Serious Eats
What (Not) to Watch This Week
It's week two of Top Chef, Season Three, and I'm contractually obligated to watch (Bravo, Wednesday, 10 p.m. ET). If you missed last week's opener, don't be afraid to wade in. These first weeks are pretty much all the same—"Sorry to see you go, we hardly knew ya." Top Chef is very forgiving to viewers who come late to the party, or just want to drop in for an episode here or there.
On a related note: Frank Bruni of the New York Times is weighing in on the show or, more specifically, on the judging policies of the show. He even gets a response in his comments from Tom Colicchio, who defends the integrity of the process. Unfortunately, for most of us who have been through multiple seasons of Project Runway, the specter of "producer influenced" decisions is very old news. Top Chef isn't a game show, it's a television show, as Bruni rightly asserts, and anyone who can't live with that should probably stick to The Price Is Right. Unless, of course, they end up shooting a reality show to pick a new host.
Speaking of which, for those of you who don't really care for Top Chef's format, I thought I might take another look at The Next Food Network Star (Food Network, Sunday, 9 p.m. ET). The show is also in its third season, and like Top Chef, you'll find clips and commentary on the web site.
Since the show is more about finding a TV host than a restaurant chef, you'd think that it would make for better television. You can't taste the food on Top Chef, but you can certainly judge the appeal of a celery-chopping talking head. Unfortunately, it's just. too. painful. to. actually. watch. The hosts who are judging the contest are themselves unwatchable. And the contestants—well, don't get me started.
If you have any interest whatsoever in this reality serial, please try before you buy. I recommend sampling several of the videos before changing your Sunday night TV plans.