I've just watched it and I have to say I like the show. We have some DIY shows on TV here in Germany (where they rebuild rooms or even houses), but none is made as a competition and with that limited amount of time.

I'm not sure which room I'd like most...

• Felicia & Matt: niche-wall and the wall mounted bench are great ideas, but the colors where a little too grey / browny for me
• Heatner & Lisa: the idea of the Chinese theme was not that bad when thinking of calming and inner sanctum.  I liked the vases and the stones on the shelfes for this theme, but that bed in the middle - no!
• Erik & Carisa: This was just a room IMHO with expensive furniture, nothing special about it.
• Michael & John: The massive brown wall was too heavy for me, nothing special really besides Michael and John working in a "team" - loved that.
• Ryan & Andrea: Nice idea of having the floor painted in the same color as the walls and having some lights under the bed. But as the judges said it looked like a reasonably sophisticated dorm room.
• Goil & Elisabeth: Most impressive and original design and ideas for sure with that sandbox and the swing, but I'm not sure I wanted to live in that room :)

Great write-up!

I thought that Chinese-room was TERRIBLE! 

I agree with erinn--Jonathan telling Michael to learn how to paint! That was classic!! Get your hands dirty, man!! I think I'd rather work with a designer who realizes what he or she is asking of his/her painters, carpenters etc. What they do is very hard work--and an ARTFORM in itself, thank you very much! 

And how about that budget?? Imagine, as a DIYer, what you could do with that.

As a fellow architect, I am looking forward to what Goil will do.  Architects can come across very conceited, but he seems more balanced.  Alas, the other architect, Andrea (no wait, "half architect, half designer" whatever that means) is completely full of herself and as DIY Maven put it, quite possibly the favorite to hate. 

It annoyed me that  John called all of the secret client's objets "campy" and then made such a big deal when Alexis Arquette walked on stage.  Get over yourself!  And I was glad that one of the judges told Michael that he needed to learn how to paint!

I was surprised at how so many of the final rooms really had nothing at all to do with the 5 objects brought by Alexis.  Isn't that the purpose of being a designer and having clients...helping your clients realize their intentions for their own spaces.

I too would have like to see a two hour premier so you can get to know the designers and judges better.  I thought Todd needed some work as far as his intonation.  Even though I am sure everything is scripted for him, he sounded too mechanical.

All in all I am looking forward to next week already.  I am wondering if anyone is really going to stand out as a great designer.  Maybe I am jumping the gun.  It would be nice to see the designers' evolution/development over the next several weeks.

I can't wait to hear everyone else's comments!