In what will probably be this show’s penultimate episode, tonight we find out who will be making it to the grand finale. Either three of Steve, Chris, Lisa and Rob will get this distinction and for the other one, it is all over red rover!
We start the episode near the beach where the four contestants are heading while discussing their place in the top four. Jamie is waiting for them at the end of the pier and welcomes them to the second to last challenge of the competition.
He points out all the fit people running about the area and tells them that their goal in mind is to win. Themselves; they will be competing in their own ‘design triathlon’ consisting of three challenges and the contestants conclude that these challenges will be harder than ever before.
They rock up to Location One; and their first leg of the competition. Their challenge will be to design a window display for Coco Republic.
Rob already feels behind the eight ball on this one and they will only have five hours; something that scares Lisa. They must deliver wow factor.
Their creative juices flow as they take their props and design their windows. Lisa’s prop is apples; Rob’s is balloons, Steve has rope and Chris has what looks like the easiest to use; wood. Rob thinks Andy Warhol for his idea and Chris thinks wall mouldings.
The contestants then go shopping and with only 45 minutes to spare, this will be the shortest shopping run in the competition so far.
They rush around for their design and Lisa continues to run amok as usual throughout the competition for a jet engine mirror which Rob really wanted.
Rob sees all the stuff that represents ‘aircrafts’ and thinks it could go well with his balloons.
Chris will have a NY early 80’s theme and is happy with what he sees.
Steve wants a boxing ring theme for his window and finds a lot of good stuff as well. It isn’t long before shopping is complete and the contestants head to the Top Design HQ to create their backboard for their windows.
Lisa is going for a stripes design, but she can’t seem to get her stripe design straight! She has to start again and one hour slips away from her! She won’t manage it; will she?
It takes Lisa three hours to get success with his stripes and she can finally work on painting them in!
Meanwhile, Chris isn’t too happy with his shell, but soon, the contestants have to get their shells in and get ready to design!
Their props turn up and they place their stuff in with Lisa expressing how happy she is. Chris isn’t happy as he realises his second fault; the artwork he picked may not be able to be hung on his wall!
He ends up stringing it above the wall and he is finally impressed with his work. Five minutes to go and they all stress to get everything done and I find it funny how it is the contestants who have to call times up in this show.
The judges then go to inspect the four windows and first up is Lisa’s. They all seem to be wowed by it with Lisa extremely happy with her back wall.
Next is Steve’s room but the judges don’t give too much away. Chris is next to be judged but he doesn’t get too much positive feedback with Jamie criticising the business of the room. Last is Rob and Nick wants to know why he has cross hairs on his windows which is there to cast the eyes into the window!
After deliberating the results of the first leg of the triathlon with the judges, Jamie comes in to announce the winner. There were two stand outs which means two winners!
Rob and Lisa won the challenge and they are thrilled; but Rob doesn’t seem to be too happy in the cutaway.
Part two takes place the next day and we get a few more shots of athletes running past the beach before the contestants rock up to decorative events and exhibitions for leg two. Jamie is awaiting them and tells them that they will have one hour to create a design for a table. It could be for any occasion of their choice; but it will be the last time they will be seeing the table.
They run for their tables and Lisa gets what she wants, but again, Chris isn’t too impressed. They then run for their chairs and Lisa and Steve fight for a chair.
30 minutes are down and they all then collect their tableware for their respective tables. Rob is thinking wedding reception while Chris is going for a South African party table. Steve is thinking 1930’s swing.
Time is soon up and they finish the second leg of their competition.
Jamie then hurriedly tells them that there is only one stand out; Lisa. Chris’ face is priceless as Lisa wins her second challenge. Rob is bitter; saying her table was too cluttered.
Their third task will be to take their table into a marquee where they have to design a celebration based around their table. They have $5,000; 2 days and carpenters at their disposal!
They head in and design their marquee with Lisa bringing two types of her table for a country races theme with a catwalk.
Steve wants the celebration to be an 80th birthday with a dancefloor and space for a jazz band. Rob will obviously have a garden wedding theme with a tree theme around the edges of the marquee.
After the break, the contestants are going shopping and Lisa thinks Chris is a shopping freak. He is designing a gay wedding design, with a South African theme.
Rob gives the contestants their 10 minute call over the PA system which isn’t crazy; it’s just scripted!
Chris finds that they don’t have enough fabric at the shop but he will have to take what he can get. After shopping at Spotlight, they head to Sydney Props for their design ideas. They can’t believe what they find; including a gold man for Lisa; a big gong for Steve who pops his head out from between props quite dramatically and a chariot for Rob (and Steve as well). Seriously guys, you are near the end of the competition and now the contestants are showing personality!
After a few more shots of athletes, we head into day two of the competition and Rob is unhappy with how Lisa is extending her marquee and Rob thinks she is cheating. Rob must really hate Lisa but Chris feels this is because Rob is not in his element and he is taking it out on others.
After the break, we get a recap of everything that has happened so far before we get back into the designing of these friggen marquees. Despite her extension, the contestants are amazed at how fast Lisa is working.
Steve however cannot seem to get his roof done; something that could lose him a place in the final three.
Chris finds a solution to his lack of satin problem by draping the fabric around differently with the hanging of two ties to emphasise the gay theme.
Meanwhile, a massive horse prop is brought in for Lisa’s design while Rob is struggling with his marquee; especially considering the fact that paint has dripped onto some of his fabric.
The contestants then go on about how hard the challenge was and how draining it is. My god; they don’t have a bead of sweat on them and they’ve been fucking around in chariots for half of the chariots! Seriously, if this was a hard challenge, the producers didn’t convey this properly because from my angle, everyone seems to be succeeding quite well.
Steve thinks he will be going home at the 15 minute mark but as everyone gets their stuff in, it seems people will eventually get somewhere.
2 minutes and people are panicking. 1 minute and nothing has changed. Soon enough, time is up and the contestants have done what they can to get in the finale!
The contestants then discuss their jobs out back and Chris believes his is the best. His does look very good.
The judges come in and judge the room and Nick wonders if he would use this much satin for his own engagement party and Chris is confident that the judges wont eliminate him.
Next up is Steve’s 80’s party room and Jamie tells him that the fact he could only decorate half the roof would definitely be a downer.
Next is Lisa and her Races themed marquee which could give her three straight wins. We actually get a close up of Nick’s clip board and notes but I can’t read any of them.
Amanda asks what ‘this contraption’ is here; pointing at the runway catwalk. Lisa is concerned she hasn’t done enough.
Last is Rob’s intimate garden wedding themed marquee. It does look like a lot of work has gone into building this.
Amanda does wonder if the candles on the floor would be safe around the fabric or the bride’s dress or around kids. This could definitely ruin him.
Jamie tells them that this week’s elimination will be different; saying they will speak to them individually, rather than as a group. He says their answers will determine who could enter the finale.
Rob is first to be interviewed and he feels confident having won the most challenges.
He thinks Lisa broke the rules and that he had the best design.
Chris realises his mistake with the window design however he deserves a place in the finale as he has so much to offer.
Lisa is next and she discusses her grand marquee however she acknowledges that she needed to do more work.
Steve thinks it is him who will be going home and Amanda kind of disses his design. Is this elimination going to be that obvious.
The judges discuss with Jamie the different designs before the contestants are allowed back in for the result.
This is crunch time. Jamie awards Rob as the winner of the Marquee challenge, and this week’s winner overall; 5 for the competition. He is the show’s first finalist.
Chris is next for results. The judges slam his design before moving onto Steve and slamming his. As Steve writes himself off in a cutaway while grinning; we can pretty much say goodbye Chris.
Lisa’s design is also panned; but not really slammed.
Jamie then announces that the person missing out on a place in the finale is Chris. The contestants are all shocked; which is a contrast to how much they bagged out the intruders in the week they arrived.
One of the biggest problems with this show; how it feels so cut and paste rushed, really shows in this episode. It’s not like on MasterChef where an episode containing three challenges feels like an event. It just feels more rushed and more insignificant.
If anything, it feels as if the producers are tired at this point. One more episode guys, one more episode.
Courtney’s Verdict: 4.8/10
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