As a first-time regular Hell's Kitchen viewer, I remain of mixed mind so far. In Monday's (June 11) second episode of the season, the aspiring chefs managed to actually do a little cooking (unlike last week, which was all crying, swearing and bluster), but then Chef Gordon Ramsay had to go and eliminate one of the show's few sympathetic characters.

[Spoilers, obviously.]

The reality show pragmatist in me knows this simple fact: If somebody was never going to ever win a show, there's no point in quibbling over whether they're the next-to-last person eliminated or the first person eliminated. And Little Eddie was obviously never going to win Hell's Kitchen. Most viewers at home would also probably screw up their appetizers if we had three larger people yelling at us and crowding us against a grill, but most viewers at home also aren't prepared to run a world class restaurant. Eddie, who suffered from a kidney disorder that left him undersized, had a ton of heart and I'd have loved to see him stick around, but nobody was ever going to entrust the guy with a full-scale restaurant.

But couldn't Eddie have at least outlasted Aaron? In just two weeks, the hefty retirement home chef has emerged as one of the most pathetic reality show contestants I can remember and not in a way that's entertaining. Watching Aaron is just plain sad. After an episode that saw him sleep through his team's initial challenge loss, embarrassingly introduce himself to each restaurant patron ("Hi. I'm Aaron. I'll be your chef. But you knew that because it's on my jacket"), take 15 minutes to debone a fish (without actually removing the entire skeleton) and sweat all over countless diners, he was taken to task by Chef Ramsey and announced, lower lip quivering, "This is a top-class place and maybe I'm not top class."

Well yeah. That's right, Aaron. But geez. He's so admittedly horrible that it's hard to talk about how horrible he is. Even Aaron was confused that Rock didn't put him on the chopping block with Eddie. Did Rock want Josh out? I'd absolutely figured that Eddie's stature and spirit would keep him on Chef Ramsay's [relatively] softer side for a few weeks at least. I guess I was wrong.

I'm still looking for somebody to root for. How about you, reader?

Other thoughts on this week's episode:

Why did the men lose? Eddie's Spaghetti. I just like saying that. But they also lost because of Aaron's flop sweat and Josh's chicken and Vinnie's generalized idiocy. Brad didn't obviously mess anything up that I can remember, but his "We're all chefs, they're not even cooks" sexism towards the women was a bit distasteful.

Actually, there was a good amount of sexism in the episode. I don't know why Bonnie was prancing around the apartment in panties, but Josh probably shouldn't have thought he was so cool asking her to bend over to get potatoes and Eddie probably shouldn't have thought he was so cool asking her to reach for something on her tippy-toes. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with Bonnie or her undies, but there's something to be said for ogling in dignified silence.

Line of the episode: Courtesy of the narrator, as a nervous Julia prepared to present her Dover sole to Chef Ramsay, "But Dover Sole isn't on the menu at the Waffle House." That's true, but Julia still managed to successful prepare two filets, while Vinnie, Jen and Bonnie couldn't do a single fish between them in 30 minutes. It's that kind of thing that invalidates the entire show for me. I refuse to believe that every single finalist on this season's Top Chef couldn't do double or triple the four fish Josh and Melissa, the competition's winners, did.

Second best line of the episode: Chef Ramsay to Josh, "I think you're one big fake, full of piss and wind." Ouch.

What'd you think of this week's episode? Is this season measuring up for you so far?

Comments

I was amazed that the women not only finished their service but worked on the men's as well. In the previous two seasons of the show it has taken at least a few weeks of episodes for any team to complete a service.

Xannie | Jun 12, 2007 6:31:11 AM | #

---

My favourite line of the episode also came from the commentator after Chef Ramsay yelled/asked Bonnie if she was a dumb blonde. The other women rallied around her supportively and she kept saying "I'm OK, I'm OK," and continued to say so after they had refocused on their respective tasks. The commentatory says... "While Bonnie reassures herself that she's OK...." hee hee

Aaron needs to go. I'm sorry but he doesn't even get a sympathy vote from me. Just "blanking" out and nearly fainting, and crying, and panicking, and sweating. WTF are you doing here Aaron? Seriously?! Get your sh*t together or bow out like the blubbering boob you are.

John in T.O. | Jun 12, 2007 7:24:40 AM | #

---

Dan,
Once again you've managed to put most of my thoughts into words and better than I could. I felt the same way. I wanted Eddie to stay longer, but I knew he could never win. The one thing I'm sick of is everyone getting done on Julia because she works at the Wafflehouse. They wouldn't even let her fry an egg last week, something she'd obviously have a lot of experience with.

I Think Rock just wanted Josh out because Josh is bossy. He's not thinking of the good of the team, which is essential in these early challenges.

Brian | Jun 12, 2007 8:29:31 AM | #

---

I'm disappointed by Eddie's early departure as well.

I'm sure that Aaron's "blanking out" is a foreshadow to the mysterious "don't die on me!" line that we keep seeing in the opening, and if I have to guess, I'd say Aaron suffered a petit mal seizure.

Chan | Jun 12, 2007 10:03:44 AM | #

---

I'm not at all disappointed that Eddie went - he was like watching a toad.

I'm only disappointed that Aaron couldn't have gone at the same time.

What was with Ramsay's consistently sympathetic tone to him? He wouldn't put up with the crap Aaron pulled from anybody else - the sweating and the whining were stomach turning to me.

It's obvious that Aaron won't WIN this thing - he's very nearly brain dead - but his continued presence takes all the "reality" out of this show and tells me just how scripted it really is, because if ANYBODY was going to tick off Ramsay, it would have been Aaron.

I'm for Julia - I love Waffle House and hate the constant cutting down she's getting.

Jan | Jun 12, 2007 10:19:16 AM | #

---

I agree...I love Julia as well...she keeps it real without being a complete jerk like everyone else...I think she'll go far! She's has Heather's attitude just needs to make up for lack of experience.

Sam | Jun 12, 2007 2:18:36 PM | #

---

It was smart of Rock to keep Aaron around a bit longer. It is obvious that he won't and can't win the competition, but if I was any of them in this competition, I'd want him to stick around as long as possible, so that if it came down to me vs. him in an elimination, I'd be the lesser of the two evils, and get to stay for a bit longer, hoping to improve my odds. So, all in all, a good strategic choice.

That having been said, I am left wondering if maybe Aaron is an undiagnosed Type II Diabetic, based on his symptoms and how they got worse when he decided to skip a few meals. My guess is that the hinted at scene might be him collapsing from hypoglycemia, or having it cause a big fire and injure someone in a big fireball.

Steve | Jun 12, 2007 4:20:57 PM | #

---

THIS IS THE BEST ONE YET. IWANT TO SEE GORDON GO SUPER NOVA, AS FAR AS WHOSE NEXT I HOPE AARON, HE WOULD NOT LAST IN MY DINING ROOM.THIS SEASON THE GIRLS ARE ROCKING SO FAR, LETS HOPE THAT THE GUYS TEAM GETS GOING.

ROBERT | Jun 12, 2007 6:15:22 PM | #

---

You can always tell who's going to win after just a few episodes. This year it's Melissa.

Jerry | Jun 12, 2007 6:29:58 PM | #

---

Well, it amazes me that these people are all so BAD. I am just an amateur when it comes to cooking, but I think I can do better than the majority of what I've seen them all doing. Admittedly, the women filled in when the men got the boot, and I was glad to see that they stepped up so well, considering the situation they fell into. No favorites yet, but my intuition says a woman is going to win. Contrary to what some other people think, I suspect Rock put up Josh as a pawn to insure Eddie would be the one to go. Clearly, to me, Josh was the lesser of the two evils. Eddie even screwed up pasta! Which has to be, even in my limited experience, one of the hardest things to screw up. If the men lose next week, I'd expect to see the same thing with Aaron and another pawn to make sure Aaron goes. Aaron does not impress me with is abilities. Aaron impresses me as a whiner and a quitter.

rowlfe | Jun 13, 2007 8:50:20 PM | #

---

I agree with Steve -- it's genius to keep Aaron around as long as possible, because there's virtually no way you can lose to him in a decision, unless you actually punched Ramsay during the dinner service AND messed up the Wellington.

I don't know if you can predict yet; the key to the past two seasons' winners has always been leadership ability and ability to work in teams, and Jen has definitely showed that best so far. The guys haven't really seen someone take charge. Melissa could do it, but she and the other women need to stick together more consistently. The guys have done that well...so far.

Also, it's important to note that Bonnie and Melissa are hot, and hot women tend to make it pretty far in the show, as well.

Matt | Jun 14, 2007 8:34:55 AM | #

---

Very well put. I was also really sad to see Eddie go. Just by his reactions to his harsh criticisms this show, he seemed to me like he would be one of the people that would actually really listen and improve with each challenge. I bet that if Chef Ramsey kept him on past episode 2, he would have just gotten better and better. Too bad, he seemed like a nice guy too.

Charles | Jan 9, 2008 4:38:24 AM | #

---

Post a comment

Name:
Email Address:	optional
URL:	optional
Comments: