Watching Reality TV

Some of you may be surprised to learn that we actually saw some cooking on the show last night.  A lot of people have been complaining that we see too much drama and not enough chef-ery on the show and it felt like last night’s episode was an answer to that.  Shoot, Ramsay was downright PLEASED with these people half the time.  I know, I had to check the channel a couple times, just to make sure that this was indeed the right show.

We pick up, as always, right where we left off.  The girls call a meeting and Bonnie coldly says, “Not you, bitch” to Melissa.  And you know what?  She deserved that.   They all vow to be best friends forever or something silly like that.  Oh, and the cat comes out of the bag when all the contestants hang out and chat.  Jen isn’t JUST a pastry chef, she’s been flying under the radar so that people won’t expect much of her. It’s a pretty good strategy and Rock is impressed with her “gamesmanship”.

Our challenge today involves the preparation of lobster.  It sounds pretty challenging.   Ramsay wants each team to make three different lobster dishes (from fresh, unbanded lobsters, no less) and he wants to be impressed.  Bonnie looks ill.  She hates killing lobsters (I’m with her there) and tries to get out of it, but no.  But I will admit I looked away when she tossed her “big f’er” in the pot of boiling water.  The competition is actually really close.  Gordon actually likes most of the dishes they prepared and has a hard time selecting the winner.  He eventually settles on the Red Team and they are awarded a photo shoot at In Touch Magazine.  The Blue Team has to sort the recycling.  Rock is PISSED.  I mean, he’s really, really mad.  The rest of his team looks a little scared and I think I would too.

Then, to rub salt in his wounds, he is called to the photo shoot mid-recycle.  For what?  Why, to take the garbage from the photo shoot and recycle that too.  That was WAY harsh.  But maybe it’ll teach him to shut his yap the next time he gets pissed off.  You KNOW that’s why they made him do it.  This show is so cruel.

During dinner service, we actually get to watch these people cook.  And we see the Red Team really shine (that is, until Bonnie nearly burnt down the kitchen).  The Blue team stumbles a touch, mostly due to Melissa being WAY off her game.  To me, it seems like she’s just given up.  It seems that way to pretty much everyone else too.  So it was no surprise when Gordon calls her out at the elimination first thing and just sends her packing.  No fanfare, no sermonizing.  Just “see ya, don’t let the door smack you in the ass on the way out”.  Then, it seems like he’s going to boot either Brad or Josh.  But he tells them this is their last chance and sends them off.  Daaang.