Buck Up Jennifer! Please! Top Chef Las Vegas, Episode 11

I love Jennifer Carroll on Top Chef Las Vegas. At least I loved the Jen from the first half of the season - kicking hiney and taking names. Messing up occasionally but tying her hair back and rebounding with a big win. Her recent deflatedness makes me want to shake her. Or grant her permission to take a long, restorative nap so we can see some of the spunk from the beginning of the season.

Jennifer, are you listening? We're out here cheering for you because we fell in love with your spunk. Now, by episode 11, it's like you've run out of steam and we miss you.

S!#$ on a shingle for the QuickFire challenge? A hunk of overcooked meat with a plastic sword for the main challenge? Where's the Jen of the winning Skirt Steak and Salad? For that matter, where has Bryan Voltaggio's winningness gone?

It's painful to watch because we love the feisty you. As you were waiting for the decision from the judges' panel, you muttered something along the lines of: "Just send me home now." Don't tempt me. I want to continue to like you but you're making it hard. I know you're exhausted but buck up and cook like you mean it.

As far as the rest of the episode, it just didn't hold my interest as well as the show usually does.

It was painful to watch Robin talk about artistic vision as if she's the first one to ever consider herself an artist. And it was painful to watch Michael Voltaggio win. I swear I could see his head inflate further. And it was painful to watch Eli struggle and complain when he could have done something wacky fun with the circus theme. Yuck all around.

Here's hoping that episode 12 reels me back in. And that Eli goes home instead of Jen. And if Jen can't pull herself together, that Kevin or Bryan beats Michael out for the win.