This week the Contestants are taken to Apex Electronics by Gigi Edgley and Brian Henson to receive this week’s Creature Brief. Apex is a junkyard where electronics goes to die. Brian relates a story about his Father, Jim Henson, who made Kermit the Frog from an old coat he had. Like this, the crew will be asked to create something from things they find in the yard, a creature that has disguised itself in junkyard materials so long that is is now part creature, part scrap. Captured and caged, and desperate to escape. This will be a tough challenge.

The Teams

Ben & Yvonne

Jake & Russ (Poor Jake!)

Lex & Josh

Melissa & Robert

The teams are given a cage for their creature, and 3 operators to man it during the screen tests. No operator will be allowed inside the cage, it must be remotely operated. They are joined by The Creature Shop’s Mechanization Supervisor, John Criswell (Dinosaurs, Where the Wild Things Are), who will help the Contestants with their designs this week. With a budget of $500 and 90 minutes, The teams get to work searching for the scrap they will use in this 2 day challenge.

The teams return to the Creature Shop to start working, but are thrown a loop when they see the cages are much larger than they thought they would be. They modify their ideas for a larger scale. Right out of the gate Jake is concerned with Russ’s attitude, his anger making things more difficult than they need to be. By the end of day one they are behind, and worried that they wont get anything completed in the time allowed them.

On day 2 John Criswell drops in to check on the Contestants, giving advice and inspiration, setting several minds at ease with his charismatic demeanor.

On Day 3 the teams head to the stage for their screen tests. The Judges are ready, but it’s still unclear if the team’s creations will be. Brian Henson looks more confused than anything else through out the screen tests, the Judges do not look terribly impressed until Melissa and Robert’s creature is revealed.

Safe: Lex & Josh, Melissa & Robert

Worst of the Week: Russ & Jake

Best of the Week: Ben & Yvonne

Winner: Ben                     Going Home: Josh (NO!)

I am so sad this week! Josh bowed out at the last minute, tearfully explaining that he can’t uproot his family or be apart from them any longer. Josh is so talented, and could have made it to the end as one of the strongest Contestants. This gives Russ and Jake another chance, which I am glad Jake will have. I didn’t think he deserved to go home, and that seems like where the Judges were headed. It’s painful watching the poor creators that wind up stuck working with Russ. What a heartbreaking episode, and it’s still early in the game. Josh, you will be missed!