The Great British Baking Show...

[jillboston]

I must watch this.. I love cooking shows one and all (with the exception of most of the Food Network's "challenge" shows)

[pixy0stix]

I'll add this to my list of things to watch. I also have Chef's Table () on my list.

[heyjude]

Yes! It's a very good show.

[heyjude]

I love that they are given time to practice at home before each competition. That they aren't separated from their families. That they lead normal lives while participating. The judges are kind. The contestants like each other. It's just such a nice reality show. Nothing like American garbage reality tv. I'm surprised it is so popular actually!

[AJL]

I've only watched the one season that's on Netflix but I LOVE it! How many seasons are there now?

[heyjude]

There are 5 seasons but only the last two have aired in the US. Netflix says season one but I think that's actually season 4. I think PBS just wrapped up airing season 5.

[Dumbledork]

I started watching because I vaguely remembered seeing something about a controversy involving a trash can.

It did not disappoint.

[orangeblossom]

Yes!

I discovered it on Amazon Prime last night while I was battling insomnia.

[notreal]

Dec 29, 2015 15:38:47 GMT -5 @licia said:

Hiiiiiiiiii

He probably smells like cocoa and icing too.

[bexporter]

Can the hosts' names really be Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood?

Those are fake, right?

[pixy0stix]

Heeeeeeey hottie host.

[moreace01]

Dec 29, 2015 15:46:06 GMT -5 bexporter said:

Can the hosts' names really be Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood?

Those are fake, right?

Oddly enough, I think those are their real names. 


Love this show - did not know there were so many seasons and I'm bummed we can't see them all now. I love that you actually learn something while watching it.  The contestants are talented and its more about their talent than their backstories or bickering or how fast they can throw something together. I wish all cooking shows were like this. Somewhere along the way, tv execs thought everything should be over the top to get ratings. It's refreshing to see a show gain popularity by being completely counter to this way of thinking. 

[winecat]

Best baking show ever!

Of course the American version was all sorts of fucked up. I think I already ranted about it here.

[meshaliuknits]

That guy reminds me of someone I can't place but I don't think I like.

[pixy0stix]

Dec 29, 2015 16:15:19 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

That guy reminds me of someone I can't place but I don't think I like.

He looks a bit like Guy Ferrari.

[pixy0stix]

Dec 29, 2015 16:19:03 GMT -5 1234FIF! said:

Dec 29, 2015 16:18:16 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

He looks a bit like Guy Ferrari.

JINX!!!

Except you spelled his name right. LOL!

[niemand88f]

I just started watching this morning! I like it

Amazon Prime & Netflix both have only 1 season available, the same season.

[meshaliuknits]

LOL!

I don't think it was Guy he's making me think of. He is now, though.

[winecat]

Dec 29, 2015 16:12:01 GMT -5 @licia said:

Dec 29, 2015 16:07:28 GMT -5 winecat said:

Best baking show ever!

Of course the American version was all sorts of fucked up. I think I already ranted about it here.

Did you watch the holiday special that aired this year? I can't remember, maybe it was on ABC? It wasn't too bad. I missed Paul, but otherwise, it was pretty much the same.

That's the one I ranted about.    The contestants were so bad.  It seemed like they tried to get the least talented and knowledgable home bakers out there.  There were a few who didn't know what lady fingers are, what they looked like, etc. during the tiramisu challenge.  The male judge is an amazing pastry chef but something was just off.  The judges didn't have the same chemistry and the hosts tried too hard to be funny. I wish they had just brought the same hosts and judges.  

[niemand88f]

Dec 29, 2015 15:41:37 GMT -5 1234FIF! said:

Dec 29, 2015 15:38:47 GMT -5 @licia said:

Hiiiiiiiiii

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS *licks lips*

In the episode I just finished, one of the hosts called him "the mahogany tiger" 

[laurental]

I love this show too. My favorite thing is that even when you watch it live or DVR there are no commercials since it is PBS. I hate shows that do a teaser before the commercial break and then have to recap when they return- it breaks up the flow. So a show that goes straight through is so nice.

I love the hosts and think they are so great in how they interact with the contestants.

The whole show is sweet and thoughtful.

We do often play a drinking game-- we drink when they show an animal outside the tent, if it rains, when Hollywood thinks something isn't a good idea, when someone uses a cute word like "scrummy" for scrumptious, etc.

[chedifuen]

I love this show so much! My DH and I are obsessed and now go around saying "good sponge" and "whack it in the oven" as often as humanly possible.

[winecat]

Dec 29, 2015 16:39:36 GMT -5 chedifuen said:

I love this show so much! My DH and I are obsessed and now go around saying "good sponge" and "whack it in the oven" as often as humanly possible.

Soggy bottom!  

[winecat]

Dec 29, 2015 16:37:51 GMT -5 @licia said:

Dec 29, 2015 16:31:05 GMT -5 winecat said:

That's the one I ranted about.    The contestants were so bad.  It seemed like they tried to get the least talented and knowledgable home bakers out there.  There were a few who didn't know what lady fingers are, what they looked like, etc. during the tiramisu challenge.  The male judge is an amazing pastry chef but something was just off.  The judges didn't have the same chemistry and the hosts tried too hard to be funny. I wish they had just brought the same hosts and judges.  

That's very true. It was incredibly apparent in the last episode during their final challenge that they were all in over their heads. Those cakes were all atrocious. I commented on that, too, while we were watching it. I wonder if it keeps coming back if the caliber will get better? Having only seen seasons 4 & 5 of the Great British Baking Show, I wondered if earlier season contestants were as good as the later seasons, or if their process for choosing contestants was better.

Good point.  I haven't seen any of the earlier series.  But I'm guessing that the British producers have a better process for choosing their contestants.  Or maybe I'm projecting.  US culinary competition seem to focus on the failures of the contestants with a talented person or two thrown in here and there.  Or maybe the US competitors didn't think they needed to practice?  

[downtoearth]

I just started Top Chef last night (Season 13 - anybody watching? I'm hating on the man-bun-hipster-vegan-LA dude)

I'll have to check this show out b/c it sounds right up my alley.

[jaybird]

Dec 29, 2015 16:04:20 GMT -5 moreace01 said:

Dec 29, 2015 15:46:06 GMT -5 bexporter said:

Can the hosts' names really be Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood?

Those are fake, right?

Oddly enough, I think those are their real names. 


Love this show - did not know there were so many seasons and I'm bummed we can't see them all now. I love that you actually learn something while watching it.  The contestants are talented and its more about their talent than their backstories or bickering or how fast they can throw something together. I wish all cooking shows were like this. Somewhere along the way, tv execs thought everything should be over the top to get ratings. It's refreshing to see a show gain popularity by being completely counter to this way of thinking. 

I believe you can find the older seasons on YouTube, though it's not licensed postings. It's too bad there's no other way to view them in the US. I'm hoping it gets popular enough that Netflix or PBS offers it eventually. I saw the first season when I lived abroad and the bakers who made it to the end were very talented.

[winecat]

Dec 29, 2015 17:29:10 GMT -5 jaybird said:

Dec 29, 2015 16:04:20 GMT -5 moreace01 said:

Oddly enough, I think those are their real names. 


Love this show - did not know there were so many seasons and I'm bummed we can't see them all now. I love that you actually learn something while watching it.  The contestants are talented and its more about their talent than their backstories or bickering or how fast they can throw something together. I wish all cooking shows were like this. Somewhere along the way, tv execs thought everything should be over the top to get ratings. It's refreshing to see a show gain popularity by being completely counter to this way of thinking. 

I believe you can find the older seasons on YouTube, though it's not licensed postings. It's too bad there's no other way to view them in the US. I'm hoping it gets popular enough that Netflix or PBS offers it eventually. I saw the first season when I lived abroad and the bakers who made it to the end were very talented.

They seem to shut down the ones on YouTube pretty quickly.  I watched a couple of episodes from another season there before they were removed.    I mean, I understand why but I needed a fix. 

[EloiseWeenie]

I love this show! I've only seen the 2 season that aired on PBS.

[bexporter]

There is a new season that just finished in the Great Britain (that we haven't seen yet). So hopefully we'll all get our fix again soon on PBS.