Recapalooza for Episode Five

Okay TD fans - we have quite a roundup today on the Epi 5 'Looza, so let's hit it:

My Monkey Could Do That does Episode 5.
Becky from Decor8 loved the indi challenges. Welcome too to Becky's new blog The Bubb Report, where she shares her program notes!
Erin from Design Crisis is not feeling the love ...
Irondesigner dukes it out over at It Happened One Night
BTD welcomes Moderndomestic to the 'looza
Reality Check checks in on Episode 5.
Julia from Hooked on Houses has some advice for the producers.
Donna Kauffman is yawning...
TLo says dull, shrug, yawn, bleh... cute, really really cute
Everything Eric is off to the races.
Kelly gets Fugged.
Cliffieland gets his fix.
Jonathan may need an intervention.
India is sympathetic.
Margaret found something worse than "panty-dropping chic" in this epi.
Season 1 designer Felicia Bushman loves a competition.

And from me, Linda: I haven't had a chance to write a recap/review in a few weeks, so here's a mini one: I wish the judges didn't know the bios of the designers, I think it affects their judging too much. Eddie may create a perfect table arrangement, but since it's what he does for MSL, then he's not stepping up. Meanwhile, Natalie is so young that it feels like she get's extra credit for even finishing. Is that fair? While I'm loving the season, I'm feeling like it's beginning to wilt. Lack of time brings mediocre results. And the viewers are not being shown enough of why certain designs win and certain designs lose. While I know this is first and foremost a reality competition and it's not a design education show, the viewers do want to be inspired. Nothing so far has been truly inspiring. Project Runway inspires people to haul out their sewing machines - it's inspired mini-me competitions like Project Prom and others. But nothing on TD so far looks like it would inspire the masses - no hot trends, cool pieces of furniture or fabric, no hot glue guns being dusted off. There's very little to hang our creative hats on. This is not a slam on the contestants - it's a criticism of the project planning and editing. Hopefully, as the competitors are weeded down, there will be more time for creative drama - and not just personal drama. Just sayin'...