MasterChef Season 5 (1 Viewer)

[Stan]

Take back all my semi-positive comments about Leslie. He showed his true colors with this last episode.

He and Courtney, with their "I'm so much better than everybody else" attitudes really aren't looking to good. Probably just a typical Ramsay show, slick editing, building up drama, but the smug, arrogant, laughing poses they showed from Leslie were pretty obnoxious.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I'm one of those rooting for Courtney to leave. I'm tired ot looking at her shoes.

Obviously, the producers aren't!

I'm beginning to think Elizabeth might be the big winner of this season.

 

[todd s]

My daughters and I thought for sure Willy was going. Guess not.

 

[DaveHof2]

I kind of like Courtney. Yes, she's been snotty in the past, but she's also consistently delivered the goods in almost every challenge, and she is willing to own her previous career choices even as she tries to rise above them.

She could win it. So could Elizabeth. At this point the only ones you can count out for certain are Willie, Cutter, Victoria, Christian and the dude that got stuck with the rolling pin whose name escapes me at the moment.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Don? Dan? Something like that.

 

[Elizabeth S]

Daniel, the guy with the tattoos.

I don't have a strong rooting interest this season. Francis B was my early pick.

i was happy for Cutter that he finally got some praise the other week.

 

[DaveHof2]

Won't spoil it for those who haven't watched yet, but I was very disappointed with one of the eliminations tonight. That person was a much more talented chef that at least 3 people still in the competition.

 

[Mike Frezon]

I'd agree with that.

But that's one of the things about the game...the way things are taken totally out of your control. It becomes very arbitrary.

For example:

Spoiler

The teams split the vote 51-49%. They let the team captain save herself (surprisingly without playing up any drama or fanfare. I figured they could have spent a good ten minutes on that alone. Two will be eliminated rather than one. And, as always, there is the arbitrariness of the judging itself by Graham, Joe & Gordon.

Bottom line, the remaining chef of the pressure test provides them with more "good TV."

 

[todd s]

I feel as a captain of the team....If you lose. You cannot save yourself.

 

[Stan]

I feel as a captain of the team....If you lose. You cannot save yourself.

So typical of somebody like Courtney. Why not have a backbone and stay with the sinking ship.

"Nope, I'll save myself and abandon the others, watching them drown while I'm safe on the balcony."

 

[GlennF]

Yeah, I thought last night was kind of cheesy - saving 2 people from a team of 5 from the pressure test and then telling 2 people out of the 3 left that they are going home. What are your odds? It isn't who is the best cook anymore, it is now more of a game show. Oops! Bad luck to you. You're out. So you still have someone like Cutter with his "artisan" pizzas, who doesn't know what balsamic vinegar is, left in the competition and someone like one of the 2 eliminated last night who obviously has more talent.

 

[Elizabeth S]

So typical of somebody like Courtney. Why not have a backbone and stay with the sinking ship.

"Nope, I'll save myself and abandon the others, watching them drown while I'm safe on the balcony."

I've watched every episode of Master Chef so far, and the only person I remember willing to do the pressure test instead of saving themself was Jennifer Behm from Season 2 (who went on to win it all). She barely survived that particular pressure test, too. I seem to remember the judges acting surprised she would take the risk.

When Courtney saved herself and went upstairs, you could hear Elizabeth tell her "I would have done the same thing".

 

[Michael Elliott]

As would everyone in this thread if they actually had something on the line. I think most people would save themselves and especially if there was a large prize at the end of the rainbow. Unless, you really did cost your team something and you were the worse on there. I really didn't have a problem with what Courtney did. Or anyone for that matter. The object is to win so if there's a life jacket there it's best to take it instead of going down.

 

[todd s]

As would everyone in this thread if they actually had something on the line. I think most people would save themselves and especially if there was a large prize at the end of the rainbow. Unless, you really did cost your team something and you were the worse on there. I really didn't have a problem with what Courtney did. Or anyone for that matter. The object is to win so if there's a life jacket there it's best to take it instead of going down.

Michael, I don't disagree. If I was on the show and in the same position. I would have saved myself. That being said...I think that if you are a Captain. You shouldn't get the free pass for losing.

 

[Stan]

As would everyone in this thread if they actually had something on the line. I think most people would save themselves and especially if there was a large prize at the end of the rainbow. Unless, you really did cost your team something and you were the worse on there. I really didn't have a problem with what Courtney did. Or anyone for that matter. The object is to win so if there's a life jacket there it's best to take it instead of going down.

Totally agree with you Michael. Just making another negative comment about Courtney, who is quite possibly one of the most despicable people I've seen on this show.
To all the other contestants still left, watch out, because Courtney has a big knife and isn't afraid to stab anybody in the back with it.

 

[Michael Elliott]

There's two ways to look at it. It seems the "captain going down with the ship" is the most dignified thing to do. At the same time, the reason she was the captain on a show like this is that she was the best cook, which allowed her to eventually lead the team and then get the added bonus of saving herself. If you've got 10+ people cooking it's easy to go down with the ship but at this stage of the game you've got to save yourself. She didn't know 2 of the 3 were leaving but there's no way she would have beat Leslie (sp?) in that challenge.

 

[Josh Dial]

A few thoughts:

1) This isn't the military, this is a contestant's life (albeit seen through the lens of editing, orchestrated drama, and producer-meddling). In a contest where very little rides on reputation (at least, as compared to shows like Survivor and even The Amazing Race), giving yourself immunity is almost always the only choice. The contestants are almost certainly never going to see each other again, and they certainly aren't going to see 99.9% of the viewing public. Going down with the ship out of some perceived moral obligation is ego-stroking (look how honourable I am!) silliness.

2) I don't understand the dislike for Courtney (though I have some assumptions...). She has clearly proven herself to be amongst the best cooks on the show. She genuinely seems happy when her fellow contestants do well (her cheering and compliments seem sincere). All of her choices have been gamespersonship, plain-and-simple, and she doesn't seem bitter or vindictive); she can clearly separate strategy from emotion.

 

[Stan]

Josh, so very true. This show is pure entertainment, massive manipulation from editing and the over the top drama created.

1) This isn't the military, this is a contestant's life (albeit seen through the lens of editing, orchestrated drama, and producer-meddling).

I wouldn't even consider this a "reality" show. It's so edited, manipulated, even possibly scripted. But it's fun to watch. I'm guessing that to keep the drama going, it will come down to Courtney and Leslie, while they eliminate better contestants like Cutter.

 

[Mike Frezon]

...better contestants like Cutter.

???

Stan: Are we watching the same show? He's been about the weakest cook of this entire bunch week after week. Unless you mean, of course, better contestant in terms of interesting or something like that...

He, of the artisan pizza...

============

For the record, when I mentioned Courtney saving herself in my spoilerized block up above, I was simply saying I was surprised the producers didn't milk that for all the potential drama it was worth--using the very basis of conflict what you guys have been hitting back and forth (practicality on her part vs. the high moral ground of staying with the sinking ship). I'm just surprised the edit didn't show more reaction to her decision since they seem to thrive on those moments.

 

[Michael Elliott]

Mike's absolutely right about the potential drama that was edited out of the episode. Courtney is hated by the contestants AND the majority of the public so her saving herself could have led to 5-minutes worth of television where the contestants put her down. This really didn't happen and instead we got "cute" music of her going to the top and another contestant supporting her decision. It really took the focus off her and especially when another person was saved. Add double elimination and Courtney didn't get any heat from the actual show.