Last night's show was pretty exciting and I loved the fact the guys won the challenge (finally) and got to shoot paint balls at Chef Ramsay.

I was not unhappy to see Brad thrown out of the kitchen but must admit to some surprise he was taken out before Josh.

I can't see any of the women winning this thing and unless Josh's incompitence had been an act I can't see him winning either. Guess that leaves Rock.

Kind of disappointing. I almost look for Rock to go next. Don't ask me why... I just think they have set him up from the beginning as the only real "chef" that he may just surprise us with a Rock boot next week. I hope not. I'm in it for a Rock win. I'm SO sick of Bonnie and her "good palate" stuff. She really grates on me and reminds me of that worthless Virginia last year. How many times did we hear her brag about her wonderful palate? Ay yi YI!

I totally agree JB. I think both Rock and Melissa were the two we have been supposed to expect to win all season and yet Melissa is gone. There is no way Bonnie could ever run a restaurant and neither could Julia or Jen. I really like Julia but I can't see hopping from a waffle house shortorder cook to running a 5 star restaurant with nothing in between.

I want to see Rock win. He even has the attitude of a high brow chef.

I know it's impossible but I really can't see anyone winning this show at this point. Rock is the only one who's close to being able to do stuff properly but I'm wondering if what Brad said last night was true. When do we see him cooking entrees or anything that gets the other guys in trouble? It may be because he doesn't screw up but we rarely hear his name during the dinner service.

I also think the editing favours Jen with last week's big surprise that she wasn't just a simple pastry chef...however, she did take stuff out of the garbage and put it back :lol:

Maybe it'll be a final two of Rock and Julia.

I've missed the show the last two weeks, but I still like Julia. I think she could do well.

As much as I like Julia, I see Rock winning this thing. She has a true talent and will go very, very far, and could eventually run a five-star kitchen, but in the end i have to admit she has to learn a lot of cuisines first. Rock is the only one who has the knowledge and the experience, along with having been (relatively) strong and consistent in his performance.

The difficulty I have with Rock winning is that it seems too logical. As I have intimated before, some of these pitfalls and circumstances seem staged. For example, Melissa didn't exhibit any of her bizarre behavior in earlier episodes. All of a sudden she becomes one of the furies and, on the following show, becomes this compliant yet inept little girl. She changed her character completely.
Bonnie is so openly emotional about everything now that she would require a daily therapy session to run a kitchen. Jen has become almost reclusive and certainly hasn't been able to make decisions easily. Meanwhile, Julia just keeps her head down and works. Next week we see that she has a minor melt down. I think the writers decide to change the characters for added excitement.
How are we supposed to believe that Ramsay wouldn't overrule the guys' decision to get rid of Brad? It was Josh who was messing things up so bad! Ramsay even yelled at Josh that he was going to be thrown out! Brad's plan generally worked and they delivered reasonable dinners! We even heard someone with the lamb say that it was worth the wait.
Ultimately, I think that they will throw us yet another curve ball next week: my guess is that we find out that Julia was once the head chef at The Quilted Giraffe. (Yes, that really was a restaurant in NYC and a darned good one too!)
We see that someone gets thrown out of the kitchen early and it looks like it will be Josh. Maybe we can start a betting pool. Any other bets?

I like Julia a lot too, but my choice would actually be Jen to win. Rock just isn't a leader. He could've been let go for the same reason that Ramsay gave Brad. I didn't get to watch much of the beginning, but if Rock takes things like losing a compeition so personally that he melts down and stands around while a team member destroys their service, how is he going to run a kitchen? Jen's not a great leader, but at least she can keep a level head. I guess that it only took me about half an episode or so to get over Rock and his ego.

You think Jen can keep a level head? I haven't seen that side of her. From day one, where she freaked out and couldn't tell the chef it was her dish that he was tasting, to trying to serve spaghetti from the garbage, to her all around demeanor that looks like she would be afraid of anyone who said boo to her. I get the feeling she's a nervous wreck.

agreed. However I think Jen will be F2. I can't see a Julia Rock final 2 knowing there is NO WAY Julia is ready to run a fine dining establishment when she doesn't even know alot of the ingredients, and basic dishes from fine dining. Don't get me wrong, I like her alot, but I have doubts about her readiness currently to take over a restaurant.

You must not forget the final two may be two men. OR two women. They are no longer teams but individuals. I see Rock winning this unless he has a major meltdown.

Yeah but do you really see Jason as F2? Rock may go this week--I hope not--but it could happen. Honestly I can't see Julia as F2.

It's really hard to say. I try to remember what we see is what they edit for TV hoping for the most exciting show. Maybe Josh isn't the screw up we have been led to believe. He is actually a chef in his real life and I don't think that would be possible if he didn't have talent.

I agree Julia probably isn't going to win but that isn't to say she might not get in the finals if Jen keeps self destructing.

I'm going out on a limb, and I'm going to say that Julia will not only be F2, but will win.

...and what will Ramsay do with her?? She certainly isn't capable at this point of being head chef any that restaurant.

I think she's far more capable than Jen or whatshisface... possibly not as much as Rock... but I think she has the ability to learn quickly.

I hate to disagree, but I must. :laugh At least Jen and Rock have some idea what kinds of dishes to make in that setting.

I think that sort of thing can be learned. Julia has shown throughout the season that she can learn things.

Jen's personality is not one that could have her in charge of anything.

Well, I think we will have to "agree to disagree" on this one dflem. My impression was that they wanted someone who could hit the ground running, not someone who would need a year or more of schooling about what they are doing. She won't be a sous chef you know.

I still think it will be Rock or Josh.

I don't think she needs a year of schooling. She's been able to figure out how to make new dishes on the job throughout the season... She could easily do that as head chef... Give her a few weeks to prepare and then she'd be fine.

Well I guess I see the role of "head chef" differently. I think she could be a sous chef, not a head chef. But then again like I said, I'll agree to disagree on this. I will never agree with you that she would be "fine" without MAJOR training. :S:

GO ROCK!