In the series premiere, 12 of the world’s top chainsaw carvers travel to a remote forest to compete in the ultimate carving competition. Hosted by Adam Beach, this 12-week battle pushes the carvers to their limits as they compete for the $50,000 grand prize.

This week, the carvers must complete a lightning-speed Quick Carve along with a seven-hour Master Carve. First up is an outdoor bowling challenge, followed by a challenge that asks the carvers to reveal their biggest hope or fear.

This week’s Quick Carve forces the remaining carvers to use all their creative skills to design and create birdhouses. In the seven-hour Master Carve, things get creepy-crawly as the carvers recreate tiny insects on a massive scale.

In this week’s Quick Carve, the competitors race to bang out as many identical ducks as they can in just two hours. Then, they must steady their sea legs as they create massive figureheads for old wooden ships. One tiny mistake could send someone packing.

Winners of the Quick Carve gain an advantage in the Master Carve, and any upper hand is crucial. For the Quick Carve, the carvers create and race wooden cars in a soap box derby. Then, the unity-themed Master Carve forces them to work together or face the axe.

This week’s Quick Carve asks the carvers to make musical instruments out of wood. Then, the Master Carve leaves them spinning as they create fantastical carousel animals that are ready to ride. At the halfway point, the grand prize is now within reach.

Things get wet and wild with a Quick Carve water challenge. Then, the Master Carve gets personal as the carvers bring their family story to life with a difficult technique. One carver finds redemption, and an emotional elimination ceremony grips the carvers.

A shocking twist kicks off this week’s challenges. The carvers must be ready for anything, for as the judges’ expectations increase, so does the pressure to win. They are pushed to extremes this week when asked to depict opposite ideas in one cohesive carving.

The carvers race to the finale, where $50,000 will be awarded to the last carver standing. First up is a fashion show for which the carvers craft headgear to be modelled by host Adam Beach. Then, the carvers travel back in time to create a story of evolution.

The remaining carvers go for a ride with this week’s Quick Carve as they create working skateboards tested by judge and skater boy Ryan Cook. In the toughest Master Carve yet, the carvers are asked to defy gravity in hopes of making it to the finale.

In the penultimate challenge, the carvers are under more pressure than ever. The last Quick Carve asks them to make a wooden chain. For the Master Carve, they must create carvings from below. In an emotional elimination, the three finalists are chosen.

In the season finale, three of the world’s best chainsaw carvers face off in the final challenge to win $50,000 and be named “A Cut Above.” Three different carvings from three incredibly talented artists force the toughest decision the judges have had to make.