This week the Contestants are brought to Union Station in Los Angeles to receive the details of the Spot Light Challenge. They are tasked with making robots that could replace the occupations of humans, with a noticeable functional advantage over their human counterparts.
The Assignments
Tyler: Surgeon
Daran: Photographer
Rashaad: Fire Fighter
Nico: Construction Worker
George: Hair Dresser
With a reminder by McKenzie to go bold or go home, the remaining Contestants get to sketching, then back to the work room to get to work. This challenge requires strong fabrication skills in addition to sculpting and molding skills, so it will be a challenge that really tests the group’s skills.
Nico starts strong with a nice face sculpt, though his sketch looks a bit like a Rock ’em Sock ’em Robot. Michael Westmore has a lot to say this week, giving advice to most of the crew on how to make a convincing robot, instead of what looks like a human in a robot costume.
Day two and three in the workroom, spirits remain high. The boys are focused on their work, and seem pretty confident. Nico makes a mistake in fabrication by gluing the arm pieces of his costume in a way that would make his model unable to move, but Rashaad comes to the rescue by catching his mistake and giving Nico advice on how to fix it. The Contestants head back to the house, and surprise Daran for his Birthday with Red Velvet cupcakes. All are exhausted, but drama free.
Application day comes and it’s noses to the grind stone. All are scrambling, knowing that there can be no mistakes this late in the game. Though the facial sculpt is rough, Tyler’s robot looks like it has a good chance to come in first again. He has gone over and above with lights and moving components. Rashaad is feeling nervous, being the only Contestant left to not have won a round, he may also have a good chance at the win. Daran’s piece looks like the weakest for the second week in a row.
The Judges are impressed with Rashaad’s Robot, it’s even better close up. They are less than impressed with Daran’s piece (finally!), but the work put into the rest of the Contestant’s make-ups doesn’t go unnoticed.
Safe: Nico
Weakest: Daran
Strongest: Tyler, Rashaad & George
Winner: Rashaad Sent Home: Daran
Poor Nico! The Judges made him believe he was in the bottom, before announcing there was only one bottom look this week, and that he was safe. I was happy to see Daran go, though he has had some interesting concepts, the last 2 weeks his work has been lacking, compared to the others. Rashaad deserved the win, his Robot once finished was fantastic. It looked like a smaller scale version of Del Toro’s Pacific Rim mecha giants. All in all it was a good week. The four remaining contestants are all strong players, so it could be anyone’s game. I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us for the finale.
