Episode Recap: Wizard of Wonderland

Somewhere over Sony Pictures Studios towers a giant sculpture of a rainbow, hearkening back to that groundbreaking film, The Wizard of Oz. McKenzie stands underneath the three-story rainbow amid a jumble of teacups and teapots, so the contestants know that whatever's ahead is going to be whimsical with a vengeance. This is really exciting for some (Sasha) but totally grody for others (Jason). Unfortunately for both of them, they're partnered together for this week's challenge: a mashup The Wizard of Oz with Alice in Wonderland (aka, The Wizard of Wonderland).

Sasha is super excited to blend their character, the Cowardly Lion, with the colors and stripes of the Cheshire Cat, but Jason, who found the last challenge something of a snooze for its lack of gore, wants to do something more dramatic. He envisions their character as a soldier in the army of the Queen of Hearts, beaten and lashed by Her Majesty for his reticence to fight. Sasha is flashing back to her partnership with Barry – his idea for their gangster didn't match the challenge, so he got eliminated. She doesn't want that to happen again with Jason, but she's too scared of conflict to lay the whimsy smackdown. Mr. Westmore comes by later and gives voice to Sasha's thoughts, but Jason won't change the concept. Sasha grows more and more grumpy that they're not doing something pretty and fun, but doesn't speak up.

Rachael and Keaghlan, who chose the Tin Woodman as their character, create a bumbling klutz who trades his woodcutting axe for an executioner's blade. They take the traditional lines of the Woodman and make them more stylized and heightened, then lay on a paint job of shimmering silver with hints of rust for dimension. Dina and Stella are working like gangbusters on their Flying Monkey. Stella has the idea to make the character the court jester, and Dina takes that idea a step further when she suggests the jester's hat actually grow from the shape of the monkey's ears. They manage a perfect blend of organic and inorganic elements into their cowl, and score a truly mischievous expression on the monkey's face.

Both Rachael & Keaghlan and Dina & Stella are in top looks, but the judges were so impressed with the original forms devised on the monkey that Dina & Stella win the challenge. Since the concept of having ears morph into a hat was Dina's, she walks away with the blue ribbon this week!

Drew & George ditched their "tornado" hairstyle on their Wicked Witch, a move that lost them points with the judges. Cig & Damien had a great idea in their colorful Scarecrow, losing his mind and ditching his need for a brain the longer he stays in Wonderland, but the facial piece is so busy that the judges can't find a visual entrance to the character. Jason & Sasha went so dark with their concept – and dull with their color choices – that they land on bottom looks. Since Jason's concept drove the direction of their character as well as their decisions, he's eliminated this week.