Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Hell’s Kitchen: Sara Must Go But She’s No Rug Either
The preview ads last week for Hell’s Kitchen this week blared “you won’t believe who’s going home!”
I was eager to see last night’s episode to find out whether that meant Sara (yay!) or Heather (unyay!), which would have been the real shockers-on-some-level coming at it from last week.
This week was indeed interesting. Maribel going home was indeed a surprise. Part of me is pissed it wasn’t Sara, both because I loathe her and because she was Just That Bad. So bad I’m actually surprised, since I thought she at least had some competence, however full of herself she may be.
They were impressive for the challenge. I can’t imagine planning three semi-fancy courses on the fly while spending 20 minutes buying the groceries needed for them. Ironic that the winning team for the challenge got utterly blown away at dinner service. Despite the blue team having to stop to unload a truck! Now that was mean.
Garrett’s sign language… Is it just me, or did Ramsay react just a tad too strongly? The finger was directed at the girls on the winning team, not the chef, I would presume. How is that any worse than cursing in the kitchen? Is it a British cultural thing, to take that especially badly?
That said, Garrett never impressed me and he just keeps doing it less so. Kind of the anti-Keith. I could see Keith winning it, and he didn’t stand out in the beginning. Be interesting if it came down to a Keith versus Heather finale.
I don’t remember it ever being so lopsided before as it was last night.
Sara has to watch it. She is convinced she knows better than the chef… and anyone else. That got her in major trouble. The reds weren’t being a team. Two strong leaders - if they are leaders and not mere bosses - drowned out Mirabel and stepped on each other. Keith and Heather are leaders more than bosses, especially Keith, and are more capable of teamwork.
In the end, Ramsay made the right choice. I was sure it’d be Sara for being so bad and obnoxious, but it was Maribel for a lack of fire, assertiveness, leadership, but complimentary to her otherwise. I remarked that she was this season’s Elsie, but without the ability. Then I had to explain not because she was a token brownish person, but the mild-mannered, homesick family woman.
Sara at least has fire. She dares, even when she’s a wrongheaded bitch. I can’t see her running a restaurant unless she mellows a bit, but he was right to give her another week, after coming that close to leaving. Maybe it’ll put the fear of Gordon into her.
I would have liked to have heard the nominations. My expectation was that Sara would nominate Maribel, and the other two would nominate Sara.
Anyway, next week should be interesting, as they collapse into one team.