Hell's Kitchen - The Final Three

Warning: Spoilers ensue most heartily. If you're not up to date, then you may not want to keep reading.

I have to wonder if they had intended to eliminate two this episode or if the original intent had been to eliminate only one but incompetence got the best of Ramsay's temper and thus we lost two. Because if we're supposed to be down to the final four but are actually now down to the final three...what are they going to do with the extra episode that would've been needed? (Presumably the networks care about things like this...)

Anyway...the high school challenge was an interesting idea. I suppose it's comparable to the construction worker challenge last season. And, ultimately, it seemed to come down to the same thing when determining a winner: Know Your Clientele. Whereas last week Julia missed that lesson with her fish and chips idea, this week she hit it spot on. What high schooler isn't going to love a grilled cheese (with chicken) sandwich and onion rings? I have to wonder what Bonnie was thinking - fried or not, it was goat cheese. I don't know many kids that would willingly choose a salmon dish from the school cafeteria, not sure who Josh thought that would appeal to. And Rock? Basically just a hamburger, because I doubt any of the kids recognized Kobe beef for what it was. (Honestly? I'm not sure I would either. I've never had it, to my knowledge, and I haven't taken the time to figure out exactly what makes it special.) I can't even remember what Jen did - that's how huge an impression it made on me.

I was glad Julia won. I also thought it was nice that she took Jen with her to Vegas - though that decision probably ultimately influenced Bonnie's choice later on. It was interesting to see Heather again - even though I still liked Virginia better last season. I did think Heather's little quip about how she wanted it more than Virginia and that's why she won was catty - but then, that's my major recollection of Heather overall: catty.

I almost feel bad for how Josh got kicked out of the kitchen during service. But seriously - that was some major screwing up. Still...it's one thing to get sent home after service, it's another to get fired while you're working. And I wonder if that wasn't responsible for the bickering for the remainder of the service - because that had to ratchet up stress levels to realize that you're not safe. Ever. Ramsay can get fed up and just send you home and then you're done. It doesn't only come at the end of the evening (or the next day, whenever they actually do the eliminations.)

Realistically I know Julia didn't have it in her to win yet. I agree with Jen about how awesome Ramsay is to send her to culinary school though - and it was awesome to see him sending someone home and actually regretting it and showing a heart. (Which, if you read his autobiography you get many more glimpses of -- what a neat book it is -- but you just don't see it on the show very often.) Still, all things considered, I wish Bonnie had just offered herself up, because she's got to be the next to go.

My prediction for final two: Rock and Jen. I guess it's possible that Bonnie could oust Jen, but hopefully it's unlikely. Either way though, I suspect Rock will win if he keeps it together and doesn't have another temper tantrum. Skill-wise it seems like it ought to be Rock, hands down. I don't know that either of the other two could actually handle their own place.