Face Off

I've watched a few season of the show and I really love it. It's so cool seeing the creative process from design to completion. I do wish we got more detail in the creative process instead of the shows editors just trying to build up suspense. The judges are hit or miss as sometimes the criticisms are useful but sometimes they'll just simply say "it's bad," which isn't helpful at all. Ultimately, seeing the finished product is always awesome. Whether bad or good.

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.

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.

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!

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.