(Note: Screen caps will begin next week, as GSN doesn't have their shows on iTunes)
First off let me start by saying I haven't really looked into the cast much. I sometimes feel with competition shows that I get attached to the competitors before it starts, and I'm disappointed when my pre-show favorites disappoint. This time I am going in blind, so you'll get my first reactions to everything, as well as possibly seeing me change my mind at the drop of a hat. Regardless, I'm beyond pumped to get started.
Although I'm not sure how much of a steampunk icon, I love Jeannie Mai so much. She is so tiny and adorable. Given my limited experience in steampunk, I'm afraid I may step on a couple of toes here with my opinions. Keep that in mind as you get my first impressions.
Walking in the work room first are Lady Hawk, the pink haired beauty (who reminds me quite a bit of my friend Kieran Strange), and the incredibly cute Tobias. I wasn't really expecting to see someone so cute and innocent looking in a competition that seems so cutthroat. Next up is Miss Morgan who I didn't really get a good read on at first, followed by Tayliss, who has a reputation of being an anime/game nerd (yay!!) and another guy who isn't too hard on the eyes Steampunk Eddie, whom I'm sure would be freaked out to know a gay dude is hitting on him. Ave is a very stunning woman, and given the snippets I've seen from the TV promos, she is totally fierce. JW is a man with a beard that rivals the gods, and Karianne looked a little too sweet, but then againt here could be something hiding underneath the surface there. Charles looked a bit intimidating with his glasses and hat, leaving the last competitor James (Another cutie!!) to bring up the rear.
Jeannie confronts the group of slightly confused artists to tell them the rules of the game. Each week the competitors will be split into two groups to make a room worthy of the steampunk house on the main stage. The two best makers will be named the captains for the next week, and the losing team will have one person sent home. They will be critiqued on their rooms by judges Matt King, Kato, and Thomas Willeford. For the world of steampunk, these judges are beneath nobody.
The first challenge is going to be making a kitchen. On top of that, they are going to have to make it in the style of retro-futuristic. They have three days to make a room complete with a complex machine to serve breakfast. And as if that wasn't enough, they have to make an outfit inspired by their room that will be judged as part of the overall score. Oh dear lord this show is crazy from the first five minutes. Im already overwhelmed.
For the purpose of fairness, they are starting off in two per-determined teams. The first team consists of Miss Morgan, JW, Tobias, Charles, and Lady Hawk. The second team is made up of Ave, Steampunk Eddie, Karianne, Tayliss, and James. They have to decide on a leader to themselves. The two teams check out the work room and it's extensive tools, gadgets, and other fun stuff. From the very beginning there is drama afoot, as both Miss Morgan and JW are vying for control of their group. Miss Morgan values a plan while JW is more of a spur of the moment guy. Butting heads so quickly is probably not the best thing. Morgan eventually backs down, figuring that if it goes to hell, it will be JW on the chopping block.
On the other hand, the second team seemed a lot more harmonious. They all sort of agreed that Steampunk Eddie needed to be their leader. Eddie seems to be a bit more laid back, not wanting to be a dictator. Apparently they all seem like they have no idea how to take this show. I guess it's all still sinking in that they only have three days. Everyone is much more relaxed than I though they would be. JW eventually got things settled in a bit, delegating out what everyone needed to do. Back on team Eddie, he and Ave can't seem to agree. As Eddie wanders off, Ave takes over, making sure the team is on the right track.
One of the neatest parts of this show is their own personal junk yard. Every week they'll get to raid the junkyard dubbed "Punkyard" to find scraps and bits that they can make into things they need. It's a genius idea, and it really sets the show apart from others of it's kind, even far beyond it's obscure subject matter.
Back into the action, we start to see the rage in Eddie build up. Ave is really pushing his buttons. In the series previews we really saw him blow up, so it's probably not a surprise that he's upset. With our first team, JW assigns Tobias to make the machine, and he is insanely nervous about it. By the end of day one, it seems like nobody really got anything done.
The show really has a great array of artistry. Some of the creators, such as JW or Eddie, are good at building. Others, like Lady Hawk, are better with sewing and design. It's amazing to see the varying talents and specialties of the artists. I had no idea going into this that there were different types of steampunk artistry, but I'm glad to be educated on the subject.
When Jeannie and Willeford walk around to check out the half-completed projects, it looks like they all still have a long way to go. When JW was questioned about his breakfast machine, he made a major misstep by saying it was on the back burner. Morgan tried to save him, but it was a bit too late, and her over enthusiasm seemed forced. Trust me, the judges noticed. When it came to Eddie's team, he seemed at a loss of words for the whole idea as a whole. After not getting any answers from Eddie, Jeannie and Willeford approach the team to get the real story, leading to some tear shedding. The team completely flipped on Eddie, and Ave had a breakdown. Eddie did seem like a totally nice guy, feeling genuinely sorry for leading the team astray. He finally agrees to Ave's post-apocalyptic idea and everyone sighed in relief that they at least had a vision.
This is where everything flipped. Team Eddie became very united, and Team JW really started falling apart. Tobias noted several times that machines aren't his forte. He asked for help numerous times, but to no avail. He was left to his own devices, and that will probably be the downfall of the team. And just like that, the time is up, and the rooms are done. It's time to check out their works.
Team JW - He went for something away form the cliche steampunk colors, using green. I really like the departure from the norm, and it really still felt steampunk-ish. The fashion statement was a huge miss for me, as it didn't feel like a robot as much as it did a guy with a trash can on his head. The details were there, but of course their machine wasn't what the judges were looking for.
Team Eddie - I love the metal colors. The details were great, and everything seemed in place. Again, I was very unimpressed by the fashion here. I love Tayliss's creativity, but I wasn't feeling the eye piece. She did come off more robotic than Tobias (I guess it was her acting?), and her outfit did look more thought out. Their machine was far more impressive as well, complete with totally moving parts.
After a long and tough deliberation with the judges, the two teams are brought back out to announce who won, who the new leaders were, and who was going home. Honestly I was at a loss for who did better. They both had great style and craftsmanship. This week, the win goes to Team Eddie. I was glad to see him win, as I am loving Ave, Eddie, and Tayliss so much. The judges throw in yet another twist, letting them know that the first place maker will be from the winning team, while the second place can be from either team. Miss Morgan, from the losing team, is picked as the second place maker, landing her as a team leader next week. Ave was the clear winner from Eddie's team, as she was both the big designer and builder for the team.
In yet ANOTHER twist, the losing team, sans Miss Morgan, get one last chance to convince the judges to keep them on. Immediately JW gets defensive, saying he can't do anything. He throws Tobias under the bus instantly. He tried to fire back saying his captain didn't listen to him. The rest of the team was split between Tobias and JW. The judges, who have tablets, each cast their vote on who to send home live on the floor. Miss Morgan and Lady Hawk are obviously safe, as is the low key Charles. It all came down to JW and Tobias. In the end, they send home the cute but inexperienced Tobias. I was hoping to see more of him, but alas, as with Skin Wars last year, the cutie is always the first to go.
This first episode was crazy and if it's anything of an idea of what's to come, we are about to see some real crazy stuff. GSN has hit yet another goldmine. What do you think? Love it? Hate it? Not even sure what to make of it? Well I'm certainly entertained and more than ready for next week!
Though Tobias was the youngest....JW did such a terrible job, even telling the judges that he basically didn't care about the Rube Goldberg device, that I figured HE would be the one kicked off...big surprise that he wasn't....I just can't wrap my mind around the judges thinking
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