Tough Enough 2015 Episode 4 Recap & Reactions: Nobody Doesn't Like Sara Lee

Tough Enough returned tonight on USA with more drama, some wrestling (sorta/kinda), and a visit from Bad New Barrett.  Let's get right to the reactions.

Well, it's more of the same as the last few weeks.  Instead of listing the same issues about Tough Enough being a reality show focused on MTV style fights instead of in ring competition (though we did a little better this week), I'm going to just list these two tweets from Mick Foley, which sum up issues nicely, and move on.

Could we PLEASE see some WRESTLING on the WRESTLING reality show? #ToughEnough

— Mick Foley (@RealMickFoley) July 15, 2015

Seriously, @ToughDaria, with a WORLD of potential got voted off last week for not having a perfect ENTRANCE. #ToughEnough is not #GoodEnough

— Mick Foley (@RealMickFoley) July 15, 2015

Thanks, Mick!  You're a scholar amongst men.  Follow him on Twitter if you're not already.

There's been plenty of talk about the flawed elimination system in Tough Enough.  This is a system that is allowing people who should have gone home weeks ago stick around and people who should still be around get sent home.  Since Mick Foley already tweeted the grievances I usually cover, instead I'm going to propose my own system that I mentioned in the comments in that linked article.

The judges choose the Bottom 3 as they did before

Then all judges cast a vote for who should go home

The fans case a vote for who should go home

Chris Jericho decides any 2-2 ties.

Person with most votes goes home.

That would limited how protected the fan favorites are.  The best you could do if you really loved someone is not vote for them as one that should go home.  So if last week Hogan, Paige, and Bryan all thought "Yeah, Sara Lee has to go," the love for her would not have protected her.  And last week, that very well may have been the case.

The big argument against my proposed system is that the judges will always vote for the person they put in the Bottom Three.  But that's not always going to be the case . Sometimes, they'll choose someone to be Bottom Three because the person that they think should go has already been chosen by another judge.  Sometimes a judge will change their mind because of a last chance promo or challenge retry.  (I don't think Bryan would have voted off Daria last week and I'm not sure if Paige would have voted off Sara this week after she stepped up her promo game on her.)   Worse comes to worse, the fans have the voice, but this time they'd actually have to think a bit more about merit.

There's my proposal.  Debate it in the comments.

As for this week's show, it was all about Sara Lee.  Week after week, she finds herself in the bottom three, and the flawed voting system keeps her around because she is a fan favorite.  But it's getting clear that the judges and Jericho and the coaches are getting tired of that.  This episode was all about them trying to either bring it out of her or get her out of there.

Wade Barrett stopped by and taught the crew of the show how to job to R-Truth cut a promo.  Barrett has always been a good promo, even winning the promo challenge in the first season of NXT with his Winds of Change promo.  But giving his meandering booking in the WWE, he doesn't seem like the guy that will get these Tough Enough contestants pumped up to be the top dog like Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins could.  This was another quick appearance and I think Rollins' last week was on TV for longer, but at least we got to see him drop his "I'm afraid I've got some bad news" line.

The first challenge was a one on one promo challenge at an improv comedy club.  The contestants cut a promo on each other and the winner of the one on one was voted on by an audience.  (I do hope the audience knew what they were getting into and not looking to see some stand up comedy.)  Chris Jericho took this opportunity to get in Sara Lee's face and tell her how disappointed he was to try to draw out a promo but she wasn't getting it and didn't step up.  It was a bit awkward.

The second challenge was an in ring challenge where the contestants would shoulder bump someone and then scoop slam them.  Once again, Sara Lee was having troubles taking the scoop slam and this time it was Billy to get in her face.  She eventually got it but was admittedly in her own head and as Billy Gunn said, there's no excuse to work dangerous.

The final three were Sara Lee (again), Gabi, and Tanner.  To no surprise, 63% of the fans voted for Sara and Gabi went home.  With this broken system, it's pretty clear that Sara is going to win it for the girls or will at least be one of the last two.  Maybe should should have stuck around over Gabi because Gabi has always been about the drama.  But she should have squeaked by and Tanner shouldn't have been that closer to going home.

To the shows credit as a drama TV show and nothing wrestling related, the story of "Will Sara Lee finally get angry and step up?" is a compelling one.  But on a show trying to pick the best wrestler, it's failing miserably.

Now some quick hits on the rest of that show:

• Patrick and Giorgia won the promo contest.  Josh and Chelsea won the in ring work contest.
• Really enjoying Hogan as judge.  I scoffed when they picked him but I agree with so much that he says.  He's still has an for talent even if we don't want him booking a show.
• Hogan said in the beginning "Someone should be going home" but we never confirmed if he was talking about Tanner or not.
• I agree with Hogan when he said that Patrick wasn't the best promo.  Patrick was basically himself, which is some odd combination of whiney and arrogant.  The more I watch, the more Patrick's personality grates on me.
• Patrick, you probably shouldn't be shooting down Hogan when you're trashing talking someone.
• I'm a Mada fan.  That guy has some fire and a good look.  If he doesn't win, I still expect to see him in a ring somewhere some time.
• Tanner planted an awkward kiss on Chelsea.  We're likely not too far out from a reappearance of the hot tub.
• Did anyone else noticed when Tanner said Sara Lee rejected him before he made the move on Chelsea?  Kind of wish we could have seen her shoot him down.

Coach Chew Out of the Week: I thought it was going to go to Jericho and Sara Lee but Billy Gunn lit her up.  And rightfully so, but it was one of those things that I felt uncomfortable watching.  Even Booker had to calm him down.

Favorite Moment of the Week: When Gabi and Amanda were once against arguing about their breasts, ZZ sat back and just rolled his eyes for the best "Not this crap again" look.