S12.E01: Can It Really Be This Bad?

[Drogo]

Sixteen of the worst cooks in America, including a sportscaster, a feisty granny and a professional balloon artist, arrive at boot camp with dreams of putting their kitchen nightmares behind them. Mentors Anne Burrell and Tyler Florence need to assess the level of disaster they're facing, so they ask the recruits to make their own specialty dishes -- and the results are worse than the chefs could have imagined! For the first main dish challenge, the mentors teach the recruits how to make the most important meal of the day, and the recruit on each team with the worst breakfast dish is sent home.

[WritinMan]

Wow. Are these people for real? Did one guy just open a can of soup and stick some carrots in it?

And the sports guy needs to go first.

[patty1h]

I hate all of the over-acting phonies on this show.  Every year, they use the same checklist to fill out the cast:  the hipster with ironic glasses, the dumb hunk, the sassy black girl, the gay man, the older woman, the ditzy mom, etc.  The switch this year is twins.  They look insufferable too.  And no one can convince me that the producers don't  write a lot of the contestants lines for them.  Please stop the "wacky" background music and circus sound effects, too.

Edited January 8, 2018 by patty1h

[LexieLily]

49 minutes ago, WritinMan said:

Wow. Are these people for real? Did one guy just open a can of soup and stick some carrots in it?

That was Asaf, and I'm not rooting for him on principle. He made the top ten of So You Think You Can Dance a few summers back, so he's not new to the reality show circuit.

[millk]

This is my first time watching this show. I'm only in because I know the twins in real life. Very sweet guys actually and very twinny too. The dressing alike and synco-talking is real. They were on Twinning on Vh1 a couple years ago.

[Nessie]

Ok, I just don't know if I can watch the show this season.  Every year, the "personalities" just get more ridiculous and over the top.  Come on, people, at least pretend you're there to learn how to cook and not just be on tv.  I was one of the few who didn't really mind Asaf on SYTYCD; I mean, he was eye candy and it wasn't his fault someone dropped out and he was brought on to fill the opening and the judges kept him around a lot longer than they should have; but dude - NO ONE is buying that you honestly think you can just toss a whole coconut in a pot with some other stuff and hey presto! You get coconut soup or whatever you said you were doing.  Chick with the tiara?  Reality check...a dime store tiara doesn't make you royalty, it just makes you look needier than the other losers there.  

Some of them seemed like normal people, but I'm sure that won't last long, or they will be booted soon.  When it came time for both eliminations, you knew who was going home - on Tyler's team, it was obviously the woman because she was boring (and apparently couldn't figure out that if she made her pancakes smaller than dinner plates they might cook in time?), but on Anne's, her real words should have been "Corndog guy, you're going home because what's the point of us casting twins if we can't pit them against each other, and we haven't been able to do that since we're only 1 episode in."

Wow...this show made me cranky...

2 hours ago, millk said:

This is my first time watching this show. I'm only in because I know the twins in real life. Very sweet guys actually and very twinny too. The dressing alike and synco-talking is real. They were on Twinning on Vh1 a couple years ago.

So 2nd reality show for them (at least) and 2nd for Asaf (that I'm aware of).  I'm sure more contestants resumes will come to light as the week's go on, they usually do.  Like I said, it seems none of the contestants are there to actually learn how to cook anymore.  I've never seen Twinning but IMDB says there was only one season, which means they were on with Claire and Shawn from the last season of Project Runway.  All these reality show contestants just get recycled from show to show to show, and apparently, we're not supposed to notice...

[TDT]

4 hours ago, Nessie said:

All these reality show contestants just get recycled from show to show to show, and apparently, we're not supposed to notice...

Examples include the various chefs you see on Top Chef..then Chopped..then Hell's Kitchen..and sometimes not in that order lol

[WhitneyWhit]

As happy as I am to see the show return to the non-celebrity format, I don't know if I can stick with it this season. This has to be the most annoying group of people ever assembled for a reality show and I'm including Four Weddings and Say Yes to the Dress in that.

I disagreed completely with who Anne sent home and I usually agree with her. Yeah what Johnathan did was dangerous, but nothing happened and he followed the recipe while Spencer made an entirely different dish. If Spencer didn't have an equally annoying twin on the other team, I feel he would have went home.

And I instantly dislike any woman who labels herself a princess.

[Ellee]

2 hours ago, WhitneyWhit said:

As happy as I am to see the show return to the non-celebrity format, I don't know if I can stick with it this season. This has to be the most annoying group of people ever assembled for a reality show and I'm including Four Weddings and Say Yes to the Dress in that.

I disagreed completely with who Anne sent home and I usually agree with her. Yeah what Johnathan did was dangerous, but nothing happened and he followed the recipe while Spencer made an entirely different dish. If Spencer didn't have an equally annoying twin on the other team, I feel he would have went home.

And I instantly dislike any woman who labels herself a princess.

I agree with you on all of this but I have a feeling Anne did the guy she sent home a big favor.  

I think I’m filing this show under ‘if I see it,  ummm ok. If not, ummm ok.’

[Pepper the Cat]

Too many over the top,personalities. Not sure how long I will last.

[mlp]

This show is totally goofy and at least 75% fake but I still find it more entertaining than Hell's Kitchen which pretends to be on the level and often just makes me mad.  I might have given up on it if they'd brought Rachael Ray back but I like Tyler Florence and I think he and Anne together are a hoot.

I have never seen so many seriously overweight contestants on a competition show before.  They must all live on fast food.

The woman who was sent home seemed the most "normal" there plus she had a pleasant speaking voice.  Maybe that's why they didn't keep her.  The princess and the good-looking guy with the enormous ego are both rather obnoxious.  I'm not enamored of any of them so far.

[Maverick]

Was Tyler forced to do the show this season?  He couldn't be bothered to wear the normal blue and white chef's coat and he was acting overly hammy, even by this show's standards.  

[Blueavocado]

Wow, I'm only about 10 minutes in and it's cringeworthy.  They are so over the top.  The cracking of the egg on the back of the hand?  Balloon animals?  Mustard and ranch in the pot pie?  This isn't supposed to be an over the top show. 

[Westiepeach]

I liked it better when they actually taught the “recruits” how to cook. Now the contestants are caricatures and the goal is mocking them. *smh*

[meowmommy]

2 hours ago, Blueavocado said:

This isn't supposed to be an over the top show.

That ship sailed pretty much after Joshie won his season.

6 hours ago, Maverick said:

Was Tyler forced to do the show this season? 

Yes, really, what would possess him to come back?  It can't be the huge money FN throws around.

Edited January 9, 2018 by meowmommy

[spiderpig]

I set the bar very low for this series.  Actually, it's on the floor.  But at least we're spared Rachael Ray for this go-round.

[biakbiak]

Are there amateur balloon artists? Though I do have to say those might be the best balloon art that I have seen.

Edited January 9, 2018 by biakbiak

[Drogo]

21 hours ago, Nessie said:

So 2nd reality show for them (at least) and 2nd for Asaf (that I'm aware of).

4th. Asaf has been on So You Think You Can Dance, Are You The One, AYTO Second Chances and now this.  

[Maya]

All of those idiots handling raw chicken in the first challenge was making me really nervous. 

[mlp]

Quote

I liked it better when they actually taught the “recruits” how to cook.

Me too.  I loved Joshie's season even though I had to stomach Robert Irvine to watch it.  As I recall, the next season or two had mostly "real" people too then the show began to devolve into a comedy.  Now it's gone way past comedy into farce.  As long as I don't even try to take it seriously, I get a kick out of it.

[gingerormaryann]

A very weird show because it looks like Food Network's pretense of a reality show is out the window and you're left to judge how well the performers are playing the characters they've created.  I did think the "make the dish that got you here" was low comedy because everyone was trying too hard.

However, Lily is freaking adorable.  When she was fanning Tyler even the other contestants were laughing.

[SweetSable]

On ‎1‎/‎7‎/‎2018 at 10:21 PM, LexieLily said:

That was Asaf, and I'm not rooting for him on principle. He made the top ten of So You Think You Can Dance a few summers back, so he's not new to the reality show circuit.

I thought that's where I knew him from.  And I seem to recall he was pretty obnoxious on there as well.

[LexieLily]

8 minutes ago, SweetSable said:

I thought that's where I knew him from.  And I seem to recall he was pretty obnoxious on there as well.

And not a good dancer. Lol

[TipseyGirl]

16 hours ago, Drogo said:

4th. Asaf has been on So You Think You Can Dance, Are You The One, AYTO Second Chances and now this.  

He also appeared on one of the Teen Mom OG episodes. He was Farrah's date. She was not impressed.

[eyechart]

Well, I knew I wasn't going to like Asaf as the "hunk", and now that I see how many shows he's been on I am looking forward to him leaving.  Besides, Jonathan was much hunkier...those ARMS!!!  Sad to see him go, but obvious when it came down to him and the twin.  I hate knowing these tropes by heart now.

However, Shatima threw me.  Sassy black woman with her hair, makeup, and nails all did and wearing a tiara the whole time...expected.  "I wanna learn to cook for my wife..." (needle scratch)  Did I hear that right?  Well, that's different.  Haven't seen too many black lesbian princesses on tv.  I wonder if Stephen might also be gay since he referred to his ex without saying "wife" after.  Sharon...gee, a gay man with a female name.  Check...and check.  But he seems nice.

This show is a guilty pleasure for me.  I know how bad it is, but as long as the contestants aren't overly irritating and seem to want to learn I'm okay with it.  Not sure who to root for right now...but I DON'T want to see both twins make it to the end; that would be too much producer interference as far as I'm concerned.

[mlp]

Quote

Sharon...gee, a gay man with a female name.  

He's Jewish.  In Hebrew, Sharon is a male name and pronounced sort of like "share-own" with the accent on the second syllable.  I'm not Jewish so I don't know any more about it but I do know that from history and TV.

[eyechart]

2 hours ago, mlp said:

He's Jewish.  In Hebrew, Sharon is a male name and pronounced sort of like "share-own" with the accent on the second syllable.  I'm not Jewish so I don't know any more about it but I do know that from history and TV.

I thought so, as he pronounced it as in "Ariel Sharon", and he's from a New York area with a large Jewish population, especially with Russian emigres.  I'm thinking the producers saw his first name and jumped on having him as a contestant.  Asaf, Hazell, Shatima, Kayrene...they were looking out for the odd names.

[gryphon]

Quote

As long as I don't even try to take it seriously, I get a kick out of it.

Yes, this.  I was in need of a laugh so I watched....I kinda like the twins, trope and all.  

[HyeChaps]

I certainly like these twins much better than the twins gimmick on Project Runway. 

[spiderpig]

On 1/9/2018 at 9:22 AM, gingerormaryann said:

However, Lily is freaking adorable.  When she was fanning Tyler even the other contestants were laughing.

I agree - if you watch this show it's for characters like Lily.

[aliya]

On 1/7/2018 at 8:39 PM, patty1h said:

Every year, they use the same checklist to fill out the cast:  the hipster with ironic glasses, the dumb hunk, the sassy black girl, the gay man, the older woman, the ditzy mom, etc.  The switch this year is twins.  They look insufferable too.  And no one can convince me that the producers don't  write a lot of the contestants lines for them.  

I actually like this show and have bought a number of episodes on amazon. I run them as background while I'm doing other stuff. That said, I know the producers are writing some of the dialog because I've heard it repeated in different seasons. I missed this episode on TV and am watching it on YT. I can't get over the loudness. I've had to turn the sound down several times. I hate the sassy black stereotypes. Hate them. Maybe if some of these people calmed down and read directions, they'd be able to cook. 

I'll still watch, but maybe with the sound muted until they get rid of a few of these people.

Editing to add - BALLOON ARTIST. No. Go away and let people cook.

Edited January 13, 2018 by aliya

[grisgris]

I'm already sensing a twin vs. twin final cook-off. I mean how can FN squander this opportunity? /eyeroll ...

[Nessie]

On 1/8/2018 at 10:25 PM, Drogo said:

4th. Asaf has been on So You Think You Can Dance, Are You The One, AYTO Second Chances and now this.  

I stand corrected.  Thanks Drogo.

On 1/9/2018 at 2:45 PM, TipseyGirl said:

He also appeared on one of the Teen Mom OG episodes. He was Farrah's date. She was not impressed.

Nor am I.  Enough already.  He really is desperate to be on TV, isn't he?

1 hour ago, grisgris said:

I'm already sensing a twin vs. twin final cook-off. I mean how can FN squander this opportunity? /eyeroll ...

Please no (although I wouldn't be surprised as this would be exactly what this show has devolved into).

[Maya]

12 hours ago, grisgris said:

I'm already sensing a twin vs. twin final cook-off. I mean how can FN squander this opportunity? /eyeroll ...

Plus the one twin’s redemption arc, from almost eliminated first to making it to the final. So much drama! Lol 

[LennieBriscoe]

Thanks a lot, Anne. Get rid of the decent-looking guy and keep the fat twin. 

Apparently one didn't even need to make the required dish.

[backformore]

On 1/8/2018 at 5:25 PM, Westiepeach said:

I liked it better when they actually taught the “recruits” how to cook. Now the contestants are caricatures and the goal is mocking them. *smh*

Yes, you don't learn how to cook by someone running through 20 steps in a recipe and then having you try it.  

It bugged me that some of the contestants weren't even trying in the first challenge. Yeah, we know that the way to win is to fake being horrible, then gradually improve.  But the horribleness seemed fake for some.

And what was the story about the guy who put carrots in a soup can and tied lettuce to the can with twine? That was not a sincere effort. It seemed like he was mocking the show.

[backformore]

The twins. Ok, they're 25.  And they're still all about boy scouts and merit badges?  Come on!  You age out of boy scouts at 18.  At 25, you need to have more life experience than what you learned in scouts.

I say this as a parent of two Eagle Scouts. They talk about scouts only when it pertains to adventures, archery, camping, etc. By age 25, its rarely a topic of conversation.

[hilaryvm]

On 1/8/2018 at 6:25 PM, Drogo said:

On 1/7/2018 at 9:02 PM, Nessie said:

So 2nd reality show for them (at least) and 2nd for Asaf (that I'm aware of).

4th. Asaf has been on So You Think You Can Dance, Are You The One, AYTO Second Chances and now this.  

And how sad that I've watched every one of those shows.

I think I have to give up on this show.  Everyone was so clearly just playing a part and doing things to get attention, that it bugged (I know it's always been that way, but it really bothered me this episode).  Also, I don't like Asaf at all.  He's not nearly as hot as he thinks he is.

[novemberjenny]

On 1/7/2018 at 10:21 PM, LexieLily said:

That was Asaf, and I'm not rooting for him on principle. He made the top ten of So You Think You Can Dance a few summers back, so he's not new to the reality show circuit.

Don’t forget Asaf was also on Vh1’s Are You the One ?

 

edit to add: I see others have noticed that Asaf is a serial reality show personality. He was AWFUL on AYTO. I hated his season so much I quit watching the show for awlile lol. 

Edited January 22, 2018 by novemberjenny

[spankydoll]

I like the celebrity seasons much better - If you are going to have a scripted show get some folks who can read a damned script.

Love balloon girl. I like weird people. 

[lallalla]

On 1/11/2018 at 3:25 PM, spiderpig said:

I agree - if you watch this show it's for characters like Lily.

Yaaas!

On 1/15/2018 at 5:47 PM, hilaryvm said:

And how sad that I've watched every one of those shows.

I think I have to give up on this show.  Everyone was so clearly just playing a part and doing things to get attention, that it bugged (I know it's always been that way, but it really bothered me this episode).  Also, I don't like Asaf at all.  He's not nearly as hot as he thinks he is.

He for sure, is NOT.

bang-on

[Lily Frey]

I am Lily on Worst Cooks in America. Season12.

i love being on the show, we were treated very well and I appreciate Food Network for having shows like this.

Although some acts were considered “wacky”, we worked very hard to make this show. Sometimes 12 hrs.

Chef Ann Burrell has been the main Chef of the Red team for 16 seasons so far, that speaks to how dedicated she is, Food Network won’t have this show on for this many years if they don’t have a huge audience. Some people might complain but it’s a reality show and I thought we all did fantastic to make the show entertaining. We had more publicity & we were one of the top seasons, I really enjoyed being part of it.

No show has ever been 100 percent perfect for all but personally I think we all did a heck of a job.  Thanks you all for watching and I hope the legacy goes on for years to come.

 

On ‎12‎/‎26‎/‎2017 at 2:38 PM, Drogo said:

Sixteen of the worst cooks in America, including a sportscaster, a feisty granny and a professional balloon artist, arrive at boot camp with dreams of putting their kitchen nightmares behind them. Mentors Anne Burrell and Tyler Florence need to assess the level of disaster they're facing, so they ask the recruits to make their own specialty dishes -- and the results are worse than the chefs could have imagined! For the first main dish challenge, the mentors teach the recruits how to make the most important meal of the day, and the recruit on each team with the worst breakfast dish is sent home.

 

I personally wouldn’t change a thing about Worst Cooks in America, Season 12 ! We really worked so hard for the show. Lots of retakes, we had to keep it professional, it’s a family show. Don’t forget making our audience laugh is a big part of the show.

Thanks y’all for watching ! ?

[Amarsir]

Hi Lily! Thanks for stopping in.

12 hours is a long day! Were there a lot of re-shoots? A lot of instructions to do something again, say something again, or change how you were doing it?