american inventor

(S01E11) I know there are a lot of sensitive readers out there who'll get upset if I reveal the winner of this show right here, above the fold, so I'll have you click on to read the quick summary. Why only a quick summary? Because haven't the creators of this show put you through enough hours of recapping this show already?

(S01E10) For some reason, I thought tonight was going to be the finale, but it turns out we had yet another two hours to take up our time before finding out who the winner is. So why the heck is my TiVo calling this "The Finale?" Oh, I see now -- next week is "The Finale Results Show." At least this time I found the entire second hour entertaining.

This time the four finalists had to create a professional-grade commercial for their product.

(S01E08/S01E09) Well, finally we'll be onto the final four next week. It's been a long road to get here, and I don't mean the for the inventors; I'm talking about the viewers! So, as to not suck you into any more time on this before the finale (it is just a finale left, right?), here's the quick breakdown from tonight:

Hour one: The Toner Belt and HeadlineIt don't make it, and the Word Ace moves on. The judge really surprised me this time. I was so sure the HeadlineIt would make it.

Hour two: PureFlush, Restroom Survival Kit don't make it. The Anescia Survival Capsule does. I wish the clip wasn't against the capsule, but the capsule is the real invention here that needs to be in the final four.

Any gueses yet which one will win the whole thing? I'd really like to see the Anescia go into more active development, even if it does need a lot of work.

(S01E07) I've got to be honest with you here -- I'm growing tired of this show. Not only does the episode run way too long, but now they're tacking on a full hour of other pre-show junk that, I have to say, I didn't even bother watching. This is the kind of show I want to see them get down to business, show us what work was done and then smack us with the decision.

One thing I thought was a tad unfair in this round was how all four judges sat in front of each inventor instead of just Mary-Lou. Could she just not handle it on her own or what?

So, Her Comes Niya and EZ-X are out, but the DTract Bike makes it. At first I wouldn't have picked the bike to make it, but the vast improvements, including a detachable front, totally changed my mind. I'm glad to see it move on to the final round, because it really had that "wow" factor of being something that strikes you when you see it, a truly innovative idea.

Nya was a nicely put together package, but it just didn't have enough innovation to move it along. The EZ-X gym failed mostly because the inventor wasn't prepared enough to bring it to the next level.

American Inventor judge Doug Hall (he's the one in the ugly shirts who has done everything but walk on the moon - or wait, did he do that too?) will be doing a live chat at AmericanInventorSpot.com Sunday night at 9:30pm Eastern.

If you participate in the chat, ask him how in the world that guy with the word game made it to the finals, OK?

In the past several days, I've given up on two new TV shows: American Inventor and The Loop. I gave up on American Inventor because most of the inventions shouldn't even had made it that far, and the whole thing is way too touchy-feely. I gave up on The Loop because, well, it's not funny.

But I find this "giving up on TV shows" to be quite liberating. When you watch television for a living, it's hard to keep track of everything that's on. And when you're head is filled up with too many shows and characters and plots, it's a relief when you finally decide, you know what? I'm not going to watch this show anymore. It frees up space in your head and gives you time to watch something else.

This can be a bad thing too, I guess. I never got into 24 because I was already watching another spy drama, Alias, and I'm probably missing out there. I never watch E-Ring because I'm a fan of The West Wing, and one military/political/D.C. drama is enough for me right now. I never got into The Amazing Race, because I already watch Survivor and American Idol and Airline and Little People, Big World, and one more reality show will drive me made (granted, TAR is more a game show, but you know what I mean).

I wish I could stop watching ER, because the show's been kinda boring lately. But I've put 10 years into it, and I'll be damned if I'm not going to see how it ends.

(S01E05/S01E06) Finally we're getting somewhere. Though at first I thought two hours was way too much to go through these rounds, I actually think it's the previous four episodes that dragged on longer than necessary. It was a little confusing how the inventions were show to us in the previous weeks, as there were some I just don't remember seeing at all, though they moved on. The Mobile Family Plot? Flush Pure? Did they show us these before? Eh, no matter. Here's the list of those inventions they showed, the ones that made the first cut and the ones that make the final twelve.

Let's hope the contestants on American Inventor have read the fine print.

According to this L.A Times article from last month, contestants on the show not only don't get a million dollar "prize" (it's actually an advance against future royalties), but they actually have to give ABC and the producers "exclusive, perpetual, worldwide license." Seems like a foolproof contract for the network and the people behind the show.

Of course, I'm sure the inventors will gladfully sign the contract, as long as they get some money and get to express their DREAMS and their PASSION. (Kidneys not included.)

[via TV Tattle]

Is that what the guy on American Inventor said last night, that he put so much passion and energy into his invention (a portable coffee cup/grinder thing) that he sold his kidney? Or donated his kidney? And that he had to do it because it was "karma?" I'm not quite sure exactly how/why he did it (except that he wanted to be a hero to his son), but I think this is something none of us should do. Don't sell your kidneys for karma.

Also: don't sell your feet for food, don't sell your hands for a house, and don't sell your penis for a Porsche.

(S01E04) Finally, the last open casting-call episode. It's a good thing, because honestly, I'm starting to lose interest. The show had really better pick up the pace and quality of content, or else the next post I'm presenting to you will be the finale.

This week the judges visit Denver and New York again, among other places. The number of accepted inventions seems to have dropped a bit this time, though a few of them that did pass are questionable.