MasterChef Recap: Culinary Thunderdome!

27 Comments

1. 1
   crankyguy
   Posted July 28, 2012 at 11:02 am

   Maraschino cherries in a tart is just a bad, bad idea. I have a theory that the reason so many people hate fruit cake is because of those damned maraschino cherries.

2. 2
   Leto
   Posted July 28, 2012 at 11:29 am

   That episode was fucked up. And the next even more.

   I’m not over Firefly either.

   It wasn’t even fun to see FE. And I really don’t get the judges decisions half of the time. They were over their heads complimenting Stacy for her handmade raviolis and ricotta, she seemed to have make a pretty complicated dish, but she’s beaten by a chocolate mousse and a pork chop… Don’t understand.
   I think it was all just a big conspiracy to get Josh back. Which is fine by me, he was one of my ponies (I hope coming back won’t make him more arrogant, because I couldn’t root for an asshole), but still. CONSPIRACY!!

3. 3
   KartofflMuter
   Posted July 28, 2012 at 11:32 am

   I love them. But they stain everything and are very strong tasting. Better to use just 1. Can’t believe he put them in a tart. I use them once a year on Christmas Eve in a traditional fruit salad- 1/4 cup. 5 oranges sectioned,4 apples,peeled and sliced,a tblsp sugar, & a tblsp rum. I like fruitcake too.But I hate raisins. Another grape that went to the dark side.

4. 4
   Chris Velazquez
   Posted July 28, 2012 at 12:00 pm

   This episode stinks like executive meddling and cat shit. The obvious choices were Mike and Stacey. Mike did something that nobody expected him to do, he showed them versatility, and it looked fucking awesome. Stacey did a whole lot of stuff, including homemade pasta and ricotta and made a kickass dish. What do they get beat by? A generic pork chop and a chocolate mousse and sauce that looked like blood and shit on the plate and that you coouldn’t pay me to taste just by looks alone. You serve a mousse in an appropriate container, you don’t just plop it on the goddamn plate!

   The whole thing just reeks, and it smells like favoritism and drama. The judges picked Josh only because they’ve always had a boner for him. Seriously, just go back to previous episodes, esecially the one where he was eliminated. The judges like him better than the rest. As for FE, they picked him solely because of the drama he could cause, whether he came back into the competition or not. Overall, I feel Mike and Stacey got robbed only because they aren’t judges favorites and they don’t bring the drama. Hell, Too Tall there brings some drama, he can be pretty damn smug at times and is such a whiner when he ends up in pressure tests.

   Overall, I hate the idea of bringing contestants back, especially when it ends up being someone I dislike. Bleh, this episode sucked, definitely the worst of the season so far. And just cause I’m in a bad mood because of it, I’ll just blurt out that Firefly sucks.

5. 5
   TooMuchTV
   Posted July 28, 2012 at 12:04 pm

   I feel like the one-on-one elimination was rigged in Josh’s favor. This is show supposed to be a COOKING competition, not a bake-off. Anyone who’s paid attention knows that Josh is stronger at baking than FE. Obviously, the producers or the judges wanted Josh back. I don’t know why. He’s occasionally brilliant, but overall, he’s a whiney diva who mopes when he doesn’t get what he thinks he deserves. The best example of this was the inter-team selection of immunity for Felix. The other team members nominated and then confirmed Felix while Josh just stood there shaking his head, frowning and saying how unfair it was that he wasn’t getting a free pass to the balcony.
   And who doesn’t think Ryan is more fun to watch? Everything out of his mouth is comedy gold! Goodbye, Flava Elevata…

6. 6
   Dangerously
   Posted July 28, 2012 at 12:14 pm

   I’ll just blurt out that Firefly sucks.

   I WOULD NOT SAY SUCH THINGS IF I WERE YOU!!!!!

   I liked Josh, but it did feel like this entire episode was designed to get him back on the show. Maybe he was a fan favorite in the vocal “votes 25 times for American Idol contestants” demographic?

7. 7
   Caligal
   Posted July 28, 2012 at 12:20 pm

   About cutting the meat too soon…by letting it rest for a few (five or so) minutes, it gives the juices time to redistribute throughout the meat. Otherwise, all of the juices run out and a person ends up with a dry piece of meat. Which kinda sounds like a personal problem.

   Thanks for all of the great recaps. They are my favorite part of this show!

8. 8
   Chris Velazquez
   Posted July 28, 2012 at 12:29 pm

   @Dangerously, apologies, it’s a mere difference of opinions. I am an oddball in that I dislike some sttuff almost everybody else loves, like Firefly, and Nolan’s Batman movies (Ledger is NOT the Joker!). And I do agree, this episode did feel very much like it was deigned to bring specifically Josh back. My best friend even predicted it right as the episode began.

9. 9
   Leto
   Posted July 28, 2012 at 12:52 pm

   @Chris Velasquez I understand for Nolan’s Batman movies… But really? Firefly? Next you’ll tell us you don’t like Battlestar Galactica and Doctor Who and you’ll make me cry. :p

   Oh, and I have to say : DON’T follow the contestants you like on Facebook, or if you do, DON’T read the fucking comments… I was spoiled big time and know who one of the top 3 is. >< *not happy*

10. 10
    Chris Velazquez
    Posted July 28, 2012 at 1:09 pm

    @Leto, yup, I just plain dislike Firefly, with the exception of Gina Torres and Summer Glau, who are great on anything they touch. I’ve never seen either Battlestar Galactica nor Doctor Who (damn my lack of the SyFy channel), so I can’t comment. And dang, thank goodness I don’t got a Facebook account either. Aren’t the contestants supposed to be under contract and not reveal any spoilers? Why the hell’s Fox being so lenient on that?

11. 11
    michkabibbles
    Posted July 28, 2012 at 1:13 pm

    i liked josh, so i was ok with his coming back, but agree with everyone else that the fix was in. i was very impressed with mike, and thought stacy had it. sauce, pasta and ricotta from scratch in an hour? and it tasted great and all came out? a bit of a ripoff.

    i’m also on the marischino cherry lovetrain. love them in my diet coke.

    @leto: i’m surprised someone said something on facebook! i thought there were specifics against that kind of thing in their contracts. i wonder if someone will get in trouble.

12. 12
    Leto
    Posted July 28, 2012 at 1:28 pm

    the contestant in question didn’t reveal anything, but somebody wrote in the comments “congrats for making the top 3″. The comment was erased but it took 3 days (THREE FUCKING DAYS), so pretty everyone was getting mad in the comments section. Must be a friend of said contestant who forgot to think. I’ll explain a bit more when we actually know who the top 3 is, but it was very stupid (and said contestant or whoever manages said contestant’s account was reaaaaaally slow to react).

    @Chris : Dr Who is a bbc show, I don’t think it airs on syfy (hell, even I am bothered by that spelling, how do you english talkers manage to stand it?).
    (And I have to say I love off topic discussions)
    (And I love brackets too)
    (And it’s Saturday night and I’m a little drunk, sorry)

13. 13
    JJB
    Posted July 28, 2012 at 1:49 pm

    Im actually fine with Josh coming back, especially given how hard he was shoved under the bus and screwed over in elimination before XD

14. 14
    Satine
    Posted July 28, 2012 at 2:04 pm

    @Caligal: If you let a piece of pork rest for 5 minutes (at least the size they are cooking) it’s already cold when it’s on the plate.

    @ Chris Velazquez: Absolutely agree. Even I can do a fucking chocolate mousse (it’s with those cheao chocolate buttons, I seriously doubt that it tastes that great). The problem is that they had to let someone back in who was eliminated one or two challenges ago and that only leaves Stacey and Josh, I think. I read somewhere that the contestants get training while they are in the competition. I got the impression that they actually learned how to make a fruit tarte in one of their courses. That’s probably why Josh started grinning when they announced the challenge.

    I hated the way both FE and Josh throw flour at their work stations. Way to make a fucking mess, dudes! Does nobody there learn to work tidy so they don’t have to clean so much shit. Bet they both started sneezing as well. Gross. FE looked like he fell into the flour after 5 minutes.

15. 15
    Caligal
    Posted July 28, 2012 at 4:06 pm

    @Satine…I was talking generalities, especially with beef. Everyone cooks differently. To each his own. I’ll take a minute or two of overcooked pork over anything RAWR (as Gordie says) anyday.

16. 16
    awfuleyebrow
    Posted July 28, 2012 at 6:04 pm

    It definitely seemed fixed. Stacey seemed to have produced far more in her time with more skill. I am not a big fan of Josh’s, he seemed rather entitled to me. I don’t understand all of these contestants who feel that they DESERVE to be kept in the competition.

    That being said, let’s take the producer conspiracy theory a bit further shall we….

    Josh’s elimination was a bit suspect in it’s timing, don’t you think? Mayhap he was eliminated two weeks ago for the sole purpose of enabling the comeback story. Maybe this was all a set-up to create drama around a possible Josh win. DUN-DUN-DUNNNNNNN!

17. 17
    awfuleyebrow
    Posted July 28, 2012 at 11:40 pm

    Also, why does Gordon have them making pastry cream with vanilla extract? Aren’t they supposed to be turning home cooks into Master Chefs? How about coughing up the extra cash for some real vanilla beans?

    And where is Bastage’s cute themed outfit this week? Can we have him as Peter Pan next week? An old-timey train conductor? The Hamburgler?

18. 18
    sarcasatire
    Posted July 29, 2012 at 2:04 am

    I’m so glad Josh is back. It may have seemed fixed but I really thought the FE was going to make it based on drama douchebaggery alone. I guess when people think fix, they mean that the dish chosen was a dessert, knowing the Flava Elevata can’t elevate anything sweet. I don’t believe the other contestants were told to vote for a particular dish (Josh’s) so I think his win has merit. However, the best way to tip the scales in his favor against FE is to choose a dessert.

    While Stacey made a good dish, I’m not sure she impressed the judges, only because she worked more from the ‘extra ingredients’ box than she did from the mystery box. I think they were looking for people who made the most of that crazy hodge-podge of crap and perhaps they never really considered a dessert would be created over steak platters.

    Either way, Josh beat FE and I found that to be hilarious. Plus I missed Josh’s reactions in the screencaps to all the ridiculousness going on around him. He is the Greek chorus of Masterchef and (via Dangerously) uses only his face to express the sentiment of the viewers. Hope he sticks around…I’m sure there will be a lot more fodder to give the stink eye to.

19. 19
    Val
    Posted July 29, 2012 at 3:45 am

    RACISM! :p
    I realy don’t care! Just love to read the recap & comments!!
    Obviously you guys love Big Bang Theory! I’d love yo kick Sheldon’s arse! Love Raj and Howard,

20. 20
    sheesh
    Posted July 29, 2012 at 6:01 am

    Question.
    In the whole history of reality challenge TV. Has there been any contestant that has been brought back after being eliminated won the whole competition?

    I actually think Josh could be the first.

21. 21
    Jimbob Jones
    Posted July 29, 2012 at 9:59 am

    @sheesh — I believe it happened in The Biggest Loser

22. 22
    Jimbob Jones
    Posted July 29, 2012 at 10:00 am

    Yep — it turns out that Ali Vincent in Season 5 of BL was eliminated in week 4, came back in week 11, and went on to win the whole thing.

23. 23
    chaosbutterfly
    Posted July 29, 2012 at 5:37 pm

    It also happened with Jeremy in this past season of BL…he got eliminated,won his place back in the next episode, and then won the whole shebang.

    I also would have liked Stacey to come back, but out of Josh and FE, I will take Josh. I wonder why the judges like him so much though. He’s not that great.

24. 24
    ApplePie
    Posted July 30, 2012 at 1:26 am

    @Satine, I completely agree about the flour … Really, guys? Who do you think you are, Lebron with his chalk?

    @awfuleyebrow, my vote is for The Hamburglar. Also, I wish they’d stop letting BG do his own hair. Styling it with stiff gel to a point 3 inches above his forehead just emphasizes the enormity of his chinnychinchins.

25. 25
    exhero
    Posted July 30, 2012 at 6:25 am

    I don’t mind that they brought Josh back it bodes well for me as I picked him as a pony during the audition episodes and if he wins I can run around my apartment and brag to my roommates who don’t care.

26. 26
    anniedawg25
    Posted July 30, 2012 at 11:58 am

    @ applepie….lol! (Lebron and the chalk)

    Ehhh I dont like that Josh came back. He’s not even *that* good, and he’s getting a little attitude. Oh well…….and what the eff is David Martinnnnezzz still doing there?! WTF!??!!?

27. 27
    LAC
    Posted August 1, 2012 at 7:27 am

    See, this is why I love your recaps – you reference two of my favorite shows that Fox shit on, you did the WTF I did watching this episode, and you funny!

    Maraschino cherries – great in a manhattan and showing off a skillful tongue, not so great in tarts. So glad to see the back (literally – he got the funniest send off) of FlavaE. I like Josh, if only because he is a contendah and his facial expressions speak for all of us.

    Yeah, all the double finger pumping aside, why are you still here, Martinez?