Madding crowd

We don’t know that Christine couldn’t afford or even wanted to serve Salmon. She could afford to cook better now and still makes casseroles. None of the Brown kids said they didn’t have enough food.

In terms of food, the Browns kept huge food pantries that they all used to feed the kids. None of them went hungry or went without clothes.

I knew there was something I didn’t like about him. To shame a woman for gaining 10 pounds? Then he was dating a month after his wife died. I hope both of those nice women turn him down; everything about him is fake including his career!

I still don’t trust Angie and think she wants Glen’s money. Glen barely knows Angie and Whitney and Hunter just lost their mom. It’s a different situation but after my mom died my father remarried pretty quickly and she talked him into moving across the country. My sister and I barely saw him after that and she intercepted all mail and calls so for us it was like losing both parents and we were 18 and 20. Of course Glen is Angie’s dad but I’m wondering if and why her whole family wants him in Alabama. What is he going to do all day while Angie and the rest are working? I’m betting she ends up having Glen support her.

I never heard of Mont Blanc but I don’t like chestnuts so I would never order one. I wonder if the bakers are told ahead of time what desserts they might make; they all seemed familiar with it. I didn’t mind the smushed cakes, this has been on long enough that they have to come up with different challenges.

Kody certainly seemed like he was in love with Meri when the show started; calling her his soulmate and constantly touching and kissing her. I think a lot of people who are left by their partner say “I was never in love anyway “ as a way to save face. I do wonder what Kody sees in Robyn since it appears she tells him what to do and say and he is all about macho posturing. When he met her she was pretty and dressed cute but now she dresses like a dowdy matron, doesn’t take care of her kids and keeps a messy house.

Finally got around to watching this and I’m not confused because I read the book but there is a lot of jumping around. I didn’t see Emily’s parents as neglectful, it just seems like Emily likes doing things with her sister. I do agree there seems to be too much attention on Alison. Women and men noticing and commenting on her seems a bit much. This show does bring up some interesting issues about tourism. Tourism allows the locals to make a living yet they are contemptuous of the tourists and dislike having to serve them. I get the point but don’t know what the answer is although some of these tourists are indeed jerks but not all.

This one had me sobbing https://youtu.be/xnZGEUA4oBk?si=3EhvBhRYC1ZHRmMB

Olivia’s need to have deep conversations with everyone is not going to work. I’ve been married a long time and have never had a deep conversation with my husbands family. We say hello at family events and that’s it. My husband’s family doesn’t like me so I understand how Olivia feels but I also get it that my husband wants a relationship with them . I don’t agree with Ethan’s values but he has the right to have them just as Olivia has the right to have her own values. I don’t think Ethan is a bad person and I don’t think wanting to have a relationship with your family is bad. I think Olivia is a lot; she likes being the center of attention, expects constant conversations about her feelings and she feels entitled to live a life traveling the world and rarely working. After she divorces Ethan I think she will need to get a full time job and live a regular life and I don’t think she will handle that well.

Just watched the second episode and I feel bad for the grandparents who had to take responsibility for their grandchildren because their parents wanted to party all day. I also can’t believe these people were getting donations for their rambling videos. Having had family members die from alcoholism it was hard seeing her body falling apart and no one did anything.

I thought these owners wanted Gordon to pay for the broken AC, broken salad drawer, refrigerator etc, so they made up the burned out chef story. He sure seemed fine after everything was working well. I’m beginning to wonder if anything is real on this show.

This was a tricky challenge; adding cheese to a fruit pie takes some finesse. Jennifer really wasn’t good at doing things quickly and she didn’t look like she was enjoying herself at all. I think I would try some the pies with mascarpone cheese but not blue cheese or goat cheese.

I know that but the fact she thought only her kids would get this share would make any reasonable father say “ we have 18 kids and they are all going to get it.” Robyn cares only about herself and her kids and Kody cares only about Kody. I would like someone to ask Kody why he had all of these kids with women he says he didn’t love.

I was happy to see Meri laughing at Robyn and Kody. Robyn expecting Meri to stick around for a husband that shuns her and appears to despise her is ridiculous. I 100% believe Robyn was crying because she is worried the show will end and she loves being on TV and the income it brings. Her whining about sitting on the porch with the others just makes me angry because she has made zero effort to get together with the other wives or kids. The idea that her parcel only goes to her kids while Kody’s is only for him might be the final straw that will drive Kody’s non-Robyn kids away. Knowing that your dad has zero thought for you would be enough for me to cut all ties. Once the cameras are gone I’m betting Robyn gets rid of the Sears junior secretary clothes and goes out to find someone new.

I remember seeing this nutcase on Dr. Phil and feeling angry that people were subjecting their children to her. It’s one thing for adults to want to live such a chaotic, drug fueled life but subjecting children to that was evil. I still find it fascinating that people were so entranced with her considering she rarely seemed sober or had much to say beyond Love Wins.

Posts have said she needs to be retired and put out to pasture. And it really isn’t just likely but a sure thing that editors work on this and all shows to craft storylines. All shows are edited and all critiques are shortened for TV. https://www.insider.com/behind-the-scenes-secrets-about-cooking-competitions?amp The attached article talks a bit about editing

I like Nancy and don’t think women need to be put out to pasture because they aren’t young and skinny. Of course people like who they like but men are rarely forced into retirement the way women are. Carla and Duff are older than the average host too. Nancy liking booze is no different than when Mary Berry liked booze on the British Baking Show. Likely thought up by producers and played up much like Carla being quirky and Duff being grumpy. I assume they all criticize various aspects and the show decides what to focus on; I do notice they often show Carla talking about taste, Duff talking about texture and bake level and Nancy talking about decorations but they probably all talk about everything.

This “ Golden” season is so short, I don’t know how these people could know each other enough for an engagement. Theresa would probably fit in better with his life but at least Leslie was honest at needing time with her family. I’m sure Theresa will need that time as well. I think he is very smitten with Leslie, but he might pick Theresa as the one who will fit in more.

I didn’t see Whitney doing anything wrong and if you are traveling with a big group someone has to be in charge. I think Glen is a cranky old man and I probably wouldn’t want to spend time with him. I don’t believe Whitney forced him to do anything, he seems capable of saying no. I am side eyeing Angie a bit for bringing her whole family on this European trip when she barely knows Glen. I hope she isn’t taking advantage of him because she wants to be on TV and get free trips.

The last episode seemed more about mental health issues than running a restaurant. I couldn’t believe they had all those customers with the guy yelling and dry heaving all over the place. Tess seemed like a sweetheart and needs to run far away from this guy unless he gets some serious counseling. This show is too much like Bar Rescue now.

I think it’s fine to critique messy piping or over or under baking but I just don’t believe every one of these cookies has something wrong with it or that Eddie has such a palate that he can detect the tiniest defect. And cookies aren’t like cakes or other desserts where you can add layers. It is impossible to have a cookie taste exactly like a gingerbread/snickerdoodle whatever and also taste exactly like a flavored lollipop or something else. It can have some of the ingredients added but it can’t be 100% two different things.

I like Eddie on other shows but he is too picky here and I find it hard to believe he really finds something wrong in every cookie. Ree is smug as well and she is no cookie expert. I do like seeing the decorated cookies but think the judging is too negative especially in the first round.

Cameron and Claire are the only couple I like and the height thing doesn’t bother me. I’m 5’6 and my husband is 6’7 and we’ve been together 28 years and I don’t really notice it anymore ( plus we have a son who is 6’8). I don’t find Orion attractive and I wonder if he has anything in common with Lauren. Pride in your culture isn’t enough if you don’t like to do the same things, want to live in the same place etc. Someone who has never been in a relationship needs to start way slower than marriage.

I’m not liking this as much as I did last year. The special forces guys seem to actively hate the participants this time around and it’s not fun to watch. It also bugs me to see people called all kinds of names for not being able to do something they were never trained to do. Even the special forces guys had to start somewhere; I just don’t believe they were perfect from day one.

I could have done without the snide Plath comments about Christmas. Not everyone celebrates Christmas but I would never comment on other people’s beliefs or traditions. Olivia’s sister seems like she just wants to get Olivia upset and they didn’t get along for this reason before. I have a sister like this and it’s always some variation of “I noticed this and don’t think it’s right for you” but done out of jealousy. Ethan says he hasn’t changed but he clearly has so I think that was a producer driven conversation. He has a Christmas tree, he drinks alcohol, he travels around Europe. I can’t wait for Lydia’s reaction to Kim dating.