Recap Scene: Watch The BLOCK with Rosemary Walton – Episode 9

You Say Guest I Say Spare

Confused and tetchy is how Scotty described some of the contestants in the second week, and points towards tonight’s room reveal being a test about who’s been listening. No points for guessing who that mightn’t be… but that’s 24 hours away so no doubt we’ll be treated to some special meltdowns in the meantime.

Cool cucumbers B & C express slight concern that they won’t be able to paint until later in the episode – what could possibly go wrong! Jess goes the blub early, she and Norm are belting through their work to get some precious time with their kids.

But before that, she’s off hugging strangers again (have you noticed how hug happy she is!?)

Not often would you be hugging a dude with a duffle bag in the back streets of St Kilda unless you know them, luckily it’s ex contestant Ronnie (so can only assume he’s AOK). And he’s got something shiny in his bag – oh it’s Gnomey! And I figured something suss was going on even before The Block gave it the black and white treatment

Reminder: the +1 point Gnome for this season was gifted to Kerrie and Spence in their safe of goodies, Bianca removed it from said safe and put it in Jess and Norm’s fridge, Jess got her Perth BFF to take it back with her as a bit of fun for bringing over a mirror for their main bathroom. High shenanigans. And photos were sent back of it on holidays

Jess’ conscience gets the better of her, and got the gnome back via Ronnie who comes over for a day’s work. Or something. I’m not really following how they justify getting him involved. But good on you, good eggs all round.

The couple that mispronounces Grandeur , stays together:

They must have been watching social media or reading this blog for everyone’s contempt on their attempt at grandeur. No, it was recorded in February.

Yikes, frivolity over I forgot about the dodgy ceiling issues with Courtney and Hans, they’d done what they could to rectify the issue Scotty noticed, but this doesn’t fill me with confidence:

And those immortal, spine-chilling words from Dan “That doesn’t meet code”. Hans is hauled out of bed and faces two cameras and two Foremen. With no sugar coating he’s whacked over the head straight away “That ceiling has got to come down”. Keith does a lot of pffting and hand waving, and there’s more questions than answers – Who’s going to do it, will it get finished before reveal? All the while Courtney is probably chatting away in her car, blissfully unaware. What do these guys have to do to get a break!?

Aw Forebears Dan and Keith have offered to do the grunt work, they trot off and attempt to pep Hans up by saying “Don’t give up”. Hans plugs something in, to look like he’s not giving up.

But in his piece to camera, Hans is clearly giving up inside, while keeping it moderately together, he’s already focusing on the judges coming in and being overly harsh if they have to slap it all together in eff all time and not understand how difficult it’s actually been for them.

BUT DOES COURTNEY KNOW YET? Regardless, Dan and Keith make light work of tearing down the plaster ceiling. Oh Hans is beside himself. Hugs for Hans everyone!

No plasterer and no plaster, meh small detail. It’s The Block! Where dreams and miracles happen! B & C are having “one of those days” too, not able to spray paint their room so have to roll it on.

Hans has to beg for help oh and low and behold Ronnie is on deck remember and remember – he’s a plastererer. Unreal!

OH but not to be outdone, Jess and Norm are having “one of those days” squared and may not get to see their kidlets. Boo.

And St Kilda’s Paul Kelly sings everyone back together *pass the tissues*

Scotty brings the ‘Many Hans make light work’ and we see that Norm and Ronnie’s help has turned his spirits around and everyone take note of this point in time that they’re saying the camaraderie is excellent in this year’s Block. Anyone want to take bets on whether this lasts? They do seem pretty tight!

Oh wow, something else to note down in my little black book. Sara enters her Guesty room to see that some hard core sponging or whatever the technical term this decade is for the paint job to create a rendered feature wall “It looks a hundred million bucks” she gushes. Adding “And if Shaynna doesn’t love it, then I’m quitting”. WRITE THAT DOWN.

Jess has been shopping, and uttered the words Bromley. The popular rockstar artist with a massive shop in Chapel Street, Prahran, is a favourite of AFL footballers apparently. I also heard once that you can get knock off Bromley’s in Bali. He’s not really on my radar, to be honest, but Jess is happy so I am happy. It appears he’s not on Norm’s either:

But not to be outdone, Norm blows Jess’ mind having installed an Alexa in her absence and hooked her up to control the lights. Then they joke about Alexa being a better wife because she’s compliant yadda yadda. Jess whips out her Bromley. And so does Norm, it seems:

I actually LOL’d.

Also – a hundred points to Norm for muttering “Miss Jane” when Jess said he had the painting upside down. GREAT Mr Squiggle reference for you younguns. Aw pretty flutterbyes on the painting.

A shade after 5 in the afternoon, Courtney arrives back at The Gatwick, an excellently timed absence from the building and all its woes. 16 hours til room reveal. And a lot of waiting time for plaster to dry. Must be pretty annoying knowing that everyone else is so much further ahead. Meh 2am on no sleep, perfect time to be doing painting…

Spence had 7 hours sleep…srlsy? But Courtney and Hans look like they’ve done a special super human effort in that time getting their painting done. Three hours to style. B & C look like they’re in a worse position how did that happen?

In this week’s episode of who’s lost their keys, it’s Courtney’s go and there’s only ten minutes to go until Scotty comes in checking his watch looking fresh as a daisy. Ooh he whistles from Loch Street today to mix it up.

A quick scan of the rooms most of the artworks are featuring dark blues, except The Bromley, but looks like it goes well with their bed head. Oh noes, Courtney’s keys weren’t found in time and they’ve got the most empty side table ever seen. Which judge will get all judgy about that?

Palais! *drink* Is it just this season and the casual nature of the contestants, but I thought it ended up being a bit dressier than this lot. To be honest, I’d be lucky to have wiped the plaster from my forehead let alone chuck on my tv flannie.

Gnome confession time first though. He’s back on his little podium and all is well, no repercussions for Jess.

Running through the judges again for people just tuning in: Ever Dapper Neale Whitaker; Interior Designer Extraordinaire Darren Palmer; and Interior Designer from Selling Houses Australia Shaynna Blaze.

Kerrie and Spence recap – oh that’s right Spence got some help, finally. That explains how he got a 7 hour sleep the night before.

WHY ARE YOUR BOOKS PAGES OUT KERRIE what sort of library is that? AAARRRRGH

But now to the judges… Darren loves the cabinet for the library. ShaynnaBlaze and Neale concur. But is the rest of the room too claustrophobic? Looks like it to me! WOAH that’s the tiniest space ever at the end of the bed. Why didn’t you get a QB? It’s a guest room. Eejits. Neale isn’t wowed overall though. How is the walk in robe!? Much bigger than the bedroom itself. Your guests will never leave. ShaynnaBlaze does a Tay Tay Shake it Off to warn all contestants to be a bit more relaxed and remember that you’re in St Kilda (we don’t do boring).

Courtney and Hans – oof this should be interesting, they were worried about well everything and stuffed for time.

I can’t stop looking at that sad empty table.

Is that a brain in a jar? (I hope so)

Carpet, tick. Colours, tick. It’s nuuuude not pink. That is a pretty great chair. Neale! They were intending to put books on there :( Was that the wardrobe that Courtney wanted to change back to white? Lucky! I do like those pendants, however, year maybe a bit hard to deal with for reading in bed. “The ceiling is woeful” if only you had seen it yesterday ShaynnaBlaze. Sheer drapery over shutters sounds horrendous on paper but I’ll take their word for it to up the luxe.

Hayden and Sara – it’s only up from here after last week’s judging slap down. But will ShaynnaBlaze like her special wall or will Sara be leaving?

Hero ceiling and nice handles, is a good start. “Their execution is incredible” notes ShaynnaBlaze. Darren points out how the layout is the same as Kerrie and Spence’s eveyone’s wowed by the sense of space without the wall being brought forward. BUT, Scotty loves his buts and says the styling is not so good. Neale kicks things off “this is flat. It feels like a room in a boutique hotel ready to be renovated” OUCH. We miss out on him saying dull. He also says that they’ve thrown the baby out with the bathwater. Sara is taking well

EIGHTIES RAG-ROLLING thanks Neale, and here was me being kind earlier calling it sponging from the 90s. *snicker*. ShaynnaBlaze winds up, pointing out that the sheen of the bed head fights against Sara’s special feature wall. More head shaking and eye rolling ensues. From Sara, not ShaynnaBlaze.

The hits just keep on coming with the epitaph “It looks like a basic display home”. Is my vodka kicking in or is this funnier than usual? Ooh that was Shaynna’s quote. Get ready for that proposed walk-out! Then ShaynnaBlaze hangs it on her use of particular pendant lights over tables that are too small by comparison. In the post judging interview, hand on hip, Sara whines but “SHE’s GOT THEM IN HER BATHROOM” of said pendants. As if that means that merely stealing ideas off ShaynnaBlazePinterest.Net is a guaranteed 10 points. It would be like me playing Jumping Jack Flash on guitar and saying I’m Keef Richards, without actually knowing how to play.

Oh sorry, she liked them on Instagram, my mistake for assuming Pinterest. Hayde laughs nervously.

Oh dear and the smack-down continues – no feet on the bed. “It is so boring, they’ve sucked all the life out of what I saw in the challenge the other day”, Neale cries. HA and they haven’t even got to the weird recess, or nook, with the teeny artwork. Sara may actually combust on the floor of the Palais. Ooh a double beep from potty mouth Sara on the assessment from Darren that it makes no impact. Quick make it stop, let’s look at the WIR. It’s fine but they’re not telling a story, ShaynnaBlaze might like to see a suit jacket, pants and some expensive shoes. I’m guessing Sara might tell her story walkin’…

Norm and Jess –  we hear again about Jess’ sophisticated gut. They’re happy with their room.

The two guy judges are frothing, ShaynnaBlaze can only MmmmHmmm at first. Darren is particularly excited. YES to blue and green, I do it all the time! They’re losing points for their lights and annoying power point placement. They should see my joint, I don’t even have a power point in my bathroom, but first world problems. I’ve personally become tired of built in robes, but theirs does look great and the judges concur. And now I can see the sheer drapes thingy they were talking about earlier with Courtney and Hans, it does provide shimmery greatness. I reckon that study nook should be changed for a dressing table. I had one built into my wardrobe in a place I lived at years ago and to have that (albeit small) mirror there was really handy. A note on functionality Jess and Norm shouldn’t be too worried about the numbers later.

Quiet achievers B & C looked like they were racing against time in the end. But the sweep of the room, looks great on the surface. I like how they’ve kept that ceiling through from the bathroom.

OH that’s right the HALLELUJIAH room, forgot about that from the promos! Well done! Get excited ladies! Or are you waiting for The But…

Oh no, it’s ok a mini celebratory smile – ShaynnaBlaze says the bedside tables are her new favourite ever. They all note excellent power pointage. Surely the $10k is in the bag for B&C!?

Black drapes! I love that they love black! I really want to move in. The judges love their story which is great. because now we know that’s so important.

A few finishing issues are pointed out… but the judges seem to cut them a bit of slack because they’re distracted by the shiny dressing room they can spy ‘over there’. Much effusiveness from the judges “Next level design”. Naww. Bianca laughs with Carla like “how the hell did we get away with that!?”

JUDGEMENT TIME

First 9 of the series goes to B & C from Darren. Hayden and Sara get a 7.5. Courtney and Hans get a 9 as well, they look surprised.

ShaynnaBlaze votes are harsh by comparison – B & C get an 8.5. They are clearly winning. Kerrie and Spence and Sara and Hayden are about similar at the other end.

Scotty turns his little Gatwick chalkboard around for the final marks from Neale. Sara remains undeterred with her comments, that they will still have the best apartment in the block.

Moment of truth time: BIANCA AND CARLA by half a point. Oof.

Cellar dwellers twice in a row, Sara goes the triple beeped expletive now pleading ‘Why do I have to be ridiculed on national tele when I could be spending time with my family’.

A little entree into next week’s show promises more drama and more tears from Sara and another threat to leave… I just cannot deal with all that right now. Well done B&C, Courtney and Hans. Keep going everyone else, what a hoot. See you tomorrow night.