Initial Thoughts: Face Off Season 9

Face Off is in a class of it's own. While there are shows similar to it out there, no other reality show catches that same feel. Although it didn't win my poll on what to review, and it won't fit in between the new shows I have planned to review, I didn't want to pass it over completely. I have a few first thoughts on the competition, and may even check in occasionally to put in my two cents. Who knows!?

First off let me say they did a much better job at casting this year. Not only are the people better looking for the vast most part (cmon it's TV. They're supposed to be!), but they are also far more interesting. I'm not going to lie, once Adam, the last cute/interesting person from last year went home, I stopped watching. This year I really feel like everybody is pretty fun and interesting, meaning that we are going to be sad from week to week as someone goes home, but also that we will be relatively satisfied with the final outcome.

I don't feel confident enough to say who I am placing on my team just yet, but I do have some initial reactions to some of the various contestants. I really like Missy. She's not afraid to be weird, which is awesome. Sydney is the hottest man on TV right now. I was also very inspired by Scott (who has lost over 100 pounds) and Meg (who is battling Hodgkin lymphoma). Another notable person is Nora, who I non-judgmentally as possible believe her to be lesbian or bi, which increases the visibility of the LGBT community on television. Always a great thing.

There's a good mix of schooled and self taught artists this year, and it will be interesting to see how big a deal this will be in the long run. Is it possible to be a self taught professional? The team of self-taught only had the most trouble out of everyone.Then again, so of the vets were very stressed over the challenge. They did have to put two people together into one alien animal, so it was pretty much a late-season challenge they gave them right off the bat. Ouch.

Most of the main stage looks were a bust, I feel. There was far more "meh" than "Woah!". Only a couple of teams really stood out. That being said, the ones that did well did very well. In the end nobody went home, making this more or less a waste of an episode. Save the non-elimination episode for when your best people mess up once. Oh well. Looks like we will get to know these people even more next week.