Wednesday, March 12, 2014

It will drive you mad: A FaceOff Recap


We gather round the SyFy channel again this week for another episode of the amazingly mediocre season of Faceoff.  After last week’s episode I was still kind of upset with the judges, and that was not a feeling of icy hate that thawed at all this week.  It is clear that Chloe should have gone home for that poorly made sex doll looking anime character last week that caused the judges to use their one save on Graham, so I’m still a little pissy when I see her on my screen.  Chloe has yet to really turn in a finished and complete project to date, in fact each project is noted as being very slapdash and hap hazardly put together, some people can just skate by I guess.

This week the team is taken to a horrible lab to be introduced to the next spot light challenge.  Around them are trappings of old experiments gone wrong and a table of antiquated medical torture devices.  The challenge is to create a character who is the victim of their mad scientist.

Determined to prove himself in this challenge Graham goes to work on the electrical shock therapy box and prepares to use lighting which is something we had not seen him use prior to this application.  I think it’s a smart move on his part because it can show a lot of versatility if it all comes together, but on Faceoff if’s are a huge risk.

Niko is setting to work on a pregnant woman’s stomach chest piece.  Inspired by the drill he wants to create a woman who has had her baby ripped from her.  What concerns Niko the most you ask?  Well the fact that he doesn’t want to offend anyone by showing a woman holding a fetus.  How could that possibly be offensive?

Rashad seems to be having a hard time becoming inspired by his gadget, which is a tool that is used to make holes in the cranium.  I guess you can say he needs more idea’s, like a hole in the head.  Okay, that joke sucked I’m sorry.

Over at Chloe’s station she is going big, and black and white.  She has decided to take her bone saw inspired creation to the dark side, or is it the grey side.  Once again these are huge risks that could either pay off handsomely or leave the judges wanting more.

Speaking of wanting more, Corinne is going small with her leeches’ project and to be honest I don’t know why.  There was so much she could have done to really bring out the gross and skin crawly element of leeches.  I personally would have had them crawling out of everywhere and oozing fat with blood so they looked positively squish able.  Hey no accounting for inspiration I suppose.

Two artists nearly come to a “head” when Tyler and Daren both realize that they’re creatures share a duality.  They both are going for the two headed effect and must now decide how to make them stand out from one another.  Daren seems apprehensive, but Tyler assures him that his being conjoined twins and Daren’s being many faces sewn together that they are far enough removed that the judges won’t penalize them. 

It is George however, that is smacked in the face, or back rather by intense pain.  As he attempts to move his mold, his back spasms and the only real cure for that is time and ice.  Still he attempts to soldier on to create his chest and back spreader inspired victim.

The episode as a whole went by really slow as there wasn’t a whole lot of anything serious, save Corinne and Rashad constantly second guessing themselves and knowing their creatures just aren’t right.  My question is, why wouldn’t you fix it then?  I mean if you are looking at what you made and you are not happy with it, you should take that moment to correct the mistake right?!  Apparently ignoring your gut feelings leads you all the way to the reveal stage as the contestants put on the finishing touches.

Chloe:  First up is Chloe who totally redeemed herself by turning in an amazingly whimsical, grey scale, Frankenstein esque creation.  This is an example of a risk really paying off in the realm of Faceoff.  I have to say my favorite part of her design is the face.  It has a funny yet very spooky jack o lantern feel to it.  The clothing as well seems to add to the whimsy of the innovative idea.  Very impressed.

Corinne:  This is simple, and altogether sad.  There seems to be a real element of terror missing from the tiny leeches that don’t really read from too far off.  All of the great elements of horror that you would expect from a victim just wasn’t there.

Daren:  Flat out this thing gave me the hibby – Jebbeys.  The face rip was so perfectly blended for the concept that it was making it hard to watch and then the model blinked.  Because the rip was down the center an eye from both faces blinked and I lost my cool.  I couldn’t even look at it.  Now that’s a successful make-up.

George:  George struggled through pain to complete this open chested character but then did something terrible by coving him in the gown.  It really seemed to detract from the amazing pieces he had made.

Graham:  This thing was pretty cool looking.  I have to take the time to really complement the mouth and the way it was stretched to reveal fake, but well done teeth.  Not a top look but, the lights did pay off in the end.

Niko:  The face is completely busted and she looks like a fat woman holding a bloody hamster… just No!

Rashaad:  I think if you had done both less and more it would have succeeded.  You needed to do less of that ridiculous jaw and way more of the wonderful holes in the head.

Tyler:  Not great this week, but Daren did totally kill you on the two headed idea.  I’m so sorry my little energizer.

In the end this week Daren got the win he so richly deserved after that creepy creation, and we said goodbye to Corinne.  I was sad to see her go, however this is about finding a master and it’s time that the middle of the road starts to thin out.  Good luck to you out there lady!  May the “Face” be with you!    

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