Last night's thrilling episode is brought to you from the lobby of a mid-priced business hotel, north of Los Angeles. Sitting next to me is the winner of Season 2, and I'll leave it to you to figure out why we're here. You might draw a conclusion from the fact that the casting process for Season 4 is underway. Hmm, we're talking about one, two, and four....what's missing?  I'm pleased to say that, based on having worked with him a few months ago and again over the past few days, the winner of Season 2 is one heck of a stand-up guy. He has his own story to tell, which I'll leave for him to recount after next week, but suffice to say that "Top Shot" only scratches the surface. There's a whole stack of stories behind how he got to where he is today.

While shooting last week's show, I was asked to take a look at tonight's first challenge during the setup phase, and through a mixture of bravado and overconfidence, I asked for the targets to be set out at approximately 50 yards. I failed to account for the fact that trying to engage targets that far out while lying flat means you're trying to acquire your front sight while your arms are over your head. Try it, talk about a humbling experience, and especially when hanging 120 feet in the air. Matt Burkett, the expert for the first challenge, recognized the problem and moved the balloons closer. The result made for another memorable episode and one that George will not forget anytime soon. The look on his face while contemplating the harness dangling from the ball of that crane was priceless, but he pulled himself together and made six hits to earn immunity from the elimination range.

The elimination challenge seemed like it was a done deal even before the competitors returned from the practice range. Despite Jamie's confidence in his shotgun prowess, he was fairly obviously outclassed by Chris, who managed to hit 48 out of his 50 practice targets. Although Jamie is a self-proclaimed country boy, I'd be willing to bet that shooting things from the back of a moving pickup truck is a skill more prevalent in Mississippi than California. So, I have a feeling that Chris has had a little practice in this particular discipline.

Next week is the season finale. I have no idea what the producers have in store, but based on the events of Season 1, I'm looking for a challenge that includes most if not all of the firearms seen so far. And given the skill of the remaining contestants, it should be a nail-biter. We might just have a surprise for the attendees of the NRA Annual Meetings in Pittsburgh next week. Stay tuned.