During the Pandemic, we were limited on shows we could binge watch as a family. Our daughter was five at the time, and I had reached my limit with how many times I could marathon through all the seasons of Doc McStuffins. My wife, in a stroke of brilliance, brought “The Great British Baking Show” (or “The Great British Bake Off” in the UK) to our attention.
At the time, back in 2020, I believe that Netflix was carrying Season 4 through 10, and we tried to regulate our intake of the program by just watching one episode a day. Within three months, we had made it through all the episodes, which created a powerful anticipation for season 11. In fact, we still eagerly await each new season, as it is one of the few shows everyone in our family can agree on.
Clearly I have opinions, as why else would I be writing this. I prefer Mary Berry, and that is not a knock against Prue Leith. The show tries to make Paul Hollywood the “bad guy,” and he can be very critical, but he really does champion the contestants, and encourages them to do their best. As for the hosts; give me Noel and Sandi. Every other combination is just annoying. But what makes the show for me are the contestants and, most importantly, the baking challenges.
What makes The Great British Bake Off so addictive for me is that it is the anti-reality show, or anti-gameshow, depending how you categorize it. Here, the contestants are shown becoming friends, supporting each other, in some cases even helping each other finish a challenge. Sure, competition will naturally create a winner and a loser, but GBBO makes the point of showing the good sportsmanship of celebrating each weeks Star Baker, and also showing the sadness and disappointment all the contestants feel when someone is sent home. One of the best parts about the show is at the end of the final episode when the contestants are shown as friends hanging out with each other, visiting, and baking together.
Now, I’m not completely naïve, as this is a television program, and things are edited and shown in a way to get a certain reaction from the audience. I am sure the way I react to the show is the desired outcome. So, I have to ask myself: Do all the bakers become friends? Do they all stay close, and visit each other? Maybe not, but I really want to believe that they do. I want to believe that a bunch of complete strangers, who normally would have nothing to do with each other, as they are so different from one another, actually would find common ground with baking, and that could be the launching pad for great and enduring friendships to be forged.
Which bring us to our current season; Season 13. Unlucky 13. Yes, GBBO is starting to show some cracks in the veneer. What is cracking is the bake challenges. The bakes were always the strong tent pole that the rest of the show was built around. From asking the bakers to make brownies, which they all failed miserable at, to the legendary “Bread Lion” that even Paul admitted would have tested his skills to recreate. The bakes were the great equalizer of the show, and not necessarily between contestants, but between contestants and audience. The contestants are home/amateur bakers, so there is always that little tiny feeling, though wildly incorrect, that I could bake that. Sadly, Season 13 has lost sight of what makes a good bake.
The much maligned, and rightfully so, Mexican Week was the final straw. What did making, as Paul would say, “tack-o’s” have to do with baking? And a very simple Google search would show you that a tres leches cake is not meant to be stacked. AND conchas are meant to be dry. This basic lack of understanding of what makes Mexican baking delicious and exquisite, is such an unforced error of the show not doing its homework, that it is almost unforgivable.
Yet, looking back on past seasons, a stumble like this was foreshadowed. There was Season 11’s Babka challenge, which sadly showed that the judges weren’t fully aware of what they were judging. And if you really examine the show, you can see that Season 9’s Final Technical Challenge of campfire pita bread was a meaningless gimmick, that had nothing to do with baking, didn’t test the contestants, and set them up to fail. For a show that had consistently put their contestants in situations which were challenging, but ultimately, allowed the bakers to excel, the pita bread incident seemed rather meanspirited.
Hope is not lost for GBBO, as they can right the ship. First, don’t change what is working; Paul and Prue make a good team of judges, so leave that alone. Also, the casting for the show has remained wonderful by bringing in a wide range of ages, and people who make up the modern multicultural UK. As for changes, it might be time for Matt Lucas to go, as he seems to be annoying the bakers more than being their supporter. And finally, the show should get back to classic bakes, and ditch the “theme weeks.” You know; cakes, biscuits, bread, deserts, chocolate, pastry, patisserie. Test the bakers skills, and don’t try to throw them off with stunts.
I can say this, even if GBBO doesn’t change, I’m still going to watch it. There is still a wide gulf between to GBBO and the host of faked competition baking shows that dot the landscape which seemed geared to celebrate conflict rather than skill. I will say this; GBBO did have a positive effect on our family, as my wife and daughter started baking together. As we get closer to Thanksgiving, they will set about making a Sheppard’s pie, and most assuredly, my daughter knows to check for a soggy bottom on that bake.
(Wow! This was a long one! But you made it to the end. If I could ask one more favor of you; please take a moment to like, comment, share, or follow this blog. If I could, I would give you a handshake for it.)
