For the love of GOD, please just use the immunity pin on MasterChef. In this Ted Talk I will –
MasterChef powered up this season after it introduced a brand new immunity pin that would grant a contestant the power to tap out of any challenge at any time, even eliminations. You could have seconds left and you’d still be allowed to play the pin. This is very important. Pin can be played at any time. Pin is Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free card. Pin is good. Pin is great. Pin demands to be played.
MasterChef only handed out three of these babies this season: one to Elise, one to Wynona, and one to… Therese.
Elise and Wynona used their pins during the elimination challenge set by Callum, Poh, and Reynold a few episodes back. They shat the bed and yelled out IMMUNITY in the final few minutes. Nothing wrong with that!
They won their pins, fair and square, they used their pins, fair and square. Consider its purpose served.
But Therese? I just – maybe she, the ‘Dessert Queen’, thought she could Outwit, Outsmart, Outplay three blokes in a dessert challenge. But strategy only gets you so far in MasterChef. This isn’t Survivor, there is no short-term pain for long-term gain. You fuck up, you’re going home. Jock will yell out your name as you leave the MasterChef kitchen.
So, here’s what happened. During last night’s elimination challenge, Therese went head-to-head with Brent, Dan, and Justin on a three-part dessert from Kirsten Tibballs. Not just three separate, albeit crucial elements on the one plate – three separate dishes.
View this post on Instagram
Now in previous seasons, contestants were only allowed to play immunity pins before the cook. In that situation, I can totally understand some indecision in playing the advantage. Would I still do it, though? Yes! It’s a fucken guaranteed pass to the next round.
Therese, however, didn’t want to play her pin because desserts are her thing. Fair enough! But at some point during that challenge – maybe when she fucked up tempering the chocolate or when she realised she put that pattern thing on the WRONG WAY AROUND – you’d think she’d stand back and say, ‘Oh dear, I fucked it’ and Played. The. Pin.
THIS, Therese thought this would get her across the line because the flavours were there. And they were! But c’mon.
BRO.
I think what shits me the most about this situation is that in theory, Therese could have sat on the floor, stuffed her face with chocolate, taken a fucken nap, wake up 10 seconds before the challenge ended and then played her pin and SHE WOULD’VE BEEN SAFE. She didn’t even need to try. It was guaranteed safety and she blew it.
Credit where credit is due though, Therese did admit overconfidence played a part in her horrible demise. Let that be a lesson to us all.
So please, dear future Masterchef contestants, please – my nerves are not what they once were pre-COVID. Just use the pin.
