Design Star

[Arielflies]

Originally Posted by Bearcata

I do wonder if the other designers dislike of her tints their view of her work? A previous poster commented that Tracee smirked when hearing comments from the judges about his room and called her a poor sport. Oh, come oh. The entire episode Michael was being a bitch behind her back and tearing her down and so was Mickey V and he got Trish involved. All are equally quilty, so why is Tracee the only person being tarred?

You are correct. Because of the edit, including dead silence in the green room last week when she returned, she has become the one to dump on this season. Actually, this week - other than dissing her design - I thought the others made a little effort, anyway, to be pleasant toward her. I was just taken aback by the broadway look to her design - it looked like painted flats and prop pieces.

Also, because of the edit, I've really come to like Jennifer. She is, for the most part, perky with a cute smile and she was a very good narrator this week. I think the judges like her for the hosting section of the competition, and thus they said they were glad she was able to continue. I wish they would have taken her husband, the Brit who looks and sounds like Matt Grant of Bachelor infamey, into the show as well. That would have been fun to see them competing against each other. If she does win, I wonder if they will host a show as a couple - that would be new and different.

Another who has jumped up in my opinion is Stephanie. When she and her girls were bouncing all over the place the first episode, I shook my head and thought, oh, gawd. But, she has proven to be comic relief with an eye for repurposeing. The funniest bit during the haunted house challenge came at the warehouse store when she wanted to paint everything and Mikey V. ran down the aisle with his cart mouthing to the camera, "help me, help me."

It's a good crew who have different skill sets and personalities - and it seems as though those personalities are going to clash big time again next week.

[Google]

 

[Harvest]

Originally Posted by Bearcata

A previous poster commented that Tracee smirked when hearing comments from the judges about his room and called her a poor sport. Oh, come oh. The entire episode Michael was being a bitch behind her back and tearing her down and so was Mickey V and he got Trish involved. All are equally guilty, so why is Tracee the only person being tarred?

That's pretty much what I said last week (it was Michael and Trish who were on her like a pack of dogs the first challenge). I am so glad the blond kid, Michael, went home this week! Here is my theory:

Vern the judge was obviously out for Tracee. The blond kid was tearing down Tracee behind her back in such a vicious, low, and mean-spirited way (while acting nice to her face! Stupid. What is he, in junior high?!) For Vern to prefer him would have "tainted" him as well as the show -- then they would be stuck with a "Deserving Design" host who was shown to be bitchy and vindictive, not good for the network!

I was ready to give up on the show entirely during this episode when I saw that they seemed to be encouraging Michael's malicious behavior. So my theory is that cooler heads prevailed, and the producers probably decided they had better boot that nasty kid off the show before they all went down with a sinking ship. Anyone with an attitude like that is never going to be chosen to host a show anyway, so why not cut him now? It was the right decision, and really the only decision that allowed me to decide to continue watching the show.

[roses4me]

Originally Posted by Bearcata

... Tracee had a vision and at least accomplished part of it. I do wonder if the other designers dislike of her tints their view of her work? A previous poster commented that Tracee smirked when hearing comments from the judges about his room and called her a poor sport. Oh, come oh. The entire episode Michael was being a bitch behind her back and tearing her down and so was Mickey V and he got Trish involved. All are equally quilty, so why is Tracee the only person being tarred?

I was the one who commented about Tracee's smirks during the judging. I just happened to notice that the camera was always on Tracee at that time. She seemed to be enjoying the criticisms. Just because Michael and others were talking behind her back doesn't make Tracee any less liable for her behavior.

Tracee may have had a vision, but it she couldn't translate it into anything "Italianesque." She could have painted a mural of a canal to make the bed seem more at home. The red walls were nothing like I saw when I visited Italy. Italy is all about purples, blues, greens, and some red (for wine). And what was with that big mirror that wasn't a mirror? The whole room was a mess.

[Kao]

In my opinion a good portion of the cast revisited High School this week, from Michael's "I'll tell you it looks good and talk about it behind your back" vindictiveness to Tracee's smirking and laughing each time the judges said something nasty about someone else's room design. In Michael's case it came back to bite him on the ass big-time.

There's a lot left out on the editing floor, but I don't think Tracee's entirely innocent either. Generally in situations where someone is being ganged up on there's at least a few people (or sometimes just one) who go to the other person's defense. The fact that the whole house apparently can't stand this woman says A LOT, but either way to just stand around and talk about someone you don't like is a waste of time and energy. Just ignore that person and carry on.

I really wish they would just have one group challenge and the rest individual ones; it's a lot fairer. Mikey V's room would have been great had he not used so many accessories. I liked Stephanie's room the best.

[Bearcata]

Originally Posted by roses4me

I was the one who commented about Tracee's smirks during the judging. I just happened to notice that the camera was always on Tracee at that time. She seemed to be enjoying the criticisms. Just because Michael and others were talking behind her back doesn't make Tracee any less liable for her behavior.

Tracee may have had a vision, but it she couldn't translate it into anything "Italianesque." She could have painted a mural of a canal to make the bed seem more at home. The red walls were nothing like I saw when I visited Italy. Italy is all about purples, blues, greens, and some red (for wine) What was with that big mirror that wasn't a mirror? The whole room was a mess.

No it doesn't. My main issue was and is that Michael, Mickey V and to a somewhat lesser extent Trish are all just as liable.

Tracee was also not the only one making faces during critiques of the rooms. I do think that Tracee is being focused on because she has already created drama in the house with the other designers. Still I do wonder at her age and being in the business for a while that she would have developed a thicker skin as far as being critiqued about her work, she had an almost childlike response to the critiques, you don't like my work so you don't like me and takes it very, very personally.

[LG.]

I thought that many of them were acting very unprofessional by not containing themselves during the critiques. HGTV is looking for a new employee, one who is going to work with people currently working there. They don't want to hire some jackass who can't work well with others. Michael had to go, and his emotional fit was just embarrassing. I wish they hadn't asked him back during the auditions and had let that spot go to an adult, someone capable of taking criticism and working with others.

[Kao]

I also noticed that the people who weren't running around making fun of Tracee this week and simply did their own thing were also the people who had the best rooms.

[LG.]

I agree with you Kao, except for Matt Locke who wasn't being critical of others and also didn't do well either. I think he realized that he couldn't pull off his concept and it just sucked the energy right out of him. I was pretty sure that he wasn't leaving though, because he'd done so well in prior challenges.

[beachgirl4]

Originally Posted by Arielflies

Poor Michael. He cried. He wanted his mommy. I was embarrassed for him. Once again over the top hubris fells a competitor. My one question to him was that if you visited Spain as a boy, how do you truly know what a modern night club would look like? Too much night club, not enough country.

I really like Jennifer - and loved the color on her walls with the scroll shapes. I fear, though, that once projects veer away from where she can use artistic embellishment, she might be sunk.

I also like Stephanie (the viewers' choice). But, again with the black walls...perhaps shades of darkening blue could have evoked nighttime or at least twilight rather than pitch black? Her use of lights to show after dark in her outdoor room was very good, though.

Mikey V. - YAY! Too Thailand! He got the country correct, but not the judging theme. I've liked every one of his ideas for the designs so far...from paint color for the downstairs bedroom to the drawing room and now, Thailand, Thailand, Thailand (a Bachelor reference.) I really hope he keeps it together and goes far.

Trish is hanging onto a middle spot with her regular design, we'll see how much she can ramp it up, if she can.

Matt - I could not imagine where his stacked sofas were going. They went pretty high but nowhere. It did look like the comment of children building a fort in the middle of the room. And it didn't look very Thailand - though he was probably closer to the theme than Mikey V.

Finally, and I wish I didn't have to type this name - Tracee. Where Michael failed to bring in Spain ala Gaudy, she accomplished it with Italy. If all of the dock posts (bed posts?) had remained vertical, then it would be a stage prop set against flats, but with one of them off-angle, it really did look Gaudy inspired. All she needed was some Escher clouds bending across the fake painted atrocious chandelier. If Michael hadn't been so cosmopolitan with his bar scene, this is the week she would have been light out! Maybe next week.

If Tracee somehow survives because others misinterpret or mangle future assignments, I'm going to cry.

Ariel, I agree with your comments - and your signature line! Design and personality are taking two separate directions for me so far - in past seasons, I've been really impressed with the growth of some of the designers (Kim Myles for example), so I'm hoping to see some design growth in the ones that I enjoy watching. But, if Tracee takes the show, I'll be joining you in that cry. Heck, that may even make me want MY mommy!

[shoepie]

I was disappointed in the rooms, all of them. Granted the yellow walls with the pottery design was far and away the best but that is all it was, just the walls. The blue furniture looked like an after thought.

I did not understand why the judges thought the night beach cabanna was good. She painted the walls black and arranged the furniture in a predictable way. That lattice with the paultry offering of willow branches did not look grand enough.

Tracee's room was the worst and I thought she should have gone home. It was not even as good as a set on a low budget kids show made by the children themselves. She spent a lot of words on being sure she would win.

Since they would like to add a successful show to their roster I am sure they have their eye turned toward Jennifer and Matt. Their look and vibe work, now all they have to show is their skill. Tracee can never make the cut. She is not TV material.