Great Chocolate Showdown - General Discussion

[TVbitch]

Ten bakers from US and Canada compete in a two chocolate-centric challenges. Each episode a judge demonstrates a chocolate technique which the bakers then have to execute in the technical challenge. Based on the results of the technical challenge, three bakers are deemed safe, and the rest move into an elmination challenge. This Canadian show airs on the CW network in the states. 

I enjoy the low drama Canadian vibe of this baking competition (and that there are no hosts trying to be amusing!), but it kind of goes by in a rush. I would like to see more of the judge's demonstration as well as what the bakers are doing. I'm sure it will seem less hectic once a few are eliminated.  

[Grizzly]

I've been watching the past few seasons and really enjoy this show. But looking at the listings, it's not going to be on the next 2 Saturdays ☹️ Is it on another night?

[TVbitch]

My TV Guide listing says it is on Saturday at 7 on CW Network. I am west coast.  

I watched the first three seasons on some Canadian site. Didn't even realize CW showed it until I happened to see it in the listings. 

[Grizzly]

I stumbled upon it the same way. Sigh, my CW is showing a baseball game this Sat starting at 7. I'll have to search through the listings more closely.

[Grizzly]

So proud of Fadi and T. I forget which season they were on but they are still friends. And they are competing together on Crime Scene Kitchen. Watching them in the finale now.

[TVbitch]

Oh no, @Grizzly, hope you aren't getting pre-empted. Hopefully they will show it at another time, or I believe you can watch episodes on the CW website. 

Edited August 15, 2023 by TVbitch

[milkyaqua]

I keep forgetting this is on.  I did like the episodes I saw last year.  It's always nice to see Anna Olson.

[Lurk]

I caught some episodes of this show on a previous season. Just noticed it last Saturday for episode 2? I came here last weekend looking for a thread for it and didn't see anything. I haven't watched the episodes yet. Was going to see if I could find the first episode to watch first.

[CAM]

According to IMDB you should be able to see season 1-3 on Hulu.

Also if you have access to the CW app you can see the first 2 episodes of the current season.

[Grizzly]

The one thing I don't like is not all of the bakes are tasted in the first round. The judges could be missing out on a great tasting dessert just because it didn't look arresting.

[mlp]

I stumbled on this show just in time for the first episode.  So far I like it and think the judges have eliminated the right person each time.  The contestants are an interesting mix.  I'd love to know how an ER physician and a police detective got started baking and working in chocolate.  I didn't realize there had been prior seasons until I read this thread.  Now I have to figure out where I can watch them.

[TVbitch]

I wish they would taste all the bakes in the first round, too. But also, they don't even really show us all the bakes, so I can't tell if I agree that the judges are picking the most attractive ones! Grrrr! 

I also find it unnerving how the judges stare right at the bakers while they are putting a forkfull of their dessert in their mouth. Duff does that a lot, too. There's just something intense or aggressive about it that freaks me out!!  🍰👄🤣

[EllieW]

I literally just said that yesterday to hubby, about that threatening stare when tasting.

[TVbitch]

I would not enjoy a dessert with those fruit jellies all over it.

These bakers are much more amateur than the usual contestants of FN's Baking Championships, but I don't mind. 

[mlp]

10 minutes ago, TVbitch said:

I would not enjoy a dessert with those fruit jellies all over it.

Most of them didn't look appetizing to me either.  I did like Mike's turtle.

I was sorry to see Charli go.  I didn't think he had any chance of winning but I liked him.

[Grizzly]

When I was a kid, my mother would buy spearmint leaves covered in sugar. Was that the American version of pate de fruits?

I thought the safety bake was a really hard challenge. And how much time did they save only tasting 5 instead of 6 dishes? Just eliminate them walking around and they could fit it in. Will they just say goodbye to Ashlee already? She's been in the bottom forever.

[TVbitch]

I will pass on the tiger nut and bean desserts! Seems like some people got way harder ingredients than others. All in all, they did well with a lot of stuff they'd never made before. Kind of suprised at Ally going. 

[Grizzly]

I was happy they were given a card with info on their ingredient. 

[mlp]

Maybe it's my TV or TV station but this show just...starts.  No logo, no intro of any kind.  It just starts with a judge giving instructions to the bakers.  There's always a logo when they come back after a commercial break so I know they have one.  It's odd.

The remaining bakers seem fairly evenly matched.  I don't have any inkling of who's heading toward a win.

 

[milkyaqua]

Is anyone still watching this?  I was a little surprised about Mike making the final three since the last person eliminated Emma? got cut because her dessert didn't have any really discernable chocolate yet Mike was fine?  I agree that he probably had the neatest presentation and maybe the advantage helped but really?

[Grizzly]

I am still watching despite CW's always showing sports in their time slot. I've been a fan of Mike's since the beginning so not sorry they kept him. Did want Tim in the finale too so wanted Ashlee to go home. They get a tech demo on how to make pastry cream but they were on their own to figure out upside cake? They are all showing improvement but not sure I'd pay for any of their goods.

[TVbitch]

Yeah, they sure don't makeit easy to follow this show. I have to assume the demos are much, much longer in person, cuz what is show is pretty pointless. I was rooting for Mike, so glad he stayed. Tim's cake was pretty disastrous looking. I thought they all did a better job last week with the food that looks like other food challenge. I hate that challenge though, cuz I do not want my dessert to look like a hamburger or whatever. 

[milkyaqua]

2 hours ago, Grizzly said:

They get a tech demo on how to make pastry cream but they were on their own to figure out upside cake?

This.  When they announced the challenge I was like, "So I obviously missed episodes where they showed this technique before because they can't be expecting them to do this with no demonstration of it."

[mlp]

I'm still watching but I didn't get to the semi-finals tape until last night.  I too have been rooting for Mike so I was happy he made it to the finale.  I was sorry to see Tim leave though.  I get the decision but I preferred him to the two women left.  I'd really really like to know how a police detective got into baking.  I wonder if he takes a lot of teasing at work. 

[chicagofan]

Just a reminder - the finale is on tonight. Go Mike!

[Grizzly]

I don't know. The winner's first and fourth bakes didn't look clean. They did great on the judges' choice. Can't wait to hear what you all think.

[milkyaqua]

I was a little surprised by the winner as I thought Mike had it in the bag.  I was also leaning towards Kristen for a minute.  Oh, well congratulations to Ashlee.

The judges did help me identify a dessert I had years ago at an Italian place and couldn't remember the name of so that was good.

[mlp]

I wanted Mike to win but his 4th dessert seemed simple and less than impressive.  The others had flaws too so I don't know how the judges made their decision.  In the end, I don't feel too bad for Mike because he's a doctor and probably needed 50K a lot less than Ashlee.  I suspect he wasn't doing it for the money in the first place.  

I was shocked when I noticed that Ashlee is only 33 y/o.  All this time, I thought she was in her 50s based on looks.  Her daughter looked mostly grown too.

This show was new to me so I had no idea that it was on season 4.  I'll have to see if I can find the previous seasons.

[TVbitch]

I thought Ashlee was an older lady, too! She did okay but, um, let's just say I would not call any of those "showpieces" showpieces! 

I was rooting for Mike and would have liked to see a bit of the judges' deliberation about who should be the winner and why. I do think the first couple seasons of this show might have been better. 

The blond judge lady's voice is so melifulous. It's the tone or something. I find it so very soothing. 😴💤

[Frost]

I just found this on Hulu.  I loved the first season, liked the second, and was bored by the third.  The quality of the contestants seemed to go downhill.  A number of them could not temper chocolate! 

I like the concept of the show, although I hate white "chocolate" with the power of a thousand burning suns!

The judges have critiques even on bakes that they like which is great because none of them are going to be perfect.  And I appreciate that nobody has a catchphrase like "Duuuuuuude".