Wednesday, December 4, 2013

BMN Superfan - episode 9, season 2

Shandi Finnessey tells the remaining contestants that they are just two episodes from winning the trip to Camp Paradise.  "This blows my mind.  A dream trip is within reach," Adam reacts.

The opening challenge is something very appropriate for what they are playing for - a road-kill taste test.  One at a time, contestants visit a booth, put on blindfolds, and are told to taste five different items.  Based on taste alone, they are to identify items like raccoon, squirrel, and venison (deer).  Adam expects to win the challenge, based on his love of hunting, but struggles instead.  Deb, on the other half, wins with four out of five guessed correctly; she wins a copy of Gone Barefoot: The Cookbook, now available in print and as a download.

Now it's time for the main challenge.  Contestants go to a corn maze and try to find statuettes with the faces of Hambone, Bear, Boo Boo, Cooter, and Little Jack.  Once found, they must complete the route through the maze - and get through all the dead ends - and place the items in their designated location at the starting line.  The first person to go through the maze with all objects placed correctly wins automatic passage into the final episode.  Just before the race starts, Shandi announces that Deb has won another reward: a 30-second head start.

As the race begins, it's apparent Deb is struggling despite the head start, and the others catch up quickly.  At one time, all four contestants are wedged into about the same spot, but miraculously, all of them find their way to different routes without hurting each other.  However, Tim later sprains his ankle on the muddy surface; the event is halted briefly so that medics can eject Tim from the maze.  The other three carry on, and a few minutes later, Adam wins the all-important competition and the first spot on the finale episode.

When they return to the hotel, Adam jokes that "maybe if Hambone's hot, I'll take her home with me."  He then gets dead serious: Adam had a recent engagement that was called off, and appreciates the new friends he has made in the competition.

The three other contestants face the panel one more time.  Brandon decides the panel should put more weight in what has happened throughout the season than in the particular challenge, and Brian Warner and Shandi agree.  Deb, they agree, has been the best of everyone else all season long and deserves a shot.  The other spot is close, between the flashy-but-friendly ButtaFly and the under-the-radar Tim.  Brian then emphasizes, "We don't yet know how the winner will be chosen.  If it comes down to the fans, ButtaFly probably has the advantage, but if it's a jury-style vote, Tim would have the slight edge.  It'll be a three-way vote, so it will be interesting either way."

A long time of deliberation follows, then the announcement.  Deb is the first revealed for the finale, then ButtaFly is the last to make the cut.  Tim is sent home, as Shandi emphasizes that it was not due to the bad ankle injury at the maze: "It was just a decision we had to make, very close."  At the end of the show, it's revealed that Tim and everyone else out of the game would vote, jury-style, for the winner of BMN Superfan.  The judges are excused for the season.

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