5 Reasons You Should Turn Off The News And Watch The ‘Great British Baking Show’

The Federalist ^ | 7-28-17 | Gracy Olmstead

[afraidfortherepublic]

Let’s just pause the vitriol and political drama, and instead enjoy some cakes, puns, and Mary Berry for the day.

It’s a rather dismal time in American politics. There’s been lots of fighting, drama, and tweeting of late. Over the past few months, we’ve seen disappointed hopes, angry passions, and forlorn despair all rise to the surface. On the cultural front, we’ve experienced a good deal of unrest and volatility, fragmentation and decay. But there’s hope, friends. From across the pond, the British have delivered unto us the most delightful “reality TV” show an Anglophile could ever ask for. It features people being nice to each other, the punniest hosts on television, two judges talking about “soggy bottoms,” and the most tantalizing baked goods.

So you could turn on CNN, MSNBC, or Fox News and hear about the latest Donald Trump tweets destroying peace and prosperity. Or you could just watch the final episodes of the fourth season of “The Great British Baking Show” instead.

Here are some reasons you should consider the latter.

1. This Is A Different Kind Of Competition

If you’ve ever watched U.S. baking and cooking competitions—such as “Chopped,” “Master Chef,” or even “Master Chef Junior”—you’re likely used to a rather cutthroat culinary competition. We Americans take our bakes seriously. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there, and making it to the top often requires (at least in our minds) a steely, even hostile demeanor. After all, you never know when Gordon Ramsay’s going to shout at you in his menacing British accent. “Master Chef Junior” encourages its conniving little contestants to throw each other out of the competition—despite the sunny dispositions of these little kids, they know how to attack an opponent.

[njslim]

Usually stick to Discovery Channel shows - Science Channel,
Investigation Discovery

[freedumb2003]

>>It’s always good to post from a position of ignorance, you obviously have never watched the program but felt you were uninformed enough to comment on thread about it. BRAVO!<<

Read for comprehension — I said baking shows in general and named a few in a follow-up.

It’s always good to post from a position of ignorance, you obviously didn’t actually READ my comments but felt you were uninformed enough to comment on thread about them anyway. BRAVO!

[Thud]

This is definitely a retirement activity I can get into. Thanks for the recommendation.

[gattaca]

We love that show. It’s much better than the stuff on Food Network. They are polite even when losing.

[HangThemHigh]

You mean there is life on TV, something worth while?

I guess I should forego the CSI reruns a while & check it out.

Thanks.

[socal_parrot]

Any cheese in the show?

I like cheese.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Lots of cheese.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Not the GBBS. Sometimes there is structure, as in hand made molds, or display stands. But, generally they specify that no dowels are allowed to keep the structures up. Sometimes they will use something hard when they are actually building, but the “helper” is removed before the centerpiece is presented.

[afraidfortherepublic]

...except for that one season in which the Irishman had a hissy fit during some ice-cream concoction challenge.

I saw that and thought it was unfair. It was an extremely hot day and somebody took his ice cream out of the freezer and left in on the bench. He did show bad form by dumping his ice cream and stalking off, but the person who removed his concoction from the freezer is really the one at fault. I think that every 2 people share a freezer, so there should have been enough space. I don't know if the contestant was in the wrong freezer, but it was odd (as was his reaction.)

[afraidfortherepublic]

Unless this is different than “Cake Boss” or “Next Great Baker” or, the worst, “cupcake wars” I know exactly what I am talking about.

VERY DIFFERENT!

[Calvin Locke]

If you search for the ice cream incident, the show line was "it was only out of the freezer for one minute (two?), at most."

Nevertheless, the older lady that did take it out didn't come back for the following week, offering some medical excuse, iirc.

PH did tell the guy "Why'd you throw it out? We could have tried the cake portion..."

Of course, in the current PBS airing, I think somebody got chopped (sent down? So long'd, farewell'd auf wiedersehen'd, adieu'd?), in part, for coming up short a dozen of whatever, in one of the challenges. The failed ice cream all but guaranteed his departure, regardless.