Discussion
I almost feel like everyone is trying too hard now, both the show and contestants.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I seem to remember the earlier series were far less specific (and demanding) when setting a task. So it was almost "make a nice cake with 3 layers" - some would follow that brief and come up with a traditional 3 layered cake, then others would come out with a scale model replica of the Hanging Gardens of Bayblon which would blow everyone away.
Now everyone feels like they have to come up with something weird and wonderful to set themselves apart, but in reality there's not many bakers who can do that. Especially given the time restraints, which given the increasingly technical demands over the years do not seem to have risen proportionally. So you end up with results like the sculpture bakes from a couple of weeks ago which looked more like the results of children using playdough.
Also the technical seems to be less of a test of their ability, and more of an attempt to catch the contestants out. So they'll ask them to bake something like a traditional "mongolian upside down hazelnut sponge pudding", give them 3 lines on the instructions and 90 minutes. And then judge against something Paul or Pru probably spent 6 hours and 3 attempts on before they got right...
Maybe I'm wrong, but I seem to remember the earlier series were far less specific (and demanding) when setting a task. So it was almost "make a nice cake with 3 layers" - some would follow that brief and come up with a traditional 3 layered cake, then others would come out with a scale model replica of the Hanging Gardens of Bayblon which would blow everyone away.
Now everyone feels like they have to come up with something weird and wonderful to set themselves apart, but in reality there's not many bakers who can do that. Especially given the time restraints, which given the increasingly technical demands over the years do not seem to have risen proportionally. So you end up with results like the sculpture bakes from a couple of weeks ago which looked more like the results of children using playdough.
Also the technical seems to be less of a test of their ability, and more of an attempt to catch the contestants out. So they'll ask them to bake something like a traditional "mongolian upside down hazelnut sponge pudding", give them 3 lines on the instructions and 90 minutes. And then judge against something Paul or Pru probably spent 6 hours and 3 attempts on before they got right...
Zetec-S said:
I almost feel like everyone is trying too hard now, both the show and contestants.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I seem to remember the earlier series were far less specific (and demanding) when setting a task. So it was almost "make a nice cake with 3 layers" - some would follow that brief and come up with a traditional 3 layered cake, then others would come out with a scale model replica of the Hanging Gardens of Bayblon which would blow everyone away.
Now everyone feels like they have to come up with something weird and wonderful to set themselves apart, but in reality there's not many bakers who can do that. Especially given the time restraints, which given the increasingly technical demands over the years do not seem to have risen proportionally. So you end up with results like the sculpture bakes from a couple of weeks ago which looked more like the results of children using playdough.
Also the technical seems to be less of a test of their ability, and more of an attempt to catch the contestants out. So they'll ask them to bake something like a traditional "mongolian upside down hazelnut sponge pudding", give them 3 lines on the instructions and 90 minutes. And then judge against something Paul or Pru probably spent 6 hours and 3 attempts on before they got right...
gotta say i agree with a lot of those points - perhaps Paul should bake the technical outside the tent at the same time within the timeframe - then compare thiers to his!!!Maybe I'm wrong, but I seem to remember the earlier series were far less specific (and demanding) when setting a task. So it was almost "make a nice cake with 3 layers" - some would follow that brief and come up with a traditional 3 layered cake, then others would come out with a scale model replica of the Hanging Gardens of Bayblon which would blow everyone away.
Now everyone feels like they have to come up with something weird and wonderful to set themselves apart, but in reality there's not many bakers who can do that. Especially given the time restraints, which given the increasingly technical demands over the years do not seem to have risen proportionally. So you end up with results like the sculpture bakes from a couple of weeks ago which looked more like the results of children using playdough.
Also the technical seems to be less of a test of their ability, and more of an attempt to catch the contestants out. So they'll ask them to bake something like a traditional "mongolian upside down hazelnut sponge pudding", give them 3 lines on the instructions and 90 minutes. And then judge against something Paul or Pru probably spent 6 hours and 3 attempts on before they got right...
also is it now 1h30mins instead of 1h15???
rider73 said:
interestingly Paul H mentions how its wasnt a a very high standard of bread making this week on the show, but they didnt take it further - maybe because they are picking people not on their ability.............
I'm surprised they needed nearly 2 hours to make soda bread. It doesn't take that long at all.But I also think that there is an assumption on the baker's side that they need to do something they haven't seen before. So they spend so much time making it fancy they forget that bad bread is horrible bread.
All you would need to do to not finish last, is make two loaves of bread.
"What flavour is this?"
"Wholemeal".
"What about this bread?"
"Mighty white".
- gets the Hollywood handshake*
As somebody else said, it's like Matt and Noel are trying to out-random each other, which doesn't really work when there's no straight man to play off. Being random all the time ceases to be random.
Regarding the quality of the baking this year, I'm inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt under the circumstances. They usually have a week at home to practise in between each round, but this year they are in a permanent bubble on-site. This probably also means they are on a compressed filming schedule to minimise the time inside the bubble, which results in less practice time for the contestants.
Regarding the quality of the baking this year, I'm inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt under the circumstances. They usually have a week at home to practise in between each round, but this year they are in a permanent bubble on-site. This probably also means they are on a compressed filming schedule to minimise the time inside the bubble, which results in less practice time for the contestants.
In past years my wife and I have had this on of an evening while we play cards. This year, I am really struggling with Lucas. I find him horrific to watch and listen to. He's just not funny. Noel was bad enough on his own, but him and Lucas are really turning me off GBBO. My wife feels the same too. Shame really as it used to be relatively enjoyable and easy background watching.
Zetec-S said:
I almost feel like everyone is trying too hard now, both the show and contestants.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I seem to remember the earlier series were far less specific (and demanding) when setting a task. So it was almost "make a nice cake with 3 layers" - some would follow that brief and come up with a traditional 3 layered cake, then others would come out with a scale model replica of the Hanging Gardens of Bayblon which would blow everyone away.
Now everyone feels like they have to come up with something weird and wonderful to set themselves apart, but in reality there's not many bakers who can do that. Especially given the time restraints, which given the increasingly technical demands over the years do not seem to have risen proportionally. So you end up with results like the sculpture bakes from a couple of weeks ago which looked more like the results of children using playdough.
Also the technical seems to be less of a test of their ability, and more of an attempt to catch the contestants out. So they'll ask them to bake something like a traditional "mongolian upside down hazelnut sponge pudding", give them 3 lines on the instructions and 90 minutes. And then judge against something Paul or Pru probably spent 6 hours and 3 attempts on before they got right...
This^^^^Maybe I'm wrong, but I seem to remember the earlier series were far less specific (and demanding) when setting a task. So it was almost "make a nice cake with 3 layers" - some would follow that brief and come up with a traditional 3 layered cake, then others would come out with a scale model replica of the Hanging Gardens of Bayblon which would blow everyone away.
Now everyone feels like they have to come up with something weird and wonderful to set themselves apart, but in reality there's not many bakers who can do that. Especially given the time restraints, which given the increasingly technical demands over the years do not seem to have risen proportionally. So you end up with results like the sculpture bakes from a couple of weeks ago which looked more like the results of children using playdough.
Also the technical seems to be less of a test of their ability, and more of an attempt to catch the contestants out. So they'll ask them to bake something like a traditional "mongolian upside down hazelnut sponge pudding", give them 3 lines on the instructions and 90 minutes. And then judge against something Paul or Pru probably spent 6 hours and 3 attempts on before they got right...
It started to go this way during BBC times with an emphasis of form over function.
Also the restricted time element was obvious even during the first seasons when Hollywood and Berry did a series of master bake shows where they did the technical challenges. It was clear, even despite the typical TV smoke and mirrors editing that the times set for contestants were unrealistic. Especially for things requiring stuff to be properly cooled when ambient temperatures were sky high.
One thing that's always made me wonder, seeing as cooling stuff is a repeated issue why no contestant has taken in a small fan. Don't mean one of those hand held torch things travellers sometimes use but small 6" rechargeable desktop fans readily available. We have one on our kitchen window sill, gets regularly called into action for localised cooling of stuff when needs to be hurried up.
Has anyone ever made toast on GBBO? As far as I am concerned, this is the main reason bread exists, as well as being the basis for some of the world’s finest cuisine (fish finger sandwich, steak sandwich, avo toast, beans on toast, cinnamon toast, etc).
Seems odd to me that noone ever does it. Like there being a Great British Egg Off and noone ever fries one.
Seems odd to me that noone ever does it. Like there being a Great British Egg Off and noone ever fries one.
OpulentBob said:
Lucas's "Call yourself a gay man" to Hollywood was funny.
Hollywood's Beadle-hand was absolutely brilliant. I laughed too much at that.
Otherwise
Sura to win
Mark Robo-leg to come a very close runner up.
Lottie is smoking hot.
Irish dude's happiness is infectious.
I agree, Lottie has a certain spunk about her too...;)Hollywood's Beadle-hand was absolutely brilliant. I laughed too much at that.
Otherwise
Sura to win
Mark Robo-leg to come a very close runner up.
Lottie is smoking hot.
Irish dude's happiness is infectious.
67Dino said:
Has anyone ever made toast on GBBO? As far as I am concerned, this is the main reason bread exists, as well as being the basis for some of the world’s finest cuisine (fish finger sandwich, steak sandwich, avo toast, beans on toast, cinnamon toast, etc).
Seems odd to me that noone ever does it. Like there being a Great British Egg Off and noone ever fries one.
At last. On last night‘s extra slice Paul Hollywood was extolling the joys of... tea and toast. Now we just need to see it set as a technical.Seems odd to me that noone ever does it. Like there being a Great British Egg Off and noone ever fries one.
67Dino said:
67Dino said:
Has anyone ever made toast on GBBO? As far as I am concerned, this is the main reason bread exists, as well as being the basis for some of the world’s finest cuisine (fish finger sandwich, steak sandwich, avo toast, beans on toast, cinnamon toast, etc).
Seems odd to me that noone ever does it. Like there being a Great British Egg Off and noone ever fries one.
At last. On last night‘s extra slice Paul Hollywood was extolling the joys of... tea and toast. Now we just need to see it set as a technical.Seems odd to me that noone ever does it. Like there being a Great British Egg Off and noone ever fries one.
The tasks were done out of order as well. In the first challenge the bloke with one leg had bright red hands, the second was then to make the bagels, where you saw him with red food colouring all over his hands.
In the scheme of things it didn't really matter, but it bothered me.
I still stand by the comments I made in the first episode, these bakers are poor. I get it's about amateur baking, but every other season has been a much higher standard than this one.
In the scheme of things it didn't really matter, but it bothered me.
I still stand by the comments I made in the first episode, these bakers are poor. I get it's about amateur baking, but every other season has been a much higher standard than this one.
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