Whodunnit? has been the most entertaining of reality competitions I have yet to see. Based on the popular board game Clue and America's love for crime TV it allows the viewer to gather evidence with the contestants, hypothesize on the crime and see it played out in a well-produced short each episode. Atop all that, it has us all guessing till the end on who among them is the mysterious mastermind behind it all! While I have made my choice clear since the beginning as Lindsey, let's take a look at the latest episode, All the World's a Stage, the complex crime, and any hints as to whodunnit!
This week, it was three-on-three as the self created alliances were evened out in a double-elimination. This produced a perfect trifecta of duos to examine each of the three areas for clues as to how our illustrious host slayed both Dana and Sasha. As opposed to finding the two "southern belles" at their death site, this week there was no crime scene as they were posed at the piano in the foyer. This meant the contestants were presented with the choice to scrutinize; Sasha's last known whereabouts, Dana's last known whereabouts or the morgue, where the bodies were transported. Kam and Ronnie headed to the morgue, where along with gathering evidence, they calculated a plan to freeze Geno out. While Kam wanted Ronnie to just pull Melina over and leave Geno without a team, Ronnie decided to just block information from him to make the day easier. The problem was, Ronnie spent most of their time together trying to distract Geno in order to get the correct information to Melina, rather than pool together the clues his teammates discovered in their areas and hypothesize about the crime. The information Kam and Ronnie found at the morgue was a slit up each girl's arm, fibers around their noses and several cuts along Dana's back corresponding to blood on her pajamas. Meanwhile Lindsey and Geno investigated Sasha's last known whereabouts, her bedroom. Here they found dolly marks, some with deeper impressions, large footprints and a towel undoubtedly laced with something on her bed. They also investigated the hallway where they discovered the same large footprints combined with smaller barefoot impressions as well as drops of blood that led them to a hidden elevator. Cris and Melina searched Dana's last known whereabouts and found approximately the same clues: dolly marks and large footprints. In addition they stumbled upon a gizmo that allowed an intruder to break into the locked room and the same smaller barefoot prints originating in Dana's room and going out into the hall. They also followed the blood trail to the elevator but didn't come across the rag like in Sasha's room. This combined with the lack of Sasha's footprints should have lead them straight to the conclusion that Dana left her bedroom willingly, or by force, while Sasha was knocked out and transported on the dolly. Cris utilized her time with Melina to plant seeds of doubt in her mind about Geno, as the large footprints only matched his size of shoe.
For the next portion Giles lead the anxious contestants to the Rue Manor movie theater, where they found bizarre recreations of themselves seated for the show. While the faux cast was creepy, I didn't find them to be impressive as far as their likeness to their corresponding contestant. The group was entertained with a silent movie and a riddle hidden within referring to "double snowmen" and "the key". They were off, and it was Geno who first understood the reference was to the 88 keys of the piano. Although suspicious of Ronnie, Geno clued in his team as to where the next piece of the puzzle lied. This cryptic rhyme spoke of cutting open the stitches and came with a scalpel that led them back to the eerie movie theater where they began hacking away at their faux bodies. Finally Cris realized to slash open the back, where Dana's wounds had been, and found the final part of the riddle. Although Team Geno was ahead, both Geno and Melina forgot their scalpels and had to go back, leaving Cris to find the hidden area in the morgue and win the challenge. In the secret chamber Cris discovered; two metal slates, where the killer had positioned Dana and Sasha, drains full of blood, the knife used in the attack and the large shoes which made the footprints in the upstairs bedrooms. She also uncovered an added twist, the large shoes were stuffed with tissue implying their host had smaller feet than the evidence had dictated. Cris' win was enough to push Team Kam to victory. While Ronnie and Geno tried to get the vital information from the room, Kam lashed out at both of them. He insinuated Ronnie hadn't gone through with the plan to freeze Geno out and join Kam's team while Geno, although he helped Kam and Cris on a previous challenge, didn't deserve to be helped in return. I felt like Kam was extremely obnoxious and rude as Ronnie had withheld information to hurt Geno's chances of winning and Geno did help Kam in the past, atop that it was Cris who ultimately solved the riddle but Kam took all the credit and ownership of the information. He even ended up winning the round for his version of the crime being closest to the killers actions.
So how did our sinister host serve up this double-sized murder? While all of Rue Manor was asleep in their beds, they used the hidden elevator to sneak upstairs with the dolly-chair. Our insidious mastermind employed the help of the door gizmo to slip into Sasha's room first, using the chloroform soaked rag to knock her out almost instantly and hoisted her into the chair. Next, after breaking into Dana's room, they woke her up at knife point and guided her to push Sasha inside the elevator all the while digging the blade into Dana's back causing the cuts, which dripped blood down her pajamas and onto the floor. The murderer guided them to the secret room, adjacent to the morgue, where they then used the same technique to knock Dana into a sleep she would not arise from. Wielding a scalpel, a large incision was made on each of the girls forearms as the assassin drained all of their blood. Finishing the task, they redressed Dana and Sasha, including a top-notch makeup job, staged them at the piano and turned the AC all the way up to ensure their masterpiece would last.
As to theories on who the malignant murder is, I am sticking with my gut from the premiere, as well as various clues from each episode, Lindsey. The sneakers stuffed with tissue call for a smaller person, and though Melina is yet to receive a "scared" card, I feel like her emotional outbursts are too risky for the producers to cast her in the lead role as her acting could be unreliable. While I had my eye on Cris for a short time, I have also cast her out as a suspect due to the fact that she has solved two riddles now back-to-back and with the killer knowing just how they committed the crime, it is unlikely they would be the first to uncover the clues or share them with their teammates or foes. Lindsey has never solved a riddle or shared any key information and also has a somewhat hidden personality as she is not outspoken or overtly opinionated. At this point I feel quite confident in my original choice and unless Lindsey ends up dead or does something highly improbable, like break out in tears or shake in fear of being eliminated, I doubt I will be persuaded into suspecting someone else until the killer is unmasked.
While both Geno and Ronnie received "scared" cards, Giles returned with a note from the mischievous host claiming they had no wish to murder anyone and instead have planned a luau for the contestants. While all is fun and games at first, with the perplexing decorative touches added to Rue Manor, complete with umbrella drinks and matching Hawaiian-themed shirts and leis for the contestants, after a short celebration, complete with Giles doing a limbo, the staple killing of any clue-lover fell from the air. Yes, the chandelier! A classic way of offing someone in a lavish mansion and it was Geno who ended up beneath the massive décor. With only five contestants remaining the stakes are high and I foresee alliances and tempers growing thin. Now we await next week's Whodunnit? a spectacle that will be well worth the time! Tune in Sundays on ABC and check back here for weekly updates, as we near the end of what I regard as one of the best ideas for a reality competition in my lifetime. Enjoy!
Monday, July 29, 2013
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Whodunnit? - Bum Ba Dee Da
This week's Whodunnit? was filled with snakes! Their slithery nature aligned with the manager of the mansion as, with the distraction they caused, the killer was able to wriggle their way in and end Ulysses' chapter as well as, with the misconceptions they provided, the complex murder plot had contestants struggling to solve! While this was not my favorite episode because it took us away from the creepy Rue Manor and into the rugged outdoors, it was a huge turning point for the season. "Bum Ba Dee Da" portrayed the show's slayer escalating and evened out the contestants' alliances with a double elimination. Let's get right into the events of this week's Whodunnit?!
The contestants were still split into two clear alliances. After Ulysses' death, Kam's team only has three remaining members, so they have no choice but to have only one representative at each clue gathering area. This is dangerous because if they fail to recognize an important sign, or misinterpret the information, their whole team's theory is at risk. As with every episode they may choose to examine the crime scene, the last known whereabouts or the morgue. This week, the crime scene was left to the team captains, and nemeses, Geno and Kam. There they found a snake in Ulysses' saddle bag as well as a string used as a tripwire, attached to a cage, which suggested the birds were not spooked by something, but rather unleashed on purpose as a distraction and to rile up the horses. The snake's appearance was the key as it was red with black and white stripes; if this information was correctly put together with clues from the morgue they would know whether or not this particular snake was poisonous. Meanwhile, Sasha, Cris and Ronnie inspected Ulysses' last known whereabouts, the horse stables. Sasha noticed right away that the horses' names corresponded to Greek gods except one, Oleander. She also noticed the oleander flowers through the stable window and was aware they were toxic, but kept that information to herself. However she missed the hammer and finishing nails Ronnie found, as well as a spittoon containing a mortar and pestle with crushed oleander petals inside. Though Ronnie tried to hide his find, Cris picked up on his secrecy and discovered these vital pieces as well. Clues were everywhere at the outdoor morgue and the most vital one was overlooked by Dana, Melina and Sasha. It was a simple graph posted that described the dangerous and safe elements in the woods, including the snakes and flowers. While they didn't find much on Ulysses' body, they did locate what looked to be a snakebite on his back. Dana, who was more tedious than her companions, also located two punctures on his calf which she hid from the others. While trying to be sly and keep up her act, when examining his clothing she held her hand over the area of the wounds so the others wouldn't see. This act cost them an important fact; on the area of the jeans there were splinters from wood that could have guided them away from the popular snakebite theory.
Geno made another strategic move, in an attempt to ensure Team Kam would crumble. He offered a position on his team in order to guarantee the two other members would get "scared" cards. His plan failed as Cris and Lindsey decided to stick with Kam and stay loyal to their team. While Kam saw this move as desperate and claimed his team would never backstab its members the way Geno's team does, Geno and Ronnie's hubris caused them to laugh in Kam's face stating they have never received "scared" cards, likely upsetting their illustrious host by implying they are too smart to lose. That left Sasha, Ronnie, Melina and Dana on Team Geno and they got to work hypothesizing the crime. Tensions ran high in Geno's group, as Sasha and Melina clashed when Sasha remembered a rhyme from childhood that said "red on yellow, you're a dead fellow; red on black, you're okay Jack", which contradicted Melina's recollection of the morgue graph claiming the red and black snake was poisonous. In addition the leg wound didn't match up with the side of the horse the snake was found on, thus little was accomplished and a lot of questions were left unanswered meaning the next puzzle was vital if they hoped to solve the murder. Team Kam didn't get very far either, as they didn't know about the leg wound, Lindsey only remembered that oleander was poisonous from the graph and Cris mentioned the finishing nails, but held back regarding the mortar and pestle due to her distrust in Lindsey. Everyone was counting on the next clue.
The next riddle was confusing, as usual, but they picked up its mentioning of the sky and the group ran up the path, racing to solve it first. When they came to a crossroad with three arrows, (red, blue and white) some chose a random path, others thought that because the white arrow pointed up it referenced the sky and Kam took the blue arrow path connecting it to the blue sky. While the other arrows led to dead ends, the blue arrow pointed to an area with another puzzle waiting to be solved. It contained a myriad of pieces and X's that when put together correctly led to a shed where Giles awaited them. They only had a limited time in the shed that, to their dismay was filled with snakes, to find the murder weapon amongst a room filled with possibilities. Although they all tried, many more than once, they finally realized the snakes were just a diversion and it was Cris who ultimately found a floorboard with two nails to be the weapon of choice.
Team Geno was desperate as the other group held the key to solving the murder. Cris tried to help Sasha by telling her all she needed to know was at the last known whereabouts and Ronnie cozied up to the group enough to earn him a "spared" card. After they presented their theories, they were shocked to find out that three people received "scared" cards this week for the first time on the show. Geno, Sasha and Dana were up to be a part of the nefarious killer's next target. I don't think the killer appreciated Geno and Ronnie's boasting and though Ronnie brown-nosed his way out of it, I believe Lindsey, my choice as their mysterious host, gave Geno a "scared" card just to put it in his face and show her superiority.
Once again this insidious plot was filled with misdirection and a well thought out plan; here is how our iniquitous murderer offed Ulysses: Before the group went out on horse backs, the assassin took two nails and attached them to a board in a way that the wound would resemble snakes fangs. They then ground up the toxic oleander flowers and spread their concoction onto the nails. Having pre-rigged a tripwire to a box filled with birds, in order to excite the horses and confuse the others, when the contestants' horses broke the string and released the birds chaos was amidst. The killer used this distraction to impale Ulysses with the board and nails. Within minutes Ulysses was dead, fallen over on his horse, and unable to tame the scared animal, they both went rolling down the hill.
In regards to the killer, now I am more certain than ever it's Lindsey. While I have believed it was her from the beginning (see Whodunnit? Opens a New Door for the Genre, Fire Starter: Another Complex Murder on Whodunnit?, Kaboom! Whodunnit?'s Game Changing Episode, and Whodunnit? - Mountain Lyin for all the clues I've gathered since the premiere) in addition to giving Geno a "scared" card after he rubbed his superiority in her face a big hint was revealed in the reenactment of the killing. The killer was on a dark horse. After close inspection, only Lindsey and Geno rode black horses like the murderer. The fact that this was the first double elimination, as well as both contestants who died were on Team Geno, is furthermore proof that the mysterious mastermind behind it all is Lindsey. Both clear alliances now have an equal number of members thus leveling the playing field. This not only allows her a higher likelihood of her team solving the riddles first, it also won't look as suspicious if her two teammates end up on the bottom and she is spared. Either way, as the herd thins each contestant is getting closer to discovering their renowned host and a few are already hot on Lindsey's trail!
This week our distinguished proprietor was bolder than ever! Killing Ulysses in front of everyone, distributing three "scared" cards and revealing a shocking double-elimination where both Sasha and Dana were killed and positioned for everyone to see. Unfortunately my DVR didn't record the last 20 seconds so I had to wait until Monday to see the end online! It was the creepiest scene yet; as Geno came downstairs he discovered both Dana and Sasha dressed to kill and set up like dolls, with Dana at the grand piano and Sasha standing next to her. If only Sasha would have trusted her instincts regarding the snake and listened to Cris' clue, she could have been spared. Nevertheless, next week's episode looks to be one of the best, as the guests have returned to Rue Manor only to find duplicates in their place. The eeriness reaches a peak, so make sure to tune in to Whodunnit? Sundays on ABC, and check back here for weekly recaps, reviews and clues!
Here is a list of the remaining contestants and to whom their allegiance lies:
Sheri - Ex-NFL Cheerleader
Dontae - Insurance Investigator
Adrianna - TV Crime Reporter
Don - Retired LAPD
Ulysses - Attorney
Dana - Nurse
Sasha - Journalist
Team Kam:
Kam - Homeland Security Attorney
Cris - Ex-Beauty Queen
Lindsey - Engineer
Team Geno:
Geno - Bar Trivia Host
Melina - Flight Attendant
Ronnie - Bounty Hunter
The contestants were still split into two clear alliances. After Ulysses' death, Kam's team only has three remaining members, so they have no choice but to have only one representative at each clue gathering area. This is dangerous because if they fail to recognize an important sign, or misinterpret the information, their whole team's theory is at risk. As with every episode they may choose to examine the crime scene, the last known whereabouts or the morgue. This week, the crime scene was left to the team captains, and nemeses, Geno and Kam. There they found a snake in Ulysses' saddle bag as well as a string used as a tripwire, attached to a cage, which suggested the birds were not spooked by something, but rather unleashed on purpose as a distraction and to rile up the horses. The snake's appearance was the key as it was red with black and white stripes; if this information was correctly put together with clues from the morgue they would know whether or not this particular snake was poisonous. Meanwhile, Sasha, Cris and Ronnie inspected Ulysses' last known whereabouts, the horse stables. Sasha noticed right away that the horses' names corresponded to Greek gods except one, Oleander. She also noticed the oleander flowers through the stable window and was aware they were toxic, but kept that information to herself. However she missed the hammer and finishing nails Ronnie found, as well as a spittoon containing a mortar and pestle with crushed oleander petals inside. Though Ronnie tried to hide his find, Cris picked up on his secrecy and discovered these vital pieces as well. Clues were everywhere at the outdoor morgue and the most vital one was overlooked by Dana, Melina and Sasha. It was a simple graph posted that described the dangerous and safe elements in the woods, including the snakes and flowers. While they didn't find much on Ulysses' body, they did locate what looked to be a snakebite on his back. Dana, who was more tedious than her companions, also located two punctures on his calf which she hid from the others. While trying to be sly and keep up her act, when examining his clothing she held her hand over the area of the wounds so the others wouldn't see. This act cost them an important fact; on the area of the jeans there were splinters from wood that could have guided them away from the popular snakebite theory.
Geno made another strategic move, in an attempt to ensure Team Kam would crumble. He offered a position on his team in order to guarantee the two other members would get "scared" cards. His plan failed as Cris and Lindsey decided to stick with Kam and stay loyal to their team. While Kam saw this move as desperate and claimed his team would never backstab its members the way Geno's team does, Geno and Ronnie's hubris caused them to laugh in Kam's face stating they have never received "scared" cards, likely upsetting their illustrious host by implying they are too smart to lose. That left Sasha, Ronnie, Melina and Dana on Team Geno and they got to work hypothesizing the crime. Tensions ran high in Geno's group, as Sasha and Melina clashed when Sasha remembered a rhyme from childhood that said "red on yellow, you're a dead fellow; red on black, you're okay Jack", which contradicted Melina's recollection of the morgue graph claiming the red and black snake was poisonous. In addition the leg wound didn't match up with the side of the horse the snake was found on, thus little was accomplished and a lot of questions were left unanswered meaning the next puzzle was vital if they hoped to solve the murder. Team Kam didn't get very far either, as they didn't know about the leg wound, Lindsey only remembered that oleander was poisonous from the graph and Cris mentioned the finishing nails, but held back regarding the mortar and pestle due to her distrust in Lindsey. Everyone was counting on the next clue.
The next riddle was confusing, as usual, but they picked up its mentioning of the sky and the group ran up the path, racing to solve it first. When they came to a crossroad with three arrows, (red, blue and white) some chose a random path, others thought that because the white arrow pointed up it referenced the sky and Kam took the blue arrow path connecting it to the blue sky. While the other arrows led to dead ends, the blue arrow pointed to an area with another puzzle waiting to be solved. It contained a myriad of pieces and X's that when put together correctly led to a shed where Giles awaited them. They only had a limited time in the shed that, to their dismay was filled with snakes, to find the murder weapon amongst a room filled with possibilities. Although they all tried, many more than once, they finally realized the snakes were just a diversion and it was Cris who ultimately found a floorboard with two nails to be the weapon of choice.
Team Geno was desperate as the other group held the key to solving the murder. Cris tried to help Sasha by telling her all she needed to know was at the last known whereabouts and Ronnie cozied up to the group enough to earn him a "spared" card. After they presented their theories, they were shocked to find out that three people received "scared" cards this week for the first time on the show. Geno, Sasha and Dana were up to be a part of the nefarious killer's next target. I don't think the killer appreciated Geno and Ronnie's boasting and though Ronnie brown-nosed his way out of it, I believe Lindsey, my choice as their mysterious host, gave Geno a "scared" card just to put it in his face and show her superiority.
Once again this insidious plot was filled with misdirection and a well thought out plan; here is how our iniquitous murderer offed Ulysses: Before the group went out on horse backs, the assassin took two nails and attached them to a board in a way that the wound would resemble snakes fangs. They then ground up the toxic oleander flowers and spread their concoction onto the nails. Having pre-rigged a tripwire to a box filled with birds, in order to excite the horses and confuse the others, when the contestants' horses broke the string and released the birds chaos was amidst. The killer used this distraction to impale Ulysses with the board and nails. Within minutes Ulysses was dead, fallen over on his horse, and unable to tame the scared animal, they both went rolling down the hill.
In regards to the killer, now I am more certain than ever it's Lindsey. While I have believed it was her from the beginning (see Whodunnit? Opens a New Door for the Genre, Fire Starter: Another Complex Murder on Whodunnit?, Kaboom! Whodunnit?'s Game Changing Episode, and Whodunnit? - Mountain Lyin for all the clues I've gathered since the premiere) in addition to giving Geno a "scared" card after he rubbed his superiority in her face a big hint was revealed in the reenactment of the killing. The killer was on a dark horse. After close inspection, only Lindsey and Geno rode black horses like the murderer. The fact that this was the first double elimination, as well as both contestants who died were on Team Geno, is furthermore proof that the mysterious mastermind behind it all is Lindsey. Both clear alliances now have an equal number of members thus leveling the playing field. This not only allows her a higher likelihood of her team solving the riddles first, it also won't look as suspicious if her two teammates end up on the bottom and she is spared. Either way, as the herd thins each contestant is getting closer to discovering their renowned host and a few are already hot on Lindsey's trail!
This week our distinguished proprietor was bolder than ever! Killing Ulysses in front of everyone, distributing three "scared" cards and revealing a shocking double-elimination where both Sasha and Dana were killed and positioned for everyone to see. Unfortunately my DVR didn't record the last 20 seconds so I had to wait until Monday to see the end online! It was the creepiest scene yet; as Geno came downstairs he discovered both Dana and Sasha dressed to kill and set up like dolls, with Dana at the grand piano and Sasha standing next to her. If only Sasha would have trusted her instincts regarding the snake and listened to Cris' clue, she could have been spared. Nevertheless, next week's episode looks to be one of the best, as the guests have returned to Rue Manor only to find duplicates in their place. The eeriness reaches a peak, so make sure to tune in to Whodunnit? Sundays on ABC, and check back here for weekly recaps, reviews and clues!
Here is a list of the remaining contestants and to whom their allegiance lies:
Team Kam:
Kam - Homeland Security Attorney
Cris - Ex-Beauty Queen
Lindsey - Engineer
Team Geno:
Geno - Bar Trivia Host
Melina - Flight Attendant
Ronnie - Bounty Hunter
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Whodunnit? - Mountain Lyin
Whodunnit? fans this was a great episode! It not only displayed a twisted plot full of misdirection that had everyone scrambling, but we also saw attempts to form new alliances and shatter old ones to bits. In addition we learned, like we've become accustomed to from the master of misdirection, that what might appear obvious is much too mundane for our illustrious and creative host. So let's dive into "Mountain Lyin" the newest episode of Whodunnit?!
After last week, everyone was on edge regarding where Lindsey's loyalty lies and while both teams had members who tried their best to freeze her out, the alliances remained with Kam, Ulysses, Cris and Lindsey on one side and Ronnie, Sasha, Melina, Dana and Geno on the other. Kam decided in an effort to ensure Lindsey didn't leak any information, they were going to keep an eye on her throughout the investigation into Don's death and accompanied her to investigate the crime scene. They separated their alliances so each team would have a man or woman at each clue-gathering place; the morgue, the crime scene and, since they all were with Don in his last known whereabouts, instead of examine the dining room they had the chance to scrutinize the subdued mountain lion. Only Cris and Geno were brave enough to inspect the tranquilized animal. Here they learned that the beast was rented, a minor clue that helped give direction into how the lion arrived on the estate. They also noticed blood on his claws and rather than pieces of Don in his teeth, they found the remnants of uneaten steak from the kitchen. When examining the body in the morgue, Melina, Ulysses, and Sasha found there were few scratches and bite marks, that would be expected with an animal attack, instead they noticed his face and hands to be bright red in appearance, similar to a rash. They also discovered a white powdered substance on his shirt, leading them to question whether the animal played a part in his death at all. When rolling Don over to inspect his back, they found prints along his spine and the obvious conclusion was that the animal had pounced or at least stood on his back, meaning Don must have already been face-down on the ground when the lion mounted him. Kam, Dana, Lindsey and Ronnie took apart the crime scene, upon inspection clues were everywhere and like the other participants found, there was little to suggest a mountain lion attack. There was minimal blood spatter, like the animal simply played with Don rather than devouring him, there were also prints on the stove and a missing steak. When they stood on the mat in front of the cooktop, they noticed it activated the trap door where the animal was unleashed. Ronnie inspected the grill and noticed some rewiring underneath, but distracted the other contestants from it by replaying the mountain lion's course of action - well played!
They returned to their allied groups, which seem to be led by Kam and Ronnie, to pull together their findings and hypothesize what happened. Lindsey and Cris bordered on cheating by listening in to the other group's discussion and heard their theories regarding poisoning. But at this point, no one was really sure and awaited the next round of clues to help them piece together the puzzle. As they ran around the estate trying to uncover the cryptic message regarding "where the cool are laid back" and "out of their element", for the first time we saw Lindsey figuring out some clues leading Ulysses and Cris to the morgue and where they found the periodic table containing the next clue. I think Lindsey finally stepped up in an attempt to prove her usefulness because she knew that if she was to remain clueless and not help either team, as the mysterious mastermind behind the game, it would be suspicious if she was spared. However it was Geno who ultimately solved the riddle and decided to use an interesting tactic. He shared the information with not only his team but also chose to leak a few tidbits to Cris and Kam in an attempt to ensure Ulysses and Lindsey would be marked for death. Kam disregarded Geno's information as he believed it was a set up and shared what he learned with both Ulysses and Lindsey. I must give a kudos to Dana whose background gave her a leg up and even without Geno's clue was able to deduce that cyanide played a part in this nefarious killing.
Here is the plot our unknown mastermind ultimately created for Don: When at breakfast, Don's steak was underdone and he decided to go into the kitchen to cook it further. The killer rewired the stove so that upon turning it on, instead of heat emanating from the cooktop, deadly cyanide gas hissed out. Simultaneously, the mat in which Don stood on was also rigged with a device that opened a trap door in the wall where the killer had rented a dangerous mountain lion and caged it inside. The lion jumped onto the kitchen's island clawing at Don who was already feeling the deadly effects of the gas. Don passed out and the animal pounced on him clawing slightly at his limbs but ultimately using Don's dead body as a stepping stool in order to retrieve his raw steak from the cooktop. Relishing in his find he returned to the island to devour his catch when Giles anesthetized him, with the half-eaten steak still in his mouth.
Dana obviously impressed the insidious killer as well, as she was the winner this week, while Kam and Ulysses were both given scared cards and the impending feeling of doom. The contestants were advised to meet at the stables in the morning and received an interesting call from the killer containing a mix-up of voice recordings from each of the remaining guests each claiming to be their illustrious host and I must say Lindsey's was by far the most convincing. When the guests all arrived on horseback the following morning they continued to follow Giles, dressed for the part, down the path when a flock of birds were spooked by something and we saw Ulysses bent over on his horse before both he and his mare took a tumble, undoubtedly to his demise. My thoughts are, that because the entire cast was in sight the killer was not able to shoot Ulysses so there must have been an elaborate trap set up. There was no gun shot, so something different must have pierced Ulysses and the ignition of the contraption caused a scare for the birds and the horses.
Whodunnit? manages to always keep us guessing and the eloquent murders are well thought out and never what they seem. I can't wait for next week to see what our nefarious mastermind has created and whether Lindsey will remain my top choice for the host who's pulling the strings, or if Cris will snake into the lead. In addition we will be entertained with yet another complex murder mystery to solve alongside the group and with Team Kam growing thin, the alliances and group dynamics must change on the next Whodunnit?!
After last week, everyone was on edge regarding where Lindsey's loyalty lies and while both teams had members who tried their best to freeze her out, the alliances remained with Kam, Ulysses, Cris and Lindsey on one side and Ronnie, Sasha, Melina, Dana and Geno on the other. Kam decided in an effort to ensure Lindsey didn't leak any information, they were going to keep an eye on her throughout the investigation into Don's death and accompanied her to investigate the crime scene. They separated their alliances so each team would have a man or woman at each clue-gathering place; the morgue, the crime scene and, since they all were with Don in his last known whereabouts, instead of examine the dining room they had the chance to scrutinize the subdued mountain lion. Only Cris and Geno were brave enough to inspect the tranquilized animal. Here they learned that the beast was rented, a minor clue that helped give direction into how the lion arrived on the estate. They also noticed blood on his claws and rather than pieces of Don in his teeth, they found the remnants of uneaten steak from the kitchen. When examining the body in the morgue, Melina, Ulysses, and Sasha found there were few scratches and bite marks, that would be expected with an animal attack, instead they noticed his face and hands to be bright red in appearance, similar to a rash. They also discovered a white powdered substance on his shirt, leading them to question whether the animal played a part in his death at all. When rolling Don over to inspect his back, they found prints along his spine and the obvious conclusion was that the animal had pounced or at least stood on his back, meaning Don must have already been face-down on the ground when the lion mounted him. Kam, Dana, Lindsey and Ronnie took apart the crime scene, upon inspection clues were everywhere and like the other participants found, there was little to suggest a mountain lion attack. There was minimal blood spatter, like the animal simply played with Don rather than devouring him, there were also prints on the stove and a missing steak. When they stood on the mat in front of the cooktop, they noticed it activated the trap door where the animal was unleashed. Ronnie inspected the grill and noticed some rewiring underneath, but distracted the other contestants from it by replaying the mountain lion's course of action - well played!
They returned to their allied groups, which seem to be led by Kam and Ronnie, to pull together their findings and hypothesize what happened. Lindsey and Cris bordered on cheating by listening in to the other group's discussion and heard their theories regarding poisoning. But at this point, no one was really sure and awaited the next round of clues to help them piece together the puzzle. As they ran around the estate trying to uncover the cryptic message regarding "where the cool are laid back" and "out of their element", for the first time we saw Lindsey figuring out some clues leading Ulysses and Cris to the morgue and where they found the periodic table containing the next clue. I think Lindsey finally stepped up in an attempt to prove her usefulness because she knew that if she was to remain clueless and not help either team, as the mysterious mastermind behind the game, it would be suspicious if she was spared. However it was Geno who ultimately solved the riddle and decided to use an interesting tactic. He shared the information with not only his team but also chose to leak a few tidbits to Cris and Kam in an attempt to ensure Ulysses and Lindsey would be marked for death. Kam disregarded Geno's information as he believed it was a set up and shared what he learned with both Ulysses and Lindsey. I must give a kudos to Dana whose background gave her a leg up and even without Geno's clue was able to deduce that cyanide played a part in this nefarious killing.
Here is the plot our unknown mastermind ultimately created for Don: When at breakfast, Don's steak was underdone and he decided to go into the kitchen to cook it further. The killer rewired the stove so that upon turning it on, instead of heat emanating from the cooktop, deadly cyanide gas hissed out. Simultaneously, the mat in which Don stood on was also rigged with a device that opened a trap door in the wall where the killer had rented a dangerous mountain lion and caged it inside. The lion jumped onto the kitchen's island clawing at Don who was already feeling the deadly effects of the gas. Don passed out and the animal pounced on him clawing slightly at his limbs but ultimately using Don's dead body as a stepping stool in order to retrieve his raw steak from the cooktop. Relishing in his find he returned to the island to devour his catch when Giles anesthetized him, with the half-eaten steak still in his mouth.
Dana obviously impressed the insidious killer as well, as she was the winner this week, while Kam and Ulysses were both given scared cards and the impending feeling of doom. The contestants were advised to meet at the stables in the morning and received an interesting call from the killer containing a mix-up of voice recordings from each of the remaining guests each claiming to be their illustrious host and I must say Lindsey's was by far the most convincing. When the guests all arrived on horseback the following morning they continued to follow Giles, dressed for the part, down the path when a flock of birds were spooked by something and we saw Ulysses bent over on his horse before both he and his mare took a tumble, undoubtedly to his demise. My thoughts are, that because the entire cast was in sight the killer was not able to shoot Ulysses so there must have been an elaborate trap set up. There was no gun shot, so something different must have pierced Ulysses and the ignition of the contraption caused a scare for the birds and the horses.
Whodunnit? manages to always keep us guessing and the eloquent murders are well thought out and never what they seem. I can't wait for next week to see what our nefarious mastermind has created and whether Lindsey will remain my top choice for the host who's pulling the strings, or if Cris will snake into the lead. In addition we will be entertained with yet another complex murder mystery to solve alongside the group and with Team Kam growing thin, the alliances and group dynamics must change on the next Whodunnit?!
Monday, July 15, 2013
Whodunnit? Update!
Whodunnit? fans have no fear! Update on last nights episode will be out today! Check back and browse through my posts capturing all the action from the first three episodes while you wait!
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Kaboom! Whodunnit?'s Game Changing Episode!
This week on Whodunnit? we saw the game change as last week's alliance between Kam, Ulysses, Cris and Lindsey ostracized the remaining players and parted the sea's for two opposing teams. It was also an important episode because most of the group believed Adrianna was the elusive mastermind behind the crimes and her death had everyone scrambling for a new theory. For me, I have believed Lindsey was woman in charge from the start, but how this episode played out had me too thinking twice about my hypothesis. So let's dive right into the events in the newest episode of Whodunnit?: Kaboom!
The guests awoke to a loud bang outside the manor and rushed to see the cause. While in the immediate aftermath of the explosion, Giles ushered them back inside to form teams and decide who would visit the crime scene, the last known whereabouts and, because Adrianna's body was too mangled to bring her to the morgue, examine her body in the tree. Team Kam separated themselves from the group immediately deciding how to spread their group thin, raising the tension in the manor even more. The remaining six formed their own alliance and secretly Lindsay, Ronnie and Melina formed a mini-pact. Geno came up with the idea for Melina to act as buddy-buddy as she could with Lindsey in an attempt to break up the other group, and it worked but put Lindsey in an awkward position. Throughout the entire episode emotions were high as each group worked hard to keep their knowledge safe and neither knew whether or not Lindsey would betray them. To make matters worse, Lindsey ended up being the winner this round making everyone wonder if she played them all. Strangely in this episode as well as the rest, she hasn't really solved any clues nor did she leak information to either team.
So here is how Adrianna met her doom: While watching television and eating cereal the killer tapped into the feed revealing security footage of her with a message telling her to flee the estate if she wants to live. She dropped her bowl and attempted to flee trying to open the various doors to the room which had all been secured with zip-ties leaving only one exit for her to escape. She ran out to the courtyard and down the steps where a golf cart with a remote control was conveniently placed. Earlier the sinister host had split the seat and removed a portion where they place a bomb directly under the driver's seat. As Adrianna sped off in the golf cart she reached an impasse, a tree branch had been placed blocking off the driveway causing her to swerve to a stop on the grounds within yards from the entrance to the manor. She pressed the button to open the massive gates and the killer watched on the CCTV surveillance camera where they then detonated the bomb from a remote viewing station located in the attic. What was not clear to me was the reason for the gate opener as it did not detonate the bomb, but I assume it was to throw the group off thinking that she pressed the button causing her own demise. The other question that arose was the need to block off the driveway with the branch as the killer could have blown the cart up regardless of whether see continued on the driveway or not. My guess is that the branch caused her to position herself in perfect view of the camera so the mysterious mastermind would have the perfect view of the culmination of their work.
While the information sharing and alliance groups helped everyone, as they all had reasonably close hypotheses of how the murder was committed, this cannot last long. If any one person wants to win, they will need to keep certain bits to themselves. While Ronnie attempted to do this as he was the only member to see the attack and the video footage, he shared the key information regarding the fact that the killer detonated the bomb, not Adrianna with the remote, with only Lindsey and Melina. However he seemed irked by the fact that Lindsey won instead of him, even though it doesn't really matter as the winner is not afforded any prize or immunity, and thoughts are already forming regarding the likelihood that Lindsey played him. I can only imagine the drama these factions are causing that we will see played out next week and how the learning curve will once again spike as contestants will need to be more selective with what they share and whom they trust.
This brings me to my thoughts on Lindsey as the head of Rue Manor. While her win will undoubtedly cause her trouble in the next episode, I found the killer's comments about how they should kill her just for her annoying laugh strange. I can imagine that if she is not the killer, he or she is unhappy with her playing both sides which is the reason behind the comment. However, how genius would it be if Lindsey is in fact responsible thus confident of her safety and as the mischievous host gives herself the win just to stir up the group's trust and throw suspicion away from herself, putting them all on edge for round 4. I'm still sticking to my original theory as she has yet to discover any clues herself nor help out either group by sharing information though she always ends up on her feet. That being said, I do have my eye out and am keeping a close watch for other members that might be the responsible party and Cris is at the top of that list.
Finally, we ended the episode with the presumed death of Don. As the group sat down for a formal breakfast of steak and eggs, relieved to see everyone arrive safely Don found his dish to be undercooked and proceeded to the kitchen. While he began to cook his steak, a mountain lion emerged from a hidden passageway inside the wall. While we didn't see the attack, the smell of the raw blood in Don's hand likely caused the lion to charge. The cast heard the animal's growl and Giles arrived with a rifle ready to anesthetize the beast. I am quite excited to see next week's episode where they will get to investigate the animal, possibly because there is not enough left of Don to examine, and delve into how it appeared in the kitchen. Nothing says Clue more than hidden passageways! Tune in and check back here for all the info on ABC's fun new twist on reality television, Whodunnit?!
Below is a list of the contestants, who has been murdered, and who remains:
Sheri - Ex-NFL Cheerleader
Dontae - Insurance Investigator
Adrianna - TV Crime Reporter
Don - retired LAPD
Cris - Ex-Beauty Queen
Dana - Nurse
Geno - Bar Trivia Host
Kam - Homeland Security Attorney
Lindsey - Engineer
Melina - Flight Attendant
Ronnie - Bounty Hunter
Sasha - Journalist
Ulysses - Attorney
The guests awoke to a loud bang outside the manor and rushed to see the cause. While in the immediate aftermath of the explosion, Giles ushered them back inside to form teams and decide who would visit the crime scene, the last known whereabouts and, because Adrianna's body was too mangled to bring her to the morgue, examine her body in the tree. Team Kam separated themselves from the group immediately deciding how to spread their group thin, raising the tension in the manor even more. The remaining six formed their own alliance and secretly Lindsay, Ronnie and Melina formed a mini-pact. Geno came up with the idea for Melina to act as buddy-buddy as she could with Lindsey in an attempt to break up the other group, and it worked but put Lindsey in an awkward position. Throughout the entire episode emotions were high as each group worked hard to keep their knowledge safe and neither knew whether or not Lindsey would betray them. To make matters worse, Lindsey ended up being the winner this round making everyone wonder if she played them all. Strangely in this episode as well as the rest, she hasn't really solved any clues nor did she leak information to either team.
So here is how Adrianna met her doom: While watching television and eating cereal the killer tapped into the feed revealing security footage of her with a message telling her to flee the estate if she wants to live. She dropped her bowl and attempted to flee trying to open the various doors to the room which had all been secured with zip-ties leaving only one exit for her to escape. She ran out to the courtyard and down the steps where a golf cart with a remote control was conveniently placed. Earlier the sinister host had split the seat and removed a portion where they place a bomb directly under the driver's seat. As Adrianna sped off in the golf cart she reached an impasse, a tree branch had been placed blocking off the driveway causing her to swerve to a stop on the grounds within yards from the entrance to the manor. She pressed the button to open the massive gates and the killer watched on the CCTV surveillance camera where they then detonated the bomb from a remote viewing station located in the attic. What was not clear to me was the reason for the gate opener as it did not detonate the bomb, but I assume it was to throw the group off thinking that she pressed the button causing her own demise. The other question that arose was the need to block off the driveway with the branch as the killer could have blown the cart up regardless of whether see continued on the driveway or not. My guess is that the branch caused her to position herself in perfect view of the camera so the mysterious mastermind would have the perfect view of the culmination of their work.
While the information sharing and alliance groups helped everyone, as they all had reasonably close hypotheses of how the murder was committed, this cannot last long. If any one person wants to win, they will need to keep certain bits to themselves. While Ronnie attempted to do this as he was the only member to see the attack and the video footage, he shared the key information regarding the fact that the killer detonated the bomb, not Adrianna with the remote, with only Lindsey and Melina. However he seemed irked by the fact that Lindsey won instead of him, even though it doesn't really matter as the winner is not afforded any prize or immunity, and thoughts are already forming regarding the likelihood that Lindsey played him. I can only imagine the drama these factions are causing that we will see played out next week and how the learning curve will once again spike as contestants will need to be more selective with what they share and whom they trust.
This brings me to my thoughts on Lindsey as the head of Rue Manor. While her win will undoubtedly cause her trouble in the next episode, I found the killer's comments about how they should kill her just for her annoying laugh strange. I can imagine that if she is not the killer, he or she is unhappy with her playing both sides which is the reason behind the comment. However, how genius would it be if Lindsey is in fact responsible thus confident of her safety and as the mischievous host gives herself the win just to stir up the group's trust and throw suspicion away from herself, putting them all on edge for round 4. I'm still sticking to my original theory as she has yet to discover any clues herself nor help out either group by sharing information though she always ends up on her feet. That being said, I do have my eye out and am keeping a close watch for other members that might be the responsible party and Cris is at the top of that list.
Finally, we ended the episode with the presumed death of Don. As the group sat down for a formal breakfast of steak and eggs, relieved to see everyone arrive safely Don found his dish to be undercooked and proceeded to the kitchen. While he began to cook his steak, a mountain lion emerged from a hidden passageway inside the wall. While we didn't see the attack, the smell of the raw blood in Don's hand likely caused the lion to charge. The cast heard the animal's growl and Giles arrived with a rifle ready to anesthetize the beast. I am quite excited to see next week's episode where they will get to investigate the animal, possibly because there is not enough left of Don to examine, and delve into how it appeared in the kitchen. Nothing says Clue more than hidden passageways! Tune in and check back here for all the info on ABC's fun new twist on reality television, Whodunnit?!
Below is a list of the contestants, who has been murdered, and who remains:
Cris - Ex-Beauty Queen
Dana - Nurse
Geno - Bar Trivia Host
Kam - Homeland Security Attorney
Lindsey - Engineer
Melina - Flight Attendant
Ronnie - Bounty Hunter
Sasha - Journalist
Ulysses - Attorney
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Fire Starter: Another Complex Murder on Whodunnit?
Whodunnit?, ABC's new take on reality competitions, gave us another great episode to exercise our inner sleuths; "Fire Starter" an investigation into Dontae's death. While the premise of the show is for the contestants to figure out how a murder was committed, with their limited knowledge it is almost impossible without networking and forming alliances. That doesn't stop the viewer though, as I was able to solve the crime, with pretty good accuracy, but then again I had all the clues. This week the group's learning curve spiked as secrets were held closely and enemies were made. The idea for the cast to have only partial information was a good one. Just like the game of Clue you have your cards and you have to choose which to reveal to other players and which to keep to yourself. The same holds true on Whodunnit?, which means cast mates must trust others for vital clues, which brings out the fun idea of friend or foe that we love so much about these shows!
This week the mystery was to how Dontae's murder was committed, a literal twist on "Dontae's Inferno". As we saw in the end of the premiere episode, Dontae went out in a ball of flames. The group followed the clues and learned that it was a special pair of pajamas laced with Benzene (an accelerant), a different rug and pair of socks that created static electricity, and a door wired with a spark of current that set him aflame. We also learned in this episode that Giles, the faithful servant of the mischievous mastermind, is not there by choice but is part of the host's twisted game and outfitted with an ankle tracking device.
While the obvious design of the show is for contestants to use their smarts to solve the crimes, the game is not based on wits alone. During the first portion of the show the crew has time to inspect their area of choice (the morgue, the crime scene, or the last known whereabouts), in the second portion they must decipher a cryptic clue from the unknown host among them and it becomes a rat race. We saw this in both episodes so far as "groupies" follow others when they see they're onto something and often the one with the most smarts doesn't get the information they deserve. For instance, in this episode it was Melina who thought the "cycle" clue referenced the washer and dryer, but after they found part two of the clue (the Benzene to spray on their flags and the note about "dragging your feet"), Kam and Cris ran off to discover the shock from the door and Ulysses followed behind. While Kam would never have found the critical door clue without Melina, he still info-blocked her and rudely wouldn't let anyone even come up to their table. This exclusive table alliance included Kam, Ulysses, Cris and Lindsey. Dana made the mistake of believing that the team she built with Ulysses would help her, when in fact he betrayed her and won this round. While she was safe this week, I am sure that we will see her acting with much more caution in the coming episodes. Melina ended up in tears, worried about her fate and Kam caused a lot of friction with his inclusion strategy. When both Dana, Sasha and Adrianna approached Kam's group to talk with other members at the table, he told them off and made them leave drastically increasing the tension in the house. I think we will see a big shift at Rue Manor, as Kam's strategy may have helped him in this round he upset a large part of the group who won't be eager to share with him in the mysteries that lay ahead. Comradery against a common foe had once bonded them, but now the desire to stay alive and win the $250,000 prize has spawned a cut throat game to the death.
Members also tried to throw off the others by changing the name of the saint in the note found in the bedroom from St. Agnus to St. Augustine. This just fired back at them as the crime scene group found the medal that accompanied the note and knew the group was lying. In addition to that, the medal and the note really had nothing to do with the murder, so it just escalated the already existing feelings of distrust.
While most of the group thought that Adrianna is the killer, she was the one to die in the conclusion of this episode. The scene portrayed a thrilling chase from an unknown cause as she frantically ran and fled on a golf cart that ended up exploding at the mansion gate, throwing her body into a nearby tree. The reenactments were again well produced, however Adrianna's death was not nearly as exciting or believable as the previous two.
We also got a fun farewell from Dontae at the end of the show, still in his morgue make-up, flammable pajamas and all. I still believe that Lindsey is their insidious host, as she seems to be the least determined to find clues, share information and contribute. It appears like she is just sitting back and watching her work unfold. Throughout the series, I will keep you updated on the latest cases, winners, deaths and thoughts about Whodunnit?. Watch, participate and enjoy at your own risk!
This week the mystery was to how Dontae's murder was committed, a literal twist on "Dontae's Inferno". As we saw in the end of the premiere episode, Dontae went out in a ball of flames. The group followed the clues and learned that it was a special pair of pajamas laced with Benzene (an accelerant), a different rug and pair of socks that created static electricity, and a door wired with a spark of current that set him aflame. We also learned in this episode that Giles, the faithful servant of the mischievous mastermind, is not there by choice but is part of the host's twisted game and outfitted with an ankle tracking device.
While the obvious design of the show is for contestants to use their smarts to solve the crimes, the game is not based on wits alone. During the first portion of the show the crew has time to inspect their area of choice (the morgue, the crime scene, or the last known whereabouts), in the second portion they must decipher a cryptic clue from the unknown host among them and it becomes a rat race. We saw this in both episodes so far as "groupies" follow others when they see they're onto something and often the one with the most smarts doesn't get the information they deserve. For instance, in this episode it was Melina who thought the "cycle" clue referenced the washer and dryer, but after they found part two of the clue (the Benzene to spray on their flags and the note about "dragging your feet"), Kam and Cris ran off to discover the shock from the door and Ulysses followed behind. While Kam would never have found the critical door clue without Melina, he still info-blocked her and rudely wouldn't let anyone even come up to their table. This exclusive table alliance included Kam, Ulysses, Cris and Lindsey. Dana made the mistake of believing that the team she built with Ulysses would help her, when in fact he betrayed her and won this round. While she was safe this week, I am sure that we will see her acting with much more caution in the coming episodes. Melina ended up in tears, worried about her fate and Kam caused a lot of friction with his inclusion strategy. When both Dana, Sasha and Adrianna approached Kam's group to talk with other members at the table, he told them off and made them leave drastically increasing the tension in the house. I think we will see a big shift at Rue Manor, as Kam's strategy may have helped him in this round he upset a large part of the group who won't be eager to share with him in the mysteries that lay ahead. Comradery against a common foe had once bonded them, but now the desire to stay alive and win the $250,000 prize has spawned a cut throat game to the death.
Members also tried to throw off the others by changing the name of the saint in the note found in the bedroom from St. Agnus to St. Augustine. This just fired back at them as the crime scene group found the medal that accompanied the note and knew the group was lying. In addition to that, the medal and the note really had nothing to do with the murder, so it just escalated the already existing feelings of distrust.
While most of the group thought that Adrianna is the killer, she was the one to die in the conclusion of this episode. The scene portrayed a thrilling chase from an unknown cause as she frantically ran and fled on a golf cart that ended up exploding at the mansion gate, throwing her body into a nearby tree. The reenactments were again well produced, however Adrianna's death was not nearly as exciting or believable as the previous two.
We also got a fun farewell from Dontae at the end of the show, still in his morgue make-up, flammable pajamas and all. I still believe that Lindsey is their insidious host, as she seems to be the least determined to find clues, share information and contribute. It appears like she is just sitting back and watching her work unfold. Throughout the series, I will keep you updated on the latest cases, winners, deaths and thoughts about Whodunnit?. Watch, participate and enjoy at your own risk!
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