FUTURE SHOCK THERAPY: Episode 11.4 Preview

Three episodes down, four to go in the most violent season of Future Shock History!  

For those of you who haven't been following along, a quick recap so far.

8th Place: Fiona O'Dalaigh
7th Place: Helga
6th Place: Kanna Haroshi

Pretty much said all I needed to say about Kanna in the 11.3 recap.  She got sloppy with her travel arrangements, she missed her flight, she missed the show, she got eliminated automatically.  Sucks to be her, but that's what happens when you play it tight with the travel.  Kanna, of course, has already been signed to the main roster, where she will attempt to earn that coveted Ultraviolence title the hard way.  BUt it looks like we'll be waiting until after Sin & Sacrifice for Kanna's official debut. 

And that leaves us with five people remaining, in alphabetical order: 
Lana Star
Leah O'Quinn
Lollipop
Marla Lee
Velvet Raven.

This season's quite a bit heavy in the center of the alphabet, isn't it? 

Okay, so on we go to the midpoint episode of the season.  By the end of next week's vote, half the field will be gone, and half will remain.  Which means this is where it gets concentrated, and things get harder. 

Of course, odd number of participants, which means, as usual, its a gimmick challenge this time.  And we'll break out the old tried and true Future Shock staple, bikini jousting.  Only this time, there's going to be an ultraviolence twist- the pugil sticks are going to be on FIRE.  

God damn, but does FFW like its flame-themed challenges this season. 

Of course, if they REALLY wanted to make it 'utlraviolent' they'd stop the pussy habit of holding it over a swimming pool and run it over a vat of gasoline instead.  THAT'll punish the losers! 

THE FAVORITE:  Yeah, I know, I pick her every week, but here I have good reason for picking Lollipop.  People think tht jousting like this is about power- it isn't.  It's about balance, endurance, agility, speed, and a low center of gravity, and Lollipop carries all those traits in abundance.  She's not going to win any one shot knockouts, but she's going to be hard as hell to hit squarely, and hard as hell to knock off. 

THE HOT SEAT: I don't even need to speculate here, because FFW flat out told us who's in trouble.  Of the five remaining women in this competition, two are conspicuous only by their inability to stand out- Lana Star and Leah O'Quinn.  Lana's by far the weaker of the two,  but thanks to some bizarre cult following, she's actually doing remarkably well in the voting.  Leah isn't, and that's why she was one made flight connection away from going home in sixth place. 

So Leah can count her stars that she's been given, effectively, a two week notice.  Now it's either find a way to stand out, or the inevitability is going to catch up with her.  She's talking about this competition being a must-win for her, and I like the spirit, but that's not enough.  Good results aren't the only thing in Future Shock.  You gotta make the fans connect with you somehow, and Leah has failed to do that.  Leah needs to find a way to seperate herself in the hearts and minds of the voters, not just in the competition, or she will be finishing in fifth place.