Episode Report Card Jeff Long: B+ | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Saw 5
By Jeff Long | Season 5 | Episode 12 | Aired on 10.01.2008
In a hurry? Read the recaplet for a nutshell description! Finished? Click here to close.I need a freaking massage after that episode. First of all, Kenley is not speaking to Leanne because she thinks Leanne sabotaged her with her lackluster modeling job in the last challenge. Tim takes Jerell, Kenley, Korto, and Leanne to the New York Botanical Gardens. Collier Strong is there and presents the challenge. They have to design an evening gown inspired by nature. They are given cameras and take a bunch of pictures of flowers.
Everyone lets their We-Hate-Kenley flag fly proudly. She forgets to bring back to Parson's the tulle that she bought at Mood. The others have leftover tulle that they are not even using and they refuse to offer it to her. She has to walk there in the middle of the day. We find out that Kenley grew up on a tug boat and has always been an asshole.
The designers are so ramped up that they kind of botch the challenge. On the runway, no one stands out as a huge loser, but there isn't a home run in the bunch either. Everyone is criticized for construction issues, while Kenley and Korto get extra demerits for taste deficiencies. After the show, Heidi asks them to say why they should go to Bryant Park and which two designers should come with them. Oh my God, cue waterworks. They all start bawling. And, Leanne, Jerell, and Korto all say they would exclude Kenley. Jerell and Leanne add that they don't think Kenley is very original. The judges tell Kenley that she has an attitude problem and it's all very satisfying. Kenley says that she would exclude Korto and backstage Korto calls her out. Again, so tense and altogether riveting. Jerell is hailed the winner. And… all four designers must create a collection. Three will compete for the prize and all four are eligible for elimination.
Want more? The full recap starts right below!Previously: The producers and judges stopped making a mockery of their own show and got rid of Rayon. Except it's still a little bit of a mockery because, wouldn't you know it, Rayon actually wasn't the worst on the week of his elimination. Kenley was. And she was rude to Tim Gunn. So not only do her fellow designers and TV viewing audience hate her, now God hates her. Korto won the challenge, which was for the designers to create a look for their fellow competitors inspired by a totally arbitrary musical genre. Seriously, it was like Fashion Mad Libs.
Isn't it neat how these episodes all start with the designers showering and grooming themselves and end with them sweating and gnashing their teeth? This episode is no exception. It's morning and Korto is making her bed. She says that she's the oldest person on the show and she has a husband and child. She wanted to do this to show her daughter to shoot for the stars. Joe said similar stuff. Now, maybe my family just isn't this positive or something, but I can't really imagine that my folks would ever be like, "This will show Jeff that he should always go for his dreams." I mean, if I were Joe's kids I'd be like, "You could quite possibly fail when you go for your dreams. Dad taught me that I can fail horribly when I go for my dreams." That's just my family though. OR, that's just more American Idol bullshit that people like to say. I like Korto too. I can't stand that reality show rhetoric though. She says that she feels in her heart that she'll make it to Bryant Park.
Leanne says to no one in particular that she can't believe they're down to the final four. She interviews that Kenley should have gone home a while ago. She has been disrespectful to everyone there. "She's been downright rude." Kenley interviews that she's not speaking to Leanne. She thinks that Leanne sabotaged her on the runway in the last challenge by not selling her look. "She made it look like a fool's outfit." Let's be clear, it was a fool's outfit, but I think there is probably a little validity to her claim. Leanne looked like a total chump when she was walking. It was hysterical, but it probably hurt Kenley. But regardless, it still belonged in the bottom. Kenley interviews that she's not interested in even pretending to like Leanne. She's in the bathroom putting one of her headpieces and Leanne walks by and says in a high voice, "I'm not even gonna smile today." Clearly pointed at Kenley, who doesn't respond. Korto repeats the same thing in the same voice as Leanne.