Flipping Out: End of Season 4 with House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year, No Slapping & New Job Titles

It seems like Flipping Out just started up. But, apparently it has been on for a couple months, with last night's last episode of Season 4, that being Episode 10: Rock, Paper and the Kitchen Sink, being the final episode of the season.

Apparently there is no Flipping Out Reunion Show this time. I suppose that makes sense. What are they going to re-hash? The Chuck slapping of Trace? Jeff's various Flip Outs? Crazy Barbara and her phone calls to Monkey?

Last week's Trace Slap was heard around the Internet World. By those who watch Flipping Out. Jeff does not fare well out there in TV opinion land. Most seem to think he was a giant wuss for not putting Chuck in his proper place after assaulting Trace. Strangely, no one seems to make a federal case out of the mauling of Jenni, which took place prior to the Trace Slap. Maybe this is because Jenni is seen as a tough gal who can take care of herself, particularly in Deb mode, while Trace is just a delicate, fragile little thing.

Although, surprisingly, Trace really turned into a killing machine when no one else seemed willing to deal with the nasty infestation of white flys invading Jeff's home base. One would have thought this task would have been taken up by Jett, what with him being the Senior Manager of In House Operations.

The wrapping up of the various projects is always interesting. You can say Jeff Lewis is a big wuss, bravely yelling at his underlings, while watching helpless while his employees are assaulted, but no one can say Jeff Lewis does not design cool looking spaces.

Did anyone really think Jenni was not going to New York City for the Rockefeller Center House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year deal? I suspect Jeff had 1st class tickets all along, with Jenni sitting next to him. Jeff and Jenni are masters at producing some manufactured drama. Lost day planner. Bickering in front of Christy at Casa Vega.

Speaking of Casa Vega. That was the least impressive of the projects. Its completion will have to wait for Season 5.

Towards the end of the episode Jeff told us he can't afford to give his help raises, so he's giving them titles. That was sort of amusing. Zoila is Director of In House Operations. Or something like that. Zoila seemed pleased. I already mentioned Jett's title. I forget Jenni's title, but the initials are C.O.O. Sarah's title was something ironic, like Chief Communications Officer. Trace was not in the room when the new job titles were given.

We got a peak at Season 5, sort of, with the final episode of Season 4 having Jenni and Jeff check out a new big project, down in Newport Beach, remarking that the House Beautiful Kitchen of the Year success was bringing them a flood of new business.

I hope Jeff rids himself of Sarah by the time Season 5 starts filming. Out there in TV Forum Land there is heavy duty dislike for Sarah. Pretty much all the things I find annoying. The slathering on bad makeup job, with weird eyebrows. The constant gum smacking. The stupid things she says. The stupid things she does. And the worst of it all, adding "sie" to just about any word. "Sweetsie," "Funsie," "Drinksie," "Oopsie." It just ain't cute, charming or remotely clever or amusing.

Whilst watching Flipping Out there was a preview of the soon to start Real Housewives of Beverley Hills. I did not like the look of this one. Not at all. I'll likely watch.

Flipping Out: Zoila Gets a Car

Last week's previews for this week's Flipping Out led me to believe that Jeff's constant criticizing of Zoila had her break down in tears.

We did see Jeff being way too picky about Zoila's housekeeping in Jeff's immaculately kept house.

But, the tears came when Jeff told Zoila that she could now have Sunday's off, that she no longer had to go clean his grandma's house on Sundays.

Near as I could tell Zoila's tears were due to feeling guilty about wanting that day off, but after so many years of Sunday's at Jeff's grandma's, Zoila had developed a relationship with the grandma. I think.

This episode, in addition to Zoila's tears on two occasions, I'll get to the second tearful Zoila occasion later, but, in addition to Zoila's tears, we were treated to scenes of a painter named Jesse being gaga over gag-worthy Sarah. And other workers enjoying staring at Sarah's plus-sized, ultra-round, rumpus area, which Sarah seemed to be wiggling on purpose. It was all very unpleasant.

So, back to Zoila. Jeff tells Zoila he is talking her on a field trip. Jeff tries to make Zoila think this will be on a plane. Instead Jeff drives Zoila to a car dealer where he presents her with her very own new car, wrapped in ribbons. As Zoila sat behind the wheel Zoila had her second tearful moment of the episode.

We did not visit Casa Vegas on this episode. We did visit the barber shop salons that are taking 3 years to re-do. Chaz? Is that the name? All the fussing over preserving one mural was sort of amusing, particularly when some random guy spray painted an X on it, which had Jeff giggling and Chaz horrified.

We heard a trace from Trace this episode. He opined that the Jeff/Zoila relationship was disturbing, like Norman Bates in Psycho type disturbing. I did not think the analogy was all that apt. It's more like Jeff & Zoila are a very odd version of The Odd Couple.

If the previews are to be believed, next week it is back to Casa Vega where that inept contractor finally gets axed. I'd be nervous axing that guy if I were Jeff. The Russian Mafia likely has a bureau in Los Angeles.

Flipping Out: Zoila's Birthday in New York City

Two episodes in a row of Flipping Out with no trace of Trace. This week Jeff flew Zoila and Jenny, first class, to New York City. It was Zoila's birthday present.

Jeff was in NYC to present his plans for a kitchen for some magazine, to be constructed at Times Square or some other well known New York City location that I've already forgotten.

Jeff and Jenny's meeting with the magazine people was strange and awkward. And then got stranger when they were told they were heading to the penthouse of the incredibly futuristic Hearst Building (I remember the building, but not where the kitchen is going to be).

Jeff was a bit nervous, but then got in the Jeff zone, making a joke about the only reason they asked him to do this was because the guy who contacted him wanted to meet Zoila.

While Jeff and Jenny were doing their meetings, we cut back at times to Zoila having fun in New York City.

Or we cut back to California to watch Sarah run the projects for Jeff. I find nothing amusing or interesting about Sarah. I can't get past her strange eyebrows. Or her equally strange, very bulbous butt. Why do they have to show Sarah's bulbous butt so much?

Towards the end of the episode, or maybe it was the end, Zoila, Jeff and Jenny were in a restaurant, in a scene we've not seen much of before. As in Jeff being real nice to Zoila, making clear how much he appreciates her, asking her if she'd help raise his baby, saying he'd hire a new housekeeper and all Zoila would have to do is take care of the baby. It was all strangely touching.

Now, what has become of Trace? I suppose I could go read his blog. I hope Sarah screwed something up real bad and Jeff fires her. But, from the previews it appears Jeff screws something up real bad at Casa Vega. That should be interesting.