Also noteworthy is this: because of the acclaim "The Contest" received after its premiere, the first repeat showing of the "self-denial" episode scored the highest rating in the show's history.
For this week's blog (Mar. 17-23), explain why you think this particular episode struck such a chord with viewers and critics AND why it continues to do so nearly a decade later.
(As you're tying up loose ends for your formalist essay [Essay 1], you might notice some of the formal elements here. The costuming choices, specifically the shades of red that the three "remaining contestants" are wearing differ drastically from the yellow shirt of the contestant who just caved. Also, you might note the deliberate blocking of the characters--three pitted against one, which is the running score at this point. Everything's there for a reason, right?!)
