'Face Off' Recap: 'Let the Games Begin'

Photos Courtesy of Syfy
BY DAWN FEAKES

Last week we said goodbye to Gregory and Laura heaved a sigh of relief. Hold onto your tokens and may the odds (and molds) be ever in your favor. Let's do this.

The contestants take a field trip to the LA Coliseum where once they are reassured that no, they won't have to be LA's football team, they receivedtheir spotlight challenge. The spotlight challenge this week is to take on the role of an evil game engineer and create their own deadly predator with a combined deadly animal and exotic plant a la "The Hunger Games." Glenn's one directive is to not put flowers around the heads or his inner predator will be unleashed upon those who dare not to listen. My directive is that if someone doesn't say 'get to the choppa' then they're not really trying and we can't be friends anymore. Oh, and Josh Hutcherson will be joining the judging panel and you don't want to disappoint Peeta, do you?

The teams were pre-decided so this should stress the coaches out nicely:

Kelly/Daniel - Scorpion/Delphinium
Ben/Darla - Ram/Cactus (though how anyone could think of a 'cactus' as exotic' is beyond me)
Logan/Anthony  - Warthog/American pitcher plant
Emily/Regina - Hyena/Shampoo ginger
Stephanie/Alan - Thorny dragon/Cockscomb
Rob/Jamie - Piranha/Blue thistle
Julian/Adam - Bat/Sugar bush protea - got it: they can use Gregory's 'monkey' from last week!

This week's top storylines
Kelly and Daniel have something to prove after Kelly ended up in the bottom looks last week. The drive is nice to see but more interesting is the Emily and Regina are not on the same chapter, let alone the same page. Ultimately they scrap the sculpt and start over, losing a day in the process. Will it be a better decision than trying to salvage that which is un-salvageable? (Spoiler alert - Mr. Westmore agrees and those who go against his suggestions do so at their very real peril.)

Lab Work
Daniel's interviews require subtitles which is adorable but slightly annoying when one is trying to tweet at the same time because, you know, it's all about me.  It's molding time so get your drinks ready. Alan and Stephanie have second thoughts but not it's really too late. Onward, Ferb! Rob is going for leafy dreadlocks and I'm pretty sure that it is exactly what Glenn said NOT to do. I hope it works out for you Rob as we need someone to represent Team Old As Dirt out here in the real world.

Application Day
Ben has more foam issues but at least it's not hands. Alan's not loving foam life either. Rayce is stressing over Anthony and Logan's cowl work which leads to only one thing: Kermit arms!

Last Looks
Paint like the wind guys.

Reveal Stage
Ermahgerd! It's Jersh Hertchersen! Let the fangirling commence. I'm looking at you, Anthony.

Anthony/Logan - A psychedelic warthog/rancor that's pretty cool.
Kelly/Daniel - A purple scorpion thing which is meh so they're safe.
Ben/Darla -  A demon wolf ram thing that gets more creepy the more you look at it.
Julian/Adam -A...Batichoke? What the hell?
Emily/Regina - If Simba had come across this hyena thing in the desert, no amount of Rafiki stick would have ever been enough to entice him to return, I don't care what Mufasa said.
Stephanie/Alan - A homicidal poison dart frog with some seriously swollen glands. You might want to see a veterinarian about that.
Rob/Jamie - Their piranha is the reason I'm never going back in the water.

Glenn congratulates the coaches which, okay but: burn!

Safe 
Rob/Jamie (Boo! I thought it was a top look)
Anthony/Logan
Kelly/Daniel

Best 
Emily and Regina's Hyena/Shampoo Ginger - They used size of model in their design and the proportions were great. They captured the predatory look and gave it organic coloring.


Ben and Darla's Ram Cactus - This was Neville's favorite makeup he's seen yet on the show and according to Ve it scared her with its dead eyes, like doll's eyes.


Worst
Julian/Adam - There is only one word for this travesty - Batichoke.
Stephanie/Alan - Two words will do it here - Face Testicles.

Top look
Team Ben and Darla took the top look but the winner was Ben for his amazingly detailed cowl work. Good recovery from the Hands of Doom last week! Team Anthony also picked up a win and aw, Ben proposed to this girlfriend over video. Once more Ben; this time with feeling.

Eliminated
Alas, Alan was done in by his face testicles but hang in there Alan. Never give up. Never surrender.

Team Anthony also picks up a loss this week so I am both happy and sad for you.

Standings
Team Rayce - 1 Spotlight Challenge win, no eliminations
Team Anthony - 1 Spotlight Challenge win, 1 elimination
Team Laura - no wins, 1 elimination, 1 Foundation Challenge win

Next week, "Face Off" brings us Tim Burton characters based on playing cards. You will lose points for evoking HBC in any way, shape or form. Tune in to Syfy next Tuesday, February 3 at 9 p.m. ET for 'Royal Flush.'