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Sara's "lives" are on Instagram. So she talks in real time with another chef at a designated time, but then the recording is saved in her Instagram account so they can be watched later. https://www.instagram.com/chefsarabradley/

"More rolls than a bakery"

I'm enjoying the season, even if the challenges themselves aren't as interesting somehow. I like all the potters. I also loved how great Caitlin and George were with each other, especially when she asked him if he wanted alone time or support and was OK walking away. I felt so bad for her when her first pot was ruined so fast. Derek really messed up the underglazes but I liked his idea and the way he built it. I loved Lois's with the sky colors and the way she did the wind. I really liked George and will miss him. You really have to understand so many elements and forces to get it right.

I agree that the upside-down chickens were strange, even though they were well made. Agree that the dragons were very cool, and I also liked George's octopus pots.

Worst Raku challenge ever. They all just looked so dark. This version of the process lost the magic for me - I loved when they would use feathers and threads and all kinds of stuff that would create impressions, and the oxides would produce great colors. I haven't seen the series with the guest judge, so didn't know who she was either. I agree the ruffle challenge was strange and didn't really produce anything interesting or fun.

I normally would have been excited to watch, but the preview did nothing to entice me. I don't know who any of them are, and they all seem to be mugging to the camera a bit too much for my taste. I prefer watching normal bakers who know what they're doing compete, instead of "celebrities" who barely know which end of a whisk is up.

Most vegetarians fall into the "ovo-lacto" category, meaning they eat eggs and dairy, because the animals aren't killed to obtain the egg or milk. Vegans don't eat or use any animal products.

One set of her donuts also had issues.

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! I agree with all of this, and I had forgotten how badly Syabira tanked the lemon meringue. I'm rewatching earlier seasons on Roku, and there is so much explanation either in voiceover or by Paul/Mary, or by the contestants about what is difficult, why it's difficult, why they use the process they do, why Italian meringue vs French or Swiss meringue, what they expect to happen, etc. I want them to know more than I do and inspire me to try new techniques or bakes.

They are all soooooo happy for each other when judging is going well! Everyone cheering behind Lauren when she got good comments was so heartwarming. They were beaming for her, it wasn't just polite clapping to be a good sport.

Syabira has turned out to be the only one with wide-ranging baking skills. I was shocked that Janusz couldn't make a decent custard, and also didn't understand how to blind bake pastry. They should have had pastry week much earlier so that all the basic skills were tested.

100% all of this!

I was really surprised that no one pricked the middle bottom of their vol-au-vents to keep it from puffing up while the rest puffed around it. I'm sure I've seen that technique before, and thought it odd to see them all tearing out the puffed-up middles so they could be filled. I am in the minority camp of not liking Sandro at all, and this episode really reinforced that for me. Style over substance on so many levels. And how does Janusz not know how to make custard? So last week was not an anomaly for him, he thought it was supposed to be that gloopy? The Great Canadian Baking Show is blowing GBBO out of the water this season.

Sandro won Star Baker during Dessert Week.

Tamara from season 1 of All that Glitters showed up in episode 2 of a new show - "The Saved and Remade Workshop." The show itself is an interesting contrast to the Repair Shop, because people's objects are transformed into new things rather than being repaired.

Oh my gosh, the drama!

I'm with you on pineapple, but grew up in Chicago and adore deep dish and/or stuffed pizza. Thin crust isn't bad, but not my favorite.

Yeah this was the strangest "bread week" ever - no real discussion of techniques or ingredients, and the bread itself was an afterthought in the two main bakes. I think you mean Dawn, not Laura. I really like her and hope this was just an off week. She did well in both cake week and biscuit week.

Both of them had feathers in their showstoppers, so probably had that kind of feather in their minds. Between that, the pressure of the tent, and a possibly unfamiliar term, I can understand the confusion.

I've only ever seen one series of Aussie Bakeoff, but there was an American contestant who had moved there with her family. She was somewhat annoying, but made it pretty far in the competition. I would also like to see an American expat on GBBO sometime.

I'm still watching, and I liked a couple of the necklace ideas but the time constraints seem to be an issue for decent execution. Most of the charms were awful, and the one chosen really benefited from Katherine's suggestion.

I remember the previous female judge being pretty dour, but don't remember much else. I like the new woman, she's knowledgeable but supportive and nice. I do not like Katherine at all, something about her overall affect just bugs me. I agreed with the "bespoke" choice, that was also my favorite of the bunch. I liked several of the "best sellers," too. Overall, not a bad start.

Pretty sure you meant Colin and Christie, not Chip and Kim!

OK I want to expand on this because I'm more upset about it than I thought. The instructions were to make a garment or outfit "that you would wear to a party" -- so this is what Debra would wear to a garden party!! Sometimes I get upset when they judge more on technicalities like this instead of how well it was sewn and appropriate choice of fabrics for purpose. OK, rant over....

I thought Annie's looked great and was sewn well, but how does someone sit down with a big bow on their ass? I thought ManYee's looked like a costume. I agree about Debra's transformation - I liked it but I guess they really were pushing the "party" idea and it was pretty staid. I was so disappointed in Debra's fabric choice for the made to measure - it looked so 80s and did not show off her special draping and construction well at all. If she had added that detail in a contrasting or complementary color I think it would have helped a lot.