We’re going to the circus! Or…a very acrobatic burlesque show with spooky clowns. It’s Cirque Berzerk introducing the next challenge. Working in teams of two, the spotlight challenge is to create a dark and alien circus performer. And, added bonus! Their models are actual performers who will do their thing on stage covered in prosthetics and makeup and whatever else the contestants think up.

There’s a punk rock alien contortionist, an alien animal trainer plus bonus parasite, a ringmaster, and another space contortionist. The workroom is super duper quiet during the sculpting phase. Laney spouts words about tree frogs, Roy sculpts a “laser whip,” and Frank tells Miranda her headpiece looks like something from Hellboy.

On Molding Day, Laura turns her nostril-riddled face into a sexy fishy lady and Laney comes up with a clever way to use her model’s dreadlocks through the top of the cowl she’s creating for his head. Tate’s finger injury keeps him out of the mold room which puts a lot of pressure on his partner, Frank. There’s a little tension between Laney and Alana over scales and whether or not Alana likes Laney’s sculpture which is booooring bickering between exhausted reality show contestants.

It’s Application Day, the paint comes out as the performers arrive. Miranda and Laney’s headpiece is really complex and there are problems around the edges, so they remove the cowl and go with “an awesome paintjob” which is a risky move. Roy constructs some crazy tension piece for the wormy looking bug thing attached to his model’s chest piece so that should hopefully look disgusting in a good way.

The contestants face the judges who take a look at their creations before the scifi circus gets underway.

Laura & Roy

Laura and Roy’s bluish alien creature looks like something I’ve seen on Star Trek.

Alana & Laney

Laney and Alana’s fishy reptile alien is sloppy and ugly.

Miranda & Eddie

Eddie and Miranda’s aging beauty is gorgeous but her face is way too stiff and the head looks disproportionately heavy.

Frank & Tate

Frank and Tate’s creature perfectly captures that punk rock vibe while still being circus sexy.

The circus routine puts the makeup to the test. There are stilt walkers and acrobats and people spinning in rings and all sorts of flips and are bodies supposed to bend in that direction?

Tate and Frank present their punk spacewoman. Glenn really likes the paint job on the head, and Ve loves the way the stained ink looks like the coloring of her skin. Miranda and Eddie are next up with their space siren galactic contortionist. Ve and Glenn disagree on the sexiness of the creature, and Neville really likes the face sculpture. Alana and Laney present their disaster.I mean costume. I mean crafts project. The judges think it falls short of the challenge, and Glenn calls it “goofy carnival.” Laura and Roy are last to present with their creature tamer with a parasite host relationship. Glenn loves the idea, but thinks it could have been done better. Ve is not fond of the blue color, and Neville finds the insect superfluous.

The top team is Miranda and Eddie, and Miranda is the winner because of her superior sculpting and painting. The only bottom look is by Alana and Laney, and the judges send Alana home. Goodbye, lady.