The situation heated up both in the competition and back at the house as the contestants gunned for a coveted spot in the top five. Davis and Liz also increased the temperature a bit with their flirty, wholesome relationship. Liz reveals that she has a boyfriend, but later states that she broke up with him last year. It is unclear if the two are still a couple. Liz is seen in her audition tape, crooning about her many achievements. Davis’ tape is also shown and he reveals that he does not like it when people consider him to be “cocky.” Go figure.
<img src=http://www.realityreel.com/images/nick_pic_spot.jpg align=left> By Nick Ciletti
Reality Reel Media
06.28.05
At the Captain’s Challenge, Davis is the first to finish completing a puzzle map of the United States, however, he omits South Carolina. Liz is next, but she forgets Utah. Scott’s map is very jumbled and Amari forgets Georgia (she was also trying to put Utah, or some other oddly shaped state in Washington’s place,) but needles to say, Davis and Liz win because they finished first and none of the other contestants managed to assemble their maps correctly. So, I guess they can manage to be math prodigies, bring about great change in the community, and get a 1580 on the SAT, but fail to put together a puzzle of the United States. Funny how that works.
Davis’ selects Melissa, Max, Alyssa, and Gerald to be on his team while Liz picks Jeremy, Milana, Scott, and Amari. Both groups must make a two minute movie that represents a famous quote. Davis’ group has trouble finding a consensus from the beginning, and teammate Alyssa is angered at the group’s decision to select the Plato quote (something about not knowing someone until you see them in action, basically stating that actions speak louder than words) instead of the famous Hamlet quote “To be or not to be? That is the question,” which is what Team Liz chooses. Alyssa complains about Davis’ leadership style, saying that he is “overbearing.” Alyssa’s bad attitude is evident throughout the competition. The rest of the group also criticizes Davis, and it is apparent to them that Davis meant for the video to pay homage to his relationship with her. Team Davis has many difficulties getting along; they cannot agree on the way the script is worded and if they like or dislike Davis’ voiceover technique. Max gets snippy with Melissa just days after he reveals that he “likes her.” With a sappy, cliché romance, Team Davis goes for a “deeper” approach to the assignment. Team Liz works incredibly well together. Liz and Amari are definitely the stronger competitors on the team. Their comedic, heroin representation of Hamlet’s quote is light and simple to interpret.
Back at the house, the group engages in a game of Truth or Dare, where Melissa confronts Max about his apparent anger towards her. Melissa also inquirers about Max’s confession that he has feelings for her. Max apologizes for any wrongdoing.
At the video premiere back at the Bob Cosford Cinema on the campus of USC, the audience seems puzzled as to how to interpret Team Davis’ video and they are seen laughing at Team Liz’s. Surprisingly, Team Davis’ is awarded the win and a twenty day, all expense paid, trek through Europe.
At the Scholarship Committee Interview, the committee tells Alyssa that she has an attitude problem and the committee also states that they do not like Davis. Fortunately for Davis, he is already in the today’s challenge because his team won the competition. The committee selects Liz and Amari to accompany him. The contestants spend ample time brushing up on their US History skills which is evident at the competition as all three nail their first few questions. Amari is the first out, and Liz beats Davis with a question about the Whiskey Rebellion. Davis is a tad crushed, especially because he has helped Liz study. Well Davis, all is fair in love and war, so consider this the next time you want to schmooze a rival with your intellectual prowess.
