I can’t believe how gross it is outside. I’m currently rolled sushi-style in a duvet trying to will summer to come right back. Recapping Drafted is all I’m breaking out for. Lucky you.
We start the episode off like all others, with Jackie at the head of the conference table (with killer hair) talking about the next challenge. Last week’s interviews with Paul Bissonnette currently are ranked as my favourite one so far. My thirst for drama, however? It goes unsatiated.
For six minutes, in two groups of three, our finalists will need to put on a Live at the Score segment for this episode’s challenge. And (in the weirdest twist yet) each person will be acting as one of the judges, either Cam, Renee or Greg. Please let wigs be included.
Group 1 is Ray, Chris and Matty which means Group 2 is Nate, Andrew and Nasr. Ray will be playing the role of Renee, Chris will be Greg and Matty will be Cam. Alternately, Nate will be Renee, Andrew is Greg and Nasr is Cam. The groups will have to be able to chat about six topics at length but only three will actually come up.
Right away Nasr is not too thrilled at being in a group with Andrew because he’s too methodical and stiff. Don’t tell us Nasr, tell Andy. To his face. In front of cameras. Learn from the Real Housewives, won’t you?
Since Andrew won last week he gets a prize. Five minutes will be allotted to him to be able to sit down with Greg Sansone and talk about how to nail his role on Live at the Score. Or hair products. Whatever. The two have their sit down and BOOM hair is mentioned. (Psychic Nikki, I’m coming for you!) Andrew and Greg also seem to be wearing the same shirt. Extra points?
First up at bat (woooo! Sports reference!) is Team Nandate aka Nasr, Andrew and Nate and Nasr appears to be the only one with no notes. Please backfire!
Their first topic: most overpaid athlete in the four majors. During the discussion, Andrew trips up over words and stumbles a lot. The judges surprise themselves by admitting that Nate is doing the best from this group, he’s keeping calm more so than the other two. Andrew cannot stop looking down as his notes and keeps giving loooooong answers. Then comes Nasr with his THIS IS HOW A BROADCASTER SOUNDS talking and the judges all agree he seems like he’s just acting.
Then we get a clip of Matty doing a totally funny impression of Nasr and saying it drives him up the wall. Someone just stole my heart.
The word that keeps getting thrown around when it comes to Andrew is ‘methodical’ but I think Matty hits the nail on the Crispin Glover head when he calls it ‘tick,tick,tick, RoboTron!’. Excuse me while I doodle Mrs. Matty D on my binder.
Even the fun topic of Favourite Sports Movie dies a painful death with Andrew’s description of aaaaaaall the tiny nuances of the movie Any Given Sunday that make it great. Nasr determines that it’s all up to him and his eyebrows to bring the discussion back to listenable heights but loses me when he votes for Rudy. Really? Nate goes with Rocky IV. Come on! No one liked Field of Dreams?! Remember the Titans?! I’m out.
Oh Andrew. Poor, deluded Andrew tells the camera that what just happened was smooth, pretty great and funny. Evidently, we watched a hologram because it appears Andrew was busy being a part of an entirely different segment elsewhere. Nate better not be in the bottom this week because he was the best part of that.
Next up is Team Mayris aka Matty, Ray and Chris. Matty throws up a peace sign and simultaneously Renee and I both throw up in our mouths a little. Scratch that Mrs. Matty D nonsense.
Ray starts off the discussion but tells us that a loud noise in his earpiece caused him to pause while speaking but recovered quickly. To the camera Andrew says that it was noticeable and not the greatest. I literally tell my computer screen to shut the fuck up, Andrew.
This group has a visibly better flow, they look at each other, they communicate and they respond to each others answers. The downfall is that I guess because they’re so excited to get their ideas out, these guys have a tendency to cut each other off (coughRaycough). The judges notice and aren’t thrilled.
By the way…Cam, did you just say Ath-A-lete? Because I feel like it’s just athlete.
Renee compares Chris to a giraffe baby because he’s awkward but you still want to watch him. A giggle is heard from behind the judges in the control room and I just know it’s my girl Andrea. Holla!
Matty is credited with keeping the discussion conversational and making the most sense. I agree up until he chooses The Sandlot as his fave sports movie. Chris chooses Hoosiers and Ray chooses The Program. Really? Raging Bull, anyone? The Express? Angels in the freakin Outfield?! Lame.
Even though this team was better, nothing making the judges happy and they decide that Team Mayris is too vanilla. But they agree that Matty was the best and that this was Andrew’s worst challenge so far. According to Andrew however, he expects to finish a solid third. Adorable.
The judges bring all six guys out and tell them that HOLY SHIT, they have to do it all over again. Balls! They tell the contestants pretty much everything that’s been said already. And here we go again.
Team Nandate again goes first and it’s just déjà vu all over again. Please, someone tell Nasr to sit on his hands. At first glance, Andrew seemed to tone down his answers but lo and behold, he takes us on a long ass journey to get to his point. However, the judges agree that Team Nandate is doing way better.
Team Mayris also does really well, the guys are responsive and actually conduct a little back-and-forth between their answers which the judges notice and like. Plus, they’re legitimately funny! Chris and Matty have a great discussion about spectator chants and they both drop great jokes that have people in the control room laughing out loud. Brilliant.
The contestants are brought back out in front of the judges and Greg says that the second time around was much better. Both Cam and Greg tell Andrew that after the first segment they had his in sixth place but he implemented their criticisms perfectly. Nate was finally comfortable and trusted himself while Nasr finally forgot he was on camera and was just himself.
Ray too was more comfortable as was Chris. Matty got major points for being funny and for some reason Andrew feels the need to remind us that Matty can thank theatre classes for it. Shut up.
Rankings: 1. Matty (for both segments). 2. Andrew (because he listened to their advice, no one is happy). 3. Everyone else (judges couldn’t decide on rankings).
Ray thinks that putting four people in third place is a total cop out and I agree but I’m also a little happy. It’s so unfair to put Andrew in second when he sucked in the first segment while everyone else was consistently good. I’d be pissed for anyone but him to end up in sixth place.
The guys are asked to stay where they are. Oooooo, mysterious.
A staff meeting starts to take place around the guys as the show’s runner starts to talk about the recent takeover by Rogers. Because of a bundle of uncertainty, all shoots for the rest of the day get cancelled. Jackie appears to let the guys know about their next challenge, which happens to be their final challenge.
The group of six have to work together to produce a show in which one person is the host, two are analysts, and three are going to be field reporters. Since Matty just won the challenge, he gets to assign every role to someone.
Pack your bags boys, you’re going to Boston!
*Note: Everyone who knows me, knows that I live for reaction shots. Thanks for this one Chris:
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Bianca Teixeira writes about bunches of things. Follow her on Twitter at @BeeLauraTee.
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