The Great British Bake Off 2016

[Isis]

On 13/09/2016 at 5:40 PM, red snow said:

Not sure how wise a move it is for the makers of the show though. Losing the presenters and going to a channel with ads could cause a loss of viewers (it's weird how some people won't watch channel 4). Then there's the utterly useless C4 catch up player where I usually just don't bother if I miss the live broadcast. This is never an issue with BBC iplayer.
 

Actually I have been watching a load of stuff on the All4 app (on my phone and through the XBox) recently and it has been totally fine. Just FYI.

[red snow]

2 hours ago, Isis said:

Actually I have been watching a load of stuff on the All4 app (on my phone and through the XBox) recently and it has been totally fine. Just FYI.

Could be a platform issue.It's terrible through my TV and laptop. Always wants me signing in/updating profiles  and seems really tricky to find anything live (I got mixed up with the early statement about catch-up vs live).

I'll give it a go through my Xbox/PS in case it's more user friendly there as I'd like to be able to watch C4 if only for the news and F1. As it is livestream apps are more straight-forward.

I think my Smart TV is showing age-related senility. For some reason I no longer have the option of subtitles (unless close-captioned) on Netflix. If I watch netflix on my laptop i get subtitles. Watch it on the TV - I either have to have close captioned subtitles for everything (which I find distracting when actors are speaking english) or none at all (which makes Narcos a challenge). The weird thing is it never used to be an issue via the tv.

[Isis]

15 hours ago, red snow said:

I'll give it a go through my Xbox/PS in case it's more user friendly there as I'd like to be able to watch C4 if only for the news and F1. As it is livestream apps are more straight-forward.

100% fine through the Xbox so far (*touches wood*). Multiple shows watched. I use it qutie a lot and watch stuff on my phone quite often too.

Back OT - had a huge craving for churros this morning after this week's episode so I went out of my way to visit a little espresso bar outside the British Library which used to do them. But sadly it's been replaced by some other bland coffee bar with NO CHURROS. I had to have a disappointing Starbucks muffin instead.

Really hard to watch this week without having quite large feels about Mel and Sue. I wouldn't call myself a huge fan of them but they are very good in that role. Those are some pretty big shoes to fill...

 

[Veltigar]

What did you guys think of this week? I love the fact that

Spoiler

Val is still in it. She's the weakest baker of the bunch by far and every week I have her pegged down for elimination, but she manages to wriggle her way clear of it everytime. Quite the escape artist if you ask me. I was a bit bummed for Andrew, since he really deserves to be star baker at least once. I feel like he has been the eternal runner-up by now. I also feel like Selasi should step up his game. I like his attitude and commentary, but the last two weeks his baking has been off. He needs to get back on the horse if he wants to succeed! 

 

On 14-9-2016 at 9:04 PM, Werthead said:

Incredulity from the TV production people interviewed on the BBC today. They find it beyond ludicrous that Channel 4 didn't attach all four of the presenters to the format, as that's the only way the deal would be worth the money.

Even better: Channel 4 can't show their first series proper until 2018 due to a two-year exclusion clause in the previous deal with the BBC, and all the BBC would have to do to get around it is to simply drop the tent and make the format identical to MasterChef (which the BBC has owned since forever) and they'd be absolutely good to go.

Oh, I so hope they'll be doing this  Screw Channel 4, after they cancelled Utopia, they deserve a good ass whiping. I hope the BBC will deliver on it. Is there any news on Paul and Mary's stance?  

[Which Tyler]

2 hours ago, Veltigar said:

Oh, I so hope they'll be doing this  Screw Channel 4, after they cancelled Utopia, they deserve a good ass whiping. I hope the BBC will deliver on it. Is there any news on Paul and Mary's stance?  

 

Salary demand of £10M to make up the difference?

[Werthead]

Quote

Oh, I so hope they'll be doing this  Screw Channel 4, after they cancelled Utopia, they deserve a good ass whiping. I hope the BBC will deliver on it. Is there any news on Paul and Mary's stance?  

In negotiations, but apparently they are not expecting them to sign up either.

[Mladen]

And so it begins...

I hope to catch up with all of you while this thread is alive... May the God help me

[C Rutherford]

On 9/16/2016 at 5:49 AM, Veltigar said:

What did you guys think of this week? I love the fact that

  Reveal hidden contents

Val is still in it. She's the weakest baker of the bunch by far and every week I have her pegged down for elimination, but she manages to wriggle her way clear of it everytime. Quite the escape artist if you ask me. I was a bit bummed for Andrew, since he really deserves to be star baker at least once. I feel like he has been the eternal runner-up by now. I also feel like Selasi should step up his game. I like his attitude and commentary, but the last two weeks his baking has been off. He needs to get back on the horse if he wants to succeed! 

 

 

Spoiler

Val does amaze me she is still in it.  But after seeing Tom's signature and showstopper I am more surprised he survived.  If Paul's nattering about how Kate is not the worst baker there but was the worst this week -- perhaps looking at Val -- I think Tom should have gone instead.  I like Tom's risks but his signature alone seemed like the worst thing we have seen this season even if the topping tasted fine.

I saw on one of the newspaper sites tons of pictures from Selasi's instagram that goes back two years.  Pic after pic of really magnificent work.  Professional looking if not maybe high end.  And I know that it is different baking in the tent and under time constraints.  But he seems to really have so serious skill that is not coming though with any consistency.  I wonder if not getting star baker the first week was a blow to his confidence.  Not that he expected as his due but simply because he baked well, and did really well with the technical that he had never baked.

Annoyed about no Sue and Mel but now thinking that if they have an entirely new cast it might be easier to enjoy anything they stay true and adjust as needed going to Ch4. 

I've read that the prohibit is only a year but that Ch4 says it will only do a aid relief celebrity special next year which is why there will not be a GBBO full season until 2018.  Both the Independent and the Mirror have that in their newsfeeds.

[Mladen]

OK, finished Season 1...

Several weeks ago there was a wonderful vimeo about the differences between Americans and British. The video has been taken but the pictures are there... 

And that is basically how I feel after watching this season of GBBO. I have watched several American cooking shows and between the "amateur" cooks creating better dishes than half the restaurants in the country, the tasteless ambition and cheap dramatics, it has been such a refreshing thing to see British doing it in their own way... As Helen Mirren would say "quietly and with dignity"

It was interestingly educational. I enjoyed the clips and remakes of the historical cakes, breads and pastry and found it nice touch. There were no overly dramatic moments, everything was rather respectful, nice and pleasant. I have no idea about next seasons, but if it continues like this, count me in

@Veltigar, hope you are happy?  

[HexMachina]

Just to forewarn your the historical bits aren't present in later seasons

[Veltigar]

1 hour ago, Risto said:

 

@Veltigar, hope you are happy?  

Man, you're hardcore. I started watching like two season ago  I never dreamed of going back all the way to the beginning  

1 hour ago, Risto said:

And that is basically how I feel after watching this season of GBBO. I have watched several American cooking shows and between the "amateur" cooks creating better dishes than half the restaurants in the country, the tasteless ambition and cheap dramatics, it has been such a refreshing thing to see British doing it in their own way... As Helen Mirren would say "quietly and with dignity"

 The Brits just have more class or rather, they are better at projecting the semblance of class  

18 minutes ago, HelenaExMachina said:

Just to forewarn your the historical bits aren't present in later seasons

The first episode of the latest season did have them a bit though, with that little bit in Germany  I'd say they just aren't as prevalent as before  

[Veltigar]

1 hour ago, Risto said:

OK, finished Season 1...

Several weeks ago there was a wonderful vimeo about the differences between Americans and British. The video has been taken but the pictures are there... 

And that is basically how I feel after watching this season of GBBO. I have watched several American cooking shows and between the "amateur" cooks creating better dishes than half the restaurants in the country, the tasteless ambition and cheap dramatics, it has been such a refreshing thing to see British doing it in their own way... As Helen Mirren would say "quietly and with dignity"

It was interestingly educational. I enjoyed the clips and remakes of the historical cakes, breads and pastry and found it nice touch. There were no overly dramatic moments, everything was rather respectful, nice and pleasant. I have no idea about next seasons, but if it continues like this, count me in

@Veltigar, hope you are happy?  

EDIT: Also @Risto

1 hour ago, Risto said:

I have no idea about next seasons, but if it continues like this, count me in

 

I knew I would be able to get you hooked on this  Somewhere deep inside me, a highly succesful crack dealer is just waiting to come to the surface  

[Mladen]

35 minutes ago, HelenaExMachina said:

Just to forewarn your the historical bits aren't present in later seasons

SPOILER ALERT

15 minutes ago, Veltigar said:

Man, you're hardcore. I started watching like two season ago  I never dreamed of going back all the way to the beginning  

I wouldn't be able to do it like that... Even though the format allows it, I find it deeply unsettling...

16 minutes ago, Veltigar said:

 The Brits just have more class or rather, they are better at projecting the semblance of class  

I would agree with that... But, honestly, entire thing was much more organic than the regular American cooking show which is more like a Mexican soap opera with cooks

22 minutes ago, Veltigar said:

EDIT: Also @Risto

I knew I would be able to get you hooked on this  Somewhere deep inside me, a highly succesful crack dealer is just waiting to come to the surface  

Go and work with pharmaceutical industry... It is not that different  

Or a bookstore clerk  

[polishgenius]

I decided I needed to watch this this year coz of the channel 4 fiasco. Will just have to make time for it when Strictly comes back...  

Just caught up the first two episodes. Felt bad for the woman (not sure on spoiler protocol here so I'm gonna spoil ep 2 just in case)

who decided to model her gingerbread story on her future wedding and the church fell in.

Pretty charming, so far. Very much like Masterchef but with more jokes and cuddlyness. And more theming.

[polishgenius]

It worries me that two separate people, asked to bake a chocolate bread, went for attempting to make a Babka without actually knowing what one is (for starters, like Paul immediately pointed out, not a bread).

[C Rutherford]

I was trying to figure out the whole babka thing.  Hollywood has odd affectations that regularly get denounced by the professionals on another board I visit for Bake Off. I haven't gone too far into the whole babka issue but I did find it off since those were what I have always seen and eaten in a babka -- enriched yeast-based risen dough.  So I guess non-"bread" babkas are more normal?  I even checked Obstfeld's and they just looked at me funny when I asked if Babka wasn't basically a "bread" than what is it.  Mama Ruth even shook her finger at me and asked just what I considered a brioche if their babka wasn't a bread.

[polishgenius]

Quote

enriched yeast-based risen dough.

That is what a Babka is but it's still very definitely a cake. Usually made at Easter. Looks like this. A quick read around suggests there's a Jewish variant that's closer to what the bakers were making but it still seems to be considered a cake not a bread.

I'm also not surprised that they had time problems because when my mum made them it would take absolutely ages.

[Kairi]

So, I lurked on this thread and decided to give this a try.  Once again, thanks to this Board, I am hooked on another show.  Thank goodness I just finished Narcos. 

I first looked at season four, up to the quarterfinals, and I have looked at the first three episodes for this season.  Have to say though, I love Val's quirks and I am rooting for her to make close to the end.  Much as I enjoy looking at her I really don't think she will win.  Selasi is certainly a joy to look at, but hope Candice wins.

Thank you for the tip,

 

[Ser Quork]

On ‎02‎/‎09‎/‎2016 at 1:55 AM, R'hllors Red Lobster said:

 

"Kneadful things"

 

Special!

Thanks for this thread.  Love GBBO and so sad it's going to C4.  I don't think it will survive the move, if nothing else than we'll lose at good 15 mins plus for commercial breaks.

Anyhoo, back the current season: at the moment, I have my small change on either Jane, Andrew, Benjamina or Tom.  Selasi doesn't seem to be fulfilling his early promise though.  I'm rooting for Val to make it further just because ... !

[Veltigar]

Interesting episode, although I have to admit I wasn't really focussed on the TV this week. I am sort of stunned though, the comeback kid is gone. I feel like I just saw Houdini drown. I thought

Spoiler

Val was unbeatable by now, but they finally took her down.

 

On 18-9-2016 at 10:08 PM, Risto said:

 

Or a bookstore clerk  

No thank you, I'd rather fling crack than selling Twilight books to tweens  I have selfrespect you know  

3 hours ago, Ser Quork said:

Selasi doesn't seem to be fulfilling his early promise though. 

Yeah, I don't know what happened to him. I think he probably doesn't put the effort in like the others do. Since he works in the City, I can't imagine he has much spare time to practise. 

3 hours ago, Ser Quork said:

Special!

Thanks for this thread.  Love GBBO and so sad it's going to C4.  I don't think it will survive the move, if nothing else than we'll lose at good 15 mins plus for commercial breaks.

I know I won't be tuning in live again. Even if I could watch it that way, I'd just skip the commercials to spite them.

4 hours ago, Kairi said:

Thank you for the tip,

 

You're welcome, recommendations like this is why our community here is so wonderful!