Pop 'n' Fresh

They should have stayed lost

People I don't care about won a show I don't care about.

Tommy and Amanda, left, beat out Chris and Cara to win the $250,000 prize Tuesday on Beauty and the Geek. Matt and Leticia were eliminated in an improptu challenge at the beginning of the show.

I'm looking forward to the reunion episode.

I got a preview of it Tuesday when all the eliminated beauties and geeks came back to spend one more night in the mansion. The new looks of Jonathan and Jim wowed a lot of people, but the drama escalated.

Tara and Amanda went off on Kristina for talking about them behind their back and telling Amber that Tara and Tommy had a "thing."

Thank goodness Chris, right, and Cara stayed out of the drama.

But honestly, who cares!?! Amber has made it clear she's only using the guy. She rolled her eyes when he hugged her and even made a point of saying she wanted him to win so he could take her shopping.

There's a word for women like her, but I'll refrain from using it here because, unlike Amber, I have a bit of class.

The last challenge sent the two teams all over Los Angeles to find where their former castmates were. A book of clues helped.

Tommy and Amanda found five people and Chris and Cara only had four.

I'm happy for Amanda. Amber treated her like dirt for the last episode and had Amanda in tears because she didn't want to come between her and Tommy. Thankfully, Tommy stepped up and forgot about nasty Amber to be there for his teammate.

Would someone tell that boy about the things Amber, left, has said????? Never mind. Maybe he'll watch the show and figure it out himself.

Notice how Amber's picture accurately portrays what she looks like on the outside to the person she really is on the inside? Those makeup folk got it right at least.

Either way, Amber was one of the people found. So was Randi. They could have stayed lost. It certainly wouldn't have hurt the show at all. I would have much rather seen Matt, right, and Leticia more since they truly have developed a friendship over the course of the show.

There are rumors that it won't come back next year.

We can hope.

~Chandra

Beauty and the Geek goes down the drain

I know I didn't write about the show last week, but it's becoming agonizing.

Last week, the group went to Big Bear, left, and had a sled building competition where the object was to build it, use it and cross a finish line first. Tommy and Amanda won and Mike told the other four couples that they each got one vote on who to send home. If there was a tie, Tommy and Amanda would break it.

Properly dramatic, each couple voted for another and it became a four-way tie. Tommy and Amanda chose to send Jason and Kristina home. Everyone cried. Boo hoo.

Kristina cried a lot and kept saying she was happy. There might be some psychiatric visits in her future.

On to this week where the geeks had to makeover a geeky girl and the ladies had to work on some plumbing issues.

The geeks all did a good job with the makeovers. Tommy and Chris, right, did amazing jobs with theirs and I was torn as to which one was better. Matt did alright, but I think he went too conservative. Joe sucked big time. He flirted the whole time with the girl and someone explain to me why that boy can NOT open his eyes when he talks. It's annoying.

Chris won and Cara felt better about going into her challenge while Leticia comforted Matt on his loss.

The girls had to unclog a tub, stop a toilet from running and save a ring from a sink so they could wash it off and display it as the winner. I'm not recapping this in detail. Basically all the beauties were still on the tub when Leticia won.

Elimination was Tara and Joe and Tommy and Amanda. It was close, but Joe and Tara went home. I'm sorry to see her go, but I'm so grateful he's gone. I didn't see a huge improvement with him and if he's that stubborn I'm not sure why he signed up for the show. And I think Tara was always a sweet natured girl so I'm not sure if she changed either.

Next week is the season (series?) finale. I can barely contain my excitement. The show's ending! The show's ending!

Don't get me wrong. I used to be a fan. If they bring back the old style with real people, I'm all for it, but this season was awful and needs to be buried in memories sooner rather than later.

They're bringing back the eliminated contestants for one night. I wonder what's going to happen when Tommy, right, and Amber see each other again, but why hasn't someone told him about what she said behind his back? Claws, people! Pull them out so I can at least be slightly entertained by the stupidity.

~Chandra

Jim's a hottie! Not on myspace, though.

The April 22 episode of Beauty and the Geek didn't promise anything as far as I was concerned, but turned out to be one of the best eps so far.

The idea of recapping the season never appeals to me. I figure I've seen everything I wanted to, but I was wrong.

Tommy, the sweater vest boy, apparently "became a man" during the show. I'm not sure with who, though. The idea that it was Amber sickens me, but things got much more risque and personally I just don't want to know.

Everything else was pretty boring. We knew there were conflicts among the geeks and beauties. We knew Amber was shallow. We knew Randi was a big mouthed annoyance who was pushy and needed to get out of the house.

We knew Jonathan was hot under his beard.

But the highlight was Tiffany's return to take Jim, above, for his very own makeover. Oh my goodness. I was blown away. If he and Jonathan had stayed in the house, I promise Tommy would no longer be the guy to flirt with.

The beauties would have been fighting over the two bearded wonders.

There was even a comment that Jim looked like Ryan Gosling, left. Yeah, right, I scoffed.

But sure enough, he looked a lot like him.

Unfortunately, Jim hasn't put any hottie pics up on his myspace page. Some of the other contestants have shared some fun pics, though. If you check the linked names in this post, it will take you straight to the individual's pages.

At least we can see some fun pics of people on the show on there, even if the CW is being extra stingy with the photos.

With everything coming to an end this season, I'm thrilled that the show has proven to be a failure. The drama that could have ensued was thrown over for what the CW thought would be a shot in the arm.

Like many of the choices of this network, it was the wrong choice. They need to leave well enough alone and let writers of shows and creators of shows do what they think is best and tell the network head honchos to sit down, sign the paychecks and keep their collective mouths shut.

Way to destroy the opportunity for a great show, CW. Kudos to you. People are no longer watching because they care. They're watching because, like me, it gives them something to make fun of weekly.

~Chandra

Beauty and the Geek fire extinguished with spit!

I lied. It's not on fire at all and nothing was extinguised with spit. That's just a clever(?) pun based on Tuesday's challenge and drama.

Frankly, the show has fallen flat and "dud" is probably too kind of a word for it. At least Chris is starting to grow into the new look and is getting more handsome as the show goes on.

The challenges were especially entertaining this week at least. The men had a firefighter challenge that timed them saving their beauty from a burning building.

Joe and Tara were doing okay. They were supposed to be sent to the elimination room from a challenge last week, but Mike, right, changed it once again and said if they won a challenge, they'd be safe. I'm getting a little sick of the ever changing rules of this show.

Joe did great, but ended up finishing third. Chris took second and Tommy surprised everyone by taking first by 7 seconds.

Leticia did horribly. She had to take Matt's place because of his shoulder injury from earlier in the year, but she tried and she gained some respect in my book.

The ladies had to sort through some nasty smelling trash to find recyclable items that would total $5. Kristina won after Cara and Randi made fools of themselves in the arithmetic department. Leticia again did a great job. She was off by only 3 cents.

Joe and Tara, left, were forced to go to elimination because of last week so the winning teams only had to choose one couple. It was Greg and Randi.

Thank God!

Randi's in deep spit in my book. Again with the cleverness.

The group wanted to scare Tara by having Tommy dress like a vampire and startling her awake. Joe was aware that she'd been having nightmares about the house being haunted and told them he couldn't let them do that to her.

Randi decided to yell at him that he wasn't her husband and said some horrible things to him. At this point, Joe took the high road (...in my opinion) and spit at her feet, not actually touching her with it. Now, in Fostoria, this will get you a charge of harassment with bodily fluids, but in the mansion, it gets you yelled at by Randi, a far worse fate. She was in Joe's face and doing the head bob and all sorts of nasty things that made her look all the bit as trashy as she is.

Granted, the sickness of the scene was multiplied by the fact that this apparent "beauty" couldn't wear clothes that fit her and seriously, I felt like I was watching a train wreck; terrifying and traumatic, but too awful to tear your eyes away from.

Then Tara entered. She lit into Randi and defended Joe and this couple knocked Chris and Cara out of first place as my favorite couple. 

The elimination round went quickly. I like Greg, left, but he's not that bright as far as the types of questions they ask the guys. Randi was easy to beat because she's not that bright at all.

Now that Randi and her big mouth are out of there, I'll have a reason to make it through the next episode. It's a special that does all the highlights (lowlights actually considering this is not a fun season) and a surprise makeover for an eliminated geek. I'm thinking Jonathan since we've already seen what he looks like now. Hottie! I hope Joe doesn't implode by then.

~ Chandra

The Make(it stop!)over episode

I think the title says it all, but I can go into detail if only to share my pain.

Remember when I said The CW would bomb on this episode without the two guys who would really wow the audience with their new look, one of them being Jonathan, left?

Like many instances in my life, I was right.

The girls told the guys what they needed to look for in style because the geeks pick their own clothes for the makeover. Joe whined the whole time because Tara didn't like his cowboy style.

When the men got to the stylist, they got waxed. It would have been funny if the show would have focused a bit more on the faces of the guys during the rip-off portion and not just Joe's. He was upset about all of it and not a good sport at all.

The guys got through it, came out to show the girls and the girls screamed and got all excited about the guys and their brand new "hot" looks.

I'm guessing they forgot what the geeks looked like before they went in because they looked pretty much the same coming out.

There were some hair cuts and some different styles, but those would just fall the way they had been once the gel was rinsed out. Two of the guys had their hair swept to the side that made you think they were caught in a permanent windstorm. Even the color was bad.

Tommy had lighter hair. That would have been okay if it weren't for the harsh difference from his dark eyebrows.

Chris, right, had black hair instead of brown. Way to highlight that receding hairline... Seriously, find the stylist and fire her or just don't send her your geeks.

The other guys weren't much better. The clothes were a big improvement, though.

Joe was the big surprise. That would have been the WOW moment of the show, but he didn't smile. He just moped and shrugged a lot because he hated the look. Well, fine. My favorite moment of the season had been sufficiently ruined anyway.

Did I mention the amazing change in the guys because they all took their glasses off? (Except for Matt. The poor boy would have walked into a wall.) Did I also mention they all put them back on by the end of the evening? *sigh*

Joe managed to have a meltdown and start crying and Tara really did impress me with her handling of the situation. She didn't impress me enough for me not to yell at the television, "I guess you're wishing you'd chosen Jonathan now, aren't you?"

The challenge came and the couples had to write and perform their own love scene that had something to do with prom night. Their judges? Joshua Morrow and Michelle Stafford from Young and the Restless. I love that show and they happen to be my favorite soap couple.

The girls weren't ready to kiss the guys, though, even with their stunning makeovers. *sigh yet again*

"Maybe if it was in the dark or I was blind," Tara explained to the audience.

The scenes were slightly humorous. Jason ended up shirtless. Surprise, surprise. Joe and Tara actually did alright because her character wasn't really into Joe's character. That's original, isn't it? Even more original was when Greg yelled at Randi, left, "I'm gay!" and she yelled back, "No you're not!" I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Chris reminded Cara about the time her boyfriend abandoned her and she was abducted by pirates. Morrow and Stafford were laughing and Morrow said he was going to put that in the show due to its awesomeness.

Amanda and Tommy were pretty good, but Matt and Leticia took the prize. They were great and Morrow and Stafford credited them as the only couple that seemed to have any real chemistry.

Matt and Leticia won a night out on the town and a future trip to the premiere of Prom Night with Brittany Snow. They also got to choose one couple to take dancing with them that night and chose Greg and Randi.

The other teams had to decide on one team to send to elimination the following week. Greg, Randi, Matt and Leticia were exempt so the couples left decided to have the geeks dress in drag so they could judge. Whoever lost sent their team into elimination.

They were all good sports except for Joe. That lost him the competition. Tara didn't seem to care. I think he's worn her down and broken her spirit. I guess she should have picked Jonathan, who turned into a total stud, right, after his own personal makeover. I may have mentioned that already. Stupid Tara... *sighing once more*

Next week, we'll see if anything changes. The preview showed Joe spitting on Randi. If she doesn't kill him, Tara might.

For now I'll dread the day I have to sit through this excuse for a show again. You've lost me, Beauty and the Geek. I don't really care if you finish this season or not. Do everyone a favor, though, and either get more guys in who really need the help, more girls who really do need a lesson in humanity or move that makeover episode up enough so we can see geeks moving forward instead of laterally.

~Chandra

The CW hits a homerun and then drops the ball

Wow, the CW really showed me who was boss with their misleading  cliffhanger clues Tuesday.

Last night began with the reveal about whether Joe or Jonathan would stay or go. It was easy to figure out beforehand, or so I thought. The episode synopsis on the CW had a picture of Jonathan and there was a scene in the introductions of the two geeks of Jonathan that I hadn't seen on the show. Joe was out, Jonathan was in.

Then Tara announced her partner: Joe!

Beauty and the Geek fooled me! They did it intentionally and that was pretty awesome and well carried out.

I was a little happy, though. They showed that velociraptor impression again and it was creepier than the last time.

Then they got a bit sloppy and it went downhill from there.

The challenge was great, but didn't deliver as well as it could have. It involved science and romance. The geeks were set to give love advice with Dr. Drew, left, and the beauties were studying physics, earthquakes and what makes a volcano erupt.

The beauties told the geeks how wonderful it was that they were meeting Dr. Drew and Tommy's attempt to make them feel better was a tiny bit funny due to the way his eyes lit up.

"You guys get to do physics, though!" Tommy declared.

When their host asked them if they understood, Joe began with the "Sir, yes Sir" military stuff. It's been annoying from the start, but his inability to tone it down was way too much.

Randi chose to throw a tantrum for only the audience to see about how she had been in the military and she doesn't act like that now and it was making her angry that he was doing that when he had no military experience.

OK, I'm sorry, but is this really the correct way to protest the situation? We're taking Randi as an expert on the military? She's rude and has no respect for anyone. I'm sure she doesn't use the proper conduct for military personnel now, but I doubt she used it while in service, either. Her little tantrum proved she shouldn't criticize the big mouths of others.

Studying for the challenges was one of the more entertaining moments of the show. Amanda was concerned about the stigma of being the first eliminated team while Cara happily discovered we live on the outside of the Earth.

The geeks weren't having a lot of luck with their challenge. They didn't want to talk about anything more intimate than a kiss. At one point, Tara asked Tommy a question that was slightly more intimate than he expected. He cupped his hands over his ears like the kid in Old School, right, and said, "All you have to say is 'earmuffs.'"

You have to hear the questions to answer them, Tommy.

The science challenge took place and the geeks could stand next to their beauties, but were unable to interfere. An astronomy professor and a physics professor from UCLA judged the competition. Nobody did very well, but Leticia choked up so badly, I wasn't even sure she was speaking English anymore. Randi received an A from each judge! Annoying and Arrogant.  She was pathetic and was more interested in her choice of clothing for the day than what she was supposed to be presenting. She also made a comment to the audience about how she knew her project was the best. I was keeping my fingers crossed that she left soon. I like Greg, but not enough to keep that loudmouth around.

Cara was cute as can be and used a hard boiled egg to demonstrate the different layers of the Earth. She was doing well until a judge asked her about the Richter Scale. She was unsure and her geek was obviously feeling protective.

"Just because you can't answer a question, doesn't mean you're stupid," Chris said to the audience. His advice? Say you don't know or deflect to something you DO know.

Cara changed the topic and began discussing seismographs instead and Chris, left, beamed with pride. Her enthusiasm for her project along with her refusal to fall into the judges' trap to make her feel dumb won the immunity from elimination for my favorite team.

The geeks were next and went on the radio while the beauties sat in the mansion and listened nervously.

All the men were worried, except Joe, who said he was comfortable and at home in a radio station. He might have something set up in his mom's basement, but with the way he rambled, I doubt he's a professional anything when it comes to communications.

Jason and Greg did alright and Jason was the first runner up when all was said and done, but Tommy, the earmuffs boy, wowed everyone. He was sweet, honest and really listened to the caller. I was pleased and again I felt a twinge of pain thinking about what was going to happen when he found out the truth about Amber.

Cara and Chris sent Matt and Leticia to elimination while Tiffany and Jim were the picks for Amanda and Tommy. Jim made it clear that if he came back from elimination, he would be certain to send Tommy and Amanda there as payback. It made Jim look rude and showed the audience that he needed to stay, if only to learn some social skills. 

It was not to be, however. In the new speed elimination round Jim, right, and Tiffany went home after a hard fought battle where Jim answered everything right and Tiffany stood there as if she wasn't sure where she was. Leticia won the chance to go back to the mansion for her and Matt, the boy who said nothing throughout the elimination round.

Way to stab yourself in the foot, CW! You hooked me and then you annoyed me once again. You have to somehow find a way to do the geek makeover episode earlier! Jim and Jonathan, the two bearded guys are gone! And they were so close. The geeks will be made over next week.

I know it's not really the fault of the CW, but this is screwed up and unless there is a dramatic transformation next week that I didn't expect, I'm going to go into the rest of this season as a very unsatisfied viewer. It will directly affect my choice to come back next year.

Maybe they'll make over the three guys who left already as a gesture. Are you out there, CW? Please?

Any more disappointments and I'll lose all hope of having this season touch my heart like the others have.

~Chandra 

Beauty and the Geek makes a comeback!

In General...

I didn't talk about this show lately because I didn't want to break the hearts of the dozens who watch it when I dumped it for something better.

Then I changed my mind. It's a first.

This show irritated me from the beginning and then captured my attention with the honest influence they had on people's lives for the better and not the worse, like with worthless reality shows such as Big Brother that only serve to destroy people's lives for the entertainment of the networks' minions.

This season, I decided once more that this show had become as useless as some of the attempts at clothing the beauties tend to wear.

It went beauties against geeks instead of pairing them up to work with each other. I hated it deeply and when the men lost John E., left, in the first episode, I didn't care. I didn't know anything about the guy and wasn't interested if he suffered the pain of being sent home alone as the first loser.

As is always my way, I gave the show one more chance and as is not always the case, it delivered.

Amber's mean!

Tommy and Amber were highlighted. Amber, a supermodel, had been flirting with and seducing Tommy, a sweater vested geek. There was kissing, touching and cuddling. Tommy was a handsome guy and it was exciting to think that maybe another BatG romance was brewing.

Then Amber admitted to the audience and the girls that she was using him to make sure she didn't get eliminated. She said things about how the geeks weren't in her league (True, she's far below any of them.) and that she didn't plan on staying friends with them when the show was over.

Anyone with a heart, and a few people without, would have a hard time not despising the woman after that.

A talent competition, was the challenge for the second episode and the men won with very little problem. Apparently the women have relied on their looks for so long, they never thought to develop any type of ability past walking and talking.

The men, on the other hand, planned out a performance, shown right, that entertained the large audience with rapping, dancing and a slightly creepy velociraptor impression.

The choices were made and Amber was one of five women sent to elimination.  Poor Tommy was hoping for the worst, but received the best! Well, for viewers anyway. Amber was gone and nobody had to deal with her mean-spirited attitude again.

I wanted more and Episode 3 had me excited for a good show with caring and loving people being rewarded for the changes they wanted to work on.

Episode 3 review!

Once again, I was disappointed... at first.

Tommy had to endure losing Amber, left, but he explained to the audience that life was good because whenever he left the mansion, he would be dating a supermodel. After all, she did hang all over him and make out with him and promise him things. Why wouldn't he think she was sincere.

Watching him act so excited over his new friend was embarrassing and BatG should be ashamed for allowing his humiliation to continue that way. What's going to happen when he finally gets told about Amber's words? I was ready to be finished with the show again. That type of hurt isn't something I want to see for entertainment, but I waited to see what the challenge would be for the day.

The host, Mike Richards, required the geeks and beauties to send one of their own to the other team for the challenge, which was flag football.

Chris volunteered to help the women because he was comfortable with them and got along with several of the beauties already. His confidence was also endearing.

Jillian, left, took the spot with the guys because the girls weren't too sure about the switch. She wanted to do it, though, because she really liked the guys and wanted to get to know them better. Her willingness to be open minded was wonderful and refreshing.

Then came the kicker. If the beauties lost, Chris would automatically go home. Jillian would leave if the guys lost. The heartbreak and shock on everyone's faces nearly had me turning off the television. This would not end well. Both of them were wonderful, but one of them would not return to benefit and be benefited by the others.

Regardless, there were more serious matters to deal with.

Tara was horrified at the possibility the sports outfits they would be given wouldn't match and she also cried foul when Jonathan grabbed her in an inappropriate place during the game.

I'm sorry, but it's a game and he's grabbing for the flag and there was some, um, pass interference there. It happens. Her whiny lecture about personal space was annoying, but not enough for me to turn the channel. 

An extremely exciting moment was when a ball was thrown to Greg, right, and he caught it! I felt like a proud parent for awhile. But then Greg cried because of an accident during the brutal game and I was back to eye rolling.

Matt was sent to the hospital after a rough trip/tackle by Tiffany. It was obviously an accident. She lunged for the flag and he tripped over her arm. Yeah, I don't know, either. He managed to break a bone in his shoulder, but made it back to the mansion that night. Leticia, right, was waiting for him and cried and hugged him and told him how much she missed him and was hoping he'd be alright.

Score! I was betting Matt just sealed the decision that he would not go to elimination. I enjoy him as well.

Richards showed up and explained that there would be a twist to eliminaton, though. The girls had won and it was time to pair up.

"Finally!" one of the boys yelled. My sentiments exactly.

One problem. There was one too many on the boys team and there is no place for a third wheel in a pairs competition.

The girls, who won the challenge, were told to decide among themselves who their partners would be. Then they'd choose and the last man standing would be out the door. It's kind of a traumatic thing to do to a bunch of guys who probably still have nightmares about being chosen last for everything.

Cara, left, chose Chris. I can tell you right now that this is my favorite couple and I'll fight for them to stay in the game as much as I can from my couch. This declaration may and will change at any time for the rest of the season, however.

Amanda chose Tommy. This is a sweet team and I wouldn't get upset if they stayed in it until the end. My biggest concern is her handling of him with the Amber situation.

Leticia chose Matt, but I saw that coming after the hugging crying back from the hospital scene. She's wild, but I think she'll be good for him. He's already been good for her.

Randi chose Greg. I'm not sure what to think about this. She eats guys like him for a snack. The meanest women in the house with the nicest guy? It might sound like a good idea, but he's not going to stand up to her and it will become all about her. Then again, she might settle down a bit with Amber gone since they declared themselves enemies early on.

Kristina chose Jason. I like them both, but I don't really care enough about them yet. I look forward to learning more.

That left Joe, Jonathan and Jim. I already knew Jonathan was safe because Tiffany had explained to the girls that she was taking him. I also knew Jim was going home. Nobody seemed very interested in him. 

Tiffany and Tara, right, were the only girls left to choose. Tiffany stood up and chose... JIM! The gasps on the television were echoed by the gasps in my living room. She was supposed to choose Jonathan and Tara was choosing Joe and Jim was going home. Now it was between the two guys that all the girls had thought were staying. Tara was so hurt. She stood there and cried because now she had to choose between the guy she planned to take, Joe, and the guy who she thought was safe, Jonathan.

That's how the show ended. It was a cliffhanger, but not for anyone who decides to go to the BatG web site.

The CW, in their wisdom, posted a picture of a guy preparing for next week's challenge. Who's the guy? I'm not telling, but it's one of the two who I'm supposed to be thinking about regarding who will stay and who will go.

While I would usually be annoyed with this and criticize a show about such a silly slip up, it did determine that I will watch another episode. I like both guys, but probably would have given up the show if the one had stayed instead of the other.

Good luck to the teams and lets hope the makeover episode comes sooner rather than later. It's time to see the beauty in all of the contestants.

~ Chandra