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Top Chef S19 Power Rankings (Top 7) Aug 5, 2022: In a funny turn of events, the #1 ranked contestant on my rankings (who previously ranked 2nd twice and 1st once before that) went home in Restaurant Wars. It goes to show that no matter how consistent you are, one challenge can still sink you. It also goes to show that all you need to do as Front of House is be accommodating and hospitable, and you’ll be okay….yet Jackson wasn’t that. He led his team to destruction, and while I do think there are other members of his team that could’ve had a reason to go, he was far and above the most responsible for his team’s loss. And then we go to Last Chance Kitchen where I THOUGHT Jackson would have an easy run and get back into the competition, and he lost right away there. So I guess no more Jackson. So maybe my pre-season intuitions of him falling short weren’t too far off. He made it further than expected, but still went out earlier than these past few weeks seemed to suggest.

7. Luke Kolpin- Luke still manages to get by in this competition despite still failing to burst onto the scene. His dish wasn’t good, but ultimately Jackson’s mistakes were bigger. But he’s gotta be the most vulnerable headed into next week right?

6. Jae Jung- Jae actually put up a delicious dish despite her team losing. She was the best of the worst, but when there are only 7 people left, that unfortunately doesn’t keep her any further from the penultimate spot.

5. Ashleigh Shanti- Ashleigh is right here at number 5. I just think the top 4 have been far more consistent, but I have to acknowledge Ashleigh’s win. I personally didn’t think she’d win after her lackluster salmon tartare dish, but her gumbo really was excellent and she did take on the executive chef position on her team, which ultimately led to victory. This will be a nice boost for Ashleigh, despite her still not being in my top half for the overall season’s trajectory.

4. Nick Wallace- Nick assembled a great team. That Oxtail marmalade looked excellent as well. I do think he was probably the most overshadowed of the four on the winning team, but he still contributed greatly and ended up being on the winning side, cementing himself amongst the top 4 contenders.

3. Evelyn Garcia- Evelyn didn’t win this one, but her previous three wins in a ROW are nothing to shy away from. I think her team was doomed for reasons far beyond her. She’s still the woman to beat, and right behind Buddha and Damarr as the next top contender. It’ll be interesting to see how the next few weeks play out.

2. Damarr Brown- Damarr was great this week. Just when we thought he was crumbling under the pressure, he served up what Tom said was “the best carrot cake he’s ever had.” Pretty huge compliments. And props to Damarr for coming up with the name Matriarc, honoring the mother figures in all the chef’s lives. It was a sentimental, but simple concept that really aided in their win.

1. Buddha Lo- Seeing how much Jackson crumbled at the front of house position only makes it more evident how much Buddha crushed Restaurant Wars. Sure, he was a bit standoffish when menu planning, but it eventually worked when his team’s menu was so cohesive and impressive pretty much across the board. He also served the “best parker house rolls” the judges had ever tasted. Pretty good compliment. While he didn’t win the challenge, I think he had the best showing personally, especially being the last one picked on his team.

With Jackson gone, it seems that Buddha, Damarr, Evelyn, and Nick are far and away the favorites to win it all. As for the other three, it’s a bit of a tossup, but I do think we’ll see Luke use up the last of his nine lives this week.

PREDICTIONS:

Going Home- Luke Kolpin; Points: 2 1 comments
Survivor S42 Power Rankings (Finals) Aug 5, 2022: Well, another week another blindside. Seeing Omar go was tough, but props to Maryanne for really getting the ball rolling and using her extra vote perfectly to pull off that move. The biggest shocker of all came from Lindsay who, upon winning immunity, didn’t use her idol to protect Omar. It was a pretty dumb mistake that I think will hurt her endgame chances. Let’s rank these final five contestants based on how I think they’ll place when all is said and done.

5. Lindsay Dolashewich- Lindsay and Omar were in the best positions to make it to the end. She uses her idol on Omar, and the two are likely to make it to final 3 pending any fire making disasters. It’s just a bit of a shock that Lindsay didn’t play it, considering she couldn’t save it till 5 anyway. Now that she’s vulnerable and seemingly without a super tight ally, I don’t see how she survives UNLESS she wins immunity. Her season long goal has been to get rid of Jonathan, but I do think Jonathan will have the upper hand in the end.

4. Jonathan Young- Picking a fire making loser was difficult. The only reason I settled on Jonathan is not because I think he’s unlikely to win fire, but because of the other options on the table. Maryanne clearly has the biggest winning edit, and Romeo seems like the clear final tribal goat. That means one of them likely wins the final immunity, otherwise I think they’d probably be going against one another, and I just don’t foresee that happening. So between Mike and Jonathan, I needed to pick one for final tribal and one for the fire making loser. Between the two, I just think Mike being a firefighter gives him the upper hand, and the way they’ve been building up Jonathan as the unstoppable challenge beast, it would almost be poetic to see him lose. This is tough because Jonathan could easily win immunity, throwing my whole plan off, but I just don’t see Romeo and Maryanne making fire (assuming Jonathan takes Mike to the end). So my final guess is, Maryanne wins that big final immunity, takes Romeo, and Mike beats Jonathan?

3. Romeo Escobar- Romeo has been the final 3 tribal council loser for weeks now. It seems too inevitable. Of course, we could get a Heather in 41 scenario where he ends up going out in fire should Jonathan or Mike win immunity and take the other. But I really do think he’ll find his way to the end. Everyone would be smart to take him there. For his own personal journey, I think he’s grown a lot and done well, but in comparison to all four other competitors, he’s also played the sloppiest game.

2. Mike Turner- Mike has gotten a good edit, but has way more holes than Maryanne does in terms of his gameplay. He has played super well, but has also seemed to follow more than he has led. I think he could have a shot at winning, but given the overall edit, I just think this past episode cemented who our winner will be.

1. Maryanne Oketch- Maryanne has her idol at 5, which cements her in the final four. And given the way the edit is going, I just can’t see her losing fire at 4. She may not have the flashiest game, but her big moves came when they mattered, and were shown in a spotlight in front of the jury. I think Maryanne is our winner, and I’m delighted seeing how unique of a personality she is. We’ve truly never seen anyone like her on the show, let alone a winner. Hoping I’m right. This is what the edit has pointed to.

I’ve said it, but I’ll say it again, Maryanne’s edit just seems to be above and beyond the strongest. Should Lindsay win final 5 immunity, I think Jonathan is toast. If anyone else wins, I think Lindsay is out at 5. Then it comes down to the final four where I’m predicting Maryanne to get her big final win and take Romeo to the end. Between Jonathan and Mike, it’s a toss up, but the edit points toward Mike being in the final 3. And then once we’re in final three, I think Maryanne will just edge out Mike in votes. I don’t think it’ll be a landslide, but I also think the edit is what gives me confidence she’ll be able to rally the votes and become the 2nd Canadian winner in a row! How about that!

PREDICTIONS:

Winner- Maryanne Oketch

Second Place- Mike Turner

Third Place- Romeo Escobar

Fourth Place- Jonathan Young

Fifth Place- Lindsay Dolashewich

If you want to see me talk more at length about these rankings on my YouTube channel, check out Recipe for Reality:

#survivor; Points: 0 0 comments
Survivor S42 Power Rankings (Top 6) Aug 4, 2022: Wow, talk about an episode. Lindsay gets the Do or Die (as predicted) but SUCCEEDS in her Do or Die game (something I did NOT predict). Instead, we see Drea losing all her power in one tribal and getting blindsided, something that I didn’t see coming. I had Drea lower on the last rating, but not because of her twists, but because of the Do or Die. Drea going home after flubbing the Knowledge is Power AND using her extra vote… wow. What an episode. Now, Lindsay finally gets an idol because of her amulet, Mike’s idol is in Omar’s hands, and Maryanne continues to hold onto her secret idol as well. This leaves only Mike, Romeo, and Jonathan vulnerable, which could lead to quite an interesting vote.

6. Jonathan Young- Jonathan could very well win immunity, but if you look at the three vulnerable people (Mike, Jonathan, Romeo), Jonathan is probably the biggest white whale of the bunch. He’s the one people will want to take out, especially with Lindsay still in the game and seemingly closely aligned with Omar and Maryanne who both have idols. If he wins immunity, I won’t be surprised, but if he doesn’t, the options will be limited and between him and Mike, I think Mike could get the numbers.

5. Mike Turner- Mike may have made a million dollar mistake in giving his idol to Omar. Sure it got rid of Drea, but if Omar holds onto it, Mike could be in trouble. The thing is, Mike still has some close allies, especially after this last vote, and someone like Omar could string Mike along to the end to USE that as a tool for the jury. I don’t really think Mike would be in TOO much danger, BUT because there are only three people currently without idols (one being a comp beast Jonathan), Mike is more vulnerable than ever.

4. Omar Zaheer- Omar really excelled this week, and got an idol out of it. It’s a tricky position because holding onto the idol could hurt his relationship with Mike. But then again, he has an idol, and Omar is a savvy enough player to probably be able to hold onto it while still maintaining an alliance with Mike. If he gives it up, he could be in DEEP danger as he would then be vulnerable alongside Jonathan and Romeo. That’s why I have him this low. But if I were Omar, I’d hold onto that idol if I can.

3. Romeo Escobar- Romeo doesn’t have an idol, but I really don’t know why anyone would waste a vote on Romeo at this point. He’s a perfect final tribal goat, and I think everyone sees that. The only way he goes home is if one of the idol winners wins immunity and gives the idol to someone vulnerable and a shot in the dark is played. That’s the only way.

2. Maryanne Oketch- Maryanne keeping her idol a secret is going to really benefit her, but honestly, I don’t think she’s really in a position where she NEEDS to use it this week. She does have it though, so she’s safe regardless, thus putting her up high once again on this ranking.

1. Lindsay Dolashewich- Lindsay was the star of this episode, thus getting my #1 spot. She has the amulet immunity idol which she can ONLY play this week, so she’s safe 100%. She has no reason not to use it if she doesn’t win immunity. She played a bold week, and not only that, but she got some great stuff for her edit, and I think she’s emerging as a deep contender to win in this last third of the game. Keep your eyes on Lindsay, she may be able to squeak out a victory.

With Lindsay, Maryanne, and Omar all safe with idols, and Romeo the obvious goat, it looks like Jonathan and Mike are vulnerable. If Omar gives up his idol back to Mike, then Omar could very well be going home, I just think he’s too savvy to do that. All signs point to Jonathan, but with a shot in the dark out there, who knows what will happen! One week away from the finale, and I think it’s becoming clearer that our contenders are Omar, Maryanne, and now Lindsay. It’ll just be a matter of who can get to the end (Having said that, we’ll probably see a Mike, Jonathan, Romeo final 3! Lol).

PREDICTIONS:

Going Home- Jonathan Young; Points: 16 0 comments
American Idol S20 Power Rankings (Finals) Aug 4, 2022: My predictions were correct. The country vote took over, with Noah and HunterGirl placing first and second. Let’s rank the final 3’s performances in the finale and see if I thought Noah deserved the win or not.

8. Noah Thompson (1st Song)- I feel like it was a bit unfair to give the three finalists a Bruce round when Noah is there and very much has a similar type of delivery (not nearly as raspy as last year’s winner Chayce, but similar). That being said, this Bruce round did nothing for him. The falsetto moment in particular was a risk that I appreciated, but it REALLY stood out in all the wrong ways. Noah was the most inexperienced going into this season, and his growth was amazing to see, but that falsetto moment shows that he’s still not fully there. America disagrees though!

7. Noah Thompson (2nd Song)- This was a sweet, sincere vocal for Noah. But at the same time, it’s harder and harder to differentiate each performance from one another. If you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all, which is where artists like Leah and even HunterGirl excel more. Country fans will certainly eat this up, because it’s definitely got a sweet melody and the vocal itself is good. Just nothing that blew me away, especially in the finale of all nights.

6. Leah Marlene (1st Song)- Leah’s Bruce song was good. It showed off her slick sense of style more than anything. We saw Leah’s artistry here and she was really working the crowd. In terms of vocal ability, however, I don’t think the Bruce Springsteen catalogue has the big, belty shows topping moments that Leah has excelled with. Probably her most forgettable vocal of the season.

5. Noah Thompson (3rd Song)- Noah was smart to finish with his rendition of Rihanna’s “Stay.” It was definitely his breakout moment and the biggest risk he’s taken this competition. This lacked the same spark and surprise of his first go-round, but it was still well sung. His strongest of the night, but still not even in the top half of tonight’s performances.

4. HunterGirl (1st Song)- We’ll talk more about HunterGirl in a bit, but she REALLY blossomed tonight. Bruce seemed right up her alley, and she picked a song that really worked with her overall showmanship and vocal quality. She’s ready for the real world, and that’s what this performance showed.

3. HunterGirl (2nd Song)- HunterGirl has been so hit or miss for me, so I was shocked when I found myself so impressed with vocals tonight. She really shines most on her original songs. Even if there are pitch issues, the passion in these originals overshadows the minor flaws. Her subtle runs were also lovely.

2. Leah Marlene (2nd Song)- Leah’s first round wasn’t great, but she really showed her pure stardom in the second song. How this girl didn’t even place top 2 is beyond me. But hey, that’s the vote for ya. Hearing Leah still deliver perfect vocals despite getting choked up at times, I had nothing but love and adoration for her. She may not have won, but she’s my winner this season (her and Fritz!).

1. HunterGirl (3rd Song)- How the hell did HunterGirl, who I’ve been VERY tough on this entire season end up giving my favorite performance of the finale??? She killed this. It was a great full circle moment for her. She knows exactly where her sweet spot is, but unlike Noah, I think she’s taking bigger vocal risks in general within those sweet spots. Good for her!; Points: 6 0 comments
UPDATE Aug 3, 2022: I did not forget about y'all. I took an exciting new job recently (as well as maintaining the YouTube channel) and haven't been as productive as I could be, BUT this week, I'm planning on doing a BUNCH of catchup on the following series:

American Idol S20 Finale
Survivor S42 Final 6 & Finale
Top Chef S19 Top 7 Onward
Masterchef S12
Big Brother 24
AGT S17

Each day will be catch-up for a new show. So tonight, I will wrap up American Idol, then Survivor, and so on and so forth....so everything will be caught up by this time next week

Thanks all!; Points: 73 4 comments
American Idol S20 Power Rankings (Top 5) May 22, 2022: Well I was WAY off in my predictions, only getting 1 of the 3 correct. I thought Fritz would for sure be in the top 3, and that took me by surprise. I also thought Nicolina had more support than HunterGirl or Leah, but I guess Leah really has been the top vote-getter of all the non-country artists this season and HunterGirl got lots of support from the country fanbase AND because she had some great vocals. Now let’s rank this top 5 in what was a quite surprising shake up of rankings, especially compared to last week.

10. Noah Thompson (1st Song)- Noah’s first performance was definitely the weakest of the night. It seemed like he was trying to step outside his comfort zone, but it did come across super awkward. As the finale approaches, you have to think about which contestant will best be able to not only deliver great radio quality vocals but also work the crowd and put on a great show. Noah has one of those qualities. But he can absolutely not work a crowd like the other 4, and I think for American Idol, the whole package is needed.

9. Nicolina (1st Song)- Nicolina once again picked a big, larger than life song, and for the most part, she succeeded in delivering a good vocal. There were some pitch problems, especially in the last minute of the song, but the tone was all there and she hit a run I really liked. But with a song like “Blown Away” I wasn’t particularly blown away by it. I think it’s because, with vocalists like Leah and Fritz around who have a very unique way of spinning a song, Nicolina’s style and approach to the song just doesn’t stand out and comes across a tad karaoke. Luckily, her 2nd performance was much better, I just wasn’t particularly digging this one amongst most of the other Carrie covers.

8. Leah Marlene (1st Song)- Leah is by all means the best vocalist of the group, and this rendition of “I’ll Stand By You” showcased that fully. I didn’t love all of the liberties she took with the song in that second verse and some of the chorus (in terms of tempo and rhythm) because it seemed to be off the music at times. That being said, she ended it perfectly, leaving a good taste for the audience when reflecting on it.

7. Fritz Hager (1st Song)- This was a great song choice for Fritz in taking something of Carrie’s (and NeedToBreathe’s) and keep it “Fritz.” I don’t think it was his best vocal in terms of pitch or vocal choices, but it was once again another solid performance of complete comfort and ease.

6. Noah Thompson (2nd Song)- Noah’s second vocal was much better than his first. In fact, it was probably the most flawless vocal of the night from a strict musical perspective. But damn, are his performances starting to feel a bit too much of the same. He does “sitting in a chair and singing a soulful country ballad” well, but we saw tonight that the other side (working the crowd, pumped up-tempo numbers, etc) isn’t his strong suit, and I just don’t know if this vocal (as good as it was) was enough to win me over.

5. Fritz Hager (2nd Song)- It was so interesting seeing Fritz step away from the guitar and let loose a bit. It was a tad meandering, but much less awkward than when Noah did it. The vocal was solid, even if it wasn’t the best of his run this season. I think tonight was more of a showcase of Fritz as a well-rounded versatile performer, and the vocals came second. Maybe that hurt his chances when it came to voting, but I much preferred seeing Fritz do something new and expand his skillset, which I think he did tonight. Shame he won’t be one of the finalists because he really has had the best arc of anyone in terms of growth from his starting audition point to here. Damn, I’m upset.

4. HunterGirl (1st Song)- We should have known HunterGirl would really excel with a Carrie Underwood song. This was her best vocal since Disney Night (which would only be topped by her next song). I didn’t get any pitch issues from her performance, and felt like she felt the most comfortable on stage of anyone in this first round. I have been lower on HunterGirl, especially last week, but she really impressed me this week and totally earned that top 3 spot, even if I wanted Fritz to make it to the end.

3. Nicolina (2nd Song)- This was Nicolina’s best vocal in some time. When she’s 100% dialed in, she really soars. I’m usually tough on her when it comes to pitch problems, but I didn’t notice much at all here! She has a real magic when it comes to her lower register, and she gave us some really terrific head voice moments as well that I don’t think I’ve heard from her before. This was a solid vocal and really showed off her best skillset. While I do think her elimination was probably justified, this was the best possible performance to go out on.

2. HunterGirl (2nd Song)- Where has this singer been the whole time? I’ve always enjoyed HunterGirl for her stage presence, but this was the first time I was legitimately blown away by the vocal itself. It was rich, controlled, powerful, and provided such a great quality in sound. Her emotional connection to the song also really shone through. Going into the night, she was probably lowest on my list of people I’d love to see win, but now, she’s someone I wouldn’t mind seeing win this whole thing (especially if it’s gonna be either her or Noah if the country vote prevails). She killed it, and I’ll reiterate….she earned that top 3 spot.

1. Leah Marlene (2nd Song)- JEEZ this was a powerhouse vocal. This song is a beast, a monster, a mountain to climb, and she managed it with ease. This song should’ve sealed the whole competition up. Probably won’t, but man would it be great to see Leah (the most talented vocalist of the season) win this whole damn thing.

I’m actually surprised because according SOLELY to this week’s performances, HunterGirl would’ve been my collective #1 with Leah close behind, and Fritz and Nicolina slightly behind that. Noah was at the bottom, but at the same time, my rankings don’t really matter because this is up to America, and we see two country singers and one pop-rocker. This could go one of two ways: Season 10 or Season 16. In season 10, we had two country singers (Scottie McCreery and Lauren Alaina) and one rocker (Haley Reinhart). The two country singers took first and second place, while the best singer of the three got third. In season 16, we had two country singers (Caleb Lee Hutchinson and Gabby Barrett) and one other, Maddie Poppe, who isn’t exactly a rocker but is definitely a different genre than country. The two country singers actually placed 2nd and 3rd while the other rose to win the season. So this means Leah is either getting first or third, I don’t think there’s a way she falls in the middle. It really comes down to whether or not the country voters will be all in on BOTH Noah and HunterGirl or if they split between the two, thus allowing Leah to win. Personally, I’d love to see Leah win obviously. But I also see the stats and trends through YouTube views and Facebook likes, and it just seems like Noah has the upper hand and those country voters may just not slow down. In their most recent performances, Leah and HunterGirl’s views have been at around 200K while Noah’s is nearly double that at about 400K. That’s kinda crazy. Beyond the country vote itself, I think Noah’s story is the most emotionally heartwarming, which could also have some voters rallying around him. Leah could win if she collects Fritz and Nicolina’s voters, but we also thought Christian and Jay’s voters would rally around Nicolina and Fritz and were proved wrong. I think it’ll be a season 10 repeat, but I’d love to be proven wrong because I want Leah to win.

PREDICTIONS:

Winner- Noah Thompson

Second Place- HunterGirl

Third Place- Leah Marlene

#casting; Points: 11 1 comments

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PowerRankings101's blog

The PowerRankings101's blog

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1 2 3 4 5 6...160
Posts 960 posts