Athena May 1, 2014 Share May 1, 2014 A place to discuss particular episodes, challenges and moments from the show's run. Please remember this isn't a complete catch-all topic -- check out the forum for personality topics and other places for show-related talk. Link to comment
midge May 26, 2014 Share May 26, 2014 Does anyone have any news as to when Series 5 will start? Link to comment
Athena June 5, 2014 Author Share June 5, 2014 Judging by the previous four series, sometime in mid August. It'll air on BBC One this year instead of the BBC Two. Link to comment
Athena June 20, 2014 Author Share June 20, 2014 I've watched the show since the first series and the winners have been fairly predictable for me which is something I like about these British cooking competitions. In the S3 all male finale, I think Brendan was the favourite, but I was pulling for John. I like Brendan as a personality, but I didn't love most of his bakes. They were a bit too 70s for me, and I think John had some innovative things. In any case, I think that was one of my favourite seasons too. 1 Link to comment
midge June 22, 2014 Share June 22, 2014 While I kinda liked the travelling show that was season 1, I think I might have liked S4 best. Or at least I remember thinking that I was OK with whomever won (even though I was kinda sick of Ruby by the end). I've liked all seasons though. Link to comment
Rickster July 23, 2014 Share July 23, 2014 Judging by the previous four series, sometime in mid August. It'll air on BBC One this year instead of the BBC Two. According to Wikipedia, it will start on Wednesday August 6 and will have 12 contestants. 3 Link to comment
midge July 24, 2014 Share July 24, 2014 It's about time. hope I can still find a way to watch it here in the US... Link to comment
Meredith Quill August 5, 2014 Share August 5, 2014 Anyone remember that infamous squirrel shot from a couple of years ago?!! I was eating my dinner at the time and almost choked, which didn't help but omg I haven't looked at a cute squirrel the same way since.....I'm still traumatised!! :O 3 Link to comment
Athena August 5, 2014 Author Share August 5, 2014 Yes, I remember. I was like, "WTF?" when I saw it and then I read about all the complaints the Beeb got after it aired. It was just so random. What were the production team thinking? Link to comment
Meredith Quill August 5, 2014 Share August 5, 2014 They were probably thinking how funny it would be to shock all the little old ladies haha. 1 Link to comment
Janc August 22, 2014 Share August 22, 2014 I'm new to the series - what was the squirrel shot? Also, is each episode really filmed each weekend, and the bakers go home for weekdays? How do the eliminated bakers keep the story from their family, do they practice for next week's challenge even though they're out, and go away for the weekend anyway? How much info on the upcoming challenges are the bakers given before-hand: I guess they don't know which specialty the next weekend will be, but since they're allowed to practice they must have some idea what's coming? Link to comment
Athena August 22, 2014 Author Share August 22, 2014 I'm new to the series - what was the squirrel shot? Also, is each episode really filmed each weekend, and the bakers go home for weekdays? How do the eliminated bakers keep the story from their family, do they practice for next week's challenge even though they're out, and go away for the weekend anyway? How much info on the upcoming challenges are the bakers given before-hand: I guess they don't know which specialty the next weekend will be, but since they're allowed to practice they must have some idea what's coming? During the 2011 finale, a shot of a squirrel with well endowed nuts was featured. The BBC received a lot of complaints about it. I didn't really see the big issue. It was a very quick shot, but amusing none the less. Yes, all the bakers go home after the weekend is over. Since this is Britain, almost everyone is within a day's train ride away. I'm not sure about the family knowledge. It does seem the families and contestants sign Non-Disclosure agreements, but not sure if they go away for the weekend to show the pretence of it. The contestants find out all 10 weeks worth of challenges in advance and give the producers all the recipes early on. The food producer scrutinizes it because they need to get ingredients and machines prepared and organized in advance. The show uses a lot of food to produce the goods shown and they have to make sure every baker gets the best of everything. The bakers are allowed to practice in advance (which I like since it shows their progression through the competition), but it does seem they just spend each week working on the Signature, Showstopper and possible technical challenges that could come up. Many of them still have day jobs or study so their lives still go on while they work on GBBO bakes. If they have time and they are sure they won't be eliminated, they could do their future weeks I guess. Hope this helps and welcome to watching the show with us! 2 Link to comment
Faux Pas October 17, 2014 Share October 17, 2014 I was wondering if anyone knew of a where to watch this in the US? Link to comment
Niuxita November 9, 2014 Share November 9, 2014 While I kinda liked the travelling show that was season 1, I think I might have liked S4 best. Or at least I remember thinking that I was OK with whomever won Agreed, season 4 is definitely my favourite precisely because of that KILLER final 5 (same reason why season 2 is my second favourite). It was the first time I've ever watched a competitive reality show and felt honestly relaxed about the outcome because I'd be happy with whoever won (and I've watched a LOT of competitive reality shows). Conversely, though, while watching the quarterfinal, it was also kind of bittersweet because I didn't want any of them to leave. Although, after Frances was announced the winner, I realized I'd been secretly pulling for her all along. She was adorable. 2 Link to comment
Writing Wrongs February 11, 2015 Share February 11, 2015 I've become addicted to this show. I've tracked down the earlier seasons and am near the end of Series 3. I like how they give the histories of the different challenge foods. I notice that Brits cook with rhubarb a lot. I've never seen or eaten rhubarb before. 2 Link to comment
Athena February 12, 2015 Author Share February 12, 2015 I notice that Brits cook with rhubarb a lot. I've never seen or eaten rhubarb before. Interesting that you've never even seen it. May I ask where you live? The growing season for rhubarb is quite small (about a couple months in the spring at most), but when it happens, you can get a good crop used primarily in desserts. It makes a nice pie I find. It is sharp so you need to add sugar. 1 Link to comment
Meredith Quill February 12, 2015 Share February 12, 2015 Yes you definitely need to add sugar to rhubarb it is exceptionally tart otherwise. Rhubarb & custard is/was a staple dessert growing up in the UK certainly during the 40's/50's/60's/70's; we even used to have R&C flavour sweeties. More often now it is used to make rhubarb crumble, which traditionally is served with custard but can also be eaten with cream or ice cream. Mr Stormm adores rhubarb crumble may I add! 1 Link to comment
Rickster February 12, 2015 Share February 12, 2015 I've lived in the Northeast and in the Chicago area and in both places (especially the NE), strawberry rhubarb pie is a pretty common thing. You even find it in supermarkets. One of those fruit matches, although rhubarb is a vegetable really, made in heaven. 2 Link to comment
QuinnM February 12, 2015 Share February 12, 2015 I read somewhere that you need a cold season to grow rhubarb. So that might be why some places have it and others don't. I live in MN and its a big pie/cobbler filling here. Most gardens have it since it is practically no care. Link to comment
Athena February 12, 2015 Author Share February 12, 2015 I read somewhere that you need a cold season to grow rhubarb. So that might be why some places have it and others don't. I live in MN and its a big pie/cobbler filling here. Most gardens have it since it is practically no care. Yes, it's a cold season perennial. It does not survive well in hot, humid conditions. I think it's really very much a British favourite as it's not as popular in continental Europe either. It is a vegetable and it sorta melts down into a ooze which sounds naff, but is delicious for crumbles, jam, and pies. :) Link to comment
emma675 February 12, 2015 Share February 12, 2015 Yep, never had it! I live in Texas though, so that might be the reason. Link to comment
shandy February 12, 2015 Share February 12, 2015 Rhubarb was pretty common in Massachusetts as a kid in the 80s, My Grandmother always used rhurbarb to make strawberries go further in a pie. I always think of rhubarb pie with carnation 'evap' milk poured over, as that's what she did. She used to say using evaporated milk as a kind of pouring cream was the Irish way, but I think it was just hers. Link to comment
QuinnM February 12, 2015 Share February 12, 2015 Has anyone found a link for the GBBO Red Nose charity clip? I love everyone baking and am dying to see it but so far my searches have yielded nothing but stills/ Link to comment
Meredith Quill February 12, 2015 Share February 12, 2015 Has anyone found a link for the GBBO Red Nose charity clip? I love everyone baking and am dying to see it but so far my searches have yielded nothing but stills/ There are a couple of links in the comic relief thread, including this one I posted just now. Link to comment
Darian February 19, 2015 Share February 19, 2015 I'm power-watching in reverse series order, so I am almost to the series 4 finale. And I still like everyone. It's amazing to be so invested in the show, to practically hold my breath through judging, but not actively root for someone to win or go home. I might have favorites, but I want everyone to do well and only ever want someone to go home because they aren't at the level of everyone else. It's never "get off my TV screen." Watching on YouTube is frustrating, though. There are weird gaps. For series 4, I have found every episode by two (2, 9) on the GBBO channel, and can't find those two anywhere. Really, I would pay to watch them all if they were available in the US. 1 Link to comment
ABay February 22, 2015 Share February 22, 2015 My horrible PBS station (fuck you, CPTV) has decided to show episodes 9 & 10 only on their back-up channels which aren't available to viewers without an antenna. They aren't on PBS video yet, either. I cannot express how much I loathe CPTV and their routine bumping of shows all over the place and their cryptic "Members Choice" blocks where they don't tell you what's going to be shown. They are by far the worst PBS station I've ever encountered and it pisses me off that I can't watch NYC or Boston's stations instead. Link to comment
PaulaO February 26, 2015 Share February 26, 2015 I've been watching season 2 on YouTube (wonky audio and all) and the season finale had THE SQUIRREL SHOT! I got to see him live in all his glory. 2 Link to comment
Meredith Quill February 27, 2015 Share February 27, 2015 I've been watching season 2 on YouTube (wonky audio and all) and the season finale had THE SQUIRREL SHOT! I got to see him live in all his glory. #I'mstilltraumatised 2 Link to comment
larapu2000 March 2, 2015 Share March 2, 2015 I live in Indiana, USA, and rhubarb is also common around here. When I was a kid, we used to eat it raw, dipping it in sugar before each bite. And also in pies, etc. One of my favorite fillings. I love the difference in desserts, bread, and pastry between the UK and USA! The pie episodes are particularly fascinating to me, with the hot water crust and the filling. Australia also has great pies, but they're not really a thing in the States. Are they in Canada? Funny how the 20th century massive immigration influenced our food so much from our British roots! 3 Link to comment
Athena March 2, 2015 Author Share March 2, 2015 I love the difference in desserts, bread, and pastry between the UK and USA! The pie episodes are particularly fascinating to me, with the hot water crust and the filling. Australia also has great pies, but they're not really a thing in the States. Are they in Canada? Funny how the 20th century massive immigration influenced our food so much from our British roots! Hot water crust pastry is not common in Canada, but I've seen pork pies in a couple of old school bakeries. There are more recent (twentieth century) British emigrants to Canada so some of the British traditions have crossed over more so than in the USA. 1 Link to comment
Darian March 3, 2015 Share March 3, 2015 I'm glad I'm not the only frustrated one. Not only are there gaps, but some of the videos aren't available (why don't they remove the thumbnail at the same time they remove the video?--a complaint I have about YouTube in general and not just this show). I would watch the whole series if it were available. I can find a bunch of books that feature recipes from the show but I don't want to bake; I just want to watch other people bake. This is embarrassing to admit, but I made myself a cheat sheet for episodes, in an effort to see them all (I have a terrible memory). I looked up how many episodes for each series on Wikipedia and wrote it out, so I can check them off as I watch. I'm even going to try to find all the extras. I also check back for the missing episodes, and I found a couple that were briefly back up. As I am working my way through old seasons of GBBO, I decided to give The Great British Sewing Bee a go. It's delightful as well, but just now as I was watching an episode featuring corsets with boning, I found myself imaging all the bawdy puns that Mel and Sue would be making. I love them. They didn't even have to grow on me. Then it's on to series 2 of GBBO! 4 Link to comment
Meredith Quill March 4, 2015 Share March 4, 2015 This is embarrassing to admit, but I made myself a cheat sheet for episodes, in an effort to see them all (I have a terrible memory). I looked up how many episodes for each series on Wikipedia and wrote it out, so I can check them off as I watch. I'm even going to try to find all the extras. I also check back for the missing episodes, and I found a couple that were briefly back up. As I am working my way through old seasons of GBBO, I decided to give The Great British Sewing Bee a go. It's delightful as well, but just now as I was watching an episode featuring corsets with boning, I found myself imaging all the bawdy puns that Mel and Sue would be making. I love them. They didn't even have to grow on me. Then it's on to series 2 of GBBO! You win the award for true dedication! Love it. :D 1 Link to comment
larapu2000 March 6, 2015 Share March 6, 2015 I've been binge watching the first few seasons, and got to the American Pie Showstopper Challenge, where Mr. Hollywood says that to make a great American pie, you've got to make it British. Everyone kept complaining about the sweetness level of American pies. What the hell, GB??? They don't bag on French/German/Swiss/Hungarian pastry like they did American pies, it was pretty hilarious. And they didn't even use American pie tins, they just made tart shells! Not a single person even attempted an apple pie, which, in my mind, is the perfect balance of tart and sweet when it comes to American pie, but even then, our best pies are NOT always cloyingly sweet. There was one person (a guy, forget his name) that did a sweet potato pie with a little pecan edge, with pecans at the bottom, flavoured with maple syrup, which both judges liked, but said it wasn't a real "showstopper." These dingbats realize our pies are traditionally more rustic and less patisserie, right? (I'm just kidding, Mary and Paul, love you mean it). 5 Link to comment
AltLivia March 11, 2015 Share March 11, 2015 (edited) I'm watching season 3 via YouTube and there's this one fellow hanging on like a barnacle. I believe his name is Stuart. He made a terrible Union Jack cake during hidden design week. He has consistently cut corners since. There are always edits of Stuart, laughing at his stupid mistakes and getting by. Hollywood even warned him that he'd had major failings in weeks past and had to improve. He miraculously did a fine pie, but most everyone did. He's obnoxious. I like Catherine fine. Perhaps the best of all the contestants in the season. She's a great baker and very humble, but everyone treats her like she's fragile. I am the same way, a bit. While a confidence boost and/or sympathy is okay, simpering is not. It's condescending and bothersome. I cut Sara Jane a break on not plaiting things in the presentation of the technical challenges. She just can't. She didn't lattice a pie crust and Hollywood really went after her. And I was like, "Guy, you already know she can't plait!" At least she slid her design off of parchment paper. Stuart (ugh) just lay his design on top of warm fruit. Edited March 11, 2015 by AltLivia Link to comment
NYGirl August 18, 2015 Share August 18, 2015 I just finished series 3 and I have to say Brendan was robbed. He had good bakes all the way through. John wasn't even good at the beginning but people were worse than him or he would have been gone. It wasn't fair!! That being said I did notice that squirrel in series 1. I got a big kick out of it. I had to rewind a couple of times just to be sure. As soon as I saw it I remembered the Great American Bake Off and people discussing in on that board. What I have to say is that everybody looks a little messy for being on TV, especially the women (I'm looking at you Janet, series 2,moppy hair) 3 Link to comment
GaT August 19, 2018 Share August 19, 2018 I just watched the the very first episode, series 1 episode 1. Here are my random thoughts: Interesting how they actually moved the tent to different places, that seems like an awful lot of trouble, I wonder why they decided to do that? Too many women cooked with their hair hanging down. Paul & Mary (she looks very different with glasses) stayed in the tent during the technical challenge, & they announced the top three winners first to third, then the bottom three. I was surprised by 3 historical segments during the show, do they do that every week? Also surprised that there were 2 eliminations (poor Mark, he's a cryer) I don't remember them calling the last challenge the showstopper. NO STAR BAKER!!!!!! 1 Link to comment
GaT August 19, 2018 Share August 19, 2018 Wow, I'm watching episode 3 (bread week), & Paul is literally kneading someone's dough for them. They were having trouble, & he came over & showed them how to oil up their hands & do everything & he's demonstrating by actually doing the work. Things sure have changed since season 1. 1 Link to comment
GaT August 22, 2018 Share August 22, 2018 I'm back. Just watched the first episode of series 2 & the show looks more like it does now. Paul is still fake bake free, & Mary is still in glasses, but there's a Star Baker, & the final challenge is called the Showstopper. Also, only one person was eliminated. Paul is still helping the contestants though, I still find that strange. Link to comment
GaT August 24, 2018 Share August 24, 2018 (edited) Episode 3 season 2, Paul has his fake bake & Mary has stopped wearing the glasses. They look as they should ;-) Edited August 25, 2018 by GaT 1 Link to comment
GaT August 24, 2018 Share August 24, 2018 I'm back again & I'm pissed. I'm going to put this in spoiler tag because a lot of people haven't seen this season yet. Spoiler Rob should have been eliminated weeks ago, he majorly screws up every week, & Paul has warned him many, many times, but he somehow kept skating through to the next round. Jason (who I've been rooting for) has one bad week, & he's gone. Even though it was a double elimination this week & Rob is finally gone, Jason should have been given the same amount of chances as Rob was. Jason was Star Baker twice, he out baked Rob every time& his elimination makes me angry. Link to comment
Kohola3 August 24, 2018 Share August 24, 2018 1 hour ago, kokapetl said: Season 1 is best ignored. Good to know, thanks. 1 Link to comment
magdalene August 25, 2018 Share August 25, 2018 Maybe there is a reason the first two seasons were never shown in the US? It looks like the show didn't come into its own until the third season. Link to comment
Rinaldo August 25, 2018 Share August 25, 2018 (edited) 19 hours ago, kokapetl said: Season 1 is best ignored. 18 hours ago, Kohola3 said: Good to know, thanks. That sort of statement is inevitably an opinion, not a fact. I understand why it could be said, but my own opinion is that Season 1 is indeed disconcertingly different from later seasons, but to a devotee it can be fascinating and fun for that very reason. Clearly they were still figuring it out at that stage, and hadn't yet hit on the best way to handle all the elements. Still, the basic elements were there from the start, in however unfamiliar a form. My own mind is blown by how public it all was, with random strangers milling around outside the tent and peering in. Edited August 25, 2018 by Rinaldo 12 Link to comment
Mabinogia August 25, 2018 Share August 25, 2018 I very much want to see the first seasons just to see the evolution of the show. I just love that the show went in the exact opposite direction of pretty much every other show out there. Instead of building up the manufactured drama, and focusing on the sob stories and annoying personalities, this show chose to focus on the quirkier personalities, the camaraderie and the drama that comes from actual baking. Sure you have the weather conditions from being in a tent and the time constrictions, but they are all facing the same challenge and the judges do seem to take that into consideration. IDK, I just love that the show chose to move into a more positive direction rather than a negative direction, so I'm curious how/where it started from. 6 Link to comment
magdalene August 25, 2018 Share August 25, 2018 I want to see the first two season to see it develop and because I am a completist. 1 Link to comment
GaT August 25, 2018 Share August 25, 2018 I have finished seasons 1 & 2! Next week season 8 starts on Netflix, so after I see that,I will be all caught up on GBBO :-) Link to comment
kokapetl August 26, 2018 Share August 26, 2018 (edited) If anyone really, really needs to see the first season, I can point them in the appropriate direction. ? Edited August 26, 2018 by kokapetl Link to comment
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