By August Ewert-Harpold
One popular genre of television that sprouted within the last year (thanks to COVID-19 and quarantine) are baking shows. Here are the most popular, and my personal take on each one!
The Great British Baking Show
The Great British Baking Show is one of the classics when it comes to baking shows! This show is very relaxed and good to watch when you just need some down time. Each season represents 10 weeks where amateur bakers face off while attempting to create amazing dishes. Each week there is a different theme, and one contestant is eliminated. This show has been airing for a while, but currently has eight seasons on Netflix. Rather than all the other baking shows this one is placed over a long span of time and you get to really know the contestants. They make all types of foods and its really funny to see how regular folk will take on these creations.
Nailed It!
Nailed It is an on-going Netflix tv show where home bakers from all around the country attempt to recreate different treats that have been created by experts. Each week host Nicole Byer, judge Jacques Torres, and a special guest judge, host three home bakers and have them recreate these masterpieces while competing for $10,000! Like The Great British Baking Show, there is a different theme each week and the contestants have two rounds where they create the different treats. In the first challenge which is called “Baker’s Choice”, the contestants have to pick one of the three treats and then recreate it to the best of their ability. Then in the second challenge, “Nail It or Fail It”, the contestants only have two hours to create a complicated cake from scratch. This show is only on Netflix and there are currently four seasons and holiday specials!
Sugar Rush
Sugar Rush is a two-season Netflix Original Series in which each week four teams of two professional bakers compete in three challenges to win $10,000. The judges are Hunter March, Candace Nelson, Adriano Zumbo, along with a random celebrity guest judge. In each episode the contestants have one hour to create a cupcake inspired a theme the bakers are given. When the clock stops, the judges try each desert. Like most cooking and baking shows, the team with the least desirable dish is sent home. Once that segment is done, the bakers go on to the next round and have to create some sort of treat. Unlike other shows, if the team completes their creation prior to the end of the round, it is rolled over to the next round which definitely helps! This repeats for the treats round and then the two teams left have to make a giant cake related to the theme to see who wins the grand prize.