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TheNoodleIncident · 10-13-2009, 09:18 AM

did anyone else catch the Good Eats 10th Anniversary Special this weekend? what did you think of it?

(for anyone who missed it, it was done at a large theatre with a live audience and went through a bit of the history of good eats, with some wackiness...im sure foodnetwork will replay it)

im a really big fan of the show and AB - i DVR all the episodes, often watching the same episode many times, have incorporated many of his techniques into my cooking, made a bunch of his recipes, etc - but i didnt think that the Special was all that great.....it was just TOO fake and CHEESY....and i know that is his style and background, but it just doesn't seem to work as well with a live audience as it does on the show....too over the top for a live format, for me at least

it seemed as though nearly the entire thing was scripted, even the parts that weren't supposed to be....i got sort of a "broadway show for kids" vibe from it...

there were a few tidbits that were nice, but i dont think there was any new info for any serious fans of the show

the episode "Behind the Eats", which was a behind scenes look at the show from a few years ago, was much better for me

that said, im still a loyal Good Eats and AB fan....i hope they have another 10 years in them

PS - did he have a cold? his voice seemed very rough, especially when he was talking loud or yelling

BreezyCooking · 10-13-2009, 09:27 AM

I watched it & agree with you. Even though I'm an AB fan, I too thought the show was too staged, fake, & cutesy. I would have been a lot happier if they'd just showed more show clips & did blurbs about them. And like you, I enjoyed "Behind the Eats" a lot more.

But, considering "Good Eats" is virtually the ONLY show I bother to watch on The Food Network these days, I'm willing to cut the Alton Brown gang some slack.

Andy M. · 10-13-2009, 10:24 AM

I agree as well. Much too contrived to be interesting.

bigdaddy3k · 10-13-2009, 10:54 AM

I missed this! Maybe I should continue to miss the special. I do love the show though!

Ardge · 10-15-2009, 02:19 AM

You didn't miss much BigDaddy. I agree with the other's before me. The show was cheesey and, well,.. silly. Now, I know you're saying that Good Eats is cheesey and silly, but this was different. It was embarrassing almost and so NOT what I expected. Have you ever seen Alton Brown on the David Letterman show? Remember how awkward the vibe was? Picture that x 100. Pass on the repeat if you haven't seen it.

It was pretty much "hosted" by Ted Allen. He was Alton's "interviewer" in a segment that parodied James Lipton's Inside the Actors Studio. He then served as Alton's Sous in preparing some bizarre recipes a la the comedian Gallagher.

In all, I thought it was a waste of DVR space. There were numerous times I asked myself how mad I'd be if I were one of the people in the audience who most likely paid to be there. I'd be furious. I love Alton Brown and have learned so much from him, however this was a letdown. I was bummed out knowing what could have been would have been so much more than what was delivered. How's THAT for a sentence?

Later,
RJ

bigdaddy3k · 10-15-2009, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ardge

I was bummed out knowing what could have been would have been so much more than what was delivered.

(to be read in the voice of either Bill Curtis or William Shatner)

How much would have been, could a would have been chuck if a would have been chuck could chuck would have been?

spork · 10-16-2009, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigdaddy3k

(to be read in the voice of either Bill Curtis or William Shatner)

How much would have been, could a would have been chuck if a would have been chuck could chuck would have been?

That pretty much sums it up. It was badly scripted and embarrassingly acted. I watched it halfway, and had to switch my TV channel to anything but. But, that's okay. Anniversary parties are often awkward affairs, and AB & Good Eats deserve theirs. It's one of the best shows on TV.

A Good Eats Star Trek spoof would be hilarious! Maybe "The Trouble with Truffles"...

BreezyCooking · 10-16-2009, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spork

A Good Eats Star Trek spoof would be hilarious! Maybe "The Trouble with Truffles"...

Good Eats did do a Star Trek spoof in one episode (at least re: Spock), but I don't recall what the food topic was.

doug_k48 · 10-16-2009, 07:01 PM

You guys meen this show :)

YouTube - Good Eats 10th Anniversary Part 1/6

BreezyCooking · 10-17-2009, 01:04 PM

Yup.

danpeikes · 10-17-2009, 08:37 PM

I caught it and enjoyed it. You have to take it for what it was. It was a party to celebrate the 10th aniversiry. It was funny and provided some good backgroung on the show. Don't think Good Eats think Jay Leno. I got a chance to talk to AB about it on Thursday at his book signing in Chicago. Apparently it was very hard to do, and they had to do it twice in order to sell enough seats to pay for it and they still lost a boat load of money on it.

bigdaddy3k · 10-19-2009, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danpeikes

I caught it and enjoyed it. You have to take it for what it was. It was a party to celebrate the 10th aniversiry. It was funny and provided some good backgroung on the show. Don't think Good Eats think Jay Leno. I got a chance to talk to AB about it on Thursday at his book signing in Chicago. Apparently it was very hard to do, and they had to do it twice in order to sell enough seats to pay for it and they still lost a boat load of money on it.

Watched it last night via the magic of Tivo. I enjoyed it for what it was. But then I'm a bit mental.

My kids laughed.

That house was HUGE! They did it twice!? To a packed house?!
Just to pay for it? IT didn't seem like it would be that much. The production value was about $76.50. ;-)

Ah well, it's still one of the best shows out there.

TheNoodleIncident · 10-19-2009, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by danpeikes

Don't think Good Eats think Jay Leno.

I dunno - at least Leno isn't scripted word for word. The anniversary show felt totally unnatural.

I hate bashing anything that AB is involved in, but this just didnt do it for me. But it was still a big moment, and they still deserve credit for 10 years of great tv.

CharlieD · 10-19-2009, 04:33 PM

I don't know to me it seemed very much in line with his personality. If I were to script a show for him, that is exactly what I would put in the script. Hi is a bit nutty.

TheNoodleIncident · 10-19-2009, 04:53 PM

Quote:

I don't know to me it seemed very much in line with his personality. If I were to script a show for him, that is exactly what I would put in the script. Hi is a bit nutty.

totally agree with you there

i just wish they had gone without a script

doug_k48 · 10-19-2009, 11:15 PM

My wife and I watched it last nite...with all the ponchoes out there you would think Gallagher was doing to smash some watermelons! I am sure alot of them were disapointed as the front row did not even need them :(

bigdaddy3k · 10-20-2009, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doug_k48

My wife and I watched it last nite...with all the ponchoes out there you would think Gallagher was doing to smash some watermelons! I am sure alot of them were disapointed as the front row did not even need them :(

Ah but they got to keep the pancho!