The Great Pottery Throw Down - General Discussion

[Aulty]

Yes, this isn't the most photogenic branch of Raku. Most of the pots will look great with a vibrant green plant in it. I loved the one with the dragon heads. The chickens were executed well, but once the pots are hung, the upside down chicks are weird.

I only vaguely remember Freya, the guest judge, because her father is a well respected ceramics artist and back when she was on the show I thought it was odd that she was chosen for to be a contestant with provenance like that.

[jpgr]

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.

[Aulty]

This week, I thought, the group really started to gel on telly. But I am still a bit underwhelmed with the challenges this year so far. Sure, the gargoyles were fun, but overall the show is really into their 3D designs and figurines this season.
Shows like this always tend to give more restrictive or outlined challenges once they hit the 4-5 seasons mark, if you know what I mean. Everything needs a story.

[GaT]

Wow, this show is getting hardly any comments, I don't think this season is engaging people as much as previous ones. The lamps were kind of meh IMO, but I love how supportive Caitlin & George were for each other this episode. I wonder if they've been that way since the beginning & they just didn't really show it, or if that was something new?

[jpgr]

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.

[Aulty]

Of course, last week I thought 'George seems nice and he could go far in this' this week he is out. I enjoy the chemistry between the potters and between the judges.
Still not keen on the challenges. Again, 'make it realistic' nudges them towars a specific deisgn corner.

Still needs more Rose!

[TVbitch]

I'm still watching. I'm not having a ton of WOW moments with the pieces this season. I would not want any of those lamps in my house, but it is not the potters' fault. The 3-D stuff did not appeal to me at all. I would rather have just seen elegant shapes and dynamic designs and colors. 

I was annoyed during the mask challenge cuz they only showed us the finished pieces for about a second! I couldn't even get a good look at some of them.

I did like George a lot, so waah. 

[Aulty]

That wasn't half bad considering the desastrous modelling challenges of the past. Some animals were a bit squat and what a shame they chose this week to go with bronze-metallic finishing instead of something that allowed for more colour. The top 3 were pretty neat.

[oldCJ]

Can someone explain to me how Caitlin is on the show? Yes, she is a student. But since the pandemic, she works with her father making and selling pottery. In fact, she co-owns their pottery business, which appears to be their main source of income. How exactly is she an “amateur” potter by any definition? 

[Aulty]

17 hours ago, oldCJ said:

In fact, she co-owns their pottery business, which appears to be their main source of income. How exactly is she an “amateur” potter by any definition? 

Oh wow, I didn't know that. Basically the same as this season's guest judge and season 2 contestant Freya, whose father is a well known pottery artist. But tbh I think at this stage it's level between the remaining potter. Lowes is probably the favourite.

Interesting challenge but the results were too Clarice Cliff on the colours for me.

[Athena]

17 hours ago, oldCJ said:

Can someone explain to me how Caitlin is on the show? Yes, she is a student. But since the pandemic, she works with her father making and selling pottery. In fact, she co-owns their pottery business, which appears to be their main source of income. How exactly is she an “amateur” potter by any definition? 

Yeah, this came up before with other potters who had a lot of experience (including those who use to teach it or did it part-time). In Caitlin's case, I think she got in through the grey area of her being primarily a medical student. While it is a source of her income, it's not what she does full-time.

From the rules of entry for 2023:

Quote

8.     You are not a professional potter, meaning that you do not work full time as a potter, either at home or in a professional environment, nor does your main source of income derive from commercial ceramics or pottery.

 

Even those with more experience on pottery don't always go as far on this show as some others. It's a mix of skill and subjective creativity after all.  I've tried pottery and know of other people who enjoy it as well. As a hobby, it takes more resources to maintain than baking or sewing. Most people can't do the whole process at home and most people can't make it their main source of income at all. I always wonder how many applications this show gets vs the other "Great" shows.

[TVbitch]

It looks like Lois might win this thing, but I am so rooting for one of the older gentlemen. I've really grown to adore them. I was afraid one of them would get cut in the semi-final, and am so glad they both made it through over Caitlyn! 

PS. I don't dislike her, but Lois needs to stop with the "OMG I can't believe I keep winning" shtick!

Edited March 9, 2023 by TVbitch

[Aulty]

No surprises there, but well deserved considering all the final pieces.

I still think this season wasn't great due to the weird assortment of challenges.

[khyber]

After seeing what was produced the winner could only be one person. 

[TVbitch]

Yeah, Lois had it in the bag for a long time now, but I was really rooting for Jon. He's such a sweet, mild-mannered guy, and I think he actually learned and grew the most. Lois came in with a lot of decorating skills and that's what put her ahead. I did not care for the final challenge, and did not find any of the vases particularly attractive. 

[RealityCheck]

For those who enjoy this series, a new competition series for ceramicists across Canada, THE GREAT CANADIAN POTTERY THROWDOWN, is under development.

[Aulty]

11 hours ago, RealityCheck said:

For those who enjoy this series, a new competition series for ceramicists across Canada, THE GREAT CANADIAN POTTERY THROWDOWN, is under development.

They should get Bruno to judge that one too 😆

[RealityCheck]

There is some information available so I've created the GREAT CANADIAN POTTERY THROW DOWN forum here.

[RealityCheck]

Season 7 of THE GREAT POTTERY THROWDOWN will premiere Sunday, January 7, 2024 at 7:45PM on Channel 4 UK with host host Siobhán McSweeney and judges Keith Brymer Jones and Rich Miller.

Quote

In the first of 10 episodes in series seven, the 12 potters are tasked with making a roast dinner set, as well as creating a set of identical side plates.

There will also be a 75-minute celebrity special on Christmas Day airing at 7.30pm.

Edited December 23, 2023 by RealityCheck

[joanne3482]

On 12/23/2023 at 8:37 AM, RealityCheck said:

Season 7 of THE GREAT POTTERY THROWDOWN will premiere Sunday, January 7, 2024 at 7:45PM on Channel 4 UK with host host Siobhán McSweeney and judges Keith Brymer Jones and Rich Miller.

And here in the US we don't even have season 6 yet! Stupid HBOMax. 😭

[oldCJ]

I wish all reality competitions had such kind and supportive participants as this and GBBO. I still miss Claudia Winkleman as the host? I did not mind Siobhan last year, but after watching her on the celebrity christmas special, my tolerance is wearing thin. And the opening skit was not entertaining at all. 

A very talented group of potters this year. The gravy ship was hilarious. Shani knew it was massive but made it anyway? Funny two potters went with dog paw game night theme, one far more successfully. 

The details on Daniel’s were amazing and seemed under appreciated by Keith. I don’t think the addition of the chicken foot was needed to be honest because the lid was amazing without it.

Sophie’s daffodil was inadvertently hilarious. The trumpet was more of a sad trombone. 

Looking forward to the rest of the series and Keith crying. He’s the best. 

[jpgr]

Keith calling everyone "Lovey" this season is driving me up a wall. That is all.

[Corgi-ears]

I'm going to choose to believe that Siobhán's choice to wear a dress whose shade of yellow made her outfit look indistinguishable from the potters' aprons is just her attempt to show solidarity with the potters. I'm so charitable!

[oldCJ]

Donna continues to amaze. Her talent and artistic ability is maybe the best I’ve seen on this show. I think Jan is also one of the best this series for building and decorating the main makes. 

I hate to say it but I am relieved Shani is finally gone. It was like watching Rowan on the latest GBBO. You can only see someone stressed and struggling for so long on a show. Shani could have gone any episode thus far and it would have made the show much more relaxing to watch.  
 

On 1/22/2024 at 5:36 AM, jpgr said:

Keith calling everyone "Lovey" this season is driving me up a wall. That is all.

It reminds me of my aunt as she got older and couldn’t remember people’s names. She called everyone “Love”. 

Edited January 23 by oldCJ

[jpgr]

On 1/23/2024 at 1:19 AM, oldCJ said:

Donna continues to amaze. Her talent and artistic ability is maybe the best I’ve seen on this show. I think Jan is also one of the best this series for building and decorating the main makes. 

I hate to say it but I am relieved Shani is finally gone. It was like watching Rowan on the latest GBBO. You can only see someone stressed and struggling for so long on a show. Shani could have gone any episode thus far and it would have made the show much more relaxing to watch.  
 

It reminds me of my aunt as she got older and couldn’t remember people’s names. She called everyone “Love”. 

Agree about Donna and Jan - I have loved all of their pieces.

I also feel the same about Shani, she was hard to watch.

My mom had dementia, and I was a bit worried about the "Lovey" for that reason, but when he and Rich are discussing everyone's makes, he has no trouble recalling names and details so I'm just not sure why he keeps up with "Lovey" in the pottery.

[TVbitch]

I don't really care for Keith's "lovey" thing. Maybe if he also had a pet name for the men, I wouldn't mind so much. I hate it when men call me "sweetie". Also, "lovey" seems way too familiar of a term of endearment to be calling contestants on a show. Having said that, Keith is a wonderful human and I am sure he means it only in the sweetest way.  

I can't say I really thought that moss tree with mushrooms was super attractive, but I was happy, cuz Stephen is a sweet cutie patootie. 

[jpgr]

17 hours ago, TVbitch said:

I don't really care for Keith's "lovey" thing. Maybe if he also had a pet name for the men, I wouldn't mind so much. I hate it when men call me "sweetie". Also, "lovey" seems way too familiar of a term of endearment to be calling contestants on a show. Having said that, Keith is a wonderful human and I am sure he means it only in the sweetest way.  

I may have to go back and check, but I believe he has also called the men "Lovey."

My dentist used to call me (and other women patients) "sweetie" and it really bugged me, to the point where if I didn't adore my hygienist I might have found another dentist. I mentioned it in a post-appointment survey and I must not have been the only one because he stopped doing it.

[oldCJ]

Stephen absolutely deserved best potter of the week with his perfectly stacked and well-designed teapot and mugs.

The coral teapot was a mess in my opinion, with colors that were not aesthetically pleasing. The whole thing was a box with a load of random things stuck on it. And the lid of looked ill-fitting and awkward. Not to mention the pineapple slices as the design on the mugs.

My opinion of Donna has really gone down over the weeks. After learning that she went to uni for ceramics and has been an art teacher for two decades, I am not nearly as impressed compared to the other artists. This week stood out as a low point for her in my opinion. But Keith loves her, and that is what matters for the show.

Please , can someone tell Sophie to keep her hair behind her shoulders or tie it up. Watching her lean over the wheel with that dangling ponytail almost gave me a coronary. Her design was not anything special and didn’t really fit the brief. It was a teapot and mugs with an octopus and tentacles stuck on them. 

The camper deserved to go. Keith and Rich warned Cadi about the flat sides and she didn’t listen. It was funny especially because the photo of her camper van had more curves and shape than the teapot. Keith was very nice when he commented on the spout. He has always been more kind in his critiques to the women on the show.

The bellydancer was a lot of fun as was the snake despite its nonfunctional spout design. 

 

[jpgr]

Steven is also an art teacher, so Donna is not the only one with an edge on that front. She got a degree in ceramics but has said she didn't touch clay for 20 years while raising kids so yes, she has the knowledge but she still needs (and has) the skills to build things well. I still like her, but it does seem a bit of a foregone conclusion with her winning so many challenges.

[TVbitch]

Bummed Steven is out! But what on earth was he thinkng with those sad, tiny flowers and then using the muted color. Hope one of the underdogs pulls off a real showstopper and takes the win!

[ombre]

I suspect the quietness of the forum for the season shows the impact of hbo's refusal to air the most recent two seasons. I found an alternative way of watching the most recent season and it ended by noting the Keith has a new show - our Welsh chapel dream, in which he and his wife, marj (I'm forgetting her last name, sorry!) buy a derelict chapel in Wales (I know, you'd never have guessed that part from the title, eh ?) to turn into a pottery studio, performance/community space, and home. Looks like there are only four eps, which has me quite bummed as we're three eps in and enjoying it immensely. Anyway, I get the impression that he may have been up to his elbows in this madness while putting the latest pottery season together, which may well have been part of the reason why everyone is "lovey"! :D

 

Heartily recommend the chapel show. Fun to see Keith just being a big damn dude and tearing apart parts of a big damn building. Relatable to see marj feeling a little overwhelmed by the task at hand and downright inspiring to see how she the turns on theater-manager mode and figures out the task at hand and dives in. And the pair of them manage to get the tiniest hint of fantastic orange into everything they touch. 

 

On the topic at hand, oh, I loved this season. Donna and Jan's capable scrappiness won my soul, and... Ugh I'm forgetting everyone's names already... Dan? The guy who wore the loud shirts. He physically reminded me of a very, very anal relative so it was quite cathartic to see such devil-may-care attitude coming out of that face! The last ep explained a lot about him for me - if you generally have internalized engineering principles then you can just *play*.  Lovely season. Lovely humans. Lovely lovely show. So grateful that it exists! 

[ombre]

It seems I now call all animals of all kinds "lovey." Keith, I am shaking my fist at you!!! (but, you know, grateful for everything else, so I think you're still winning by a lot in my heart!) 

[Ceindreadh]

The 2024 Festive special will be airing on Channel 4 on the 26th December. 

And the new series starts on the 5th January.