25 Comments

  1. Does it matter if he’s bellowing from year to year “Where’s my quail?” or “Where’s my kingfish?” It’s the same old , same old. When he gets like that, I’m going “where’s my ‘ken remote?”
    Some folks watch Ma$terchef just for Marco week. I mean generosity might be the greatest fucking garnish of all time , tell that to an obese American gorging on a giant portion of everything.

    MPW just reminds me of bad school teachers I had who achieved through creating an environment of fear.

  2. I think ratings are a bit dubious these days. MC is repeated in the afternoons (while the baby is sleeping) and it can be watched free to air. I am not sure how they count these viewers.
    Plus we know the format so well now that if you don’t like the all-in-challenges, these can be skipped. Every night is not must see viewing.
    And then there are generational issues. My mother watches the news religiously, just in case something has happened in the last 5 minutes, whereas I only get my news from the Internet. I find tv news too repetitive, and slanted towards America and entertainment.
    So I wonder about the statistical process to extrapolate the numbers.
    I have my doubts.

    • Good points, Bob. I’m recording the afternoon encores because we can only record two shows simultaneously, so this frees up the 7.30 timeslot for other things (DH likes Cities of the Underworld etc). And I deliberately skipped the immunity pin ep, I find that the most boring.

      Interesting your comment about the news. The plus-60yo’s in my life also watch the news at 6.00 religiously, but I find it to be old news, having watched a bit of ABC Breakfast, and heard various updates through the day. One of the kids commented about a news item, saying that it happened days ago, but I knew that they had seen it for the first time that morning. Overnight news is old hat by the time the 6pm news comes.

      I’ve long been sceptical about the ratings process. There is so much that it doesn’t tell you, like how many people turn off during a program (bored, or unhappy with the content etc). With smart TVs you wonder why they can’t get some sort of data feedback re the channel that is being watched. I suppose many people might consider that a breach of privacy.

  3. We don’t mind MPW but it is too early in the season to actually care. First couple weeks should be getting to know the competitors and what they are capable of. What has been screened so far is not indicative of the best ‘amatas eva’ but people who a) have watched the show enough and know you can slip through on panna cotta, brownies and ravioli and mutterings about food dreams through crocodile tears b)one dish rehearsed well in the Top 50. Have another CWA challenge and we would bet half would flounder pretty badly.

    This week’s immunity pin challenge was fairly insipid. Cook pasta and then cook what ever you like against a young chef. The contestants should have been stretched as an immunity pin was up for grabs.

    We appreciate that quite a few commentators here were not fans of Masterclass but we liked that part the best. It was formulaic in that ‘here is what you stuffed up this week and this is what we would have done’ but it got people at home interested to try it and Coles (and Woolworths, well my local Woolies got on the bandwagon) would oblige with the ingredients and recipes. The participatory aspect is now missing.

    Thanks to you gice constantly mentioning it, we have noticed that the muzak is very video game-ish. It is almost over-produced and the editors seem to have forgotten the audience doesn’t know this years’ competitors yet to care. That is what Mystery Box should be about in the first couple weeks.

  4. I’ve watched bits of episodes this week purely because of MPW appearances. It does seem quite early in the series to have him around. I have not watched any other episodes. I did not watch any of the ammunity pin challenge this week either. Have always thought it is complete BS to have home cooks competing against professional chefs.
    I hope I haven’t missed Shannon Bennett. He seems to be a real sweetie.

  5. Also MPW has lost his spark and he is very predictable with his ‘where is my prawn, where is my fish…..’

    Also even though the 3 stooges said the show is not about them, the ads have the 3 of them promoting MC. Those slow mo with George distributing the food is painful to watch. Why cant they show more of the dishes cooked by the contestants.

  6. MKR fatigue…. if 10 were smart they’d try to air the season post AFL Grand Final (break over xmas) and finish in Jan pre Aus Open.

  7. I’ve been trying not to watch this week because of MPW. I can tolerate a little of him, but they make him play up his mean “character” so OTT, that it turns me off. Especially when the glimpses of humanity prove that the meanness is an act.

    Unfortunately, I’m finding George really repellent this season. Has he got more obnoxious, or is my tolerance reduced?

    • I am finding George annoying and dislikable this year, too. Usually Gary is the I want to smack, but George is unusually condescending and arrogant this series. Perhaps he believed all the pre-season hype and is acting accordingly.

      I do like Marco, enjoy listening to him because I generally learn something. I think he is better left to later in the competition, though, when some of the deadheads and one-dish-only people are gone. There are so many guest chefs and cooks to squeeze in, and Marco’s name must have been first out of the hat.

      My perception is different; I think he is mellower this year. Personally, I will be skipping episodes when Nigella Lawson is on.

  8. Well, I’ve lived up to my promise not to turn on my TV to Channel 10 at 7.30 so far this week. Will probably do the same when Maggie Beer and Nigella appear.

    Not that I give a bugger about ratings, and nor, do I suspect, do they care about me. 😆

    • When Nigella was on the show previously, the contestants were told not to engage with her at all. I remember reading about a week after the event in the paper. Some of them had been hoping for photos and autographs – nada. From previous seasons the “amatas” wrongly believed that the celebrity chefs would become their new best mates, share amusing anecdotes, give tips etc. etc. Have to admit, it put me right off her. At least Marco gives the illusion of a) learning their names b) actually remembering what they’ve cooked before c) gives somewhat inspirational speeches
      Yep Maggie the cook flogging her verjuice. sigh…

      • Nigella loves the passion of these cooks, just don’t ask her to share her coke with them.

      • I’ll give you a) and b), that’s true. But c) – the inspirational advice really irks me. He trots out more cliches than a post-rugby game interview.

      • I hate it when these people think their sh#t don’t stink and they are far better than anyone else. They can go and get stuffed.

  9. I’m just a bit bored with the whole show. If it wasn’t for keeping up with what people are posting here and Juz’s fab recaps i probably wouldn’t bother at all.
    And as other posters have noted George is particularly repellent this season.

  10. This is the first season where I haven’t at least fast forwarded through every episode. Once I can work out who all the girls are I will be more into it. Agreed – coming so soon after MKR was a mistake. Even a break of a few weeks would have been good.

  11. These cloche rounds are BORING! Such contrived drama.
    Who is Anastacia?
    That stupid up man bun on Harry looks ridiculous !

  12. I am bored stiff this season by the same old, same old food and repetitive mantras the chefs and the wanna bes sprout. I particularly dislike MPW. Thank goodness for ff. There really aren’t any contestants making me excited this year. They all seemed to have shot their bolt at the auditions and there ain’t nutting left. I too am only hanging in with the show so I know what you are all talking about.

  13. Ratings not so good. So roll George and Gary ti do some promotion in Syd. I heard them on a radio station that is more for mature listeners. Not their target audience.

    • LP. I’m pretty sure that photo is from his wedding to Matilda, the mother of his sons, in 2000.

      I did see this picture in some newspaper and it was captioned as though the wedding were April 2016.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *