Face Off

One of the classiest reality shows on television. I know nothing about the makeup industry but who knew that I would find this subject so interesting. The contestants are so talented and you can tell they truly love what they are doing. I especially love the way the artists will occasionally jump in and help each other to get the job done which tells me how seriously they take their industry and, considering it is a competition, I think this is fabulous.

Even if there are moments that occur behind the scenes that involve arguing or dissension between the contestants, the fact that I don't see them means someone has made a conscious decision to not air the garbage, so that all I see is the art. I believe this is one of the main reasons that this is one of the most entertaining shows on TV.

Being an aspiring FX makeup artist of course I'm going to love this show! I tune in every week and even find myself picking a cast member as a favorite for the season. Its an interesting show for EVERYONE! Even if you are not into doing FX its still a very fun show. I do wonder at times if the show might not be rigged sadly, at times the judges make very poor decisions that result in a cast member being thrown out that has dominated the majority of the season or favoring one that has been lacking. They do however portray the cast members accurately (most) of the time, i have trained under a past cast member and they never once made them out to be a villain or bad guy. I highly recommend it! You cant go wrong with this one!

FaceOff is a show that varies in quality from episode to episode, it all is based on both the challenges and the contestants. Sometimes you'll have a great weekly challenge but mediocre artists, and sometimes you'll have outstanding artists with an uninspiring weekly challenge. When it's "bad" it's slightly boring at worst, when it's "good" it's freaking epic! For every two or three boring generic make ups on this show there is one awesome one that will make you drop your jaw in amazement. Special mention goes to the Neptune Werewolf, RJ's Lizard Flower, and a majority of makeups that Roy or Eric Fox made. If FaceOff had awesome challenges and awesome make ups every episode I would give it a 9, however since this is not always the case I can only give it an 8....

I can see how this show might not appeal to everyone, and MacKenzie Westmore is admittedly very robot-like, but aside from such small issues, it's entertaining T.V. One doesn't have to be a make-up artist to enjoy it. The entertainment stems from not only seeing the end make-ups,(although they are usually awesome)but from the interaction between the artists, seeing how they rise to the challenge, seeing what exactly goes into a make-up, and what matters to the judges. I don't usually watch reality T.V., but I have looked forward every week to the next episode; the next challenge. I would recommend "Face Off" to anyone who enjoys art.

This is an example of a great reality show, what all should aspire to be; a competition about creativity, ability and skill. It is entrancing to see what the contestants can create in such a short amount of time, so much of their work is beautiful or grotesque (as required). When people see a movie, they just don't realize the talent and work required to bring these special effects to screen. Digital special effects have become the norm, but watching Face Off will make anyone appreciate the hands on teams and sometimes unsung heroes who do the Special Effects Makeups.

There is very little drama here between contestants, and when there is, it's real. Even though they are competing for a huge prize, and bragging rights, the contestants usually support each other. They give each other critiques in the work room, and when one has a problem, other contestants will often stop their own work to help them! It's obvious that the contestants are often forming real friendships that will last beyond the show.

May not always agree with the judges decisions of who should win or be eliminated, but their decisions are rarely shocking, and judging appears to be fair.

I'll agree with other reviewers that Mackenzie is a bit stiff as a host, it's not easy to find a host who has the right combination of warmth, poise, and likability (Cat Deeley, Padma Lakshmi). Mackenzie at least has an understanding of the industry because of her father Michael Westmore.