Bevo-Stevo
1,000+ Posts
Will be tough to top last year's contestants, especially the final 4. Looking forward to it.
Top Chef-DC Starts Tonite
- Thread starter Bevo-Stevo
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Basketball Jones
500+ Posts
Watched it. Looked like a strong group. I was not surprised by the one they voted off.
These guys look like they are not quite fit to clean last season's jocks.
Angelo appears to have some skills, but he also has some strange manic vibe which suggests to me that he is going to flame out pretty miserably... and more likely sooner than later. His focus just seems to be in the wrong place, and I suspect the second anything happens to shake his confidence, he lacks the mental game to put things back together.
It looks like there are a fair number of people who know their way around the kitchen, but the way this first episode was served up it seems like most of these people would rather be working a line than opening a restaurant.
If I had to pick the final four at this point I'm thinking its going to be Ed, Kenny, Kelly and Alex... but obviously it is way too early for that to be a completely informed opinion. Kenny's technical skills are not in question and his head seems to be on right, which means he might make it to the end on endurance if not talent. Alex gets special points for his deconstructed borscht, which seemed like a bad idea, made good by execution. I have no reason whatsoever to suspect anything of Kelly, but her focus seemed good. Ed had approximately 10 words of dialog in the episode... but for some reason I suspect he's going to go the distance. He has an impressive resume and his silence spoke volumes to me about his discipline.
I'm so glad John went home because I think if I had to look at his hair again in the context of a cooking show it would spoil me on food forever. It's petty, I realize, but seriously, yuck. Tracey is at least 6 separate types of annoying, and I'm ready for her to go home. When Jacqueline said that she wanted to prove that a self taught cook could put the others to shame, she basically told us she was ready to go home. As for the rest of them... I dunno, we'll just have to see.
Eric Ripert is a great addition, if for no other reason than it means we don't get another season of Toby. The production of this show has been deemphasizing the food over the last few seasons, much to my ire, and maybe having another chef on the panel can help balance that.
I'm not wowed yet. This season looks like it will have a whole bunch of filler episodes where the bottom 10 get to fight over who gets to go home next. This show is usually like that, but still with the general step back in talent from last season I'm afraid it is going to get a little tedious. I hope the production crew can come up with enough creative challenges to make it interesting.
Angelo appears to have some skills, but he also has some strange manic vibe which suggests to me that he is going to flame out pretty miserably... and more likely sooner than later. His focus just seems to be in the wrong place, and I suspect the second anything happens to shake his confidence, he lacks the mental game to put things back together.
It looks like there are a fair number of people who know their way around the kitchen, but the way this first episode was served up it seems like most of these people would rather be working a line than opening a restaurant.
If I had to pick the final four at this point I'm thinking its going to be Ed, Kenny, Kelly and Alex... but obviously it is way too early for that to be a completely informed opinion. Kenny's technical skills are not in question and his head seems to be on right, which means he might make it to the end on endurance if not talent. Alex gets special points for his deconstructed borscht, which seemed like a bad idea, made good by execution. I have no reason whatsoever to suspect anything of Kelly, but her focus seemed good. Ed had approximately 10 words of dialog in the episode... but for some reason I suspect he's going to go the distance. He has an impressive resume and his silence spoke volumes to me about his discipline.
I'm so glad John went home because I think if I had to look at his hair again in the context of a cooking show it would spoil me on food forever. It's petty, I realize, but seriously, yuck. Tracey is at least 6 separate types of annoying, and I'm ready for her to go home. When Jacqueline said that she wanted to prove that a self taught cook could put the others to shame, she basically told us she was ready to go home. As for the rest of them... I dunno, we'll just have to see.
Eric Ripert is a great addition, if for no other reason than it means we don't get another season of Toby. The production of this show has been deemphasizing the food over the last few seasons, much to my ire, and maybe having another chef on the panel can help balance that.
I'm not wowed yet. This season looks like it will have a whole bunch of filler episodes where the bottom 10 get to fight over who gets to go home next. This show is usually like that, but still with the general step back in talent from last season I'm afraid it is going to get a little tedious. I hope the production crew can come up with enough creative challenges to make it interesting.
Basketball Jones
500+ Posts
Mia:
I generally like your TC posts, but you are drawing way too many conclusions after just one hour, esp. since we don'y know what was edited. Give it some time.
I generally like your TC posts, but you are drawing way too many conclusions after just one hour, esp. since we don'y know what was edited. Give it some time.
Basketball Jones
500+ Posts
Anyone but Tracey...
And is it just me or could she be Rosie O'Donnell's sister?
And is it just me or could she be Rosie O'Donnell's sister?
So.... uhhh... this is what it is going to be then, I guess.
It seems like there have been two factions of the fan base of TC for some time. Those who appreciate the show for the cooking and those who appreciate a reality show which pits skilled professionals against each other. Which is to say, those who watch the show because they like food, and those who watch the show because the prefer skilled competitors using gamesmanship. I would say "food" and "drama", but I think that undersells what makes TC interesting even to non-foodies.
In any event, it seems as though they are making this season of TC squarely for the latter crew. This is not to say that there aren't talented chefs in the competition (though that is a presumption of facts not entirely in evidence to this point), but the show is being produced around the interplay more than the dishes themselves. Personally, I find this to be fairly disappointing. Say what you will about TC-Masters being boring, I have no problems with competitors being genial and the concept of purposefully stabbing your competition in the back just sits wrong with me.
First off, Angelo is an amazing douchebag, throwing a challenge specifically because it takes out your competition is ******* pathetic. I have no sympathy for Kenny and Ed who should never have jumped in the back seat like they did. If half the team has immunity, then the other half should (1) get full reign of the menu, and (2) should be able to choose their course. Letting the weak link make the entree, while the only two with something to lose end up making desert and a side was idiotic and they should have known better. No sympathy for Kenny and Ed... but Angelo is a punk and what he did cheapened the show.
Second off, I have no problem with what Kelly did, frankly. She picked the menu and executed the most successful dish, I'm not sure why it is a problem that she wants leadership credit. The others would have let her hang if it had failed, so if she has greater risk then she should have greater reward. In any event, all she did was ask for credit for the menu (which seemed to be hers) and the tacos (which definitely was). Finishing your dish quickly so you can "help the group" doesn't impress Tom, and isn't what the challenge is about. The "team" part of the challenge is supposed to be an impediment (preventing people from just cooking whatever they want) not the purpose of the challenge. If they work well together, great, but ultimately it is four people responsible for (1) how their individual item tastes and (2) how it works with the group's theme. If you can crank out your item so fast that you have time to "help everybody", personally, I think you didn't give your own item enough attention.
Those two point aside, I liked the heart of both challenges. The one handed sandwich and the cafeteria challenge were good concepts which were reasonably well produced... even if the 'bipartisandwich' was a little groan inducing. Neither should have been too great of a stretch, and told a fair amount about what each chef was going for. There is still too many people here to showcase every's contributions, but I would have like most discussion on what was actually cooked.
Like the direction or not, there is certainly plenty to talk about.
It seems like there have been two factions of the fan base of TC for some time. Those who appreciate the show for the cooking and those who appreciate a reality show which pits skilled professionals against each other. Which is to say, those who watch the show because they like food, and those who watch the show because the prefer skilled competitors using gamesmanship. I would say "food" and "drama", but I think that undersells what makes TC interesting even to non-foodies.
In any event, it seems as though they are making this season of TC squarely for the latter crew. This is not to say that there aren't talented chefs in the competition (though that is a presumption of facts not entirely in evidence to this point), but the show is being produced around the interplay more than the dishes themselves. Personally, I find this to be fairly disappointing. Say what you will about TC-Masters being boring, I have no problems with competitors being genial and the concept of purposefully stabbing your competition in the back just sits wrong with me.
First off, Angelo is an amazing douchebag, throwing a challenge specifically because it takes out your competition is ******* pathetic. I have no sympathy for Kenny and Ed who should never have jumped in the back seat like they did. If half the team has immunity, then the other half should (1) get full reign of the menu, and (2) should be able to choose their course. Letting the weak link make the entree, while the only two with something to lose end up making desert and a side was idiotic and they should have known better. No sympathy for Kenny and Ed... but Angelo is a punk and what he did cheapened the show.
Second off, I have no problem with what Kelly did, frankly. She picked the menu and executed the most successful dish, I'm not sure why it is a problem that she wants leadership credit. The others would have let her hang if it had failed, so if she has greater risk then she should have greater reward. In any event, all she did was ask for credit for the menu (which seemed to be hers) and the tacos (which definitely was). Finishing your dish quickly so you can "help the group" doesn't impress Tom, and isn't what the challenge is about. The "team" part of the challenge is supposed to be an impediment (preventing people from just cooking whatever they want) not the purpose of the challenge. If they work well together, great, but ultimately it is four people responsible for (1) how their individual item tastes and (2) how it works with the group's theme. If you can crank out your item so fast that you have time to "help everybody", personally, I think you didn't give your own item enough attention.
Those two point aside, I liked the heart of both challenges. The one handed sandwich and the cafeteria challenge were good concepts which were reasonably well produced... even if the 'bipartisandwich' was a little groan inducing. Neither should have been too great of a stretch, and told a fair amount about what each chef was going for. There is still too many people here to showcase every's contributions, but I would have like most discussion on what was actually cooked.
Like the direction or not, there is certainly plenty to talk about.
PropositionJoe
2,500+ Posts
no doubt that angelo threw the challenge. what a little *****.
i like the school lunch challenge. thought their experience at the cash register really drove the point home.
i like the school lunch challenge. thought their experience at the cash register really drove the point home.
yeah, but how were they so inept at adding before they got to the checkout stand?
I would think they could add, all you have to do is estimate in round dollar #s. the ones they showed weren't close. I guess they only showed two teams way over?
still, buying is part of keeping food costs down.
I would think they could add, all you have to do is estimate in round dollar #s. the ones they showed weren't close. I guess they only showed two teams way over?
still, buying is part of keeping food costs down.
Basketball Jones
500+ Posts
I was happy with the result.
With a couple of exceptions, this is a really unlikeable cast so far
With a couple of exceptions, this is a really unlikeable cast so far
Bevo-Stevo
1,000+ Posts
It is. Will be interesting to see if anyone starts to stand out consistently like the last two seasons. So far, I have not seen any who could compete with the final 4 from last year. As Gail said, they need to step it up.
Basketball Jones, exactly. We seem to have two groups: bad personality or no personality. Clearly that's not entirely the case, editing has to play a role here. But if that's the case then I'm just not sure what the production people are going for, because I'm not particularly wanting anyone to win this thing right now.
Angelo is a real piece of work. He throws his team under the bus and then acts put upon. It is a shame that the only person in this competition (with the possible exception of Kelly) with a real perspective on their food is such a douche.
Angelo is a real piece of work. He throws his team under the bus and then acts put upon. It is a shame that the only person in this competition (with the possible exception of Kelly) with a real perspective on their food is such a douche.
Basketball Jones
500+ Posts
I think Kenny also knows what he is doing -- he's just a jerk. Tiffany actually seems to have a personality (a nice one at that), I just can't tell if she can cook. She's consistently in the middle, which is probably OK for the early rounds.
Basketball Jones
500+ Posts
Sorry -- probably should have said extremely arrogant
Basketball Jones
500+ Posts
Kenny performs well individually, but not as part of a team. He has generally done well in individual challenges. Both times he has been up for elimination have been as the result of team events (granted, the first time was when Angelo appeared to purposefully tank)
Basketball Jones
500+ Posts
MINOR SPOILER ALERT
OK -- Top Chef is starting to become "Survivor-Top Chef" and it is disappointing. First we have Angelo essentially admitting he tanked a round to try to get Kenny off in one of the early episodes. Then last night we get the chefs as judges, getting to vote who goes up for elimination. Maybe Kenny and Tamesha really had the worst dishes -- I don't know. But the build-up to the voting made it clear that people wanted to vote for who they didn't like or who they wanted off because they were better chefs. I really don't like the way things are being done this season. The reason I have stuck with this show through all of the seasons is that it is about cooking, not game-playing. If it turns into another game show, I'm done.
OK -- Top Chef is starting to become "Survivor-Top Chef" and it is disappointing. First we have Angelo essentially admitting he tanked a round to try to get Kenny off in one of the early episodes. Then last night we get the chefs as judges, getting to vote who goes up for elimination. Maybe Kenny and Tamesha really had the worst dishes -- I don't know. But the build-up to the voting made it clear that people wanted to vote for who they didn't like or who they wanted off because they were better chefs. I really don't like the way things are being done this season. The reason I have stuck with this show through all of the seasons is that it is about cooking, not game-playing. If it turns into another game show, I'm done.
MINOR SPOILER ALERT RESPONSE
The judges said they agreed with the best choices and the choice of Tamesha among the worst. I thought it was telling that they did not say the same thing about Kenny, and, in the final judgement, said something to the effect of "you are both here for whatever reasons."
I'm surprised that the regular judges didn't add a third person to the best and worst groups themselves. I didn't like having the contestants choose the best and worst. One of the pleasures of the show is to hear the impartial opinions of the judges as they sample the dishes.
I never thought I'd like this show, but a couple of seasons ago, it hooked me.
The judges said they agreed with the best choices and the choice of Tamesha among the worst. I thought it was telling that they did not say the same thing about Kenny, and, in the final judgement, said something to the effect of "you are both here for whatever reasons."
I'm surprised that the regular judges didn't add a third person to the best and worst groups themselves. I didn't like having the contestants choose the best and worst. One of the pleasures of the show is to hear the impartial opinions of the judges as they sample the dishes.
I never thought I'd like this show, but a couple of seasons ago, it hooked me.
Basketball Jones
500+ Posts
I don't really have an issue with the choices the Judges made. The issue I have is adding a lot of gamesmanship to the process. It's made even worse by the fact that this is a generally unlikeable cast this year.
After the awesomeness of last season, which in my opinion had the most talented cheftestants, it is sad to see the gamesmanship. Last season was each chef cooking their best and saying "let the best chef win", not "let's get rid of the real competition and win by default.
Very dissapointing, and I don't like any of them at all.
What pride would you get from beating the weakest?
Very dissapointing, and I don't like any of them at all.
What pride would you get from beating the weakest?
I'm not saying that there wasn't gamesmanship going on in the elimination challenge this week, but I'm not entirely sure I would understand the logic behind it. It seems that voting someone for elimination for a reason other than their food would require getting a group of people who were prepared to nominate a contestant who the judges would be reluctant to send home. Seems like that would expose the conspiracy members to greater risk, without actually putting Kenny in danger.
I suspect what we saw was what actually happened... Kenny made the worst dish and went before the judges for it. Any ambiguity on that point was in production, not in practice... which brings me back to a problem I've been having with this season... production.
Seasons 2 through 6 of Top Chef featured a single kitchen production team lead by former contestant Lee Anne Wong. They both conceived and built out the challenges as well as the design and stocking of the kitchen. Frankly, I think they did a spectacular job for 5 straight seasons. It may just be a coincidence, but the production in general of this season has tailed off considerably since Ms Wong left. Challenges have been poorly thought out, the twists applied seemingly randomly and the themes have been overly punny to the point of obnoxiousness. I don't know why they thought the "change stations" bit from the QF was necessary this week, and try as I might I still don't understand what the hell happened in the hotel challenge, where the 4 most successful chefs were eliminated by design in the first two rounds.
That's on the kitchen side, but on the editing side I'm even more flummoxed. Week after week we go before the judges and I have little understanding or appreciation for what the chefs have done because no one has really described the food. We did exotic proteins this week and there wasn't a single sentence about why the specific proteins were challenging other than they were kinda gross. I'm left wondering if the editing crew is trying to cover for the poor quality of the chefs or if they are just trying to squeeze "reality moments" out at the expense of documenting the actual competition. I have an almost equal problem with the portrayal of the individual chefs who only get screen time when they are acting like douche bags. We've got a bunch of people getting screen time who I don't like and a bunch of people in the back ground who seem kinda nice (in comparison) if utterly boring. Hell, the little 15 second bit this week left me liking all three people involved less.
If the problem is the cast is bad, then 7 seasons in there is no excuse for that, particularly after the caliber of contestant we got last season. If the problem is the production crew is bad, then it was incumbent on the editing team to smooth it out. If the problem is the editing crew, then it should have been fixed before it aired... but I'm irritated.
I suspect what we saw was what actually happened... Kenny made the worst dish and went before the judges for it. Any ambiguity on that point was in production, not in practice... which brings me back to a problem I've been having with this season... production.
Seasons 2 through 6 of Top Chef featured a single kitchen production team lead by former contestant Lee Anne Wong. They both conceived and built out the challenges as well as the design and stocking of the kitchen. Frankly, I think they did a spectacular job for 5 straight seasons. It may just be a coincidence, but the production in general of this season has tailed off considerably since Ms Wong left. Challenges have been poorly thought out, the twists applied seemingly randomly and the themes have been overly punny to the point of obnoxiousness. I don't know why they thought the "change stations" bit from the QF was necessary this week, and try as I might I still don't understand what the hell happened in the hotel challenge, where the 4 most successful chefs were eliminated by design in the first two rounds.
That's on the kitchen side, but on the editing side I'm even more flummoxed. Week after week we go before the judges and I have little understanding or appreciation for what the chefs have done because no one has really described the food. We did exotic proteins this week and there wasn't a single sentence about why the specific proteins were challenging other than they were kinda gross. I'm left wondering if the editing crew is trying to cover for the poor quality of the chefs or if they are just trying to squeeze "reality moments" out at the expense of documenting the actual competition. I have an almost equal problem with the portrayal of the individual chefs who only get screen time when they are acting like douche bags. We've got a bunch of people getting screen time who I don't like and a bunch of people in the back ground who seem kinda nice (in comparison) if utterly boring. Hell, the little 15 second bit this week left me liking all three people involved less.
If the problem is the cast is bad, then 7 seasons in there is no excuse for that, particularly after the caliber of contestant we got last season. If the problem is the production crew is bad, then it was incumbent on the editing team to smooth it out. If the problem is the editing crew, then it should have been fixed before it aired... but I'm irritated.
Bevo-Stevo
1,000+ Posts
The rules stated that each team could nominate the best and worst dishes from the opposite group, and the judges would pick one of the two nominated as the worse to go home. If Team B nominated Kenny after he cooked even a passable dish, then they would all be but guaranteeing Kenny safety since the judges would be forced to send the worst dish home... which wouldn't be Kenny's. It would be a really really bad decision to send someone to judge's who didn't deserve to be there. I believe that Angelo is devious, but he isn't stupid.
Besides, Chef Tom has said repeatedly that the producers have never weighed in on a judges table and he would leave the show if they did. Chef Tom's reputation is not built on TV, and he wouldn't trade on that for Bravo of all networks.
Besides, Chef Tom has said repeatedly that the producers have never weighed in on a judges table and he would leave the show if they did. Chef Tom's reputation is not built on TV, and he wouldn't trade on that for Bravo of all networks.
Basketball Jones
500+ Posts
Mionor Spoiler
OK -- again, whether it actually happened or not, the producers made the episode revolve around the idea that someone was playing games by stealing someone else's food. These people are watched constantly, and always on film. Just tell us one way or the other, instead of making it look like something wenr on when it may not have.
OK -- again, whether it actually happened or not, the producers made the episode revolve around the idea that someone was playing games by stealing someone else's food. These people are watched constantly, and always on film. Just tell us one way or the other, instead of making it look like something wenr on when it may not have.
I believe completely that the editors and producers manipulate the footage to emphasize the story they want to tell, even if those stories are (1) very minor to what actually happened, and/or (2) fictions created by the contestants or even individual contestants. The editors have a duty to storytelling which at times directly conflicts with the "truth" of any given interaction. I presume that is the case and take a fair amount of the "drama" stories with a grain of salt. Drama makes for good TV, so I expect that if the editors don't have access to drama they will create it.
As that relates to Kenny's nomination two weeks ago, I honestly don't believe anyone other than Kenny thought he didn't deserve to be there. It simply does not make since to put someone before the judges who the judges won't send home... but it makes for good TV, so the editors try to emphasize that story.
As it relates to the mysterious "pea puree"... I do not believe that anyone really thought Alex stole the puree. That said, I think everyone believes (and rightly) that he stole the concept. During the heart of the challenge, I think it may have crossed people's minds and the editors ran with the footage they had. That said, I do not believe that what happened to the puree was captured on film, the greatest evidence being your frustration on the subject (which is shared by most of the viewers I have talked to). If they had tape showing Alex taking it, that would be good TV and they'd be idiots not to show it. If they had tape of Ed misplacing the puree... and then accusing Alex of stealing it, that too would be good TV and they'd be idiots not to show it. If they had tape of anyone else being involved, then same story, the tape would be too good to pass up. The only reason NOT to show tape, would be if the producers themselves vanished the puree, which strains plausibility but I suppose is possible (if true, I would quit the show, personally).
In any event, kudos to Ed for (1) not accusing Alex of anything in front of the judges (presuming he did suspect him, and (2) not mentioning his puree at all, as I believe most contestants would have.
As that relates to Kenny's nomination two weeks ago, I honestly don't believe anyone other than Kenny thought he didn't deserve to be there. It simply does not make since to put someone before the judges who the judges won't send home... but it makes for good TV, so the editors try to emphasize that story.
As it relates to the mysterious "pea puree"... I do not believe that anyone really thought Alex stole the puree. That said, I think everyone believes (and rightly) that he stole the concept. During the heart of the challenge, I think it may have crossed people's minds and the editors ran with the footage they had. That said, I do not believe that what happened to the puree was captured on film, the greatest evidence being your frustration on the subject (which is shared by most of the viewers I have talked to). If they had tape showing Alex taking it, that would be good TV and they'd be idiots not to show it. If they had tape of Ed misplacing the puree... and then accusing Alex of stealing it, that too would be good TV and they'd be idiots not to show it. If they had tape of anyone else being involved, then same story, the tape would be too good to pass up. The only reason NOT to show tape, would be if the producers themselves vanished the puree, which strains plausibility but I suppose is possible (if true, I would quit the show, personally).
In any event, kudos to Ed for (1) not accusing Alex of anything in front of the judges (presuming he did suspect him, and (2) not mentioning his puree at all, as I believe most contestants would have.
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