DRG

So with one pre-filmed episode left, what ended up happening with the Paula Deen appearance? Did they masterfully edit it out of something we already saw? If so, great job... since I didn't notice any weird gaps anywhere.

Abob Teff

Mark me down as another "Why the hell is Rodney still here?" vote. I thought the Sandwich King was a one-trick pony ... Pie-Style is more like one-trick braying jack-ass.

He does not have personality -- he is simply obnoxious. He's either screaming or mumbling and constantly doing stupid things. You can tell Giada is the one keeping him around; the schtick is wearing thin on the other judges. Week after week she is speaking up during the focus groups and influencing their decisions.

I could see any of the other three winning and would likely watch a show with any of them. They all have shined at some point. The problem is the dramatic inconsistency from each of them. If you watch the taped "confessional" segments they all do very well. I actually think Demaris will win. Stacey is good, but the judges haven't liked her all along. Russell has lots of potential, but he has been the most inconsistent of the group. Demaris seems to be on a roll lately.

Timber

Russell is a disaster when the camera is on. Demaris is the most fun and I think she could do various shows for the network, even if her cooking chops weren't enough for an instuctional show. Stacey I think is the one they're pushing through for the win but she is a bore.

Timber

If I continue to say something is sweeping the nation does that make it a fact? Every time Rodney talks about "pie style" I roll my eyes. I guess that's no different then every time Russell says culinary sins.

bluesix

Agreed. Demaris for the win.

As soon as she brought up the dating angle I knew she would be put through. It's a (relatively) fresh idea and Food Network LOVES the whole rescue/help in the kitchen/make a dish or restaurant better concept.

Abob Teff

Line of the night ... "So 'pie style' is just 'Rodney style'?" "Yeah!"

Stacey's pitch was bad, but why!? Why are we being subjected to more of this!? What did we do to deserve this punishment?

I found it ironic that they believed Rodney has the personality and they can "find the concept later." He has shown, week after week, that he is a one-trick pony who is not going to follow direction.

I liked Russell's show, but I see Demaris for the win ... And I'm ok with seeing more of Demaris!

Josh-da-man

Here's an idea for Rodney's show: Every week he bakes a different kind of pie and then Jason Biggs fucks it.

davidh777

Just watched the last two episodes back to back and am scratching my head that Rodney survived both times.

Nikki looked pretty hot when she was voted out.

No way anything good was going to come out of Stacy vowing to start her pitch with an emotional story. Fortunately for her they did acknowledge that she was trying to respond to the judges' criticism.

I would like to see that episode of Restaurant Impossible with Stacy's restaurant.

It's been a completely mediocre season. None of the pilots were that bad, but like others I'm favoring (and predicting) Demaris at this point. She is pretty charming, if she would just stop saying "JK!"

Evan Meadow

Honestly, I like the pilots of all 3 shows and would watch them all.

And honestly, with what happened with Justin last season, and the usual track record of Next FN Star winners, they really should just greenlight all 3 as winners and just wait and see which ones the ratings like best.

The Paula Deen gap alone the 3 shows can fill.

starman9000

Don't like Rodney's personality, but the bigger problem is him just doing the exact same thing for the pie challenge. "He uses this, so I'm going to use this" is pretty boring.

Pizza

I so agree. He's a fun dude but I don't see the big deal of stuffing someone else's recipe in a pie crust.

I think they're making them try too hard to come up with a gimmick for their shows. Just do southern cooking. Just make pies. Make guilty sins. (And, how many people are going to be able to make ice cream like he did in his pilot?)

RichC2

Russell's show was stupid but he's a pretty decent host when he gets away from his culinary sins bs. Damaris is pretty good decent as well - or at least could be.

Rodney's spot should have gone to Nicki or Stacey. There is no reason for him to be there.

Timber

Well 8 out of 10 people did "get pie style".

My problem with his concept is much like Bobby Flay's show Throwdown it has a chance to upstage resturants and chefs. What does it say about that grilled cheese guy when Rodney can roll in off the street and make food that random people prefer?

starman9000

That's true, and being such a short episode they really had to skimp on the cooking aspect, so a full show could be better.

If he can polish his delivery, his character might not be all that bad.

davidh777

At least Bobby Flay puts his own spin on an item, though. Rodney in that pilot was just copying all the ingredients. Granted proportions can change, and maybe he had room for larger chunks of meat in his pie or something. But yeah, might as well just open the guy's sandwich and scrape the filling into your pie crust (and yeah, I know he customized his crust to match the bread as well). While Russell was challenging someone else's space, at least he wasn't directly competing and was pretty humble with his "could this get on your menu?" approach.

TomOpus

Putting my votes for Darmaris. My choice after her would be Russell. Rodney's personality just seemed annoying. I would not watch a show if he was hosting it.

bluesix

And this year's season goes out with a whimper...what a boring anti-climactic non-event this was.

It was fun to see Danuschska (sp?) 'own' her bitchiness.

And to Rodney 'own' his douchieness. Here's hoping he fades into obscurity and I never see him on TV again.

I really liked seeing more of Chris and I wish he had done better this season. FN desperately needs more male chefs who aren't over the top and seeing him on the finale made him seem like a cool regular fun guy. I bet he would have made for a great show host.

davidh777

Yeah, it was a bore, a reunion show with an oh-by-the-way announcement of the winner.

Glad Rodney didn't win, but I was probably not going to watch any of the shows anyway.

Bring on Food Truck Race!