Money Hungry - General Discussion

[eelpout]

Did anyone watch this new Food Network uh, gameshow(?), with Kal Penn? I've only seen the episode with the "culinary witch." Yeah, that's right. Did we know they were a thing?

I don't think they thought this concept all the way through. Besides being longer than I think it should be, that episode ended for me with a thud of "oh... that's it?" Should have been more chances at taking cash throughout IMO.

I'm not sure this was originally an FN property to begin with based on the production. 

Anyone else see it?

Edited August 11, 2021 by eelpout

[biakbiak]

I did but only because my friend’s boyfriend was a contestant. 

I found it way too slow and not that interesting, even though I love the blind taste test challenge on TC which shows why editing and pace are important! 

I will watch the next episode with Ryan but I can’t imagine watching more.

[Grizzly]

I watched the first half and then turned it. Kitchen witch should not have seen the light of day. What the f, having the waiter come feed him? Too slow, having the 2 other chefs was bizarre, and Kal was made to say really boring drivel.

[eyesopen]

On 8/11/2021 at 1:27 PM, eelpout said:

Did anyone watch this new Food Network uh, gameshow(?), with Kal Penn? I've only seen the episode with the "culinary witch." Yeah, that's right. Did we know they were a thing?

I don't think they thought this concept all the way through. Besides being longer than I think it should be, that episode ended for me with a thud of "oh... that's it?" Should have been more chances at taking cash throughout IMO.

I'm not sure this was originally an FN property to begin with based on the production. 

Anyone else see it?

I wasn't going to watch it but then I peeked at it and then I ended up watching it, but only because it was a bit interesting and new.  I like new shows because of the freshness factor.

I think there are more misses than hits for the show's concepts.  Like the good looking server, didn't like Kal mostly asking the female judge on her opinions, ignoring the 2nd judge more.  It's glaring obvious and unbalanced tv watching.  I want to hear the good looking male judge say stuff too.

I think it was a pretty tough challenge, telling the difference between 2% and 5%, I think it's suspicious to have the male contestant eat bugs.  If later they have a woman eat bugs, then that'll be good.  Also pretty hard for a contestant to accept eating bugs to continue in the game show.  And 5K is a too cheap walk away bribe.  I think 10K would be better.  I like the concept of tasting foods and identifying correctly the foods in it.

[biakbiak]

18 hours ago, eyesopen said:

Like the good looking server, didn't like Kal mostly asking the female judge on her opinions, ignoring the 2nd judge more.

Especially when she says things like carrots grow on trees!

[Rammchick]

It's like the foodie version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.  Only, there isn't any prospect of winning money if you stop part of the way through, except when Kal offered it after the fifth cloche.  I'm impressed that Food Network is giving such a big prize for winning -- their prizes are fairly chintzy.  It was interesting but I think they could do more to liven it up.  

[mlp]

I watched the first two shows.  It's an interesting concept but it moved too slowly and the two chefs sitting there, both people I like, didn't really add anything.  They should eliminate a lot of the chit chat and the kitchen prep footage and speed things up.

[eyesopen]

8 hours ago, mlp said:

I watched the first two shows.  It's an interesting concept but it moved too slowly and the two chefs sitting there, both people I like, didn't really add anything.  They should eliminate a lot of the chit chat and the kitchen prep footage and speed things up.

I didn't care for the kitchen prep footage either.  If you cut out some of these details, they may go thru 3 contestants, not sure if they want to do that.  That's not a really bad idea.

[mlp]

I liked the theater critic guy so I was disappointed when he lost out so close to the end.  I figured the next person up, a professional food taster, would sail right through.  Instead, she didn't even make it through the first round.  I also like the very pretty Indian woman who is up now but she talks way, way, way too much.  So does Nilou.  I wonder if they were told to do that to fill up the remaining time in the episode.  

It seems odd to me that the "ask a chef" question deferred to Nilou who is not a chef when there was an actual chef sitting right there.  

[eyesopen]

23 hours ago, mlp said:

I liked the theater critic guy so I was disappointed when he lost out so close to the end.  I figured the next person up, a professional food taster, would sail right through.  Instead, she didn't even make it through the first round.  I also like the very pretty Indian woman who is up now but she talks way, way, way too much.  So does Nilou.  I wonder if they were told to do that to fill up the remaining time in the episode.  

It seems odd to me that the "ask a chef" question deferred to Nilou who is not a chef when there was an actual chef sitting right there.  

I was real disappointed too, darn it.  They did warn these challenges weren't easy and the differences between 2 different liquors or 2 different percentage yogurts seems pretty tough to me.  You're going to need some luck to get to the very end.  I was surprised the next 2 players were slow going thru the speed round.  Both of them almost didn't make it.  I mean the woman before if she didn't make it thru, could have not gotten thru the speed round because it seemed she wasn't getting thru to the last item before the clock ran out.

The too much chatting reminded me of what bugged me about Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.  Many times too much chatting.  I get the hmm hmm is the answer this or that kind of talk but the other talk Well, my grandpa loved to fish and his favorite fish to catch is X, that kind of chat felt pointless for me.

[LittleIggy]

I like the concept and Kal Penn. They just need to cut the chatting as mentioned above.

[mlp]

1 hour ago, LittleIggy said:

I like the concept and Kal Penn.

I meant to mention that I like Kal Penn too.  I'd never heard of him before but I read his little bio on the FN site and saw that he's a very smart guy with lots of credentials.  I like his personality.

[Rammchick]

8 hours ago, mlp said:

I meant to mention that I like Kal Penn too.  I'd never heard of him before but I read his little bio on the FN site and saw that he's a very smart guy with lots of credentials.  I like his personality.

He was great on Designated Survivor, which I think is the first place I saw him.  

One of the biggest problems with this is trying to taste elements of cold foods that are supposed to be hot.  Temperature makes a big difference in how your taste buds and brain perceive flavors.  That's part of what makes this so tricky.  And then add in the lights and the pressure and it's a wonder anyone can recognize any flavors at all!  

[Leeds]

Boring.

[ketchuplover]

I hope they're not wasting food 😡

[candall]

1 hour ago, ketchuplover said:

I hope they're not wasting food 😡

You mean like that punchbowl of guacamole they brought out as a base for the sprinkle of cricket bits?

 

 

I like the show, or at least the basic concept.  I always enjoy the blindfold challenge segments of cooking shows like Hell's Kitchen. 

Definitely needs a little tweaking, though.  I can figure out 65-75% of the answers through my tv screen.  And for heaven's sake, please let Kal stop shrieking "THAT WAS REALLY TOUGH!!" when no, the question wasn't very difficult.

 

I'm watching The Return of Kanchan Koya right now and I believe the producers have suggested to her that the audience doesn't need a Ted Talk about her process for engaging with every ingredient placed in front of her.    : )

 

 

[mlp]

I like the concept of this show and I really like Kal Penn but there is way too much talking, especially by the contestants and Nilou.  I liked the woman who won and I'm glad she did but I was bored to death listening to her describing her every thought.  I also didn't need to see endless footage of her picking through dishes with her fingers.  It feels like the producers are just dragging everything out.

Bruce is cute and personable.  I like that he's a personality who is part of the show and not just a silent and decorative model.

[eyesopen]

On 8/19/2021 at 7:46 AM, Rammchick said:

He was great on Designated Survivor, which I think is the first place I saw him.  

One of the biggest problems with this is trying to taste elements of cold foods that are supposed to be hot.  Temperature makes a big difference in how your taste buds and brain perceive flavors.  That's part of what makes this so tricky.  And then add in the lights and the pressure and it's a wonder anyone can recognize any flavors at all!  

I watched him on a not so long ago show that unfortunately was canceled in its 1st season.  I liked the show.  I think it's called Sunnyside.  He played a disgraced some type of councilman person that was kicked out of the office and ending up teaching citizenship? to a bunch of diverse people.  The critics thought it wasn't funny but it had its moments.

 

On 8/24/2021 at 6:54 PM, ketchuplover said:

I hope they're not wasting food 😡

You know, I've thought that FN shows probably do waste food.  It's hard to see, usable food not eating, but I'm aware that GGG donates food afterward and maybe they compost stuff.

I've really watched GGG a lot because of the pandemic times and I've really started to notice how much food get cut away from produce and meats to make restaurant quality meals.  It's very cringy.

[LittleIggy]

I’m so glad the contestant won. She had a great palate. Bruce is cute! 😏

[Rammchick]

13 hours ago, eyesopen said:

You know, I've thought that FN shows probably do waste food.  It's hard to see, usable food not eating, but I'm aware that GGG donates food afterward and maybe they compost stuff.

I seem to remember a show some time back that mentioned that their leftover food goes to City Harvest.