It's that time again...

 

Another friggin season of "Face/Off". Frankly, I swore it off when Tate got second place for a SECOND jip in the Rookies/Vets/whatever season, but unfortunately that doesn't mean I don't still catch myself watching it anyway. I will say that last season was actually pretty impressive and I'm glad I didn't throw in the towel all together. I'd rather another season of "Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge" (spoiler alert on that link BTW)-- way more up my alley specialty-wise as an amateur prop and creature maker. The name is a mouthful, but I learned a lot of cool tidbits.

Anyway...

It's still ridiculous how fast the new seasons are  coming out and I swear I'm going to go blind if McKenzie doesn't tone down the wardrobe (as if being blonde and tan is blinding enough) but, yeah, I'll be watching.

Season 1382423791... (ok, I looked it up) Season 7 premieres tonight at 9PM (EST) on SyFy.


Click the pic for a 30 second preview of the new season.

Weekends to Die For

Every October, if I'm not watching SyFy for their "31 Days of Halloween" devouring anything horror that isn't Jeepers Creepers (1 and 2, back-to-back, over and over and OVER again), I usually have the Travel Channel on, watching whatever haunted attraction countdowns, weird travel destination shows or ghost stories may be on. Tonight will officially mark the return of "Weekends to Die For", Travel Channel's own countdown to Halloween.

Last year Making Monsters and The Dead Files made their debut, adding some girth to the rather moldy, but always enjoyed, line up of Halloween "specials". I'm shamelessly, and, in the case of The Dead Files rather morbidly (I think it's Amy's oddness), addicted to both. Lucky for me they'll both be back. Since Dead Files just wrapped a season however, they'll be checking in with a few special episodes, and I expect, countless reruns. Also, new episodes of Ghost Adventures persist continue in their new season which officially started September 14th (my loathe/love relationship with that show endures like the plague... I wish it'd kill me already!) , along with another new ghost-stalking show called Paranormal Paparazzi-- which I am already inclined to hate thanks to that horrid title.

Paranormal Paparazzi premiere: Tonight @ 7pm
Ghost Adventures (new episode): Fridays @ 9pm
Making Monsters season premiere: Sunday, Sept. 30th @ 8&9pm

FYI, their commercial is really cute, but sadly I couldn't seem to hunt it down online... if you happen onto Travel Channel keep an eye out for it!



Artwork by Jason Reicher

Face Off Follow Up

(click for the episode if you missed it... mini-spoilers ahead! you've been warned...)

So what did you think about last nights epic hour and a half premier of Face Off? We've already had a couple teary eyed interviews (Tommy looked terminal throughout the entire challenge), a salacious team challenge drama, a walk off and some pretty kick ass designs for....(wahhhwahhhwahhhhhhh) a Star Wars challenge.

I'm so sick of that franchise I could scream. 

Yeah, I said it. I liked the originals, don't get me wrong, but aliens, space ships, and galaxies far-far away (oh wait, was that Star Trek?) for the most part, just aren't my thing. When they announced the challenge, I have to say my heart dropped a little, but this is Face Off, they'll pull something out. And low and behold, even little old alien blase was impressed. The show has definitely sunk its vacuformed teeth in for what's presenting itself to be a promising season...

I'm pulling for the women this season (ok, when am I not?) and judging from tonights episode, I really think these chicks (Laura, Nicole, and Sarah especially) have what it takes to kick in some balls and take over yet another traditionally male-dominated industry. Here's hoping the curse of the pink hair doesn't strike again and ruin their chances. Nobody with pink hair, or any shade of unnatural crayola vibrance for that matter, EVER lasts long on television, have you noticed? Season one, pink hair was first to go. Just a couple weeks ago the pink/leopard print quaffed Buffi received her "auf wiedersehen" on Project Runway. They had me worried for a bit that history was going to repeat itself as a certain jewel haired duo fought to pull their creature cowls from the molds, but they managed. And beautifully, may I add.

My only concern is this: with Joe gone, who's going to fill the role of the villain this season? God. What a d*ck! Am I right? When he reached over and swiped Tommy's work off the sculpt, man I wanted Tommy to slam his head into the work table...


What's Up for Next Week
Spoiler! It's pirates... wahhhwahhhwahhhhhh. *heart drop*

Face Off Top 5

I absolutely love the practical effects shows gracing the air waves of reality competition shows in the last few years. It's the closest I can get to a craft show that really encompasses my kind of glue gun. If I had it to do over again, I probably would've gone to Tom Savini's F/X school or someplace similar instead of studying photography and English at the obscure little college that I did. Instead, I worship at the prime time famed feet of  Monster Man's Cleve Hall on Syfy and Ed Edmunds of Distortions Unlimited on Travel Channel's Making Monsters (which, according to the online haunters rumor-mill, have both been renewed for encore seasons) and drool over the brilliance of the make-up effects artists that come to compete on Syfy's Face Off.

Or, in the case of Tate, from season one, I just drool. :)

*yum*

With the advent of the season 3 premiere tonight, I present to you my top 5 favorites of the last two seasons...

5. The scarecrows from the Return to Oz challenge were equal parts cool. The pumpkin top, however on Tara Lang's make-up was the detail that won me over completely.

4. Tate Steinsiek's werewolf for his re-imagined tale of Little Red Riding Hood for the final spotlight challenge "Twisted Tales" was pretty great. How can you not love Tate a werewolf? The fact that he went white with the design made me love him it even more. I didn't necessarily like the red LED eyes though, which knocks it down a few pegs for me. Still, if it weren't for Connor's damned air bladder in his Frog Prince make-up, Tate would've (and should've) taken home the grand prize.

3. From the season 2 "Burtonesque" challenge, RJ Haddy's bellhop was just flat out awesome. The interactive hat with the bell, the drawers built into the chest piece... amazing. Made Ve blush too as I remember.

2. Number 2 is a tie for me. Both are sweet treats from season 1 and 2. First being Gage Hubbard's interpretation of the Hansel and Gretel Story. The make-up, the costumes, the set-- all equally  and deliciously disturbing.

Season 2 Matt Valentine's ice cream man (another entry from the "Burtonesque" challenge) was just as scrumptious, though as I recall, he didn't feel 100% finished. You can't deny, it was still a stunner.

1. My personal all-time favorite make-up, hands down was season 1 contestant, Tom Devlin's "Teddy Told me to". The idea was so inspired! I really liked his style and his imagination was easily as up to par as Tate's. Too bad he didn't make it all the way to the final spotlight competition, I would've loved to see what he came up with.

HONORABLE MENTION: I may be a little biased, cause I love anything zombie, but I thought all the zombies (with the exception of Megan's perhaps-- Tom really got the shaft that episode) from the first seasons "Dancing Dead" episode were great-- the song was a little grating, but what're you gonna do? 

I especially loved the home invasion, housewife zombie.

(click the pic for a peak of the zombie concepts)

Hmm... I believe that was Tate's win for that one. Coincidence? ;)

What were your favorites from Face Off?



A sneak peak of tonights premiere can be seen HERE
The Dancing Dead video is HERE