Mad Mad House, Episode 6: The Nichole Show

It’s once again time to enter the Mad Mad House, where we are halfway to finding out which of the guests succeeded in making the necessary spiritual transformation to earn the hundred thousand dollar grand prize. How many times will Fiona remind us that this is much more than a game? Will Eric’s plotting finally get Nichole voted out of the house or will his manipulations be exposed by the Alts? Does Don really suck? What is the promised twist that will change the game forever? Let’s peek through the window and see if we can find some answers.

Our episode begins with the guests returning from Tim’s elimination and attempting to decipher some of the comments the Alts shared during the ceremony. Nichole in particular is confused by Don’s statement that he wanted to eliminate a “psychological catfight” between Nichole and another guest. As she voices her confusion, Loana and the others see the opportunity to engage in the primary source of entertainment in the house – Nichole bashing. Being the good little ringmaster that he is, Eric sits on the sidelines while Nichole is verbally skinned alive. In short order she is told that she’s a “surface” person that doesn’t ever talk to the others, ignores the other guests when an Alt is around, places herself on a pedestal, and in general makes Hitler seem like a swell guy in comparison. Eric, in an interview clip, tells us that in a perfect world Nichole would have been the eliminated guest instead of Tim. After the others have retracted their claws somewhat, Eric jumps in to finish her off. He tells her that there is a pattern to her behavior and everyone has noticed. “I don’t think you give two (bleeped “brown” word) about me,” Nichole retorts, “I’ve gotten to know Jamie very well today.” Eric quickly points out that it took her 10 days to have a meaningful conversation with another guest but that she talks to the Alts constantly. In interview he tells us that he’s “trying to hit Nichole when she’s down. She’s got a pulse right now and if we let that pulse continue, who knows what will happen?” Nichole, as she finally did last week, shows her temper and yells at Eric. “What do you want me to do?” she asks, “pull my hair out because you have different opinions of me than I do?” It is at this moment the Alts come into the room and ask what is going on. After being filled in on the general tenor of the argument, Fiona once again begins to press Nichole, asking her why she wants to know the other guests. Nichole says that she feels she could learn something from them and Fiona, refusing the “safe” reply, asks what Nichole might be lacking that she would need to learn. Nichole admits she has learned she may be a little self-centered. Iya Ta’Shia then suggests the move on to selecting roommates for the night. The selections are as follows:

Ta’Shia chooses Eric

Avocado selects Loana

Don will open a coffin for Jamie

Art opts for Noel

Fiona is left with Nichole and Eric muses that, “if she wins Fiona over I’m screwed.”

The next day the Nichole discussions continue as Art, Fiona, and Avocado sun themselves by the pool. The latest gossip is that if Nichole wins the money she’s spend it on herself instead of finding an altruistic way to get rid of the money. I guess we’re supposed to believe that each of the others has privately decided to give the money to some charity such as AIDS research or the Make Micheal Jackson Black Again Foundation. Fiona rightly points out that it doesn’t matter what gets done with the money, because it’s about so much more than a hundred grand. (For those keeping score at home, that’s 1 in the “more than a game” category.)

Next up for the guests and Alts is a montage sequence of Yoga, Tai Chi, and massage therapy sessions done on the front lawn of the house. This is yet another first glimpse at what appears to be a daily routine at the house, as everyone seems very comfortable and practiced in the various steps and positions. Throughout the exercises however, one guest is missing. Noel is sleeping in. A conveniently placed clock in the corner ticks away the hours and it is well after 3 pm before he finally rouses himself. Ta’Shia tells us that she is worried about him because she has seen him taking cold medicine to help him sleep and she confronts him about his seeming addiction. He offers a lame excuse that he only does it once in a while but did it while rooming with Art because Art snores. But Noel is neither as groggy nor as foolish as he may seem on the surface. In an interview clips he tells us that if the Alts want to think he’s addicted he can use that to his full advantage. His plan is to gradually “cleanse” himself of his addiction before their very eyes to show how powerful his transformation under their tutelage really is. He tells Ta’Shia that he hopes to at least be able to “cut it down” to moderate usage.

For the second week in a row we see a warning that an upcoming segment may be disturbing for some viewers. Last week it was because of Art’s astonishing suspension ritual. This week it’s because of… but wait. I’m getting ahead of myself. The segment actually begins with Fiona doing a Tarot reading for Nichole. There are two purposes for this, Fiona tells us. First, she wants to examine some of what is happening in Nichole’s life, and secondly she wishes to try to gauge Nichole’s sincerity and honesty. On the personal side she tells Nichole that people are trying to drown her out with criticism (what a shock!). Fiona also turns up a fairly rare card that is a clear message that Nichole is a very trustworthy person. This may not bode well for Eric’s “Get Nichole Out Now” strategy.

Once again we see footage of what has to be the longest full moon in history. That sucker has been full for six episodes and almost two weeks now and the guests must be very grateful that none of the Alts professes to being a werewolf. The Alts are sharing snacks and information with one another and the topic quickly turns to Noel’s “addiction.” Noel wanders into the room and begins to play up his problem by confessing to his Nyquil Jones before they can really begin to question him about it. He refers to his time in the house as an opportunity to “detox” and the Alts tell him that it will be a mental, physical, and spiritual detoxification. It’s really rather amazing. We have Eric playing his scam to discredit Nichole, Noel and his nighttime-stuffy head-achy-insomnia-sneezing-sniffling-what am I doing waking up on the kitchen floor-medicine, and Loana with her “I’m a good Christian girl and I dare you to convert me” routine. Frankly, I don’t see how the Alts can find their way around the house with all that wool pulled over their eyes.