Always a bridesmaid ...

Tonight we set out to test our theory that Radhika is getting seriously shorted on screen time. And what better way to do it than by pitting her against the camera’s best friend, Fabio? Here’s how they fared in the head-to-head.

Quickfire setup: Roughly even on the knife draw. Good reaction shot of Fabio. Good shot of Radhika’s right eye in a reaction shot of Daniel and Hosea. Advantage: Fabio.

Quickfire: Radhika wins! Well, not the whole Quickfire. But she actually went head-to-head with Fabio, beat him, and therefore got more screen time. Advantage: Radhika.

Elimination setup: Radhika gets a confessional shot, one of her first all season. (Shocker: She hates Stefan just like everyone else. Also, Gail doesn’t like black beans? Who doesn’t like black beans?) Advantage: Radhika.

Elimination, Part 1: Radhika talks about Indian food. Fabio butters up the fishmonger. (Carla does some weird thing that involves wandering through the market cooing like a pigeon. Which is funny, because if Carla had a totem animal, we think it would most definitely be a bird.) Radhika talks about how she makes Indian food without making Indian food. Fabio daydreams about beautiful women. Fabio chats with Tom. Radhika watches while Jamie and Ariane chat with Tom about Indian food. Advantage: Fabio.

Get-to-know-you interlude: Fabio talks about his marriage. Radhika stares blankly into space and plays with her bracelet while Ariane talks about her marriage. Advantage: Fabio.

Elimination, Part 2: Radhika talks about being nervous. Fabio talks about being nervous. (And about how Tom is like the pope.) Radhika watches as Jamie explains how she borrowed her culture. Fabio talks while everyone in the room watches. Advantage: Fabio.

Judges’ table, featuring Dana Cowin of Food & Wine: Radhika stands by silently while Ariane inadvertently takes credit for the dish she seasoned and then steals--sorry, "borrows"--the win from Jamie. Fabio defends his "sad plate." Advantage: Fabio.

Final score: 5 to 3, Fabio wins.

Though Radhika still can't stand up to Fabio, she fared better than we expected. She wasn't totally absent this episode, and had we pitted her against Leah or the blond girl with the bangs whose name we can never remember or maybe even Hosea, she would have won. Perhaps the producers are warming up to her? Still, as our friends over at the Stew point out Radhika could be doing more to stand out and help her own cause at critical moments like the judges' table.

Next week: Martha Stewart's on the loose!