jlh | Oh, right, television (Reply)

After a long couple of weeks of nothing new, I got some Top Chef and I found this week to be incredibly interesting. I was never a Howie fan, as many of you know; I found him to be a bully and to have a wrong-headed approach to the competition. It isn't survivor; your only real competition is yourself until the very last rounds. So what I found wonderful in this episode was Howie finally, finally figuring that out because he was finally, finally on a winning team, with a leader who didn't let him get away with shit just because he wanted to be loud. His little leaving speech was so excellent. Personal growth is my favorite character arc—even more than romance, though my favorite romances are ones that reflect personal growth, hence my penchant for remarriage stories. So watching Howie Get It was probably the best way he could have gone out.

Final six and truly, I have no favorites. I would be satisfied if any of them won, as they've all had good weeks and bad weeks but are all inventive and talented chefs.