Monday, January 13th will see the fourth season of Lost Girl premiere at 8:00, a time change following three seasons of airing at 10:00. The network used the Mondays at 8:00 slot last year for the first season of Continuum before moving it to Fridays for season two. This season on Lost Girl, Bo’s return blurs the lines between the Dark and the Light and causes her and her friends to band together in a time of crisis. 9:00 finds the fourth season of Being Human premiering, complete with a four month time jump. As Aidan and Nora attempt to save Josh from his wolf form, Sally does battle with Donna and must fight her way out of her death spot. Finally, Mondays at 10:00 will house werewolf drama Bitten. Starring Laura Vandervoort, the thriller centers on the lone female werewolf in existence returning to the werewolves’ ancestral domain when she learns that her Pack is being targeted by a mysterious threat.

New Tuesdays begin on January 14th at 9:00 with the season premiere of Face Off, introducing 14 new makeup artists to the extreme challenges that will push them to their artistic limits. The following week at 10:00, Opposite Worlds debuts. Running for six weeks and 12 episodes, the live social experiment takes 14 people from all walks of life and puts them into a house with two distinctly different worlds: one past and one future, both with their distinct advantages and disadvantages. Each week, following a series of challenges, viewers will be able to watch and impact the fate of the players in the game.

Ghost Hunters is set to return for a string of new episodes on Wednesday, January 22nd at 9:00, including trips to Gettysburg, Buffalo and Erie County’s Naval & Military Park, Historic Jordan Springs in Winchester, Virginia, and Belle Grove Plantation in King George, Virginia.

What will you be watching on Syfy this winter? Do you like how they handled their Mondays? Where would you like to see the Ghost Hunters visit that they haven’t already?

The post Syfy Announces 2014 Premiere Dates for Lost Girl, Bitten, Being Human, and More appeared first on TVHackr.

This week on TVHackr, we talked about how NBC and FOX will approach midseason, the possibility of a Philip Marlowe series on ABC, and when season three of Sherlock will premiere, while the internet touched on TV weddings, how to make a ridiculous show work, and learning to love broadcast TV.

CBS Picks Up Full Seasons of Mom, The Crazy Ones, and The Millers
CBS has picked up full 22-episode seasons of three of its new comedies: Mom, The Crazy Ones, and The Millers.

BBC America Orders Intruders Adaptation to Series from X-Files Writer
Coming to BBC America is thriller Intruders, an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Michael Marshall that tells the story of a society seeking refuge from mortality.

FOX Orders 13-Episode Hieroglyph from Pacific Rim Screenwriter
Action-adventure drama Hieroglyph, from Pacific Rim co-writer Travis Beacham, has been given a 13-episode order from FOX.

Castle Creator Developing New Detective Series for ABC
Castle creator Andrew Marlowe is collaborating with Terri Edda Miller and Michael De Luca on a series centered on Philip Marlowe.

NBC to Air New Episode of The Voice on Thursday, November 7th
NBC announced that it will be airing an episode of The Voice on Thursday, November 7th at 9:00, preempting Sean Saves the World and The Michael J Fox Show.

NBC Cancels Welcome to the Family and Ironside, Announces Premieres of Chicago PD and Community
After cancelling Welcome to the Family and Ironside, NBC revealed premiere dates for Chicago PD and Community, as well as how its Wednesdays and Thursdays will look from now through January.

Fox Gives Brooklyn Nine-Nine Full Season and Post-Super Bowl Slot
In addition to giving cop comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine a full season, FOX will be airing a new episode following the New Girl Super Bowl episode.

Lifetime Revives Betty White’s Off Their Rockers for 20-Episode Third Season
Lifetime has officially revived Betty White’s Off Their Rockers, picking up the prank show for a third season that will air in 2014.

How I Met Your Mother: James Van Der Beek Returns as Robin’s Ex
Don’t Trust the B—- in Apt. 23 star James Van Der Beek will be returning to How I Met Your Mother as Robin’s ex Simon.

The White Queen Series Finale Recap: God Save the King
On the series finale of The White Queen, Henry Tudor makes one final play for the throne, while Anne and Richard continue growing apart and Elizabeth settles into a life of routine.

Starz: Watch the New York Comic-Con Panels for Da Vinci’s Demons, Black Sails, and Outlander
Starz uploaded New York Comic-Con panels for Da Vinci’s Demons, Black Sails, and Outlander to its Youtube channel.

Witches of East End 1.03 “Today I Am a Witch” Recap
While Wendy tries teaching the girls how to use their powers, Freya finds herself having strange dreams and Joanna has another run-in with the shifter.

Face Off Renewed for Season 6 by Syfy
Syfy has renewed acclaimed reality-competition series Face Off for a sixth season, which is set to premiere this January.

Witches of East End 1.04 Preview: Joanna Fights Back Against the Shifter
On the next episode of Witches of East End, Freya is tasked with helping Dash and Killian mend fences, while Ingrid rethinks her relationship with Adam and Wendy seduces an entomologist for spell ingredients.

Getting On Trailer: Angels of Mercy
HBO has released the first trailer for medical comedy Getting On, which centers on an extended-care facility in Long Beach and the nurses who work there.

ABC Family Announces Return Dates for Pretty Little Liars, Twisted, Switched at Birth, and The Fosters
ABC Family has revealed when to expect new episodes of Pretty Little Liars, Twisted, Switched at Birth, and The Fosters.

The Americans: Level Up Alum Aimee Carrero Joins Season 2
Level Up alum Aimee Carrero has been cast on The Americans as a Sandinista fighter who will do anything to further her cause.

Dracula Spoilers and Promos: The Blood is the Life
Coming up on Dracula, Dracula moves to London under the guise of introducing modern science to the city, but he soon discovers that the wife he thought was dead might not be.

NBC Puts Parks and Recreation on Hiatus, But Don’t Worry Yet
While there may only be two more episodes of Parks and Recreation this year, that means that the comedy will have an impressive streak of uninterrupted episodes come midseason.

Castle Review: “Time Will Tell”
Castle and Beckett deal with a suspect who claims to be a time traveler, but while they eventually find the true killer, the initial suspect’s claims aren’t as far-fetched as they may seem.

How I Met Your Mother 9.06 Review – Knight Vision
While Ted finds himself with three prospects for a wedding date, Barney and Robin have a confrontation with their minister and Marshall learns more about Daphne.

Power: Naturi Naughton, Lela Loren, and Joseph Sikora to Star in Starz Drama
Upcoming Starz crime drama Power has added Naturi Naughton, Lela Loren, and Joseph Sikora to its cast. The eight-episode first season premieres in 2014.

Showtime Renews Homeland and Masters of Sex
Showtime has renewed Emmy-winning terrorism thriller Homeland and period drama Masters of Sex for 2014, when they’ll enter their fourth and second seasons, respectively.

Body Of Proof: Could ABC Revive The Series?
Rumors have surfaced that ABC is pondering a revival of Body of Proof, which it canceled this past May. Should the network go through with it?

Great British Bake Off ends season, breaks Top Gear’s record
The Great British Bake Off finished out its latest season with series highs, breaking the network record held by Top Gear.

Sherlock Sets Season 3 Premiere
The third season of Sherlock will premiere Sunday, January 19th at 10:00 on PBS, the first time the U.S. air date has been announced before the UK date.

Arrow Adds New Villain, Sean Maher to Guest Star
Firefly alum Sean Maher has signed on to play Mark Scheffer later this season on Arrow, which will reunite him with Summer Glau, who joined the cast this season.

Super Fun Night and Back in the Game Earn Additional Script Orders from ABC
ABC has ordered additional scripts for new comedies Super Fun Night, starring Rebel Wilson, and Back in the Game, about a former softball star who coaches a team of misfits.

Betrayal 1.05 Preview: Has Sara’s Affair with Jack Benefitted Them Both?
On the next episode of Betrayal, Sara’s affair with Jack has a positive effect on both of their lives, while Ronnie deals with finding crucial evidence in Lou’s murder investigation.

Chuck Lorre to be honored with ‘Norman Lear Award’
Chuck Lorre has been named the recipient of the Norman Lear Achievement Award by the Producers’ Guild of America.

Once Upon a Time in Wonderland: Whoopi Goldberg Cast As…
Once Upon a Time in Wonderland has cast Oscar winner Whoopi Goldberg as the voice of Mrs. Rabbit in the show’s eighth episode.

Ravenswood: “Series Premiere” Review
On the series premiere of Ravenswood, five strangers are brought together by a deadly curse that has been impacting their town for generations. Can they find a way to reverse it?

Tessa Ferrer(Grey’s Anatomy): Leah likes Arizona’s attention
Tessa Ferrer hinted to The Hollywood Reporter that there might be something between Leah and Arizona in the coming episodes of Grey’s Anatomy.

Secrets & Lies Adaptation Ordered to Series by ABC
ABC has ordered an adaptation of upcoming Australian crime drama Secrets & Lies to series. The original is set to bow in 2014.

Outlander: First Look at Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser
Starz has released a first look at Sam Heughan as Jamie Fraser in Outlander, currently in production on a 16-episode first season.

FOX Announces Midseason Premiere Dates for American Idol, The Following, Rake, Enlisted, and More
FOX has announced midseason premiere dates for American Idol, The Following, Rake, and Enlisted.

Cable vs. Broadcast TV: Learning to Love the Low End of the Dial (Variety)
Variety discusses its renewed enjoyment of broadcast television, which has come after adjusted expectations.

Timeshifting: let’s make TV weird again (The Verge)
The Verge argues that television should take advantage of the age of timeshifting and get weird again.

How to Make Your Ridiculous TV Show Work (io9)
io9 lists seven ways for ridiculous television shows to transcend their ridiculousness and become compelling.

10 reasons why today’s TV is better than movies (The Guardian)
The Guardian gives 10 reasons why television reigns supreme, including characterization, storytelling, and breaking new talent.

The 12 Best New Characters of the Fall 2013 TV Season (TV.com)
Did your favorite new character of the fall make TV.com’s list of the 12 best?

I Do: The 17 Best Television Weddings (BuddyTV)
BuddyTV counts down the best weddings in television history.

The post The Week in Television Wrap October 19-25 appeared first on TVHackr.

It should be interesting to see how the show morphs from the last all-original season to the upcoming season, as the network is calling season six the boldest season yet. No specific details about season six have been released, aside from the fact that there will be 14 contestants, so it could really go anywhere and do anything at this point.

The current season of Face Off, which pits veterans of the series against newcomers, is set to conclude on November 5th with the final three being tasked to create two characters: a woman transforming into a swan and the sorcerer responsible for the spell that did this to her. The makeups will then be used in a performance of Swan Lake by the Los Angeles Ballet. Remaining in the competition are four veterans – Laura, Roy, Miranda, and Tate – and one newcomer – Laney.

Face Off airs Tuesdays at 9:00 on Syfy.

What do you hope to see from the sixth season of Face Off? How would you tweak the show from its last season of all new cast members? Who is going to win the current season: Miranda, Tate, Laura, Laney, or Roy?

The post Face Off Renewed for Season 6 by Syfy appeared first on TVHackr.

This week on TVHackr, we talked about Meredith Viera getting a daytime talk show, Cult reaching its series finale, and additions to FX”s The Strain, while the internet mentioned international television, the decline of Oval Office addresses, and Asperger”s.

Family Tree Season Finale Sneak Peeks: Tom’s Time in California Comes to an End
Tom”s trip to California comes to an end, but not before he learns more about Tumbleweed Tim, uncovers a startling revelation about Al, and has to make a difficult decision about the fate of his relationship with Ally.

The Fosters Recap: Cutting the Childhood Monsters Down to Size
While Callie ends up at Wyatt”s foreclosure party with Mariana, Jesus and Lexi face the proverbial firing squad when Lena and Stef have dinner with the Riveras – as well as Frank, Stef”s dad.

Starz’s Outlander Names Sam Heughan as Lead
The adaptation of the beloved novel series has found its Jamie Fraser in Scottish actor Sam Heughan. The show will begin production later this year for a spring 2014 debut.

Californication: Rob Lowe to Guest Star in Season 7
Eddie Nero will be popping up for one episode next season on Californication, as he”s set to guest star on the television project Hank”s working on.

News Roundup: Meredith Viera Gets a Talk Show, Person of Interest Key Cards, and Defiance Guest Stars
Among recent TV headlines are Meredith Viera getting a daytime talk show, Syfy offering a way to guest star on the second season of Defiance, and R&B girl group SWV earning a WE tv reality show about their comeback.

Cult Series Finale Spoilers: Jeff and Skye Remain in Hiding
Coming up on Cult, Nate tells Jeff to close the investigation out, while the inside show prepares to film a pivotal live scene and Skye continues looking for information about the disappearance of her father.

Mistresses Full Season-to-Date Available Online until July 22nd
ABC has made the full season-to-date of Mistresses available on WatchABC.com and the Watch ABC app through July 22nd. Six episodes have aired to this point.

Rectify Marathon to Air July 14th on AMC
AMC will be airing the entire first season of Sundance”s Rectify on Sunday, July 14th, beginning at 9:00 a.m. The show will return for a second season in 2014.

The Fosters Spoilers: Lena and Stef Learn Secrets About the Kids
Coming up on The Fosters, one member of the family ends up in the hospital, Jesus has a confrontation with his birth mother, and Callie educates Brandon on life as a foster kid.

Mistresses 1.07 Preview: Harry and Dom Face Off Over Savi
On the next episode of Mistresses, Harry and Dom come to blows over Savi, Joss moves in with April, and Anthony visits Karen once again – but Elizabeth Grey isn”t on his mind.

The Fosters 1.07 Sneak Peeks: Will Mariana Give Ana More Money?
On the next episode of The Fosters, Callie opens up to Brandon like never before, while Ana has a request that Mariana might not be able to help with and Jude looks to impress his new friend Connor.

Twisted 1.06 Sneak Peeks: The Investigation Points Toward Connecticut
On the next episode of Twisted, the investigation into the letter that Regina received points Danny, Jo, and Lacey toward a Connecticut apartment, but how will Kyle react when he finds out that his daughter snuck off to another state with a convicted murderer?

Face Off Season 5 to Feature Contestants From Past Seasons
Which former contestants will Face Off be bringing back to compete for the title? At least half of the veterans placed in the top four of their respective season.

Baby Daddy Season 2 Spoilers: Danny Attempts to Set Riley Up
Coming up on Baby Daddy, Riley undergoes a personal tragedy, Tucker”s girlfriend gets a job at Ben”s bar, and one of Danny”s teammates has his eye on Bonnie.

The Strain Adds Robert Maillet, Sean Astin, and Francis Capra
FX drama pilot The Strain has added three members to its expanding cast. Principal photography on the pilot begins in September.

The White Queen: An Overview of the Upcoming Starz Period Drama
What is Starz”s upcoming period drama The White Queen about? Find out everything you need to know here.

News Roundup: Glee, Castle, and Arrow Add Cast Members
Who will be joining the casts of Glee, Castle, and Arrow this fall?

Bates Motel Adds Three Characters for Season 2
A&E”s hit drama has added three characters for its upcoming second season, all of whom have some connection to Norma. Just who will we be seeing cross her path?

Hit the Floor 1.08 Sneak Peeks: German and Ahsha Clash Over the Punch
While Ahsha might be in trouble over what German did to Derek, Sloane learns something about the Devils organization that could put her daughter in serious danger.

Revenge: Justin Hartley Joins Season 3
The Smallville alum will be joining the third-year soap for a major multi-episode arc. But who will he be playing?

Netflix Is Making Both Cable and Internet Television Better (The Atlantic Wire)
The Atlantic Wire argues that Netflix”s recent slew of acquisitions and original series isn”t something that the television industry should fear, since it leads to higher quality programming and has helped change the way television gets made.

Your ability to focus: Why 3D television can’t take off (San Francisco Chronicle)
The San Francisco Chronicle discusses why 3D television has yet to make a dent in the marketplace, including quotes from renowned sound editor Walter Munch.

The future of television (U Weekly)
U Weekly talks about recent issues in the television industry, including the changing face of media consumption, the impact of streaming services on viewing habits, and the burden of anticipation and commercials.

5 Great International Shows That Should Be Streaming (Vulture)
Vulture rounds up five international shows that, while not available for streaming in the United States, should be.

Live From the Oval Office: A Backdrop of History Fades From TV (New York Times)
The New York Times looks at the recent drop in the number of presidential addresses from inside the Oval Office and why the venue has been used as sparingly as it has been during the past decade.

The Latest Trend On TV: Characters With Asperger”s (The Huffington Post)
The Huffington Post delves into one of the more prominent trends in television today: the character with Asperger”s, citing Parenthood, The Bridge, Hannibal, The Big Bang Theory, and Community as examples.

 (Hitfix)
Hitfix looks at The Big Bang Theory”s writers-only panel, the reemergence of Dan Harmon, and a potential Seth MacFarlane appearance at 2013 San Diego Comic-Con.

The post The Week in Television Wrap July 6-12 appeared first on TVHackr.

Guest judges this season will include Bryan Fuller, Catherine Hardwicke, Academy Award winning makeup artist Bill Corso, Kevin Grevioux, Lin Shayne, sculptor and concept artist Jordu Schell, Cassandra Peterson (Elvira), former Face Off series judge Patrick Tatopolous, and Academy Award winning makeup artist Valli O’Reilly. Spotlight challenges will range from creating a futuristic Frankenstein and his bride to a Mother Earth figure inspired by the contestants’ mothers, a flying creature/human-hybrid, and a reimagined classic Halloween character.

The finale brings the final three to the ballet, as they’ll be tasked with creating two unique looks that will be put to the test in a performance of Swan Lake by the Los Angeles Ballet. Cast bios are available on Syfy’s website.

Although the show gets credit for attempting a “special” season to break up what could have been another routine competition, I’m not sure that having a season with this structure is the best idea. The eight former contestants have a distinct advantage in knowing what the judges respond to, being acclimated to time on camera, and little tricks of the trade they picked up during their original time on the show, especially since half of them finished in the top 4 of their respective season. While the newcomers won’t have as much pressure to perform as the veterans, who face potential embarrassment in losing to those with less experience in make-up and television than they have, I feel as if the show should have either put on a full All-Star competition or sought out contestants either with great potential or who flamed out early. The prior could have been a showcase for the best and the brightest the competition has produced thus far, really showing why this is one of the best reality shows on television, while the latter is as fair as you can get with this type of format, allowing the contestants to be on fairly equal footing to begin the competition.

With the format that season five will have, though, you can already eliminate half of the contestants from contention before the first episode airs. What would make things interesting, and the format worthwhile, is if the veterans collectively stumble out of the gate and more than one of the newcomers manages to acclimate well to the pace of Face Off. This would even out the odds quite a bit – and make the show more entertaining in the process.

The fifth season of Face Off is set to premiere Tuesday, August 13th at 9:00 on Syfy.

Will you be watching Face Off next season? What do you think about the return of eight contestants? Did the show choose the right veterans to compete for another shot at the title?

The post Face Off Season 5 to Feature Contestants From Past Seasons appeared first on TVHackr.

was Anthony, who created a harmonious duo of a dream thief in search of a soul and a princess desperate to protect herself. The judges praised him for listening to them about proportions and creating a female who looks realistic while maintaining an alien beauty, while his male makeup carried the sinister theme more clearly and featured intricate sculpting. Though Anthony rattled off four wins in a row to kick off the competition, he hit a rough patch beginning with the insect challenge; he may have won two of the last three pre-final challenges, but you didn’t know if he would show up for the finale once the pressure of the moment kicked in.

Anthony ended up choosing Eric Z. and Autumn to complete his finale team, while Wayne called on Eric F. and Meagan to help create a pair of supernatural creatures and Kris selected Alam and House to aid him in making two celestial makeups. While the judges had a lot of praise for both teams, with Wayne’s sculpting and an inventive horn idea and Kris’s color choices and sleek design earning the most raves, they were undone by a few elements. The judges may have liked how distinct Kris’ makeups were, but they chided him over the disconnectedness of the orange female and the silver male; meanwhile, Wayne’s makeups had strong elements that didn’t translate into full pieces that stood up to Anthony’s.

The fifth season of Face Off kicks off production next month for an August 27th premiere.

Did you agree with the judges’ decision tonight? If not, who do you think should have won? What would you like to see the show do different for season five?

The post Face Off: Who Won Season 4? appeared first on TVHackr.

On the season finale of Face Off, Anthony has selected Eric Z. and Autumn to be on his team and the two are having trouble with a mold. While it’s nice to see that the former enemies have been able to put their past altercation aside for the sake of Anthony’s chances, they might not have been the best choices to earn him the position as a guest lecturer at the Make Up For Ever Academies in New York and Paris, the 2013 Fiat 500, and $100,000. Both have their positives, but Eric’s inexperience and Autumn’s inability to take direction could lead to Team Anthony imploding before their designs make it to the stage of Le Reve at the Wynn.

The two-part season finale of Face Off finds Anthony, Wayne, and Kris having to design waterproof makeups that can withstand an intensive, aquatic Vegas show, so a messy mold might not be the end of the world. If it comes out not looking ideal, it can be patched up, though the paint job and waterproof will become that much more important. With the final three being as close as they are, every little tear and imperfection will be intimately examined and the judges will have to decide how they’re going to look at the finale creations. How much weight will be put on completing the task vs. the season as a whole when decided who takes home the title?

The fourth season finale of Face Off airs Tuesday at 9:00 on Syfy. The show has already been renewed for a fifth season, which is set to premiere this summer.

Who do you think will win this season of Face Off? How do you think season four has compared to the previous three? What do you hope to see from the fifth season this summer?

The post Face Off Season 4 Finale Sneak Peek: Living the Dream appeared first on TVHackr.

In the season four finale, the top three are tasked with creating waterproof makeups for Le Reve: The Dream at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. Currently, the show is down to its final four in Anthony, Kris, Wayne, and Eric F., one of whom will be eliminated in tomorrow’s penultimate episode of the season. There, they’ll be creating alien hybrids based off of two of the seven species featured in upcoming Syfy drama Defiance, to be shown off for the show’s director Michael Nankin.

“Face Off continues to prove itself as a ratings hit, earning critical and viewer accolades alike, and we are proud to bring the series back for another stunning season,” said Mark Stern, President of Original Content, Syfy, and Co-Head of Original Content, Universal Cable Productions.

All three judges (Glenn Hetrick, Ve Neill, and Neville Page) will be returning for the fourth season, which begins production in April, while contestant mentor Michael Westmore is also set to return. It will be the Academy Award winner’s second season making the rounds in the workroom and attempting to guide the aspiring artists in a direction that best serves their vision.

Season four of Face Off currently airs Tuesday nights at 9PM ET/PT on Syfy. In its fourth season, Face Off is averaging 1.6 million viewers 18-19 and 2.7 million total viewers in Live +7. You can check out the top 7 power rankings TVHackr did for the show here.

Who do you think is the favorite heading into the homestretch of season four? How do you think the fourth season has been in comparison to the first three? What type of challenges would you like to see this summer in season five?

The post Face Off Renewed for Season 5 by Syfy appeared first on TVHackr.

The final seven have been divided into three categories depending on their status in the competition. The first group is who I feel are in the best position to make the final three, both in terms of performance thus far and artistic potential. Next comes two artists that could feasibly join the top group if they perform to their capabilities and one of the (presumed) top three stumbles late in the game. Finally, there are two artists on the chopping block with little to no chance of making it to the live finale. Each contestant has their accomplishments to this point listed, in addition to why they’re in the place they are and how they could move up or down, depending on where they are.

The Top Three (At This Point)
1. Kris
Wins: 3
Times in the Top: 1
Times in the Bottom: 0
The Good: Kris is on a major hot streak, winning three of the past four weeks and becoming a factor after spending the first three weeks of the competition in also-ran status. He’s performed well enough to never draw the ire of the judges, his personality has been genial enough to never be edited badly, and in each team challenge, his work has been singled out as being professional grade, visually interesting, and executed well. Kris doesn’t really have any gaping weaknesses in terms of what he can do in the workroom, as he’s a strong sculptor with a sophisticated color palette and plenty of imagination that he can channel – within reason.
The Bad: However, Kris hasn’t exactly lit up the screen during his time in the work room and his talking heads. He’s either the most centered, soft spoken artist they’ve had on the show or he’s not an interesting enough personality for them to feature often, which could stunt any chance of him taking home the victory in a live finale. If there’s no live finale, his edit to this point has been decidedly un-winner-like, so could a crash be coming soon? Plus, going from middle of the pack  to being an arguable favorite places expectations on his future work. Can he live up to the recent standard he’s set?

2. Anthony
Wins: 3 (1 Foundation win)
Times in the Top: 1
Times in the Bottom: 2
The Good: The beginning of the season belonged to Anthony, as he took home four wins in a row for his clean, technically strong work. His time management skills have been better than most this season and he very rarely gets rattled, which could help him outlast his opponents and take home a win, should they not be able to handle the moment. Also, the judges do like his aesthetic and know what he can do when he’s firing on all cylinders, so if he can live up to what he showed at the beginning of the season, he could become the favorite once again.
The Bad: Anthony’s been in the bottom for the past two weeks and seemingly lost the spark that he had at the beginning of the competition. It might be a case of being too good too early and never being able to live up to a standard that he set for himself with the judges, that success psyching him out to the point that it messed with how he approaches a challenge. Now that the chaff has mostly been culled, he won’t be able to fall back on those past accomplishments to keep him safe from elimination, so unless he course corrects in a hurry and brings his confidence back, the former favorite could be going home soon.

3. House
Wins: 0
Times in the Top: 4
Times in the Bottom: 0
The Good: House has been the most consistent of the upper tier of contestants this season. Though he’s yet to win a challenge, he’s been at or near the top of the leaderboard for the duration of season four, thanks in part to a keen eye for production design and a clear, confident point-of-view. He might be considered the most dangerous contestant remaining in the season for the fact that if one of the others fails to show up, they know that he will. House may not win, but he won’t beat himself and at this stage, that can be intimidating.
The Bad: The fact that he’s yet to win is troublesome and could be due to less than stellar execution of certain pieces. You could argue that House has the most interesting aesthetic of the remaining contestants, but no look has ever been fully and completely executed, meaning that either he needs to slightly pare down his ambition/control issues or he simply might be a better designer than an artist. If he can pull off a knockout piece in the coming weeks and go toe-to-toe with the other designers, I would be willing to move him up; until then, he’s a comfortable third in my book.

Next in Line:
4. Eric F.
Wins: 1 (1 Foundation win)
Times in the Top: 3
Times in the Bottom: 1
The Good: The Face Off judges have shown that they like people who take chances and Eric F. is the riskiest, most ambitious contestant of the season. He has consistently tried to outdo himself and expand the limits of what can be accomplished on the show with an in-your-face style that none of the others have. Couple that willingness to go big with a jovial, TV-friendly personality and he could be a winner that both fans and people in the industry would latch on to. Plus, if the show is looking to go for someone unlike each of their three winners, he’s their best bet for someone to make a splash after the season wraps.
The Bad: Eric F. gets in his own way and that will be his downfall. He goes for too much and can’t execute everything in his plan due to a lack of time/resources; he often puts what’ll look “cool” over what’s functional for filming and while he does go big, not every idea lands as well as it could. Wanting to (and being able to) do a lot of work in a little amount of time is a key trait of doing well on competitive reality TV, but disappointingly, Eric doesn’t know how to play the Face Off game and work within his means, opting to self-destruct vs. practicing smart time/workload management.

5. Wayne
Wins: 0
Times in the Top: 4
Times in the Bottom: 1
The Good: After beginning the season on a bum note, Wayne has become a competitor like House; he does what he does and he does it well, making it to top looks four of the last five weeks and getting pretty solid feedback  from the judges. Wayne could have easily folded early, but he’s improved as he’s gone on and proved to be a threat, so he has momentum on his side. He’s one of the better sculptors in the entire 14-person cast and he’s shown ingenuity, intelligence regarding form/design, and a willingness to go big without sacrificing the overall look. Additionally, he’s improved on his painting and has one of the more placid demeanors  of the remaining contestants, never having gotten into a workroom conflict and seemingly able to take criticism well.
The Bad: Like House, Wayne has yet to win anything, potentially a sign that while the judges do appreciate what he can do, they’ve not been as bowled over impressed as they’ve been with others. Consistency and having a strong baseline is one thing, but with the numbers this low, he’ll have to step up in order to have a chance to take home the title. When working alone, Wayne has shown poor time management skills that have dragged down his overall looks  on more than one occasion. Going forward, being able to delegate and figure out how to spend your time become much more important, so if he wants to crack the top three, he’s going to have to have a clearer idea of what he’s doing.

On the Chopping Block:
6. Eric Z.
Wins: 0 (1 Foundation win)
Times in the Top: 1
Times in the Bottom: 2
The Good: Eric’s all about potential. He’s not been especially impressive during his time on the show, but there have been flashes of brilliance in some of his looks that hint at the type of artist he could be one day. He seems willing to learn and soak up as much information about doing make-up that he can, a good sign going forward and a hint that he might be ready to expand his field of vision and general aesthetic in the near future.
The Bad: The main problem with Eric is that he’s young and young artists tend to not set this competition on fire. Be it from a lack of references, inexperience in certain mediums, or simply being overmatched by more credentialed opponents, a young make-up artist has a certain Face Off shelf life and Eric’s might be up. After everything that happened with Autumn, he has a bigger microscope on his demeanor and the finished product that he puts on stage and if that’s not demonstrably better than what he’s been sending to the judges (okay/safe but nothing noteworthy), he’ll be in trouble. He might be more consistent and capable than many of the contestants of season four, but his highs haven’t reached the highs (or the ambition) of the people above him on this list, meaning that it could take some stumbling for him to make it through the double elimination next week.

7. Meagan
Wins: 0 (1 Foundation win)
Times in the Top: 2
Times in the Bottom: 3
The Good: Meagan’s the final female contestant remaining and in order to avoid the show becoming too male-heavy, that could buy her an additional week or two. She’s done well in team challenges, which gave her an immunity and her two trips into top looks, and if they pull out a beauty makeup while she’s still around, she could surprise with her longevity in this competition.
The Bad: Meagan’s talent level is decidedly below the other six contestants and she struggles when not paired with a strong partner in a team challenge or when having to work out of her comfort zone in an individual challenge. With the competition narrowing down to the best of the crop and three trips to the bottom to her credit, the additional pressure can’t be good for an already fragile workroom personality with a shaky, undefined aesthetic, meaning that it’ll be even more difficult for her to raise her game in hopes of sticking around. Had she applied for the show when it had a more diverse challenge allocation, she could have trudged her way to a top 5 or so  finish, but unfortunately, unless more than one person above her stumbles badly, her time on the Face Off stage is over.

Face Off airs Tuesdays at 9:00 on Syfy.

Who do you think is the favorite at this point? How does the season four cast compare to past seasons? Which eliminated contestant would you like to see return for season five?

The post Face Off Season 4 Power Rankings: The Halfway Point appeared first on TVHackr.

The winner of the fourth season of Face Off will be taking home $100,000, a 2013 Fiat 5100, and the chance to become a guest lecturer at Makeup For Ever Academies in New York and Paris. Guest judges will include Bryan Singer, Gale Anne Hurd, John Landau, Michael Nankin and John Rhys-Davies, all ready to evaluate the contestants on their attempts at creating fantasy goblin kings, original comic superheroes, and two-headed giants.

Listed below are the names, ages, and hometowns of each of the 14 contestants. Information on all contenders can be found on Syfy.com.

Alam Park, 25 – Seattle, WA
Alexandra McCoy, 31 – Orlando, FL
Autumn Cook, 35 – Pittsburgh, PA
David “House” Greathouse, 41 – Hometown, Cleveland, OH; Resides in Crestline, OH
Eric Fox, 37 – Hometown, Georgia; Resides in Riverside, CA
Eric Zapata, 22 – Hometown, Victoria, TX; Resides in Austin, TX
J. Anthony Kosar, 26 – Hometown, Lisle, IL; Resides in Westmont, IL
Jenna Green, 40 – Hometown, Sacramento, CA; Resides in Buda, TX
Katherine “Katie” Machiek, 26 – Hometown, Owls Head, ME; Resides in Los Angeles, CA
Kristian Kobzina, 41 – El Segundo, CA
Meagan Hester, 29 – Hometown, Ossining, NY; Resides in NY, NY
Michael Garcia, 31 – Austin, TX
Troy Rivers, 34 – Hometown, Indianapolis, IN; Resides in Avon, IN

Face Off’s fourth season, its third in the last 12 months, will be joining a packed winter 2013 line-up on Syfy, which includes the U.S. debut of Canadian import Continuum, the final series of Merlin, the premiere of Robot Combat League, and the returns of Being Human and Lost Girl, among many other slated offerings.

Will you be watching Face Off this season? What do you think about Michael Westmore joining the show as a contestant mentor? Based on the bios, photos, and videos, who is the favorite going into the competition?

The post Face Off Season 4 to Premiere Tuesday, January 15th appeared first on TVHackr.