All Episodes Talk

[Kohola3]

Chocolate and watermelon?  That's just disgusting.  Those two flavors do not go together at all.

[ShoePrincess]

On 7/3/2018 at 3:52 PM, Lura said:

I think this show goes down as my least favorite (food wise) of all of Ree's shows.  It absolutely reeked of desperation.  Did you notice how often she exclaimed about something being wonderful or delicious or tempting?  She really sells that crap she's making, as if she thinks (or knows) that her audience is a buncha dimwits who'll believe anything. 

There's really nothing wrong with a zucchini waffle.  It tastes like zucchini bread and is a good way to get vegetable fiber into the kids.  But then, she takes it too far, per usual, by adding essentially frosting on the waffles. That would be so cloyingly sweet that it would make some people vomit.  And those poor kids act like trained seals, smiling broadly while perusing their plates and praising Mama's cooking as "looking great."

Ree is treading on thin ice.  Her recipes have become predictable and repetitious.  I, for one, am sick to death of her constant grin showing every capped tooth in her mouth.  She's taken smiling lessons from Giada, I suspect.  As viewers, we deserve someone better, someone who doesn't pretend to be a silly teenager who has her own cooking show and fools around making up recipes.  With Ree in their lineup, they've become the Junk Food Network.

You're absolutely right, Lura. We do deserve someone better. Much better. I think it's most painfully obvious on Friday mornings when Ree is followed by an Ina mini-marathon. Ina makes me want to head to the kitchen and cook something delicious. Ree makes me wish I'd pilfered some barf bags from Delta on my last flight.

[Kohola3]

16 minutes ago, ShoePrincess said:

Ree makes me wish I'd pilfered some barf bags from Delta on my last flight.

BWAHAHAHAHA!

[CharlizeCat]

Why would you want to ruin perfectly good watermelon (especially now and next month), with chocolate and a bunch of sweet crap?  At the most, it needs a little sea salt. Or, if it's not quite ... perfect for a feta and bal-SAM-ick salad.  The pale pink mealy crap you find at the grocery store year-round would be horrible in any state. And, wouldn't all of the water ruin chocolate, etc.?

Yeah. Pass me the barf bag, or I'll raise you one from Iceland Air, which I am sure is very elegant. (They opened a hub in KC back in the spring and it looked quite posh.)

[ShoePrincess]

1 hour ago, CharlizeCat said:

 

Yeah. Pass me the barf bag, or I'll raise you one from Iceland Air, which I am sure is very elegant. (They opened a hub in KC back in the spring and it looked quite posh.)

I'll try to acquire some on my next Air France flight.

 

I don't even want to think about that unholy watermelon concoction. Why, Ree, why?

[Kohola3]

1 minute ago, ShoePrincess said:

Why, Ree, why?

"Well, because I can".

[CharlizeCat]

I think this was a straight out FU show to us for complaining about the heavy hand with unnecessary ingredients. 

First up was a ham and cheese loaf, which Ree proclaimed as "perfect for breakfast." If you say so. It might be OK for lunch. Why use processed deli ham then go to the trouble to grate Vermont cheddar if the whole point was to save time?

The penne with onions and Romano cheese curdled my stomach for obvious reasons.

Anemic looking chicken thighs in with white rice and jarred mango salsa. I think the recipe was called, "Miracle Mango Chicken." Yeah. It would be a miracle if anybody ate it. Ree wistfully spoke of all of the other things should would have added, like cilantro and sour cream. THIS was the time to embellish like crazy because that mess looked terrible. Very unappetizing.  So, F us. She showed restraint.

I think the clincher was mozzarella sticks made from string cheese in egg roll wrappers then fried. Again, why go to all the trouble? If you're going to make mozzarella sticks, then do them right. That hack looked ridiculous.

I have never seen an icebox cake that was 99% whipped cream and 1% cookies. BTW, Ree said her Nabsico chocolate wafers were broken from "shipping."  So either she had to order them online or they got jostled around in the truck ride back from shopping. 

I have never heard anybody so obsesses with "chunks." There were delightful "chunks" of Romano cheese in the penne, as well as mangoes and tomatoes in the chicken dish. Then there were chunks of broken chocolate cookies on top of the cake. Which brings me to, why didn't the moron used the broken cookies to bash up to use as the cake topping? Instead, she tried to patch layers of cookies together and that is why it came out all uneven. She took whole cookies and intentionally broke them up to use on top of the cake. 

[ShoePrincess]

26 minutes ago, CharlizeCat said:

I think this was a straight out FU show to us for complaining about the heavy hand with unnecessary ingredients. 

First up was a ham and cheese loaf, which Ree proclaimed as "perfect for breakfast." If you say so. It might be OK for lunch. Why use processed deli ham then go to the trouble to grate Vermont cheddar if the whole point was to save time?

The penne with onions and Romano cheese curdled my stomach for obvious reasons.

Anemic looking chicken thighs in with white rice and jarred mango salsa. I think the recipe was called, "Miracle Mango Chicken." Yeah. It would be a miracle if anybody ate it. Ree wistfully spoke of all of the other things should would have added, like cilantro and sour cream. THIS was the time to embellish like crazy because that mess looked terrible. Very unappetizing.  So, F us. She showed restraint.

I think the clincher was mozzarella sticks made from string cheese in egg roll wrappers then fried. Again, why go to all the trouble? If you're going to make mozzarella sticks, then do them right. That hack looked ridiculous.

I have never seen an icebox cake that was 99% whipped cream and 1% cookies. BTW, Ree said her Nabsico chocolate wafers were broken from "shipping."  So either she had to order them online or they got jostled around in the truck ride back from shopping. 

I have never heard anybody so obsesses with "chunks." There were delightful "chunks" of Romano cheese in the penne, as well as mangoes and tomatoes in the chicken dish. Then there were chunks of broken chocolate cookies on top of the cake. Which brings me to, why didn't the moron used the broken cookies to bash up to use as the cake topping? Instead, she tried to patch layers of cookies together and that is why it came out all uneven. She took whole cookies and intentionally broke them up to use on top of the cake. 

I was looking for my barf bag again. All I saw was that horrifying chicken mess. That was just gross. A vuncha poor chickens gave their thighs for that. And just pouring mango salsa over the rice. i'm having tastevisions of flavby, seasonless chicken and bland, chewy rice. All covered in sweetness. If that was an FU to us, then I say double FU to her.

And that's buncha not vuncha. I'm terrible at typing on my iPad.

[Lura]

41 minutes ago, CharlizeCat said:

I think this was a straight out FU show to us for complaining about the heavy hand with unnecessary ingredients. 

I detested this episode and love the way you described it, Charlize.  I had a hard time pretending to eat tomatoes with mangoes.  Talk about a mix of flavors!  Ree in her dream world again.  Sometimes I swear she comes up with these concoctions merely to shock us.  If her family had to pucker up and swallow this, at least they could look forward to whipped cream for dessert.  I feel certain that she added sugar to her breast milk when they were born.  BROWN sugar. 

[novhappy]

I just saw parts of an episode where she heard about people who meet for happy hour and she invited herself and just showed up. She said a couple of times thanks for letting me crash. With an attitude of them being so lucky her royalness favored them. Ummm they seemed like it wasn’t a favor. 

She is batshit. Was this a new episode?

why can’t she just cook her crap in her kitchen? Why must she have some tortured reason to impose on  other people

[captain1]

It was a new episode - about the opening of their new project “The Boarding House”.  They turned an old boarding house in awful shape into a high-end 8 room hotel in downtown Pawhuska.  I’m sure the people who were guests there had come to Pawhuska primarily to go to the Merc so I’m thinking they had to have been pretty excited to see her.  The recipes for the appetizers looked pretty toned down and actually edible which was a nice change!

[Automne]

Using chili peppers in a lemonade or other summer juice drink could be delicious, if done right. Like using jalapeño or bird's eye chili in a mango lemonade (mango and chili peppers are a good combination. At the hotel, we used to do a mango flambé with a cilantro-jalapeño ice cream).

But the key phrase is "done right." Ree is not somebody I'd trust with delicate flavor combinations. I fear the day she discovers floral extracts and flavorings. Her using lavender or rose water is a terrifying prospect. Everything would taste like spa soap.

[Lura]

On ‎8‎/‎12‎/‎2018 at 6:35 PM, Automne said:

I fear the day she discovers floral extracts and flavorings. Her using lavender or rose water is a terrifying prospect. Everything would taste like spa soap.

Automne, I'm so glad you're back.  I love your descriptions as well as your knowledge.

[Automne]

You’re so sweet! I missed this forum and all you guys!

[patty1h]

The new episode today (4 In Under 40 Minutes) was not totally offensive -- the dishes were simple flavors and not full of canned this or bottled that.   She added cajun seasoning to the cajun pasta, so I give that a pass, but the other 3 recipes were refreshingly free of hot sauce, cayenne, cumin and Ree's usual throw-ins.   Okay, she did make a sriracha mayo for the skirt steak/bok choy thing, but it could have been worse.

[CharlizeCat]

While I'm no longer making an effort to watch this show, FN was on in the background this morning.

All I needed to hear was something with cream pesto sauce over Swiss chard and red onions. Gag! I don't think Hy's hair looks any better. Actually, I think she is one of few who would look good in one of those hideous stacked bobs that are thankfully, waning in popularity. I think she'd also look good in one of the modern shag cuts.

Speaking of hair ... WTF is up with Paige?  Her hair looks absolutely terrible. I can't see any respectable salon turning that mess out, so I suspect that she tried some kind of lightening procedure at home and something went horribly wrong and beyond repair. It looks like some of the drought-stricken fields around here. Unless the look is intentional, I feel bad for her because I did something like that to myself when I wasn't that much older than she was. 

[Aunt Catfish]

13 hours ago, CharlizeCat said:

While I'm no longer making an effort to watch this show, FN was on in the background this morning.

All I needed to hear was something with cream pesto sauce over Swiss chard and red onions. Gag! I don't think Hy's hair looks any better. Actually, I think she is one of few who would look good in one of those hideous stacked bobs that are thankfully, waning in popularity. I think she'd also look good in one of the modern shag cuts.

Speaking of hair ... WTF is up with Paige?  Her hair looks absolutely terrible. I can't see any respectable salon turning that mess out, so I suspect that she tried some kind of lightening procedure at home and something went horribly wrong and beyond repair. It looks like some of the drought-stricken fields around here. Unless the look is intentional, I feel bad for her because I did something like that to myself when I wasn't that much older than she was. 

You stole my thunder.  Had to go out and only saw the preview.  My only thought was Eeeekkk!!  Paige fried her hair!!!!!

[Lura]

I thought Paige's hair color looked awful on her, but even worse were her dark (black?) eyebrows.  I noticed that her hair had been rather nicely trimmed in the front, giving her at least an impression of being styled, so I thought the bleach job had probably been done in a salon somewhere, especially since she has so much hair.

The last time I saw pics of Alex on her mom's website, she, too, was a blonde.  She was posing with her Hispanic boyfriend who was visiting the ranch (again).  Looks like Alex is in a serious relationship.  I think Ree's Tex-Mex cooking helped to lure him.  *rolling eyes*

Two things about Paige stood out to me in this episode.  One was that she handles and throws a football better than her football-playing brother, Bryce.  The other was how Paige walks exactly like a man.

Sign of the Times:  You know it's a new show when Ree wears new tops.

Hye's hair looked horrible.  It made her large head look even larger.  I actually think she'd look nice in a bob but she seems happy wearing short hair. 

I didn't find the recipes appealing, but all was not lost.  It reminded me of how much I love bok choy, and I put it on my grocery list -- the only reason I'm glad I watched!

[Kohola3]

Paige seems to be following the trend of the girls from Sister Wives - young ladies with beautiful blond hair that dye it dead black.  Hideous.

[BTBAM310]

On 8/25/2018 at 7:36 AM, patty1h said:

The new episode today (4 In Under 40 Minutes) was not totally offensive -- the dishes were simple flavors and not full of canned this or bottled that.   She added cajun seasoning to the cajun pasta, so I give that a pass, but the other 3 recipes were refreshingly free of hot sauce, cayenne, cumin and Ree's usual throw-ins.   Okay, she did make a sriracha mayo for the skirt steak/bok choy thing, but it could have been worse.

Sriracha is awful, so I'm not surprised she combined it with mayo to ruin a perfectly good steak. I honestly don't get the sriracha thing - I love hot sauce, but sriracha just tastes like spicy ketchup to me.

And I'm not a fan of pesto either, so that pasta dish looked pretty nasty.

[mmecorday]

Quote

It was a new episode - about the opening of their new project “The Boarding House”.  They turned an old boarding house in awful shape into a high-end 8 room hotel in downtown Pawhuska.  I’m sure the people who were guests there had come to Pawhuska primarily to go to the Merc so I’m thinking they had to have been pretty excited to see her.  The recipes for the appetizers looked pretty toned down and actually edible which was a nice change!

How long before Pawhuska becomes Ree's version of Dollywood?

This show has sort of slipped off my radar, but I did watch a couple of newish episodes of demand. It was hard to tell that these were actually new shows because all the episodes are the same. Here's Ree in her kitchen surrounded by an army of her personalized stand mixers. Here's Ree going to her refrigerator to get some make-ahead meals. Here's how she made her make-ahead meals with just six ingredients (or less!). Here's Ree driving in her truck. Here's Ree talking about how much she loves life on the ranch. Oh, wait. There's one of those beautiful ranch sunsets. Better get out the camera because she is a photographer, after all. *Click* Now that she's fed her hungry cowboys, it's time for her to kick back in an easy chair with a mug of steaming whatever and think about her privileged life.

Edited August 27, 2018 by mmecorday

[Lura]

Mmecorday, I wish I'd been clever enough to write that post.  It's the most succinct description of Ree's show I think I've read.  Brava!

[patty1h]

The theme of today's show was 'over the top' and Ree went way up there with that stuffed French toast monstrosity.   How could anyone not have the shakes after eating that - bread, egg, milk, nutella, marshmallow, two syrups, strawberries and cinnamon cereal?   She mentioned serving it to her kids - that concoction should be considered child abuse.

[LillyB]

I think that most of Ree's food is over the top to begin with so why make this crappy food.

[CharlizeCat]

Gosh. It was such a toss-up as to which was the most appalling recipe today.  For me, it's a tough decision between that pizza and the funnel cake sundae. In what world would rocky road, salted caramel and cherry ice cream go together? That pizza was one of the most crap-tastic things I've ever seen. She's finally outdone Aunt Sandy by a landslide with that one. 

But then ... there was that last-minute addition of the Golden Grahams to garnish the French toast. 

And of course, it wouldn't be a complete episode without a shout-out to Chuck who loves anything fried in beer batter. I'll bet good money that Ree wouldn't dream of serving one of those macaroni-stuffed fried poblanos to him.

[patty1h]

I'm sure that nobody wants to watch a cooking show with a dour cook, but it irks me that Ree is putting out those abominations with that giant smile on her face.  No one should be that happy to serve most of the things that she "creates".   She almost can't contain her glee and smug satisfaction as she pours on more syrup or shakes in more hot sauce or blends in more butter.   If a quick second of shame would pass over her face, I could almost maybe give her some slack.

Edited September 2, 2018 by patty1h

[mmecorday]

Quote

I'm sure that nobody wants to watch a cooking show with a dour cook, but it irks me that Ree is putting out those abominations with that giant smile on her face. 

Even when she's supposed to be sad that Paigey will soon be going away to school, she has that same phony smile on her face.

You know, Aunt Sandy had some abominable kitchen creations, but at least she said her cooking was semi-homemade. Ree thinks combining red pepper flakes, jalapenos, cream cheese, soy sauce, dry ranch dressing and spreading the mixture all over frozen chicken breasts makes her Julia Child's heir apparent. (Kids, please don't try this at home.)

I've seen this commercial for some vitamin company. In it, a woman is offered "princess toast" by two young girls. "Princess toast" appears to be white bread covered in store-bought pink cake frosting, jelly beans and ice cream sprinkles.  I'm sure when Ree sees this commercial, she smacks herself and says, "Why didn't I think of that?"

[maggiemae]

Obviously she does not care about her family's health or that of the viewers.

I tend to think recipes that are not enhanced by crap overloading is better and one can appreciate the ingredients. That go together.

[Lura]

I thought that nothing about Ree's "cooking" could surprise me, but this episode of her fun time in the kitchen (which she says she loves most to do!) surprised me.  My DH and I were eating in front of the TV, and he just kept shaking his head.  There she was, in a frilly new dress that looked like a 7-year-old would wear to a party.

The French toast, laden full of cream cheese and a ton of chocolate chips, was abominable.  It was almost vomit-inducing.  No wonder her kids squirt out the canned whipped cream with abandon; they learned it from their mother.  The rest of her "fun" creations were equally gag worthy.  Her giggles were obnoxious to me and told me everything I needed to know about the real Ree Drummond.  What a fake "cook" she is, not to mention a poor example of motherhood.

I couldn't help thinking about Nan.  She once said, "Thank God my sons married women who like to cook."  If she had seen Ree making these three flops, I think she would have modified her statement to "Thank God one of my sons married a woman who likes to cook.  The other is a player." 

What a total, total waste of camera time!

Edited September 2, 2018 by Lura

[novhappy]

God I am so sorry I missed this episode! Crap gastric again food AND a frilly dress!  I am filled with regret about my Saturday morning errands!

[mmecorday]

Quote

God I am so sorry I missed this episode! Crap gastric again food AND a frilly dress!

She looked like she was wearing a top from the Linus Van Pelt Great Pumpkin Collection at Sears.

Good gracious, I caught her "over the top" food episode on demand tonight and I have to wonder, what is her target audience now? Stoners? People actively pursuing metabolic disorders? People who wish to leave this world without a natural tooth still rooted in their gums?

The French toast. A big hunka French bread with some sweet stuff packed into it, including chocolate chips, which make everything magical. This looks like something that escaped an IHOP test kitchen on foot and wreaked havoc on the local village.

Fried chicken on pizza. Remember when Ree fried chicken and it looked pretty good? That is such monkey business now because Pennywise the Prairie Clown has so much going on in her life! The Merc, The Boarding House, her line of Walmart home goods destined for a Goodwill near you. And after she made that abomination before the Food Gods, she said she had to figure out how to eat it. My guess is she set it before the crew and said "have at it" and they scrambled off for the craft services table with their dignity intact.

Mac n' Cheese Stuffed Fried Poblanos. What on earth? This seems like something she would have concocted for her sorority sisters after a kegger at the Phi Kappa Psi house. Nothing reduces the effects of alcohol overindulgence like some goopy mac n' cheese sealed up in beer-battered poblanos dunked in a Fry Daddy and served up on some cool sauce.

And last but not least, a funnel cake sundae. Because fair food is fun! And when you top a funnel cake with three scoops of ice cream, hot fudge and sprinkles, you have created something that will elevate your mood -- and your blood sugar! Two birds, one stone. You're killin' it, Ree!

[IOU Payne]

On 9/4/2018 at 10:28 PM, mmecorday said:

Good gracious, I caught her "over the top" food episode on demand tonight and I have to wonder, what is her target audience now? Stoners? People actively pursuing metabolic disorders? People who wish to leave this world without a natural tooth still rooted in their gums?

People committing suicide with their knife and fork.

[Bessiesue]

Dropping in to say today is all about Nan done in Pioneer Woman style  My heart broke for Edna Mae.  She buried a Husband, Grandson, and now her Daughter.

Edited September 8, 2018 by Bessiesue

[CharlizeCat]

It was a sad episode today. Ree's voice was scratchy and hoarse and I assume it was from crying. She even teared-up a couple times.  Funny. I actually thought Ree looked better than usual today. I think it was because it looked like she'd cut a good 3-4" off of her extensions hair. At least it's a start

Tim, Ladd and Chuck seemed to be holding up pretty well. All Ladd said was that Nan had been sick with cancer for two years. From the way he spoke, it sounded like she was pretty bad off. I kind of noticed in the montage of clips, a definite change in Nan's appearance, presumably as she grew sicker. She looked pretty frail. 

My only question about the menu was serving an heirloom tomato salad with watermelon and feta as the "T" in the BLTs. (I didn't think the "cowboys" would typically approve.)  As expected, people were sticking their fingers in the salad and picking out the tomatoes for their sandwiches. 

Otherwise, it was a nice, tasteful show and I figured out that it was partially attributed to all of the recipes, which were Nan's and Edna Mae's originals. The family cemetery was really nice.

R.I.P., Nan and my sincere condolences to the Drummond family. 

[MissT]

I thought this episode was really depressing and I’m not sure why they even filmed it.  I liked Nan and I’m am sorry for her family and I understand they wanted to honor her, but they could have had the production folks wait a week or so. Ree sounded tired and looked like she was going to lose it any second. 

[Kohola3]

Just now, MissT said:

I thought this episode was really depressing and I’m not sure why they even filmed it.

I don't know the motive behind it other than a ratings grab.  Don't these people have any dignity, any sense of propriety?  The death of a loved one should be a private affair, not filmed for the entertainment of total strangers. I have no sympathy for that money grubbing family, selling their grief for a damned show. 

I can't imagine Nan would appreciate it. I know I wouldn't.

[VioletNevermind]

I hated today’s episode.  I actually hated it so much that I thought about it on and off today and waited until I was very sure of my viewpoint before posting here.  I understand that this show (and every other show on this damned network) is much more of a lifestyle show than a cooking show, so I get why they would incorporate their personal lives into the episodes, but I’m sorry.  I don’t think that the death of a beloved (and seemingly lovely) older family member should be used as yet another opportunity for Ree Drummond to make even more (a whole buncha!) money.  The whole thing bordered on disrespectful.  I recognize that I’m a very private person from a very private family and would never dream of publicly showcasing my life like this.  No amount of money would convince me.  I think she should have left the talk of her mother-in-law’s passing for the sycophants who visit her website and focused on the usual butter-drenched, fat-packed, cheese-draped travesties recipes for her TV show.

As always, YMMV.  And of course, rest in peace, Ms. Drummond.  My sympathies to the family.

[sharinlilbit]

Red wrote about why they went ahead with this episode.  You could read that or continue making assumptions... 

 

https://thepioneerwoman.com/confessions/a-different-kind-of-show/

[Lura]

On ‎9‎/‎4‎/‎2018 at 7:28 PM, mmecorday said:

 

Mistake.

[sigmaforce86]

8 hours ago, sharinlilbit said:

Red wrote about why they went ahead with this episode.  You could read that or continue making assumptions... 

 

https://thepioneerwoman.com/confessions/a-different-kind-of-show/

Thanks I think it explains a lot.  I like to snark on Ree and her buncha's overloaded often unhealthy food as much as anyone but.........I don't think we can put this episode or the decision in a certain box.  There are probably a million variations on how public/private a death or funeral should be, the wake, the service, too religious, not religious enough, too long, not long enough that every single one is really based on the individual and their family.  As I said, it just doesn't fit into a few easy "boxes".  I'm thinking of the recent Aretha Franklin funeral spectacle and I'm thinking of my own plans of no wake or funeral a quiet cremation and asking one family member to sprinkle the ashes with no fanfare - but if my family for some reason "needed" a little ceremony to move on the thought doesn't bother me.

Guess I'm just venting that we can't really approve or disapprove of their choice to air this; it's just way to individualized to say that's not what we'd do so she shouldn't have done it.

Also, despite the family and behind the scenes portions, as usual, there is nothing in the cooking portion of the episode that I'd be tempted to make except the dessert and that wasn't really a new or innovative recipe, pretty standard but it looked good.

[Lura]

I, too, come from a private family and tend to be the same way about personal matters.  I think it's partly a matter of how we were raised, and we're all raised differently.
 

Ree's "cemetery show" was painful and irritating for me to watch.  While I didn't know Nan, Ree has said on several occasions that Nan had a sharp wit and could be very funny.  She was a cheerful woman from all reports, and I find it difficult to believe that she would have wanted a sad "tribute" aired for all the world to see.

 

I also felt sorry for Chuck, that the day after his wife died, he would have to participate in this filming.  When I first saw so many people in the cemetery with shovels, my first impression was "OMG!  They can't be digging a hole for Nan!"  Clearly, I've come to expect almost anything from Ree.

 

Where was Missy?  She, too, strikes me as a private person.  A previous engagement could have been cancelled under the circumstances, and her absence made me wonder whether she disapproved of the show and refused to take part in it.  There could have been any number of reasons, but it made me wonder.

 

Since Ree has suffered from a cold over the past few new episodes, I felt that her scratchy voice and plugged nose were from the cold or allergy, not from mourning.

 

I even disliked Ree's menu.  For poor Chuck to see all of his wife's favorite foods spread out in the cemetery would have made it difficult for me to swallow.  Once again, it seemed like a "Ree to the rescue" move that she is so well known for.  This might have been the time for a cheerful picnic spread of ribs, or whatever, to elevate the mood, not elevating the sadness with a "memorial" meal.  It seemed to me to be designed to make people cry, not to help them with something more cheerful.

 

Reading Ree's blog about this show made me feel that she was anticipating criticism and was defending the show.  I suppose that believing her is a matter of how one views Ree.  Her explanation that this is how country folk "do things" fell on deaf ears for me.

Is she insinuating that good country folk lack good taste?  Baloney!  While they might have a "memorial menu," how many of them would have aired it on television for the world to share in the suffering?

 

The only thing this show accomplished for me was to remind me of how much I miss my parents and my younger brother.  It did a masterful job of bringing back my own sadness.  I understand and respect that others have opposite views.  This post is merely my own dissatisfaction and disappointment over another show that Ree, IMHO, should have left on the drawing board.

.

Edited September 10, 2018 by Lura

[StaceyNotStacie]

I read Ree’s post a few days ago, so I knew it was coming. It was kind of a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation. If they didn’t acknowledge on the show that she was gone, people would have complained. People are complaining because she did a show about Nan. 

It was a sad show. It was uncomfortable watching Chuck. The kids seemed like they’d rather be elsewhere, or at least do their work without a camera in their faces. 

[Kohola3]

18 minutes ago, Lura said:

Reading Ree's blog about this show made me feel that she was anticipating criticism and was defending the show.  I suppose that believing her is a matter of how one views Ree.  Her explanation that this is how country folk do things" fell on deaf ears for me.

Is she insinuating that good country folk lack good taste?  Baloney!  While they might have a memorial menu," how many of them would have aired it on television for the world to share in the suffering?

I have to agree and well said.

I read the "justification" and it was a hollow attempt at glossing over the fact that they chose to film an episode because they had to fill time and the crew was already there.  And for her to deign to speak for all "country folk" is just hubris.  I live in a rural area and there is plenty of dignity and appropriate behavior in times of grief.

To include an announcement of Nan's passing at the beginning or ending of another episode would have been sufficient.  To force Chuck to endure cameras in his face and surrounded by the strangers and crew members was just horrible. 

We have all had to deal with grief in our lives and be reminded of that in this inappropriate manner is beyond thoughtless.

[VioletNevermind]

1 hour ago, Lura said:

I, too, come from a private family and tend to be the same way about personal matters.  I think it's partly a matter of how we were raised, and we're all raised differently.
 

Ree's "cemetery show" was painful and irritating for me to watch.  While I didn't know Nan, Ree has said on several occasions that Nan had a sharp wit and could be very funny.  She was a cheerful woman from all reports, and I find it difficult to believe that she would have wanted a sad "tribute" aired for all the world to see.

 

I also felt sorry for Chuck, that the day after his wife died, he would have to participate in this filming.  When I first saw so many people in the cemetery with shovels, my first impression was "OMG!  They can't be digging a hole for Nan!"  Clearly, I've come to expect almost anything from Ree.

 

Where was Missy?  She, too, strikes me as a private person.  A previous engagement could have been cancelled under the circumstances, and her absence made me wonder whether she disapproved of the show and refused to take part in it.  There could have been any number of reasons, but it made me wonder.

 

Since Ree has suffered from a cold over the past few new episodes, I felt that her scratchy voice and plugged nose were from the cold or allergy, not from mourning.

 

I even disliked Ree's menu.  For poor Chuck to see all of his wife's favorite foods spread out in the cemetery would have made it difficult for me to swallow.  Once again, it seemed like a "Ree to the rescue" move that she is so well known for.  This might have been the time for a cheerful picnic spread of ribs, or whatever, to elevate the mood, not elevating the sadness with a "memorial" meal.  It seemed to me to be designed to make people cry, not to help them with something more cheerful.

 

Reading Ree's blog about this show made me feel that she was anticipating criticism and was defending the show.  I suppose that believing her is a matter of how one views Ree.  Her explanation that this is how country folk do things" fell on deaf ears for me.

Is she insinuating that good country folk lack good taste?  Baloney!  While they might have a "memorial menu," how many of them would have aired it on television for the world to share in the suffering?

 

The only thing this show accomplished for me was to remind me of how much I miss my parents and my younger brother.  It did a masterful job of bringing back my own sadness.  I understand and respect that others have opposite views.  This post is merely my own dissatisfaction and disappointment over another show that Ree, IMHO, should have left on the drawing board.

.

 

Very well-stated, Lura.  I read her post before I posted my opinions here and it still didn’t sit well with me.  Chuck, Ladd, and the kids looked very uncomfortable.  Also, Ree can talk and write all she likes about how “country folks do things,” but she and her pilfered, bastardized “recipes” have made a mockery of true, hard-working country folks and the dishes they prepare for their families.  I watch this show purely for the snarking opportunities, but I think they crossed the line with this episode.  Again, YMMV.

Edited September 9, 2018 by SuzyLee

[CharlizeCat]

Word to all. When I heard of Nan's death a few months ago, in my mind, it was a given that there would be a show about it.  Honestly, I thought it would be much worse and had the same reaction as others did at the image of the backhoe in the family cemetery. I thought for sure it was going to be an episode that showed parts of the graveside service and a huge luncheon afterwards where Ree whipped out the "funeral potatoes" and every other fat- and sugar-laden OTT comfort foods she could come up with. A bonus would have been that while everybody else would be tastefully dressed in black or other toned-down attire, Ree would be sporting one of her loud crazy tops with the excuse that, "Nan was a colorful person and would appreciate this."  Then is would have been an awkward display of family, hired hands and the locals shuffling through the buffet in the lodge making stilted small talk about Nan of forced laughter at "best of" stories, and of course, complimenting Ree's spread of food. 

So, I am on the side of damned if you do and damned if you don't. Personally, I didn't care about it.  I am sorry because it sounded like Nan had a rough time battling the cancer for the past two years, but frankly, she was really on the show so infrequently, that I barely remember her. I guess that what I'm saying is that if it had to happen it could have been worse. Much. worse. Not defending Ree by any means, just clarifying why I thought it was an OK episode as it stood. Was it the most tasteful and appropriate decision to base an episode around this grim topic? Probably not. OTOH, the sheeple most likely wouldn't rest until Nan was "properly" laid to rest (in their eyes and enquiring [typo intentional] minds.) 

[Fostersmom]

Ironic that people here were killing themselves trying to find Nan's obituary and map the family line when the woman died, but now that the show has acknowledged it, well, that's not okay. 

[Cupid Stunt]

I just watched "Nan's Funeral" for about six minutes, then cut the sound. I couldn't listen to Ree inflate her ego and self-importance to an occasion that deserved no part of that. Watching the rigid grimaces, wounded eyes, flinching as Ree honked at those in attendance. I had to look away from Chuck's stricken face, poor man. … And oh my Kali! That meal looked like the dog's dinner.

It's clear the producers couldn't take previously filmed scenes of Nan from the show and do a few interviews post-funeral, then have Ree demonstrate cooking the funeral menu. It would have been a more dignified manner to present Nan, more respectful to the bereaved, and still carried on with a cooking show without manipulating the family, mourners and viewers.

This is another example of an individual very busy selling their person as a brand, but ends up marketing the whole kit and caboodle of their family and friends to the consumerism of that brand. I'm all for making a buck and banging your little tin drum to sell your product, but not on the backs of family members in mourning. Really distasteful and disrespectful to the memory of a woman that was loved and the loss was palpable.

[Kohola3]

6 minutes ago, Fostersmom said:

Ironic that people here were killing themselves trying to find Nan's obituary and map the family line when the woman died, but now that the show has acknowledged it, well, that's not okay. 

Acknowledging is one thing.  Turning into a self-serving media circus is entirely another. 

A tasteful "Nan has passed and we honor her memory by asking you to allow the family time to mourn her in private" would have been perfectly fine.  Zeroing in on the face of the widower was unconscionable.

[fairffaxx]

10 minutes ago, Cupid Stunt said:

... a more dignified manner to present Nan, more respectful to the bereaved, and still carried on with a cooking show without manipulating the family, mourners and viewers....

Manipulation is what Ree Drummond has been doing from the start, when she chose the name Pioneer Woman for her blog, even though she married into a fortune & has never had to forge her way through the wilderness.  She's always been a fake, why stop now merely because of a death in the family (especially when the sad occasion can be used to such advantage)? 

[txvoodoo]

On 9/9/2018 at 4:09 PM, Kohola3 said:

Acknowledging is one thing.  Turning into a self-serving media circus is entirely another. 

A tasteful "Nan has passed and we honor her memory by asking you to allow the family time to mourn her in private" would have been perfectly fine.  Zeroing in on the face of the widower was unconscionable.

Yes, this. Exactly this.

My mother died on Mother's Day this year, so around the same time. I can't imagine something like this.

Also, all tv shows have people (crew, cast, etc) pass away - it's just statistics that it happens. You don't see these kinds of episodes for them.  It's really distasteful. 

It's not what I'd expect to see on Food Network. You don't turn on your food show on Saturday morning expecting to see a funeral.