Masters of Disasters

'''It's a disastrous time for the cast mates, as they face their disaster movie challenges, including earthquakes, floods, and lava spills. The disasters get much worse as somebody gets seriously injured and the others find themselves in deep water - literally! Somebody accidentally reveals their secret in front of her teammates, angering them.'''

Plot
The episode opens up with the castmates eating breakfast in the craft services tent. After Harold complains about how much he misses DJ's cooking, Beth states that her boyfriend, Brady, can also cook delectable meals. She then says that she met him at the orthodontist while she was getting her braces off in between seasons and starts telling her teammates facts about him. Lindsay remembers that the time between seasons was only two days long and Beth reassures her that she wasn't lying. Justin then reveals that Beth is just reading off of a model fact card, which makes the cast mates believe that she has no boyfriend. Harold then notices bendy straws that are similar to the ones that they used at a hospital he went to. He then starts to talk about a kidney transplant he had when he was a kid and even grabs a few of the straws for later. While the rest of the cast starts to mock Chef's cooking (with the exception of Owen), Chef comes along and glares at everyone. They all quickly go on to say how much they love his cooking and Chris comes in and reveals that this week's movie genre is disaster films.

The first challenge that the cast mates face is the 'Earthquake of Inevitable Pain', in which the two teams run through a mechanical obstacle course filled with many rudimentarily simulated "natural" disasters and attempt to get to the top of a track hill. Beth then says that her boyfriend once had a job cleaning up after earthquakes and landslides, although no one believes her. As the two teams begin the course they think it's easy, until they learn that the course shakes like an earthquake. In addition, Chef tosses heavy and dangerous objects at the castmates, there is also pouring lava (hot tomato soup) spewing from the top of the track and a hailstorm (in reality, simply Chef throwing golf balls). The Gaffers reach the top, while Owen is critically injured after getting hit in the mouth by Chef's unpublished manifesto. Due to Owen's injury, the Grips win the first part of the challenge, much to the objection of the Gaffers, who all made it to the finish line first. Owen is then sent to the hospital and the cast mates all show considerable anger at Chris for his lack of remorse for the incident.

The Grips then learn that Owen is in the hospital with a broken jaw and it will be take four to six weeks to heal, although Chris tries to make it sound not too bad. The next challenge is escaping from a sinking submarine. Since Owen was injured and sent to the hospital, giving them the win for the previous challenge, Chris gives the Grips a paper with a code on it. Beth once again says her boyfriend was a lifeguard, to which Izzy yells that he doesn't exist. The two teams notice two tubes that can get them out. Beth learns that the bottom one is a combination lock and Izzy pulls out the code that Chris gave the team. Justin and Lindsay fight over who opens the lock but drop the note in the water and ruin the code (to which Izzy gets mad).

The water then causes the two teams to float upward. Both teams open the top hatches. The Grips find a shark in theirs while the Gaffers find fire. Even Chris finds this to be a little too much for the teams to handle to which Chef just shrugs and says he's really not in the mood for criticism. Chris decides to stop the challenge due to the water being too high for the safety of the cast and his checkbook. Chef pulls the lever, but it breaks in half. Panic-stricken, Chris desperately tries to get them out, since their deaths would end his career, but Chef doesn't listen, as he is more focused on the card game they had been playing. Thinking they only have a few minutes to live Leshawna begins to cry but when Harold tries to comfort her,she denies that she is crying. Duncan reminds her of when she did cry during the medical challenge when she thought she was going to lose her teammates. The guilty look on her face makes her team realize that she fake-cried for the spa reward, making most of the Gaffers angry. During the fight, Harold uses the straws he had collected earlier as a snorkel to breathe through while he unlocks the underwater lock. He is able to pick the lock and the Gaffers escape while the Grips area is drained of the water also. In the control room Chris sees them escape and hugs Chef happily, overjoyed that he wouldn't lose his job.

With Harold winning the challenge, the Gaffers are given the reward of going to British Columbia, where they would stay on a little hut near an active volcano, which they will reach after an eight-day hike up the mountain. Angered by how unpleasant and dangerous the reward is, the Gaffers refuse it. They instead ask for, and receive, chips and soda. Owen returns to the set in a wheelchair, with his jaw stitched back together and stuffed with pain medicine. Chris allows him to eat with the Gaffers as long as he doesn't sue the show. As Chris begins to sign off Owen starts to go crazy, which Chris nervously blames on the pain medication.

Cast

 * DJ appeared in a flashback, but had no lines.

Quotes

 * Harold: I wish DJ was still here! His cooking is as awesome as this is totally grossinating!


 * Izzy: (in the confessional, regarding Beth's boyfriend) Ooo-kay. I've bought a lot of stuff off of late night infomercials, but I ain't buying that!

Chef: I hate suck-ups.
 * Owen: (about Chef's food) I give it five stars.

Izzy: Nope, still not buying it! But I did cave in and buy the electronic salad spinner! (makes a scratching noise) Woo Hoo!
 * Beth: My boyfriend had a summer job cleaning up after earthquakes and landslides.

(Chef hurls a football at Harold and knocks both Harold and Leshawna off the monkey bars) Harold: Ow! My right kidney!
 * Chef: Perfect time to get rid of some old junk!

Chris: That reminds me... it's lava time!
 * Owen: (after puking) My precious lunch! Lost forever!


 * Chef: (after tasting the "lava") Tomato soup? That was supposed to be my supper.

(we see Chris in a golf cart with a golf ball shooting gun, Chef honks horn) Chris: Golf ball sized hail is bad. But... Hail sized golf balls are even worse!
 * Chris: It's getting hot in here. How about a cool, refreshing... hailstorm!

(Chris nails Justin in the face with golfballs) (Switch to confessional, Justin has a black eye and is covered with bruises.) Justin: I give up! There's no way I'll get that skin care endorsement line now! (rubs his face) Ohhh, not so silky smooth!
 * Justin: (as Chris is shooting golf balls at everyone) No, not the face!

(he hurls the book at Owen nailing him in the mouth) Owen: Ouchie! That'll hurt come morning. Izzy: Oh, no! Owen! Are you okay? Chef: (smugly) My editor was right, my life really is dangerous!
 * Chef: (pulls out giant book) Ahhh, my unpublished manifesto. I've lived a lotta years!


 * Izzy: (in confessional) Owen is my buddy; he's the only one who truly gets me. If something happens to Owen, I'll be stuck with my imaginary friends, and let's face it, I should have ditched them years ago! (taps her head) Yeah Phil, I'm talking to you!

(the Grips celebrate) Leshawna: Oh, no, he didn't! Harold: Yeah, we got our whole team across the finish line! Chris: Serious injury trumps all! Heather: You just make up the rules as you go along, don't you? Chris: I love my job!
 * Chris: The good news is, it looks like Owen won the challenge for the Killer Grips!

Chris: Oh, Owen's fine, a little broken jaw, but it's all wired shut now. Shouldn't take more than 4 - 6 weeks to heal. Beth: Oh no! It's that bad? Chris: (with feigned enthusiasm) I mean, he's doing fine. (The Killer Grips glare at him.) Chris: (in confessional) That's what release forms are for, correct-a-mundo?
 * Izzy: How's Owen doing?

Beth: Guys, we'd better get to it quick before the water gets too high! Justin: (takes combination from Izzy) I'll do it. Lindsay: (takes combination from Justin) But I wanna do it! (Both begin fighting for the paper) Justin: Lindsay, just give me the paper, Lindsay! Lindsay! Lindsay: I wanna do it, but I wanna do it, c'mon! (Paper falls into the water) (Izzy picks up the paper, looking at the smudged ink, then growls and crumples it up) Justin: So, come on, what are the numbers? Read them out. Izzy: Ugh! I'm surrounded by loons!! Justin: Where? Lindsay: Oh, I love ducks! (Izzy runs off in annoyance while Lindsay and Justin continue to look for the "loons")
 * Lindsay: (referring to the almost-underwater lock) How are we ever going to open it?

Beth: (to Justin) My boyfriend used to do underwater photo shoots, and taught me how to hold my breath a really long time. Justin: My agent totally wants me to learn that. Beth: (gasps) Brady could teach you! (laughs hysterically) AHA HA, HA, HA! Then, I'd have you both to myself...(Beth begins to daydream as Izzy finds a second escape route) Izzy: Guys, there's something here. It might be a way out! (to Justin) Pull, c'mon! (Izzy and Justin pull the hatch above them open; the hatch comes open and a shark hovers over Justin; they immediately close the hatch) Justin: (freaked out) No good, any other ideas? Heather: (in the same predicament as the Grips; tries to open their hatch) I got it! (opens hatch and flames hover over her head; she immediately closes the hatch) No, no good, any other ideas? (cuddles in fear around Duncan; Duncan gives Heather a smirk; Heather gasps and splashes water at him)
 * Izzy: (to the Grips) Soooo, uh... hmm. Anybody got any ideas?

Chef: (Referring to their card game) Texas Hold' Em? Chris: You're not hearing me!!! Chef: What? Gin Rummy?
 * Chris: (after the lever breaks) We've gotta get the cast outta there! Simple Formula: No more contestants equals no more episodes which equals no paycheck! And the end of my luxurious lifestyle!!


 * Chris: Brilliant! Harold's gonna save the day! Once the hatch is open, it'll drain the water out of both rooms, and I'll still have a paycheck! (Chris goes over and tightly hugs Chef, which Chef doesn't like)


 * Harold: (in the confessional) I had it all under control! I work best under pressure! (laughs) Pressure, get it? Water pressure! (snorts) I'm hilarious; even when my life is in danger.

Chris: It's probably the pain meds.
 * Owen: (mixes soda and chips in a blender) Hey! You dropped your chips in my pop! Hey! You spilled your pop in my chips.

Trivia

 * Title Reference: The episode title might make a reference to Irwin Allen, who was known as the "Master of Disaster" for his movies, which include The Towering Inferno, The Poseidon Adventure, The Swarm, and many others.
 * Likewise, The Poseidon Adventure was the inspiration for the second part of the challenge, involving the escape from a ship filling up with water.
 * Running Gag: Beth telling everyone about her boyfriend and how great he is and no one believing her.
 * This is the first episode of the season in which Chris shows serious concern for the cast mates' safety, though it is only because he won't get paid if they don't survive. This is the second episode in the series in which Chris shows concern for a contestant, though. The first was Hook, Line, and Screamer when Gwen was facing the escaped Psycho Killer, Chris was obviously concerned because he went with the campers to go warn Gwen that he was a real killer.
 * Both situations were life threatening, and Chris's concern during both was probably for ratings/pay and not for the contestant's well-being.
 * Leshawna is shown to possibly still have feelings for Harold; when Owen was being loaded into the ambulance, Leshawna put herself into Harold's arms.
 * The skyline of Vancouver, British Columbia is seen as part of the reward prize, allegedly being sent to a cabin on the edge of a volcano on Vancouver Island.
 * The costume Chef is wearing when he walks up the volcano appears to be a reference to his original character design.
 * The cast mates seen in the confessional in this episode are Izzy, Justin, Lindsay, Duncan, Harold, Heather, and Beth. Chris and Chef are also seen in the confessional.
 * Owen is seen using the confessional in the Exclusive Clip of this episode, meaning every cast mate, except for Leshawna, used the confessional in this episode.
 * The music playing while Harold is opening the hatch is similar to Mission Impossible.
 * During the earthquake challenge, after Chris shoots Izzy with a golf ball, he says "I got one!" to which Chef replies, "Don't get cocky kid." This is an allusion to Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope in the scene where Luke Skywalker and Han Solo are shooting down TIE fighters from the Millennium Falcon turrets (which look similar to the turret Chris uses to shoot the golf balls). After shooting a ship down, Luke yells back to Han "Hey, I got one!" to which Han replies "Great, kid, don't get cocky."
 * Also, this may indicate that Chef is older than Chris, calling him "kid," although it is possible Chef just said that to go along with Chris.
 * When Owen is wheeled back in with his jaw wired shut, he is given chips, soda pop and a blender. He then utters the phrase "Hey! You dropped your chips in my pop! Hey! You spilled your pop in my chips!" and then mixes them together. This phrase is similar to the classic Reese's Peanut Butter Cups commercial, where someone with a chocolate bar crashes into someone with an open jar of peanut butter and they say "Hey! You got your peanut butter in my chocolate!" "No! You got your chocolate in my peanut butter!."
 * The way Chris introduced the reward to British Columbia was similar to how prizes are introduced on the game show, The Price is Right. Also, when Chef is climbing the mountain, it is a reference to "Cliffhanger," a game played on the same show which includes a yodeler climbing up a mountain.
 * Chris says that "serious injury trumps all," but in one episode, a camper got seriously injured, and his team still lost the challenge, while Chris admitted that he makes it up as he goes along. It may have also been that Chris considered Owen's injuries more serious than Cody's, or that Chris might have made that rule up after Cody sustained his injuries.
 * The first challenge from this episode is recycled for the final challenge in Mutiny on the Soundstage.
 * This is the first episode where a contestant is medically evacuated, the second being Jamaica Me Sweat.
 * This is the first episode in which a team refuses a reward.

Goofs

 * When Owen is wheeled into the ambulance truck, the bottom half of Heather's left leg is missing, though it is possible that it was behind the other leg.
 * When Chris is explaining the challenge to the castmates, Duncan and Harold's pupils disappear.
 * The blender Owen uses at the end of the episode has a cover however in the next scene, the cover is missing. In addition, the contents don't spill even though there is no lid.
 * When Heather is startled by the fire and becomes frightened, a few hairs on her head are missing.
 * Although two of the interns quit in Riot On Set, they are seen once again in this episode. It is possible that they came back or were re-hired.
 * Leshawna's hair puffs up when she goes underwater, but in Hide and Be Sneaky, Leshawna hides underwater and her hair is fine.
 * When Harold is yelling that his team won the obstacle course, his arms are twice as long as they should be.
 * When Harold picks the lock underwater, his hair remains the way it does while it's dry, when it's usually longer and flat when wet.
 * While criticizing Leshawna in the water, Duncan's sleeves changes from tan to black.
 * Chris said that the winner of the challenge would be decided by a score of two out of three, yet a tie breaker challenge did not occur and thus the Gaffers won only by winning the second challenge. It is likely that they were simply given victory as the second challenge went wrong and nearly killed the entire cast (and almost lost Chris's paycheck).