Interesting that you found it so unsatisfying. I thought it was one of the best in a long while.
My least favorite part of this season was all the ‘play along’ polls Bravo used. How the hell would a viewer know which dish should win? Just because it looks like a good dish doesn’t mean it will taste good. And polling who will win before the cooking even starts? So stupid.
I thought it was a decent season in terms of contestants, but there was a certain feel that seemed off this season. Can’t quite put my finger on it, but something about the editing and production seemed lacking. I think I preferred Seattle last season.
Yeah, you might be. My wife even finds her attractive. I do find her character almost a joke now and laugh out loud when she shows up for a challenge in a bikini or cooking some cleavage. I almost want to think there is some sly Bravo producer who is just messing with us and making a mockery of the idea of having a token model on a cooking show.
k.
Three bell review in Phila Inq. today for Laurel.
Oh, my wife definitely finds her more attractive than I do. Prompting a sentence that begins, “If I was lesbian…”
Absolutely correct! The other judges are “important” but it is clearly Tom’s show. As you listen, week by week, it was usually pretty obvious who was to be eliminated. My wife and I both nodded and knew who won as soon as Tom started gushing. Padma has nothing to say about winners and losers. Truthfully, I wish she wouldn’t speak at all. I enjoyed the season and think Nick deserved to win. The show is heavily edited and designed to make viewers take sides. It is entertainment after all and from Bravo. As far as the cooking goes, I would be glad to eat at at any of the “Final Fours” venue.
Cheers!
Marshall 
"It’s not surprising. Nina came “with a recipe in her back pocket” for a dessert. She assumed an ice cream maker. She said she doesn’t like dessert. Boom. Dead. Done. Right out of the gate. Before anyone lifted a knife. Stupid, stupid, stupid. She should have cooked another pasta course, and she would have had it running away. Shoulda, woulda, coulda. Poor conception doomed her.
Meanwhile, Nick settled down and clearly wowed Tom. He is temperamental, but he is also clearly very talented. He really does need to learn how to season better though.
More importantly, Nina was focused on the overall experience (2 extra courses that could not be scored and considered) rather than focusing on the CONTEST AT HAND. It blows me away that most of these chefs don’t seem to have ever watched the stupid TV show. It was about delivering 4 courses. This was not restaurant wars. Four courses, scored, head to head. Period. She was focused on a meal and an experience (hence her desire to do a dessert) rather than on playing the game. Meanwhile, Nick bumped along the bottom at many points, but he played the game better. And in Hawaii, he won all 3 challenges. He peaked at the right time. Good for him. Bad for Nina."
-Eric LeVine (ITB
I think Eric nailed it. While watching I just figured there was no way they wouldn’t give it to Nina; I appreciate what I view as objectivity and I don’t get the animus towards Nick.
If you happen to be on Facebook, do yourself a favor and go to Shirley’s page and check the video she posted about three hours ago. I can’t figure out how to embed it here.
Well that was unexpected!
about the dog’s dick? i’m going to spare myself that “favor”
I didn’t expect the thing to be alive! ![[wow.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/7/7d450e9830889c8943b674446a21b7254cad657e.gif "wow"){kind=small}
Per wiki, it’s a species of marine spoon worm widely referred to as the fat innkeeper worm or the penis fish.
Anyone else feeling hungry right about now?
I went to that Seoul seafood market. it was awesome. The only thing is that much of the live seafood is farmed, which can matter.
An interesting take on the finale:
Tom’s tweet was interesting:
This is how we scored last nights challenge
1st course
5 to Nina
2nd
3 Nina 2 Nick
4th
1 Nina 4 nick
5th
0 Nina 5 to nick
Nina 9 nick 11
The criticism is overblown.
I liked Tom’s tweet, but where did the phantom 3rd course go?
I think that was a numbering error – there were only 4 courses to judge, so in Tom’s tweet, 4th = 3rd and 5th = 4th.
Well I know that…
The guy was a little over the top: “loss of brand for TC?” Uh. The show is entertainment. That said, based on what happened this season it appears on the surface at least that Tom has a bit of Tom Perkins in him meaning he gets more votes than the rest of the cast because he knows more about cooking. Tom Perkins is the VC guy who said voting should be based on how many taxes you pay: More taxes more votes.