I agree. I was really looking forward to this season and am very disappointed. Vern is being portrayed as a "bully" and rewards Nina for the same type of behavior. Candice and Genieve appear to be weak and just following Vern's lead. All are awesome designers in their own right and have always appeared to be strong people without being offensive. The producers may be able to produce Survivor and Celebrity Apprentice but are really missing the mark on what HGTV audiences want. They are not doing these designers any favor. The judges are setting the bar very low on future design stars!