach is talking to Dick. Dick tells him he knows all about him. Zach is doublespeaking now. Dick points out that he can never trust him. Zach tells up he won't betray Dick. Hmmm... (I also find it a bit disturbing that she's talking about fictional characters as if they're real and thinks Dustin knows them on a personal level or something. How odd is that?)

Now it's time for Nick to talk to Dick; he spills the entire beans on the alliance (Mrs. R) from the second day. Now Dick tells us he has worries that Nick is playing Daniele. Dick says the "I'll kill you" if you're playing her line that I told you about a few days ago.

America's Player -- Eric is a secret vandal this week. Whose property should he covertly target?

Nomination time. Kail has that pinched look on her face. Dick tells them it's about lies, deception, scheming, breaking up alliances, and the people who tried to get him out...

Key order:
Happy birthday Jameka, Jessica, Amber, Eric, Daniele, Dustin, Nick, Zach, Mike. On the block are Kail and Jen. Dick says he nominated Jen because she put him on the block. Kail lied to him and tried to deceive him. He'll do anything he can to make sure she goes home. She nodded her head no as he said she lied. "You can shake your head as much as you want. You lied to me."

Jen doesn't feel like she's nominated. But it's all about her, right?