Mad Mad House, Episode 8: No Noose Is Good Noose

After a brief recap of the previous two episodes, we join the guests as they deal with the aftermath of Noel’s elimination. Nichole tells the group that each elimination is a “crap shoot” but tells us in interview that she believes he was ejected by the Alts because of his perceived addiction to cold medications. Loana is feeling a bit guilty about her role in leading Ta’Shia to believe Noel was still taking the pills, but receives little sympathy from the others. Eric tells us that he has to be careful around Loana because she’s revealed herself to be a “loose cannon.”

In another part of the house, the Alts are discussing their choices for new roommates. We are now eight weeks into the show and this is the first time we’ve been shown that the selection process for sleeping arrangements is discussed in advance by the Alts rather than through random choices. Fiona wants to have Eric stay with her but Art disagrees. He feels that Eric needs a “man to man” challenge and that it would be better if Avocado selected Eric. Fiona explains that she is concerned that Eric will be eliminated before she has a chance to complete her work with him and suggests that he spend one night with her and one with Avocado. Art, in what is the closest thing to an aggressive stance we’ve seen from him, questions her adamant wish to spend a night with Eric and tells Fiona that he thinks she “might be babying” him. Ta’Shia agrees that Eric may be gone from the house before anyone else can try to work with him. Fiona reminds the Alts that all she’s done with Eric thus far has been to emotionally cut him off. Avocado steps into the conversation saying that he wants to put Eric “into the fire” and Fiona reluctantly backs down after eliciting a promise that if Eric survives the next elimination she has dibs on him as a roommate.

The Alts now enter the room where the four guests are still discussing the elimination ceremony and begin the roommate selection. Ta’Shia picks Jamie and Art chooses Nichole. Acting as if the notion just occurred to him, Avocado selects Eric. Fiona announces that neither she nor Don will take roommates. Loana is very distraught at this news. Fiona says that Loana will be sleeping in the dorm alone. When Loana questions her as to the reasoning behind it Fiona tells her, “It’s not a punishment, we just feel it would be good for you to spend some time alone.” In several spliced together interview clips a tearful Loana feels caught in the middle. She feels if she says something it will create more trouble and discord with the Alts but she doesn’t understand why this has happened and feels isolated. She decides to keep quiet about it to avoid “getting into trouble.”

The scene now jumps to Avocado’s room where he is about to begin the “man to man” process with Eric. “I just want to let you know where I stand,” he begins, “and I think Art stands there too. If you go back out of here to your everyday life of chasing girls and night-clubbing I cannot have you be the winner.” If this is what Avocado considers forcing Eric “into the fire” he needs to learn a few things about applying heat. Then again, in his years of eating only raw foodstuffs, he’s likely forgotten a lot about fire and cooking. Eric honestly admits that he needs a purpose in life and that it’s been his problem for quite some time. His sincerity is such that one can’t help but think Eric has finally decided to see if he can learn something from his experiences in the house. In interview he tells us, “Avocado has decided to take me under his wing so I’m gonna try to say and do the right things and go home with some money in my pocket.” So much for the sincerity of his personal growth.

The next morning, Fiona catches up with Loana and Jamie in the kitchen and tells them she wants to hold a little ceremony this morning to introduce the guests to a bit more of what the Craft is all about. Loana is a bit reluctant and asks if she’ll have to chant spells or anything. As a devout Christian, this has long been a sticking point for her. Fiona has long ago grown impatient with this reluctance and reminds Loana that at no time has she been pushed to recant her faith or religious beliefs. Loana decides she needs some time to think about her decision and while Fiona appears to be fine with it, she tells us in voiceover that she’s become exhausted trying to reach out to Loana. As she leaves the kitchen she is obviously upset about the conversation. Eric observes her and decides to earn a few brownie points. He sneaks into Fiona’s room with a flower and a note. This creates a major mystery because Eric opts to sign the note with a star symbol rather than his name. We are reminded that when Fiona did a Tarot reading for him, the card came up telling Fiona that Eric was “a star” and he feels she’ll see the connection right away and know the flower was a gift from him.

Fiona, who for all her Craft skills has been doing more to advance the stereotype of the ditzy blonde than bring respect to modern Wicca, picks up the note and decides it’s signed with a pentagram. One would hope that a witch would recognize the difference as we are shown that the “star” is not enclosed within a circle, but Fiona isn’t having one of her more brilliant moments. She shows the note to Jamie, who thinks it looks like Loana’s handwriting. Fiona is pleasantly touched that Loana would give her a gift. She places the note in the center of her witch’s circle and sends Jamie out to invite Loana to the ceremony. Checking outside, Jamie finds Loana communing on the lawn with Art. Although Art urges her to go ahead, Loana decides to skip the ceremony, but politely thanks Jamie for the invitation. Her words seem carefully thought out. It’s as if she’s walking on eggshells and afraid that the slightest little social gaffe will result in another round of tension and hostility between her and Fiona.

The three other guests join Fiona in her room for the ceremony and, apparently still touched by “Loana’s” gift, she shows the note to everyone and announces that Loana is “here in spirit.” Eric says nothing to correct her, but looks every bit like a misunderstood suitor. He tells us that he had hoped she would understand the “private message” that the star was meant to convey. We are shown very little of the ceremony, which is a bit of a shame. With only one major ceremony (for immunity) being held each week now there is more than enough time to allow us the chance to learn more about each of the Alts’ beliefs. Instead, we wind up with more gossip and tears. After the completion of the ceremony, Fiona approaches Loana about the gift while Eric sits nearby, slouched in a chair. Loana of course knows nothing about the gift and Fiona asks Eric about it. Looking very embarrassed, Eric admits the gift was his and receives a big thank you hug from Fiona while Loana sits in confusion. “It (the gift) meant so much to me,” Fiona says to Loana, “but maybe it’s a lesson for me to learn that you are not capable of doing that.” Ouch. Poor Loana is now in trouble for doing nothing whatsoever.