I wasn't sure what I'd think about the changes, but I've found that it's basically like seeing a good friend with a new hairdo - still the same in all the way it counts but just looks a bit different. Prue isn't Mary, but she's good. I'm not as fond of Sandi as I was Mel and Sue, but Joel is a delight. I think they were very smart by making as few changes as possible and I hope fans of the old cast will give this bunch a chance.
I have a real problem with the way the eliminations are being handled. Since they're only doing eliminations every other week - and are getting rid of two people on the elimination weeks - the contestants on the non-elimination weeks get a big, and seriously unfair, advantage.
Here's what happening (I'm going to use made up contestant names to avoid any spoilers)
Week 1 "Debbie, " "Daniel" and "Davey" are the three lowest scoring contestants of the week. If this were a normal week during a normal season, one of them would be leaving, but because of the special format this season, all three get to stay, giving them all a chance to do better the next week.
Week 2 Debbie, Daniel and Davey are able to make great use of their close call from the week before, do a much better job and win their face-to-face battles, so all three are get to stay. "Nancy" and "Noah," however, both dropped the ball and are both eliminated. Unlike Debbie, Daniel and Davey, neither of them gets a chance to come back the next week to try to redeem themselves and avoid elimination. They're just gone.
Week 3 and 4 the cycle repeats. Whomever would have been this week 3's loser basically gets a do-over, while the two lowest scorers for week 4 don't.
What I think would be much more fair would be to announce at the end of the non-elimination week who the two lowest scorers for the week are. Then, during the elimination week episode have them be one of the battling pairs. The loser of that battle goes home, as doeswhomever is the overall loser of all the other battles.
For example:
Week 1 Debbie and Davey have the lowest scores. In a normal season, that would be it for one of them, but because of the special format both get to compete next week.
Week 2 Debbie and Davey are paired in one of the face-to-face battles and whichever one loses that battle goes home. The other battling pairs are matched up however they're doing it that episode. Out of those pairs, it's determined that Nancy was the weakest, so she also goes home.
That way, at least one of the two weakest players from week one will be sent home. It's not perfect, but it would be a lot better.
This is a fun way to spend some time. I was expecting certain spy/thriller movie couches to kick in, but for the most part the show nicely avoided them.
