In general, when I think of the words “competitive cooking show,” I think of Gordon Ramsey brutally critiquing another chef’s dish or a high stakes and fast pace competition with the blood-hungry cooks rushing to complete their dish and uphold the standards of the harsh judges. However, in contrast with the stressful environment of other cooking shows, the Great British Baking show provides a relaxing and soothing atmosphere which makes it one of the best cooking shows, if not the best, that’s on television.
The format of the cooking show comes in three rounds per episode: the signature challenge where the bakers show off their recipes that they would make for their friends or family, the technical challenge where the contestants are given a recipe with limited instructions and are asked to make a dish, and the final challenge is the showstopper round where the contestants bake something that shows off their skills and impresses the judges.
The relaxing demeanor of the show generally comes from its low-key atmosphere with an emphasis on sportsmanship, which allows the show to prioritize the good character of the contestants over drama. One controversial element about “The Great British Baking Show” is that it doesn’t have a cash prize. While many competitive reality shows rely on a cash prize to stir up drama and motivation for the contestants, the people on “The Great British Baking Show” are just there because of their passion for baking and their passion comes through in the show. This part of the show makes it so much better, because you can tell the passion that the contestants have and it comes across in a non-aggressive way. In addition to this, while the show has a lack of drama, this lack of drama allows the show to feel more unique and relaxing as it celebrates human joy and human talent rather than negative emotions like inter-cook drama. The talented and likeable contestants speak for themselves with their talent and wit as they make spectacular baked dishes. However, the show is not without a lack of tension, as it has a frenzy of emotions from cakes that just don’t bake right, or rolls that end up crumbling.
So if you’re skimming through Netflix after a long and hard day, take a look at “The Great British Baking Show” for the right combination of charm, tension, and niceness.
