The other night we reached the show's finale, where they brought in all the contestants' families to help cheer them on, and everyone was so kind and humble and generous with their praise and you just don't SEE that on reality TV, you know? So anyway, the credits were rolling, and...
John: [side-eye]
Me: [sniffling]
John: "Are you... crying?"
"Um. Maybe."
"Why?"
[small sob] "I don't kno-oow!"
After all, we cry-babies have to stick together.
P.S.
Appropriate GIF is appropriate:
Of course you were crying. Nadiya is possibly the most adorable person ever on TV and she deserved to win. I was rooting for her from week one, so I will freely admit to much sobbing when I saw the final a couple of weeks ago!
ReplyDeleteIt's only the first series they're watching!
DeleteCrud. I just started watching it, too. Next time put a hugs "SPOILER ALERT" before you start!
DeleteOh wow GBBO is on Netflix! Awesome I see a huge binge this weekend; all of the cakes and all of the people I remember from watching it when it was aired!
ReplyDeleteOh wait.... not on UK Netflix. Damn it. I know i can get around it but still. I pay my license fee darn it!
I was so excited to see that GBBO was on Netflix! I've already seen it on PBS, but I will definitely be rewatching it! It's one of my favorite shows. And I'm a cry-baby, too. I watched a new episode of My Little Pony with my daughter the other day and I cried. A lot. It's not the first time, either (not sure I should have admitted that, but there you go haha).
ReplyDeleteI just got teary watching a DVR-ed episode of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert where Michelle Dorrance was tap dancing. I think it's great to be moved by things that are beautiful, or touching, or amazing for whatever reason. I'm sorry for people who aren't!
ReplyDeleteGBBO is the best! Is it the latest series with Nadiya, Tamal, Ian and that lot, or is it an earlier one? It always stirs up emotions, anger at Ice Cream Gate, or the Great Custard Theft, tears at the end, fondness for the contestants and outright love for Mel and Sue (Goddamned British Treasures). Crying at GBBO is a British past-time, so I think this makes you an honourary Brit!
ReplyDeleteHmm, now I'm not sure *which* season it is, since someone told me the one on Netflix isn't the first one. Ours was the one with BinGate, if that helps. :D
DeleteThat was not the most recent series, but the one before that! (I think). BinGate with Ian?
DeleteAh the series before the current one. Series 5, that's a good one. Well, they're all good, even if the first series did have a bit of a weird format. I did love Norman's Punny Pieful Tower!
DeleteDo they have Great British Bake Off: Extra Slice as well? That's an after show they started for series 5 with comedian and legend Jo Brand and various celebrities and chefs dissecting the action with the person who was voted off. It's great fun and definitely worth a watch!
If you like Sue Perkins, she was in a show that's available on Hulu called The Supersizers Go. She and a restaurant critic spend a week living and eating from different time periods, like the 50s or Ancient Rome. Great fun, and she is hysterical!
ReplyDeleteI'm inclined to think that British competition shows are just nicer. I haven't seen GBBO, but I did manage to catch the first season of the Great British Sewing Bee, since sewing is my main hobby, and was so pleasantly surprised to see that the focus was on sewing, and not on drama like Project Runway. I wish it was easier to access. (And I'm not usually a cried, but last week's episode of MLP did choke me up.)
ReplyDeleteAhh Great British Bake off is excellent , we are on season 6 in the UK and it just keeps getting better and better.
ReplyDeleteOhh... The Great Custard Theft. On any American reality competition there would have been Drama and Tears and Sobbing Confessionals and Side-eye. Whereas on TGBBO everyone was just so NICE about it and understood it for the truly honest mistake it was.
ReplyDeleteI've been jumping between seasons depending on what my TiVo is able to record on PBS, but anyone remember the episode where Sue totally put her elbow in one contestant's bake and squashed it flat?
At the end of the day, this show completely renews my faith in humanity because everyone is Just So Nice, and then I go in the kitchen and bake something. This show is a treasure.
I think Sue's squashed more than one bake!
DeleteI think it is the current season/series and it was one of someone's english muffins as they were rising. Even the judges noticed the big divot. I do love this show and learning techiques. But it is learning more differences in the english lanquage. Such as 'Grill': Me:"Grill? Why are going to cook outside? OH! They call the broiler a grill"
Delete...and as the language is "English", the English are right!!
DeleteReady! Set! BAKE!!!
ReplyDeleteMy biggest regret is that I don't have a fellow TGBBO fan locally, so I can't use that line on a daily basis.
My whole family loves this show. My son (age 12) said, "It's just so much .... cozier than American cooking competition shows." Yep! Cozier and nicer. Love it!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds amazing. Wish I had Netflix... I'm kinda bummed the American version only lasted one (summer) season; I really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteall the seasons are watchable on youtube! :)
DeleteThe new season is also showing on PBS
DeleteMy son and I watch the show every week on PBS. Glad to know who won! We watched the American version a few years ago and enjoyed it, though the person who won wasn't who we'd hoped would win.
ReplyDeleteI just watched the whole thing this week, too. I LOVED that show. (It was the 5th series - the one where Iain dumped his Baked Alaska in the bin)
ReplyDeleteI also watched iZombie on Netflix. Such a fun show!
AHHH this makes me so happy!!! GBBO and FaceOff are the only two television shows I watch because they don't have drama. It's just people displaying their hard work and passion and who will help a fellow competitor if needed because they know next week they themselves could be in the same boat. I'm so happy you found this show. Now off to go binge :)
ReplyDeleteJust checked and you've only got last year's series, which is the fifth one with bin-gate. There's six in total so you've got a lot of cakey goodness to track down.
ReplyDeleteRight now, our PBS is airing your series 4 as our season 2. So it's slowly trickling in!
DeleteWe watch some British game shows and notice the same thing! Competitors clap for each other and they are so kind to each other! It's awesome!
ReplyDeleteI've been watching the GBBO since season 2 (and then quickly caught up with downloads of season 1). I love it. I love how positive and kind it is, and I love seeing people work on their passion, especially since it's one I share. And I love getting all the baking tips and new ideas :D
ReplyDeleteWhen I started watching it, I assumed this would be one of those show I watch by myself but my husband was quickly drawn in and enjoys it about as much as I do (minus the baking tips, he doesn't bake). With the finale of the latest season, we both cried. So we can stay married too ;)
The show's also inspired me to bake something every week during the season, so we have a fresh treat when we turn on the telly. We always get the munchies watching it, might as well have a proper snack :D
I am surprised how massively popular it has become! So glad you've discovered it, have loads of fun catching up! The only baker I ever truly disliked was Ruby. Massively, too. Other than that, it's so easy to root for all of them, even if you have your favourites.
Oh btw, there is also a show called "Great Brititsh Bake Off - The Extra Slice", it started last year I think, they have half an hour of reviewing the latest episode and the latest baker to leave comes by for an interview. And they do Masterclasses too, and Christmas specials later in the year. I think they've even done an Easter special once. Might be findable through torrents? I'm lucky enough to live in a country where the Beeb is aired, so I just record them if I'm not home to watch live. Did I mention I'm a big fan? I bought Mary Berry's Baking Bible last year and I'm pining for a Mason Cash mixing bowl :P
And! Loads of the recipes are available online: http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/search?programmes[]=b013pqnm
That's why I love so many cooking shows! Things like the holiday themed baking challenges and Ace of Cakes (otherwise known as the most positive and happy show ever created) are always filled with just the cutest people being nice to each other and making tasty foods.
ReplyDeleteI've only ever seen the one from PBS last year (which is now on Netflix). Yesterday we watched the episode where poor Iain dumped his Baked Alaska in the bin. :( My favorite part of the series is how kind both Paul and Mary are in their criticism of the bakes. The just gently point out the faults, point out the good parts, and are very encouraging. I won't watch the American shows where they make such a production of humiliating the contestants.
ReplyDeleteLove that show and how free from tension it is! It's so enjoyable to watch.
ReplyDeletehhahhaha I just blogged about my love for GBBO! It's such a great show!!! you can read it here =)
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the wonderful world of bake off - I don't know anyone who doesn't love it here in the uk and I always blub like a baby at the final - especially this years', which was a couple of weeks ago. No spoilers, promise - but just keep watching it, it's always a wonderful gentle YUMMY double-entendre'd pleasure :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you have started watching this! The 6 seasons are *all* fantastic and arguably get better with time. Our whole country goes insane for it ever year.
ReplyDeleteThis year, the final episode was watched by more people than voted for our incumbent government
Makes you proud to be British.
Enjoy the next 5 series!!
My husband and I just discovered this on Netflix this weekend and have binged all weekend. I'm 8 months pregnant, and have two energy levels-nesting and napping. This show is making all my nesting manifest as baking. But not useful things like meals to freeze, it's all pies and tarts, and things.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I could watch this show without eating all the cake, but I love A League of Their Own and now need to watch it again.
ReplyDeletei LOVE this show!!! It is soo good and right now i'm waiting till 6pm to watch more of season 2 on PBS it is one of my favorite Sunday night shows- its just so relaxing and fantastic!! its amazing to see people on a reality show actually own up to their mistakes instead of blaming someone else in hopes that they get to stay.
ReplyDeleteI watched all the seasons on YouTube and loved them! It's great to see how all the contestants support each other. Now I'm on to The Great British Sewing Bee which is also lots of fun!
ReplyDeleteOh no, there is a sewing version too? Oh well, yet another thing to watch on YouTube. Thanks for sharing!
DeleteThree seasons of the sewing bee so far - as far as I can tell anyway!
DeleteI just found the series this fall on our local PBS station but I think it is the 4th season so I will have to get caught up on the rest of them. I swear I gain weight watching the show. Thank goodness for Google to figure out the techniques they are using. It is a fascinating show!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recommendation! My boyfriend and I read this and immediately started watching. We've already seen 4 episodes and LOVE IT. Our favorites to root for so far are Norman, Diana, Richard, and Nancy. We hope they go far. (Please no spoilers!) We love how proper everyone is, and yet there are all these witty non-sequiturs and puns being thrown around. Cracks us up every time!
ReplyDelete-Kate
I adore this show! So much so that I'm trying to get all my foodie friends to watch it. I mean c'mon...gorgeous British countryside, divine desserts, contestants that act like decent human beings, judges that actually offer constructive criticism and genuinely care about the contestants, and hosts that offer just the right amount gentle snark and silliness...what's not to love?!
ReplyDeleteWELCOME! GBBO is wonderful! My boyfriend and I have been transfixed by every season so far. He has suggested I apply to which I reply "really??" and he concedes that no, I don't need that kind of stress in my life. Glad you guys have access to it. Enjoy Mel and Sue, they are National Treasures.
ReplyDeleteCan you tell me more about Mel and Sue? Just finished my GBBO binge-watch (of the Ian-Baked-Alaska season), and I so enjoyed them!
DeleteI LOVE this show. So disappointed this year when, after PBS announced its return, and I sat with popcorn in hand...it was last season.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting about this show! I checked it out and I love it! I like cooking competition shows, but I like this one a lot more than the others because it's so chill.
ReplyDeleteThat series sounds SO good! Will have to check it out on PBS, as I don't have Netflix. This is one reason I love Face Off, the SyFy show about special effects makeup. It's virtually drama- and screaming-free!
ReplyDeleteI'm in the middle of the series on Netflix too! And I actually do get all tense for them! And I have been crying since episode one, where the poor girl who had to go home first said "I don't know why I'm crying about cake." Neither do I, dearie. Neither do I.
ReplyDeleteIt is SO fun to know you are enjoying it when I am!
Oh Oh I love GBBO! My husband and I are planning to be Marry Berry and Paul Hollywood for Halloween. I'm happy for you that you found this!
ReplyDeleteIt's one of my favorite shows, too. Can someone clear up which seasons we have been getting here in the US? Then I can go to Netflix and binge on the earlier ones.
ReplyDeleteWe finished the same series this weekend too! And then had to go find an eclair.
ReplyDeleteWe finished the same series this weekend too! And then had to go find an eclair.
ReplyDeleteBut, do you get the saucy,naughty double entendres?? and will they broadcast the squirrel in the US?
ReplyDeleteYay! Bake-off! I watch this with my Mum.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised at everyone saying how nice the judges are. Paul can be pretty scathing when he wants to be. The scouse accent adds to it as well. I know that if I ever tried to bake and he came and he gave me one of those looks when I told him what I was doing I'd freak out and hit him with a spatula. But I don't bake well with others.
It is a lovely show, though. I'm glad it's being enjoyed outside the UK. Someone above mentioned the sewing bee, which my parents watch, and I think I saw a trailer for a pottery version the other day.
Add me to the list of people this post has hooked on this show! Just binge-watched all the Netflix episodes this week!
ReplyDelete=-)
I definitely cried during that finale... I think it was all the non-winning contestants praising the other bakers and how they were just so genuinely pleased with each other. Who says the Brits don't get emotional?!
ReplyDeleteMy dad and I have been watching this show (purposefully slow because they only have one season on Netflix & I'll be so sad when we've watched it all). It is BY FAR my favorite reality show. I keep trying to explain to my mom & other peeps how awesome and "un-American" it is. These people are crazy nice and helpful to each other. And I'm learning about all the different British things that I've never heard before.
ReplyDelete