Ready, set, carve: ‘Outrageous Pumpkins’ searches for its next jack-o-lantern champion
Damaris Phillips (“Food Network Star” winner, Season 9) expands her search for the greatest of Great Pumpkin carvers as Season 4 of “Outrageous Pumpkins” continues, airing new episodes Sundays on Food Network.
During the season premiere — which aired Sunday, Sept. 24 — eight talented pumpkin carvers joined Phillips on the series’ spooky carving stage, all eager to become the next “Outrageous Pumpkins” champion. The artists immediately began their first challenge: creating the most elaborate porch display in the neighborhood, showing off their unique artistic view in order to introduce themselves to judges Ralph Attanasia (“Cake Boss”) and Terri Hardin (“Men in Black, 1997). Only the most distinct, creative and downright spooky will continue, as eliminations take place following each round.
This week’s episode — the second of four — follows the remaining carvers as they try their hand at defying gravity. A summary listed on Food Network describes: “Host Damaris Phillips is all about everyone’s favorite Halloween decoration, the jack-o’-lantern, so she tasks the carvers with creating topsy-turvy, gravity-defying stacks of jacks. Then in the ‘Big Carve,’ the competitors must impress judges Ralph Attanasia and Terri Hardin with a spooky jack-o’-lantern skeletal structure to stay safe from elimination.”
As the season continues, Phillips challenges the artists to carve three-dimensional pop culture pumpkins and sculptures that highlight iconic fashion eras — even watching on as the final few bring (according to Food Network) “common literary phrases with a deadly twist to life for the judges.”
From 3D to DC, the final five carvers must call for superhuman strength as they attempt to depict a scene from DC’S “Batman,” with the titular crime-fighter facing off against one of his iconic enemies as he tries to save Gotham City.
By the grand finale, only half of the competitors will remain, as the final four carvers must impress Attanasia and Hardin in not one, but two rounds. First, Phillips tasks the group with “creating the winning monster entry in the Miss/mr. Underworld Pageant, complete with pageant talent,” says Food Network, continuing: “Then, it’s time for giants on parade as the competitors transform 2,000-pound Atlantic Giant pumpkins into a spooktacular Halloween parade float.”