Halloween Wars Season 8 episode 4 recap: Spooky time travel

Halloween Wars Season 8 episode 4 recap had some spooky scenes. But, one element was so scary that it had the judges totally gagging.

In this Halloween Wars Season 8 episode 4 recap, three teams battled for a place in the finale. With $50,000 on the line, this second to last episode of the season had the teams on edge. Could a simple mistake send a favorite home?

This week’s small scare has the teams re-imagine a classic story, Pandora’s Box. While the end of the world might be lurking in Pandora’s Box, these Halloween Wars boxes have food that has gone evil. The worry isn’t heartburn in these takeout boxes, rather it is nightmares for years to come.

Both Candied Cadavers and Zesty Zombies had impressive small scares. Zesty Zombies had the best use of pumpkin. The zombie pizza coming out of the pizza box was impeccable. From rotten pepperoni to revolting cheese, this pizza is looking to take revenge on the pizza lovers.

Candied Cadavers took a different approach. Instead of a character emerging from a box, this Chinese takeout box had hidden doom. From the pumpkin noodles to the sugar fortune cookies, this display relied on imagination, which can be scarier.

Unfortunately, Monsters of Mayhem had a display that was lacking, even for a small scare. While the doughnut box could have been a good idea, the display seemed almost unfinished. The doughnuts didn’t have scary personality and the look was just sloppy.

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Guilty Eats

Winning the small scare was Candied Cadavers. While the judges preferred this display, I would have definitely chosen Zesty Zombies. Their pumpkin and display was more dynamic. Also, the detail was much more impressive.

For the spine chiller, this Halloween Wars Season 8 episode 4 recap had the teams traveling through time to channel their creepiest display. Each team had to present a time travel display to wow the judges. Even though the displays needed to be visually stunning, any little mistake can leave a team just short of the finale.

Each team took a very different approach to the time travel element. Zesty Zombies chose aliens; Candied Cadavers chose King Arthur and Monsters of Mayhem chose Vikings. Looking at these three themes, I would have thought that a scarier, more elaborate themes would have been likely. Given the time travel inspiration, the broad theme could have been much more diabolical.

Looking at the three displays, I have a hard time picking a clear winner. Each displays had errors in one facet of the challenge. Since this episode capitulated the teams to the finale, I was expecting a little more.

The most worrisome part of this week’s episode didn’t come from the display. The mistake came from the tasting element. Zesty Zombie’s tasting element was definitely a huge trick, although not in a good way.

Zesty Zombies added salt, not sugar, to its sugar cookie. This mistake was huge. What I don’t understand is why didn’t they taste the cookie? How does a baker, with $50,000 on the line, not taste the tasting element? This mistake is just silly.

Also, given the huge debate of their use of dry ice in the display, the cookie issue was just sad. Even though it was the baker’s responsibility to taste, the whole team is at fault. It doesn’t matter if you are the best baker in the world, everyone should have tasted those cookies.

Looking at the displays, I did like Zesty Zombies design the best. It had the best use of pumpkin. The alien’s face was superb.

Additionally, the cake rocket was clearly a show stopper. Weighing over 200 pounds, that cake structure could crush a person. It was a miracle that it was still standing.

Overall, this display had dynamic colors, shading and highlights. The painting really carried the story line. If there wasn’t an issue with the tasting element, this design should have won.

Team Monsters of Mayhem start sketching for the Spine Chiller challenge, as seen on Halloween Wars, Season 8.

Monsters of Mayhem had a few issues with their display. Some of sugar elements didn’t mount correctly. The hammer on the ground was disappointing.

While the story could have been frightening, the Vikings appeared more jovial that maniacal. The cake Viking was extremely expressive, but it wasn’t overly scary. Unfortunately that Viking didn’t look like it was in the same scene as the other Viking.

Although this scene was better than the small scare, overall it missed the fright mark. In the final rounds, the judges want that gasp factor. Granted, it shouldn’t come from a bad cookie. Still, they want to beg to look away from the scary display.

Candied Cadavers had a display with a lot of movement. The floating ghost was incredibly smart. It showed both technique and a creative hand. Both skills are necessary for winning the Halloween Wars title.

The king’s expression was perfect for this period inspired piece. Although the king’s hands were a mistake, the face was divine. Even the tilted crown added to the story line.

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Guilty Eats

Personally, I thought that the gargoyles were the best part of this display. These pumpkin carvings had both the expression and the appearance of a real gargoyle. While it didn’t frighten away the ghosts, it was visually stunning.

Winning the spine chiller was Candied Cadavers. They earned a spot in the finale. Throughout the season, this team has continually been in the top. Depending on the two final themes, this team has a good chance of winning the big prize.

The bottom two teams were Zesty Zombies and Monsters of Mayhem. Given Zesty Zombie’s tasting disaster, I assumed that they would be going home. That simple, yet costly mistake, was huge. But, I was wrong.

Monsters of Mayhem were eliminated. Their display didn’t quite have the same impact as the other teams. The characters didn’t appear to be from the same story line. While not a huge mistake, the team just lacked the visual impact.

Looking at the finale, either team, Zesty Zombies or Candied Cadavers, could win. Next week, the teams need to create an impeccable display but also a huge visual statement. It is go big or go home empty handed.

Also, a silly mistake on the tasting element will not be overlooked. Hopefully, everyone will taste that finale bite before it goes on the display.

As this Halloween Wars Season 8 episode 4 recap comes to a close, which team do you think will earn the title and the $50,000 prize? Don’t forget to check back for next week’s recap to see which team won.