TV Review: Whodunnit? 102: "Fire Starter"

DA- Oh my god! We’re having a fire…sale! No, unfortunately there is no fire sale or commercial starring Tobias yet, but we do have another episode of Whodunnit? to dissect and solve!

This week we have to piece together how Dontae (or the stunt man that pulled off that pretty amazing feat) somehow became engulfed in flames. This episode for the most part follows the same structure as the week before. The contestants chose between the three locations, they mingle over a nice lunch spread, receive a clue that leads them on a goose hunt around the house, and then they plead their case talk to themselves in a library trying to sound like they are a lawyer.

While I like solving the murder along with the houseguests, the biggest thing that I cannot stand about the show are the contestant reactions. Most of America knows that these contestants are not really dying but somehow this message is not getting to the actual contestants. Contestants are crying over Dontae’s death, Kam is disgusted to swim in a pool before they clean it since Dontae’s body was lying in it, and Giles tells them nobody is allowed to leave the house. Stop it! This is a reality show. I am okay with the puns about how if you don’t solve the case it will be the “death” of you and your game but you are not fooling anyone that this is real…well okay almost anyone.

One aspect I do like though is allowing the contestants to only choose one location to explore. This forces them to meet and collaborate with each other. However, like this week, each group decided they would change the information and withhold crucial pieces, which led to some interesting conversations. While Sasha (one of the best players on the show) sees right through it, others like Gino are confusing themselves on what actually he saw himself. The protector from fire is St. Agnes Gino, or wait it’s Agatha. No I’m sorry Agnes. Argentina?

Also these conversations post-investigation always creates some much needed drama and tension between the contestants. I love the alliance formed by Kam and how much it annoys the rest of the players. The other side thinks they need to work together to stop this killer but Kam at least is aware that this is all an individual game. However because you are only be allowed to see one of the three rooms you need a few others to at least help you make it to the finals. One thing I do not understand though about Kam is why he thought to choose Lindsey to replace Gino in his alliance. Last week she was almost “scared” when she was not close in solving Sheri’s murder and this week she is playing with Adrianne with a gas fireplace while everyone else is solving the flag clue in the laundry room. So to go back to another Arrested Development reference…her? What is she funny or something?

After all the clues were pieced together we find out that Kam’s alliance mate Ulysses was the best at piecing together Dontae’s murder. It turns out that Dontae was given special pajamas sprayed with benzene and socks that somehow created more static electricity than other socks. After the killer sounded the fire alarm, Dontae tried to run out of the room but the shag carpet and his special socks created enough static electricity that when he touched the door the small spark engulfed him in flames. He then proceeded to run out of the house (not catching anything else on fire mind you) and jumped into the pool. 

This time Dana and Adrianne are “scared” or nominated to be “killed.” I had a feeling I knew who was going home for a few reasons. For one, Adrianne said Dontae died from the exploding medallion the killer gave him along with his silk pajamas. Not only can she not figure out he died but I also do not think she knows how science works. If this is true then how did it reform and float to the bottom of the pool where you found it with Kam? As for Dana, she may not be the killer of the house but give her time and I think she could become one. After Ulysses did not run over to talk to her, Dana threatened to kill him and to pinch his head off. Dana! Don’t tell us how you are going to kill him! We need something to solve in the next episode.

Speaking of the next episode Adrianne has finally bit the dust and not a day too soon. How did the golf cart she was fleeing in explode? My money is on an exploding medallion…

In and Out Points:

- Donate’s death could have easily been avoided. Don’t they teach “stop, drop and roll” in elementary schools anymore?

- How did Giles get an ankle monitor on him to keep him in the house? We are told he has never met his employer but wouldn’t he have seen/heard someone strapping something on to his ankle at some point?

- Speaking of Giles, in next week’s preview it looks like he is either protecting or terrorizing the house with a shotgun. Is it too late to rule him out as the killer?

- For all you Ithaca College students out there, talk about a death by doorknob!

- Anyone else think ABC threw Donate’s last words at the end to try and convince America that a network television company represented by Mickey Mouse is not lighting people on fire for others to solve how and only win a quarter of a million dollars by doing so?

That is all for this week. Let me know who you think the killer is and how Adrianne died either in the comments or @eastwoodmcfly. Until next Sunday have a killer week!