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"God, I hope they just let them cook."
Unfortunately, change is sometimes change just for change's sake (like Sudden Death Quickfires). And in very rare cases, what is thought to be an innovation turns out to be a mutilation:
Thankfully, Bravo and the powers that be realize and rectify their mistakes either eventually/over time (after debuting as a concept in Season 12, there were no Sudden Death Quickfire eliminations this season) or almost immediately/as it's unfolding in real time.
Yes, ultimately I (and I assume most people) got what they wanted: the two finalists got to cook "the meal of their lives" -- four courses for one table of luminaries with no other restrictions or parameters. Ah, but there's the rub. Two finalists. We started the episode with three.
While it can be viewed as "minor" (or even as a welcome injection of drama by some), the manner in which Eric was eliminated was the un-Top-Chef-iest thing they've done ever since that disastrous Season 10 finale. Back in Season 10, they were trying to be something they weren't. In Macau, eliminating Eric (or anyone) at that point of the competition was just mean spirited, which is a direct contradiction to not only Top Chef in general, but for this season especially.
What was the point of going through the pomp and circumstance of having all three chefs choose their sous, meal plan, go shopping, and start 1st day prep? Aside from disagreeing with it philosophically, I don't understand being that wasteful logistically and financially. It felt like they wanted to have one last Quickfire but didn't want to call it that. Maybe they wanted to have one more episode but for some reason couldn't (the finale was this season's 15th episode. Past seasons have had as many as 17).
After that first part of the episode, my prevailing thought was "why was all that necessary?" and couldn't find a better way to describe it than it just being a dick move. To his credit (and to no one's surprise), Eric was all grace. Of course it is understood that you can only play the game as it's laid out to you, but if I was him watching it back now, I'd be pissed.
And if you are (fairly) wondering, no, my feelings wouldn't have changed if it was Sara that was eliminated first instead. The better question is if they went the other way and decided to have a three-person finale, would I be complaining with the same vigor (it hasn't been done since Season 7)? It's a worthwhile thought experiment, but I'd like to think that alternate universe Commish would be heady enough to see the forest through the trees and understand that all three were deserving to be at this point.
Regrettably, all of this has resulted in me not even mentioning Kelsey until now. Oftentimes, as soon as we have a winner, I can describe how I feel about them (good or bad) in a few quick words. A few times, it was just obvious that the winner was better than everyone else (Michael, Paul). Sometimes, the winner tarnishes an otherwise enjoyable season (Hosea, Kevin). And sometimes, you are just happy that your girl got her redemption (Brooke).
I don't have a quickie blurb about Kelsey, and that's probably my favorite thing about her. Out of the chefs who made it to Macau, she was easily the most confident. It was obvious throughout that she had a clear point of view, and most importantly, she stuck to it. Her choices for her sous chefs for the finale can be seen as "weird" on paper, but it was obvious that she had a plan. There are a bunch of Top Chef winners that I instantly forget about after their season airs. Kelsey won't be one of those. Maybe Mrs. Commish and I will never get to Dothan, AL, but it definitely won't be for a lack of trying.
Random Thoughts:
- I loved the montages they prepared to open the show and the challenge. And I loved that each chef was assigned a judge for confessionals. I'm no longer in the business of ragging on Sara, so I actually feel bad that she got stuck with Graham.
- I alluded to this earlier: surprising (on paper) chefs chosen as sous: Brandon (10th) and Nini (t-12th). On the flip side, surprising (on paper) chefs not chosen as sous: Adrienne (5th).
- Speaking of sous chefs, it was interesting that more wasn't made of Eric's sous contributions to his demise. Justin had Eric dousing that beef in the jerk sauce while Michelle kept burning lotus chips.
- I had to look up New Yaohan, the place that looked like Macanese Whole Foods. The supermarket part seems to be tertiary (at best) in their offerings. I can't even think of an American equivalent.
- Kelsey brought her grandma's cornbread skillets. Sara brought Carolina Gold. What are the rules for this? What can/'t you bring? What did Eric bring, if anything?
- I'm all about shotgunning a beer (or two) when the situation calls for it. But man, don't do it on that nice table.
- I had to try real hard to not be annoyed that this trip to Macau has been a big commercial for MGM Grand.
- Both moms were joined by the finalists' husbands. Did they fly another person out for Eric? His wife was likely not-flyable-pregnant at the time, so did they bring someone else?
- This finale rightfully killed two related (and dated) Top Chef tropes: "Don't make dessert on Top Chef." and "Don't not make dessert on Top Chef."
- The finale distilled into a continuum:
Eric (Stayed too much in his lane) --- Kelsey (Perfect balance) --- Sara (Strayed too far from hers)
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