Spring Baking Championship - General Discussion

[rocketinu]

38 minutes ago, jrzy said:

Me too! plus I don't trust a skinny chef.  Giada with her giant teeth and tiny bites is a perfect example.

 

I plan on counting the number of times I hear "sprinkles."

[Rammchick]

17 hours ago, rocketinu said:

I plan on counting the number of times I hear "sprinkles."

Take a drink every time Nancy says, "It's not springy enough." Odd that we don't see her in any of the promos.  I almost got my hopes up that she's not on it this year 😇😇

[HyeChaps]

I will miss Clinton. No comparison 

[Catfi9ht]

 

On 2/10/2022 at 11:26 AM, ruffy666 said:

I'm more concerned about Molly as a host because her over-the-top-golly-gee brand of pep might be too much for me to handle.

I agree. I get "wellness influencer" vibes from her; there's something about her that reads inauthentic to me.

I liked Ali Khan last year. I thought he had the right balance amount of cheer and persona. 

Not looking forward to Nancy. Can she please retire already? With the reruns of older Spring Baking Championship episodes, I realized how much I miss Loraine. I always thought she was too contrarian, but looking back, it seemed like she did enjoy being there and working with the other judges. I'd love Carla, Duff, and Loraine as the panel for these shows.

[ProfCrash]

I loved the Loraine, Duff, and Nancy pairing. They played off each other well and seemed to have a solid relationship. Had Loraine been left off because of COVID? I could see that she couldn't travel to the US in 2020 and 2021 but I don't know if that is the reason or not. 

Carla is fine but she is not my favorite. She is not a pastry chef so I find her presence a bit more of a stretch. I have not seen her actually bake a dessert in the shows I have seen her cooking on and I think she is way over the top. 

I also like Jesse and Clinton as the hosts. Loved both of them for different reasons. 

[Maverick]

 I believe it was mentioned Lorraine wasn't able to travel to US during the pandemic.  I don't know if they've just decided to make the lineup change permanent or if Lorraine still doesn't want to travel despite loosened restrictions.

 Molly is just too saccharine.  I wasn't wild about Clinton at first but he's probably been the best fit for this version.  

[Irlandesa]

The judges will be Kardea, Duff and Nancy.  I do like Duff and Nancy's chemistry; although I miss the snarkiness between Larraine and Nancy. 

I like Kardea as a TV host but I didn't love her as a judge.  I'm hoping I appreciate her more.  Has she ever been on with Nancy? 

I think my issue with both Kardea and Carla is that they feel more like coworkers rather than the familial vibe Duff, Nancy and Larraine developed.

And after our 2 hour premiere, we get Spring Baking Championship: Easter hosted by Sunny.  I have no ill will towards Sunny but she is a lot!

Edited February 28, 2022 by Irlandesa

[Popples]

1 hour ago, Irlandesa said:

I like Kardea as a TV host but I didn't love her as a judge.  I'm hoping I appreciate her more.  Has she ever been on with Nancy?

Kardea took Lorraine's place on Holiday Baking Championship along side Duff and Nancy in 2020.

[Irlandesa]

17 minutes ago, Popples said:

Kardea took Lorraine's place on Holiday Baking Championship along side Duff and Nancy in 2020.

In 2020 or 2021?

But thank you.  For some reason, I thought Duff was with Kardea and Carla.

[Maverick]

Kardea took Lorraine's place on the Spring show last year.   Carla came into the Holiday show in 2020.  I remember because it was Carla overload that year.  She did double as host and judge on the Halloween show and then a week later she was on Holiday show as a judge. 

[libgirl2]

Ugh, not digging this Molly at all. I might drop out this season. No personality and no fun. Blech. 

[Popples]

1 hour ago, Maverick said:

Kardea took Lorraine's place on the Spring show last year.   Carla came into the Holiday show in 2020.  I remember because it was Carla overload that year.  She did double as host and judge on the Halloween show and then a week later she was on Holiday show as a judge. 

You're right, I thought it was Kardea because like you said that was so much Carla, especially since she hosted and judged the Halloween show. But was it 2020?

Edited March 1, 2022 by Popples

[Ms.Lulu]

Seat me at the Molly 'not so much' table.

I look forward to this show and I may have to bow out.

That makes me sad.

Edited March 1, 2022 by Ms.Lulu

[HyeChaps]

And they put her name as part of the title!

What's up with that?

Edited March 1, 2022 by HyeChaps
typo

[libgirl2]

I find her annoying... her grating voice, her goofy smile.... Food Network,  IMHO, you dropped the bomb on this. 

[Frost]

Molly was such a bad choice!  She's trying way too hard.  She needs to calm way the heck down.  It doesn't help that she's dressed like she's on the beach in 90 degrees when I'm looking outside at piles of snow.

[Grizzly]

That was so strange when Duff walked around and talked to the bakers. Like he still thinks he's hosting. 

[docmatt]

There aren't any contestants who work my nerves too much, and nobody who seems too over their heads.  But damn, Molly is a lot.

[Frost]

This show is starting out with way too many bakers.  The only ones who are memorable so far is the woman from Hawaii and french guy.  Both of their decorating skills are amazing.

[MerBearHou]

I wish TPTB at Food Network saw this thread.  Wonder how Twitter is about Molly?  Maybe they notice that.  When she’s “too much”, she’s way too much.

[Guest]

I thought Molly was fine. Perky, yes, but not too much for me (and the 30 seconds I saw of Sunny Anderson on the Easter show following was waaaay more extra than all two hours of Molly).

Definitely a lot of bakers to start with, but I was starting to sort them out by the end. Carolyn of Hawaii is an early favorite, and I liked Justin’s dry demeanor and non-reaction to winning. Alexis was kind of a tragic figure, and I thought the judges were appropriately kind to her.

[Grizzly]

I enjoyed the Easter show last year. It doesn't take itself too seriously, which is welcome on a Monday night.  And we still see some amazing work. Sunny doesn't bother me like she does the rest of you. Glad they brought in Stephanie Boswell to replace the Sandoval woman. And I could  look at Jordan all day.

[mlp]

I have to agree with everyone about Molly.  I don't hate her but she's too nicey nice and is clearly following a script of sorts while trying to make her comments look spontaneous.  And why do they have her sitting in a high chair during judging when everyone else has their feet on the floor?  

I took an immediate dislike to Alexis when she was introduced so I was happy to see her go.  So far, I like all the rest of them.

[GaT]

Who is this Molly person & why would anybody think I want a show with her hosting?

[GaT]

Somebody should have told Sunny that a hairstyle that worked for Britney Spears when she was a young girl isn't really attractive on a woman close to 50.

[Irlandesa]

17 minutes ago, GaT said:

Who is this Molly person & why would anybody think I want a show with her hosting?

She hosts a show called Girl Meets Farm on Sunday mornings.  You probably don't want her but I suspect her show does pretty well because The Food Network seems all in on her.

I like her but she was way too perky in trying to sell her laughter to the jokes. 

I suspect her boho style dress was an attempt to hide the beginnings of her pregnancy.  She just gave birth about a week ago.

And I admit, I kind of laughed when she ate the desserts.  It seems like she took some pretty big bites and was still chewing when they began the critiques.

I'm always behind on who is who.  There looks to be some good bakers and I don't mind who left tonight.

1 minute ago, GaT said:

Somebody should have told Sunny that a hairstyle that worked for Britney Spears

I thought her hair looked like Legolas with a slight purple tint.

[MsMalin]

I actually like Molly  and prefer her over a comedian who knows nothing about cooking.

Seems like a good batch of contestants. 

This show is perfect for a Monday night.

 

 

[susannah]

I only caught part of the show where Alexis was cut, and people seemed to be sorry for her. What was her deal? Some of those cakes were absolutely gorgeous.

[rocketinu]

I will watch for at least a little longer. They have taken away alot of the banter between con tetstants while cooking and the contestants themselves explaining what they are doing. This is what I enjoyed about the show in the first place.  Instead we have Molly interviewing them. Also when the judges make comments why does the camera automatically cut to Molly for her expression? Because it's now the Spring Baking Show with Molly Yeh. With that title they have to feature her ALOT.

If she shows up for Halloween or Christmas I am done!

[KLovestoShop]

There are some things that drive me crazy about Molly and her show.  One, she can't make a dessert unless it has jimmies, or sprinkles or M&M candies in them or on top.  I can't stand jimmies of any kind on anything, but she really goes overboard with jimmies. Two, a lot of her recipes are very simple and not imaginative.  I don't need to see someone making meatloaf or cupcakes with jimmies on top or a basic roast.  

[Guest]

1 hour ago, susannah said:

I only caught part of the show where Alexis was cut, and people seemed to be sorry for her. What was her deal? Some of those cakes were absolutely gorgeous.

She just had one of those days where nothing went right. Serious issues with both her preheat and main heat and she got kind of verklempt because nothing was working out.

[dleighg]

Molly's constant 1000W smile drives me a bit insane, but she seems nice enough. I'm just not into "extra" people.

I hated that they made each baker tell how a (randomly given) fruit represents them. "I'm a little bit tart and a little bit sweet." Like ALL fruit. What else are they supposed to say.

And did the French chef actually think that "allspice" already has "lots of different spices in it"? I guess the French have a different word for it than we do....

[susannah]

6 minutes ago, tracyscott76 said:

She just had one of those days where nothing went right. Serious issues with both her preheat and main heat and she got kind of verklempt because nothing was working out.

Ok thanks. Do you think she would have done better if she had been able to stay?

[libgirl2]

6 minutes ago, dleighg said:

Molly's constant 1000W smile drives me a bit insane, but she seems nice enough. I'm just not into "extra" people.

I hated that they made each baker tell how a (randomly given) fruit represents them. "I'm a little bit tart and a little bit sweet." Like ALL fruit. What else are they supposed to say.

And did the French chef actually think that "allspice" already has "lots of different spices in it"? I guess the French have a different word for it than we do....

I get a feeling just because he is French, doesn't mean he is going to be the best. His bakes looked nice but didn't seem outrageously good. 

[Guest]

Just now, susannah said:

Ok thanks. Do you think she would have done better if she had been able to stay?

She said in her "farewell" confessional that she let the pressure get to her, so it's possible she would have settled in. The judges had some good things to say, so it's not like she was straight up terrible...just didn't handle the format well (I'm honestly amazed they don't have more meltdowns like that in the early rounds).

[CrazyInAlabama]

I don't like the "how are you like the fruit you are cooking" routine.   However, I love Molly's dress. 

The crust on Alexis's dish looked tough, and hard to chop through with just a fork.  Too bad the base stuck in the baking tins.  They picked the right person to send home.    

Edited March 4, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[Popples]

The first I ever heard about Molly Yeh was last year when she was dragged on Twitter for her god-awful popcorn salad. I'd prefer a mildly snarky comedian over someone who is super "twee".

Jaleesa, please tie your hair back.

[libgirl2]

I did like Justin. He is the one who is color blind. That has to be such a challenge when decorating. 

[jrzy]

13 hours ago, GaT said:

Who is this Molly person & why would anybody think I want a show with her hosting?

Honest to god!   She is obnoxiously perky ..oh how I hate perky!

[RoxiP]

2 hours ago, Popples said:

The first I ever heard about Molly Yeh was last year when she was dragged on Twitter for her god-awful popcorn salad. I'd prefer a mildly snarky comedian over someone who is super "twee".

Jaleesa, please tie your hair back.

I noticed Jaleesa does have a lot of hair, and she did have it pulled back somewhat during one of the bakes, but not completely.  I guess she would rather look good than worry about hair going in her food.

[Rammchick]

And did I get this right but someone (perhaps it was Justin) delivered a brown desert that someone pronounced very springy??  Here we go again.

[dleighg]

48 minutes ago, Rammchick said:

someone (perhaps it was Justin) delivered a brown desert that someone pronounced very springy??

I (think) I noticed that as well. As in, I'm not sure who, but someone who delivered a dessert that looked just like an earlier one that was deemed by Nancy as "fall" was told it was "totally spring." I was like WTH?

[ProfCrash]

1 hour ago, Rammchick said:

And did I get this right but someone (perhaps it was Justin) delivered a brown desert that someone pronounced very springy??  Here we go again.

And it was leaning because he had so much buttercream. I was very coonfused. 

[kathyk24]

I liked Molly I think she can't win regarding people's opinions. She is either too thin but if she gains weight someone will call her too fat. She's too perky but if she were too serious people would say she needs to lighten up. I think my favorite baker was Carolyn both of her desserts looked delicious. I don't think I'd want to eat a cake that tasted like flowers.

[libgirl2]

1 hour ago, ProfCrash said:

And it was leaning because he had so much buttercream. I was very coonfused. 

They seemed to really love the taste of his bakes. 

[emmawoodhouse]

3 hours ago, kathyk24 said:

I liked Molly I think she can't win regarding people's opinions. She is either too thin but if she gains weight someone will call her too fat. She's too perky but if she were too serious people would say she needs to lighten up. I think my favorite baker was Carolyn both of her desserts looked delicious. I don't think I'd want to eat a cake that tasted like flowers.

Who said she was too thin? 

I agree with the poster who would prefer a snarky comedian. They already have an expert panel, and the contestants can explain their bakes. I've seen Molly's cooking show a couple of times, and I couldn't stand her. She's like a younger version of Giada. Gag.

[susannah]

11 hours ago, Popples said:

Jaleesa, please tie your hair back.

This is the thing that grosses me out on any cooking/baking show. I cannot stand to see anyone making food with their hair hanging down. They should know better!

11 hours ago, libgirl2 said:

I did like Justin. He is the one who is color blind. That has to be such a challenge when decorating. 

I agree, and I don't know how he does it, but many props to him!!!

[Maverick]

 Yeah, who's complaining about Molly's weight.   It's her perky, golly gee-ness that turns a lot of people off.   

 I agree the host doesn't need to be, and probably shouldn't be, something with cooking experience.  The host's job is to...host.  They're there to explain the challenge, deliver the corny scripted lines, poke the contestants, quiz the judges.  They're not there to explain the baking or judge the results.  It's a whole different skill set.   John Henson and Jesse fills that role well on their respective shows.   Bobby Dean did pretty good too.   If anything it bothers me a little when the judge isn't known for pastry/baking.   Nancy, Kardea, Carla and Katie Lee (who judged a season of the Halloween show) have a food background but they're not known for being bakers.    

[LittleIggy]

Diego has quite a gun show! 😄

Edited March 2, 2022 by LittleIggy

[Refresh]

On 2/28/2022 at 9:20 PM, mlp said:

 

I took an immediate dislike to Alexis when she was introduced so I was happy to see her go.  So far, I like all the rest of them.

Me too. Alexis starts out by saying she’s the youngest so she has more energy? Eyeroll. No one this season is old by any stretch so she can just shut it. Experience in pastry is usually a plus.  Then she makes the rookie mistake of using the attached cake cans. Everyone can have a bad day and that sucks but I won’t miss her. 

Molly’s FN persona is hyper-perky. It’s a lot. Too much. She’s a good home baker and knows a lot but after the first season of her show she became this other thing. My opinion is they dumbed her down into perky Midwest mom. On her show almost all the sweet thing have sprinkles or food coloring. You occasionally get a glimmer of her more sarcastic personality when she’s joking with her husband. I haven’t lost all hope with her but I hope she tones it down. 
 

Not loving the new graphics. The challenges have been good so far, not contrived.