The Shows of 2014: Because They've Been Pureed in a Blender

[40Love]

Don't TPTB realize that instead of evoking empathy with the audience, it's become a cause for ridicule?

 

I may roll my eyes a little when I hear the sob stories... but they really don't bother me so much. 

 

I always watch the intros at the top of the show... because I'm sincerely interested in knowing more about the chefs. But, to be honest ... I do often fast-forward through the sob-stories during the show. Like you said... that can get boring after hearing it for the umpteenth time. Me: "Yeah, yeah, yeah --sick parent/child/sibling got it!" 

 

 

We all have a story... and in general it's kind of human nature to talk about ourselves. I can see the allure from the Chef's point of view... especially when a seemingly sympathetic producer or P.A. puts you in front of a camera and asks "Why is this so important to you"... or "Tell me about your past..was it tough growing up"... or "What are you trying to prove"?

 

I personally wouldn't do it ...because I wouldn't want the whole world to know my story. But, then again I can barely boil water competently!

[Drogo]

 

They ask you on the application "What are your plans for the money?"

 

I would just tape this picture into that section:

[backformore]

This most recent episode was too heavy-handed with the "each of them is competing to help a sibling" theme in the last round. I counted 6 separate times the sister was mentioned throughout the episode. But I bet I missed a couple.

The judges were like a weird death panel, with the power to decide who lives and who dies. Do we save the boy from joining the gang life? Or do we give the former addict some teeth, so she can one day eat the food her brother cooks?

Who will live? Who will die?

Will the sister get teeth? Or will she be sentenced to a life of eating mush?

Will little brother have a shot at a good life? Or is he doomed to a life of crime?

And then the condescending attitude at the end, telling the losing chef that at least he can be a role model to little brother.

Maybe I'm getting too cynical in my older years, but it's a COOKING SHOW. Not the Hunger Games. Can we have prizes like a trip to Disney world, New kitchen appliances, a boat? Not the life or (possible) death of a family member!

Edited November 21, 2014 by backformore

[CPP83]

it's a COOKING SHOW. Not the Hunger Games

 

 

 

I wonder if that might not be a little more entertaining at this point.

 

Ted with bleached blonde hair, the judges all decked out in regal outfits, and Scott would get to act as openly pompous as he pleases while the contestants fight to the death over a basket of pig intestines, potato crisps, maple syrup, and refrigerated pizza dough.

[MajorWoody]

Well, after the girl from our old stomping grounds (Pine Plains, NY ) got bounced, we were left with three mostly unlikeable contestants.

The female, who is going to show that women can succeed in the kitchen, telling that line of malarkey to a panel in which two out of the three judges are accomplished female chefs was pretty ironic. Even with my limited skills, I know enough not to try to cook a Flinstone size pork chop in 20 minutes rather than make it smaller , as the other two chefs obviously did.

Then the gangbanger, who looked like he was going to revert to his gangbanging ways after his loss, serving the most unappealing dessert I have seen in ages.

The old plate of vomit just didn't cut it.

Finally, the dude who, in case you didn't hear him say it 42 times, is playing for his former junkie sister, who needs new teeth.

They should give her a tshirt that says "I won my choppers on Chopped!".

Really, enough already with the sob stories and the nonsense about your playing for some supposedly under represented group.

Just friggin' cook, and shut up.

[cooksdelight]

They should give her a tshirt that says "I won my choppers on Chopped!".

LMAO!!! Oh no, I can never watch this show with a straight face again. :)

[Drogo]

As the great Khaleesi once said re: Chopped--- It's like Masterchef, except everyone is sad.  

 

At this point, we know they're all sad.  They have all suffered great tragedy/injustice.  They have each risen from the ashes like a great Phoenix.  GAG.  

The best we can hope for are entertaining sob stories that make you spit up a little of your drink when you hear them. 

 

"My sister has no teeth" is about the greatest you can come to the table with.  Bravo, Sir.

[rujasu]

I wonder if that might not be a little more entertaining at this point.

 

Ted with bleached blonde hair, the judges all decked out in regal outfits, and Scott would get to act as openly pompous as he pleases while the contestants fight to the death over a basket of pig intestines, potato crisps, maple syrup, and refrigerated pizza dough.

 

Isn't that the premise of Cutthroat Kitchen?

[6 MeowMeowBeenz]

"My sister has no teeth" is about the greatest you can come to the table with

 

I was sad because I had no teeth, then I met a man who had no mouth 

[NikSac]

I felt so bad for the "girl with no teeth" after watching this episode. I'm sure her brother had her best interests at heart and that he wanted to help her, so I blame the show for repeating it over and over (and.over.and.over.and.over) again. I hope she now has new teeth and that not TOO many people saw this episode, for her sake.

[FineWashables]

Yeah, whether it's Chopped or Project Runway or whatever competition show, they always think the audience wants to know what the players' problems are.  I cannot explain how little I care.  Just for once, I'd love it if a contestant who's been asked why they need to win say, "I need to win because I cooked the best dish. That's only fair."  As for what they'd do with the money, why not give a human answer by saying "I'm going to pay down some of my bills so I can sleep at night."  Anything else is just irrelevant horseshit.

[backgroundnoise]

They should give her a tshirt that says "I won my choppers on Chopped!".

My coworkers are looking at me funny because I keep making this choking sound.  Thanks for the laugh.

[caci]

Lately, on both this and other cooking competition shows, it seems more and more contestants want to give their money away, whether it's to a charity or a needy sister.  This bothers me no end!  I get that it is their money to do with what they wish, but it brings the sob story to a whole new obnoxious level.  So one contestant wants to take his wife to some expensive restaurant in Paris for a second honeymoon and the other wants to give his money to the homeless.  Let's see, which one should the judges pick?     

[NikSac]

So true Caci. I can't even remember if it was Chopped or another cooking show now but there was also the one who wanted to buy teeth for his former heroin addict sister. In my opinion the judges (and viewers for that matter) shouldn't even know or need to know this information!

[GaT]

I love how the other chefs kept bringing up that the one guy forgot an ingredient, so of course he wins.

[cooksdelight]

NikSac, it was Chopped. I will never forget the man who wanted to win Chopped to buy his sister new choppers.

I'll show myself out.....

[Drogo]

 

there was also the one who wanted to buy teeth for his former heroin addict sister.

 

 

For me, that episode will always be Scott Conant Versus Tongs: Round 1.

 

When I go on Chopped, I'm playing for mountain lions with cystic fibrosis.  It's the only thing I've come up with better than playing for my toothless sister.

Edited December 3, 2014 by Drogo

[Julia]

For me, that episode will always be Scott Conant Versus Tongs: Round 1.

 

When I go on Chopped, I'm playing for mountain lions with cystic fibrosis.  It's the only thing I've come up with better than playing for my toothless sister.

 

Oh, I think Carnie Wilson trumped pretty much everyone for pretty much ever on Rachel and Guy with "I dedicate this individual appetizer, a two cup serving of oil-packed tuna with jar mayonnaise and half a bag of store-bought tortilla chips, to people who can't afford lap band surgery." 

[NikSac]

NikSac, it was Chopped. I will never forget the man who wanted to win Chopped to buy his sister new choppers.

 

Oh that's right!  How could I forget that awesome suggestion made here? 

[xaxat]

I'm beginning to think my interest in this show has run its course. Last week was so boring I don't remember any of it, and last night was barely more entertaining. 

 

It's been a long time since a chef really impressed me, or when I thought "That's a really ingenious use of a curveball ingredient!" So far inertia has kept me watching, but I don't know how long that is going to be the case.

[Totale]

That jarhead who came in second last night really rubbed me the wrong way somehow, I thought he'd be out in the first round after he served meatball-en-creme-brulee.  Both women got screwed from my vantage point, a kafte is 100% a meatball even if it's not loaded with filler like some Italian versions, and in the entree round only the girl made an actual tasty meatball which I thought was the challenge.  I now skip right ahead to the announcement of the ingredients for the first round and then skip over all of the stew room and post stew room contestant discussion and THs and somehow I still end up having to hear about their hopes and dreams and families and upbringing, none of which holds any interest for me. But like xax I think it's mostly inertia to me at this point. 

[caci]

I finally saw the Scott Conant tong episode and there isn't much to add -  it was really stupid.  I am going to go one step further, though, and say I didn't much care for the chef he insulted.  She said something about processed food and how could she ever cook with it?.  Everytime a contestant says something like that,  I automatically want them to lose.  You are going to compete on a long running show that has used chicken in a can and gummy rats.  What kind of food do you think you are going to be cooking with?  Just shut up and cook what's in front of you.   I like the chefs that embrace the odd foods and usually want them to win.

[backgroundnoise]

I did like how blessedly free of sob stories the last episode was.  They wanted to win either for their families, none of whom were dead, dying, or had bad teeth, or to put the money in their business.  That how Chopped used to be.  Maybe TPTB finally got the message.

 

I thought the guy who forgot the ginger should have been out.  It didn't seem that the rest of the dish was that spectacular, and enough to compensate.  I hate ginger with a passion, so to me any dish would be better off without it, so he had that advantage in not having to use it.  But the runner up guy just literally scooped out the creme brule and put in on the plate, so I guess that's a wash.

 

Glad they didn't have to actually use meat in the dessert round.

[NikSac]

Wow.. I just saw gummy chicken feet in the dollar store, and instantly thought of this show!  I thought those were some kind of fake ingredient but apparently they really do exist. I don't plan on ever cooking with them. They looked as gross in person as they did on the show.

[cattykit]

 

I did like how blessedly free of sob stories the last episode was.  They wanted to win either for their families, none of whom were dead, dying, or had bad teeth, or to put the money in their business.  That how Chopped used to be.  Maybe TPTB finally got the message.

I doubt it.  I think we just caught a lucky break.  If someone could have dredged up a dead relative, I'm sure we'd have seen it.

 

I don't have huge problems with the guy who won, but as backgroundnoise said, he got an advantage by not having the troublesome ingredient trouble his dish.  It's really not fair to give someone a pass for breaking what used to be the most important rule because "their dish was so spectacular," when the odds are that said dish would have been significantly less than spectacular if they'd had to use all four ingredients.

 

I know it's been discussed ad infinitum and there is no consensus, but IMO, all other things being equal, the judges will look for a reason to chop a female cheftestant before a male.  The first woman got chopped in no small part because the boys were offended that she helped herself to a meat grinder.  Instead of the producers making sure all the equipment works equally well for everyone.

[CaptainCranky]

I'm beginning to think my interest in this show has run its course. Last week was so boring I don't remember any of it, and last night was barely more entertaining. 

 

It's been a long time since a chef really impressed me, or when I thought "That's a really ingenious use of a curveball ingredient!" So far inertia has kept me watching, but I don't know how long that is going to be the case.

I agree that the judging and quality of contestants is declining at a rapid rate.

Edited December 5, 2014 by CaptainCranky

[paramitch]

Honestly, I know he was assy, but Scott didn't bother me THAT much with the 'respecting the fish' comments. To me, it just seemed like one of those classic situations where he did actually care about something and couldn't quite let go of it, even though you could see that he wasn't expressing himself well. Still, it wasn't anything like Tom Colicchio's "respect the protein" diatribes on their worst days on "Top Chef," so maybe I'm just jaded.

 

Hopefully, Conant will chill out on this and make fun of it at some point -- I always liked that he started laughing at himself and his "raw red onion" peeve, and all the judges are more enjoyable when they just relax and don't treat every misstep as something of national importance.

 

I still like the show and thoroughly enjoy it, and don't think it's any worse than it's ever been. I actually think it's a tightly produced, entertaining show, and I enjoy watching the contestants try to figure out how to make everything work. For me, it's just all goofy fun that never gets old for me -- the judges have all for the most part chilled out from their bitchy early years (when they seemed to subscribe to the idea that Reality Judges = Mean Judges), Ted is delightful, and the creative challenges are interesting and occasionally hilarious.

 

Speaking of the judges, I loved the recent Thanksgiving episode and the camaraderie was pretty charming to watch on it. It was so interesting to see Chris nervous and unsure of himself, too.

 

Meanwhile, the one with the meatballs was okay, but I got really sick of the weepy Dad's repeated insistence that he "wants to be a hero" to his little girls. Which probably means I have a small, crumbling heart of coal, but there you go. Want to be a hero to your kids? Life gives you a dozen opportunities a day if you live your life well. Just sayin'.

 

Edited because there is a limit to how many times you should use the word "fun" in a single paragraph. /facepalm.

Edited December 6, 2014 by paramitch

[Drogo]

Mirna really annoyed me by invading Hero Dad's station/grinder without so much as a "Hey, OK if I use this?"  

[cattykit]

 

I still like the show and thoroughly enjoy it, and don't think it's any worse than it's ever been. 

I wish they didn't feel they had to amp things up by adding gimmicks.  Chopped is, by definition, a gimmicky show, so it doesn't need to weird it up with pizza in every round or six year olds cooking or viewer's choice of ingredients from hell.  (Never did understand that last one and the anger of the chefs at "the viewers" as if viewers are a Borg collective with a hive mind.)  I wish they didn't feel we would be unable to take a rooting interest in the cheftestants if we don't have sob stories attached to them.  If anything, by removing the focus from the food, the stories separate the cheftestants from our interest in them as chefs.  I agree, that in general, the judges are generally much less harsh than they were in the early seasons.  Perhaps that's why FN never reruns episodes more than a couple of years old.  I don't know if having them compete in the celebrity tournaments opened their eyes a little bit to just how hard it can be.  So it is surprising when the kinder, gentler judges revert back to their early behavior.

 

I like when they run the After Hours segments on TV because I forget to go online to watch them.  It's nice to see the judges have fun with it, although no one ever apparently makes less than a perfect dish. 

[paramitch]

I don't mind the theme episodes -- I think they can be fun and add in another creative twist. I also admit that I don't mind the celebrity or other episodes either. If it's "Chopped," bring it on. I will probably watch it. (And I also genuinely enjoy the AfterChopped episodes with the judges -- they're almost all adorable.

 

However, I TOTALLY agree with everyone annoyed with the sob stories -- especially when you can see the cheftestants really trying to amp up their feelings to help them to the win.

 

I have been occasionally moved by some of the stories, especially when they seemed genuine. But at a certain point, the show's attempts to distill those stories or arcs can be awkward and laughable.  Like, the one that just killed me (and made me laugh out loud) was the guy whose whole sob story was basically, "I'm on 'Chopped' because my Dad never appreciated me and I don't like myself." And then at every break or moment, he'd be all, like, "I hope these potatoes are okay. Because my Dad never gave me a compliment and I hate myself." Or, "I'd love to get to the dessert round because then I might actually get some of the self esteem my Dad never gave me." Etc. (EYEROLL)

 

I mean, yes, I love "Chopped," but definitely (to quote Drogo's Khaleesi from way back on the "Masterchef" thread), it is often "like Iron Chef, only everyone is sad."

Edited December 7, 2014 by paramitch

[xaxat]

How badly would Jeffery have ripped a non FN family contestant had he or she just dropped a hot pepper on the plate? I'm pretty sure he's claimed to have been almost blinded/killed multiple times for the same thing his FN colleague did tonight.

 

Outside of that, I thought all did a pretty good job.

[mlp]

Who dropped a hot pepper on a plate?  I missed that somehow.

 

I've never cared much for Katie Lee but I liked her just fine on this show and I was glad she beat Marcella whom I can't stand.  I thought Marcella's dessert was absolutely garish with that green on red.  It looked to me like she just squirted the green icing on without "transforming" it although none of the judges said that. 

[GaT]

Those baskets were not really hard, they made sure there were no epic failures.

[picklesprite]

I love the judges and FN star episodes, but especially the Chopped judges. So much fun! The show could just have them competing every week and I'd be happy. Until they started telling their own sad stories.

[Skyfall]

I thought it was weird Sonny's intro didn't include her show but the other two did even though all three are done. Is Sonny in the doghouse for not having a POV?

Edited December 10, 2014 by Skyfall

[Julia]

I thought it was weird Sonny's intro didn't include her show but the other two did even though all three are done. Is Sonny in the doghouse for not having a POV?

 

I thought it meant that the others had nothing other than The Kitchen to promote, and Sunny actually has a book to sell.

[Maverick]

Jeff's show isn't done and Katie never had a show. Marcella was the only one to have her (long ago) cancelled show brought up, which I thought was odd.

[xaxat]

Who dropped a hot pepper on a plate?  I missed that somehow.

 

 

Marcella put a whole pepper on her entree plate. I don't know what kind it was, but it wasn't ghost pepper dangerous. Jeffery just set it aside instead of chastising her like he would have for a normal contestant.

[Darian]

Who dropped a hot pepper on a plate?  I missed that somehow.

 

I've never cared much for Katie Lee but I liked her just fine on this show and I was glad she beat Marcella whom I can't stand.  I thought Marcella's dessert was absolutely garish with that green on red.  It looked to me like she just squirted the green icing on without "transforming" it although none of the judges said that. 

Almost my only exposure to Katie Lee was when she hosted the first season of Top Chef. While I agreed with the popular opinion that she was dreadful as a host, I thought she seemed like a nice, down-to-earth person. I liked her here, as well. I liked seeing the camaraderie, though, and this show worked as advertising on me since I now want to watch The Kitchen (I never have). 

[Skyfall]

Jeff's show isn't done and Katie never had a show. Marcella was the only one to have her (long ago) cancelled show brought up, which I thought was odd.

It's been over a year, Jeff's show is done. Also his show WAS brought up.

Edited December 11, 2014 by Skyfall

[Drogo]

They did mention Sandwich King and even that it had been nominated for an Emmy.

Facially only: Katie reminded me of that model who married Peter Brady years ago.

[NikSac]

Those baskets were not really hard, they made sure there were no epic failures.

 

I agree. Sometimes I have a hard time imagining what I'd make with the ingredients, but I thought these baskets were really pretty easy.

 

I was laughing thinking how lucky they were that Arron (sp?) wasn't one of the judges when someone dared to make a mole though.

[NikSac]

I thought it was a fun episode with the Kitchen hosts on it. That show took me awhile to warm up to, but now I like it and I actually like all the hosts. I wish "GZ" had been competing as well instead of judging, but I thought it was a fun episode overall.

Edited December 11, 2014 by NikSac

[grisgris]

I was surprised that Katie Lee won. I had her pegged as being the first one to be chopped.

[CaptainCranky]

That was a very watchable and enjoyable episode to watch.

[cattykit]

Never heard of "The Kitchen."  Is it supposed to be like The Chew? 

 

I can't stand the way Katie Lee talks.

[jcbrown]

 

I can't stand the way Katie Lee talks.

Completely agree. Her deadpan nasal voice gets on my last nerve. I figured she and Marcella would be the last two standing (the biggest novice and the woman previously cut in the last round so the one with something to prove) but thought Marcella would win it all. I was disappointed, actually--I like Marcella and enjoyed her show. The Kitchen, less so.

[NikSac]

Never heard of "The Kitchen."  Is it supposed to be like The Chew? 

 

I think The Chew is one of the few cooking shows I haven't seen even once, so I can't say if it's similar, but The Kitchen is kind of a "hey let's all get together and hang out in the kitchen" type of show with main hosts Sunny, Jeff, Marcella, GZ, and Katie Lee, plus guests every so often. They take turns sharing recipes, kitchen tips, favorite/least favorite kitchen gadgets, etc.

 

To me anyway it seemed like they all used to try to out-do each other with acting really cheesy, but now they seem to have pretty decent camaraderie.  I thought it was fun to watch them compete on Chopped now that they seem to be somewhat comfortable with each other.

[Lura]

As one who really, really, REALLY couldn't stand Katie Lee, I've done a complete turn-around.  I thought she was nothing more than Billy Joel's ex-wife, a snobby Long Islander, who had no personality and no skills of her own.  Was I ever wrong!  She's very open about the fact that she comes from West Virginia and that she loves making her "Grandmaw's" recipes.  On this year's Thanksgiving show, it was evident that the other FN stars really liked her.  I don't care for Marcella at all, so I was happy for Katie when she won on this show.  She acted like she couldn't believe it!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Edited December 16, 2014 by Lura

[howmanywords]

I really liked the sandwich theme tonight.  I did crack up at the one who was chopped first.  In her intro when she said in that smug way "when I watch at home I just hate when people keep doing things wrong" and she pretty much rolled her eyes like to say if you're that good you shouldnt ever do that, then proceeded to say how good she would be.. Then she goes on to make soggy polenta, mess up her Banh Mi (she who wants to open a Banh Mi restaurant no less) leave an item off the plate and get chopped first.  Good going! I wonder if she'll keep on hating those dumbass chefs who do things wrong when she watches at home?