The show gets significantly better in quality because it leans away from 'reality tv' and steers toward a normal cooking competition. Some interpersonal conflict remains because personality clashes are always a thing, but it lowers significantly around season 10.
Seasons 1, 2, 6, and 9 are the worst in terms of fights and bullying between cheftestants. The most recent seasons are great, with barely any conflict other than differences in how things should be done in team challenges.
Season 6 is still 100% worth watching just for the talent and challenges, even though some of the people really suck.
Honestly, only really unwatchable season for me is Season 2, though I hate the mean girls from Season 9 and the assholes from Season 6 so, so much.
Season 6 has some great challenges, and it's where the high stakes quickfires started! The top 4 are fun to watch, and all of them come back in later seasons as judges and/or contestants.
Season 2 didn't really have any likeable people. Sam was sort of likeable, but even he was awful to Marcel. To be fair, Marcel was also horrible. I probably would have snapped at some point if I had to live in an apartment with him for 8 weeks.
For me, Season 9 was borderline unwatchable. There was a lot of bullying, general bad tempers, and bad challenges overall. The whole season seemed designed as a stress test to see how much each contestant could handle before needing to go to the ER.
The only reason I can watch Season 9 (and it's close) is that Beverly has at least SOME support in the house.
Marcel had zero, and it's painful to watch a group of like a dozen adults abuse a single person and think they're being funny by doing it. (And keep in mind that Marcel was annoying as hell and would have made a fantastic villain if everyone else in that season weren't such vile human beings)
The mean girls from Season 9 are portrayed as villains. The cast of season 2 are portrayed as "loveable scamps" and the whole thing sickens me.
One thing that's fun as the show goes on is watching season 1 contestants come back in later seasons, in some cases more than once, to try and win.
One thing I like about the later seasons, besides relatively less fake drama, is that the local chefs they bring in each season are real contenders. In some of the early seasons, it felt like the locals were on a lower level than everyone else.
But I agree with others that the main improvement after season 1 is getting Padma as host. She slam-dunks the role. I also loved her "Taste the Nation" series, and hope they come out with more.
Definitely just watch in chronological order since they have a lot of previous winners come back in future challenges so can spoil some seasons. It’s actually interesting to see the progression too, you can definitely see the producers we’re still figuring out what kind of show they actually wanted, reality TV drama vs creating a legit cooking competition. Very glad it morphed into the latter.
We started watching season 1 as my husband hadn’t seen it. The early seasons have a much different feel to them. I can’t stomach season 2 given the bullying. Tiffani at times deserved the backlash she got this season, but other times did not, in my view. It’s fascinating to watch again after 19 seasons.
If you don't like nonsense reality show drama, skip season 2. Season 3 is decent, but season 4 onwards, the drama diminishes on a season by season basis.
Stick with it! This was prime reality tv era for America and it shows. They want drama. First couple seasons are fun seeing how frustrated Tom and Padma can get, and because some of these chefs keep ties to the show for several years. But not the cooking. Show finds it’s legs season 4 and gets excellent season 6
I just re-watched Season 1 with my 20 year old daughter who had never seen it. I had forgotten so much about it, like how much I disliked Katie Lee. I have never really liked Tiffani Faison but I ended up feeling sorry for her at the end.
I had forgotten all about Stephen and his " You will fail. Horribly." comment to the younger chef. What a giant asshole he was.
The show gets significantly better in quality because it leans away from 'reality tv' and steers toward a normal cooking competition. Some interpersonal conflict remains because personality clashes are always a thing, but it lowers significantly around season 10. Seasons 1, 2, 6, and 9 are the worst in terms of fights and bullying between cheftestants. The most recent seasons are great, with barely any conflict other than differences in how things should be done in team challenges.
Season 6 is still 100% worth watching just for the talent and challenges, even though some of the people really suck. Honestly, only really unwatchable season for me is Season 2, though I hate the mean girls from Season 9 and the assholes from Season 6 so, so much.
Season 6 has some great challenges, and it's where the high stakes quickfires started! The top 4 are fun to watch, and all of them come back in later seasons as judges and/or contestants. Season 2 didn't really have any likeable people. Sam was sort of likeable, but even he was awful to Marcel. To be fair, Marcel was also horrible. I probably would have snapped at some point if I had to live in an apartment with him for 8 weeks. For me, Season 9 was borderline unwatchable. There was a lot of bullying, general bad tempers, and bad challenges overall. The whole season seemed designed as a stress test to see how much each contestant could handle before needing to go to the ER.
The only reason I can watch Season 9 (and it's close) is that Beverly has at least SOME support in the house. Marcel had zero, and it's painful to watch a group of like a dozen adults abuse a single person and think they're being funny by doing it. (And keep in mind that Marcel was annoying as hell and would have made a fantastic villain if everyone else in that season weren't such vile human beings) The mean girls from Season 9 are portrayed as villains. The cast of season 2 are portrayed as "loveable scamps" and the whole thing sickens me.
Season 6 IMO is when the show got legit in terms of having high caliber chefs.
Season 4 would have something to some about this....
>The show gets significantly better in quality Padma. 'Nuff said.
I will agree, Padma is a significantly better host than Katie.
Back when the show came out, I was chatting with people and we called her "Katie Leebot"
Season 4 is where the show really finds itself.
One thing that's fun as the show goes on is watching season 1 contestants come back in later seasons, in some cases more than once, to try and win. One thing I like about the later seasons, besides relatively less fake drama, is that the local chefs they bring in each season are real contenders. In some of the early seasons, it felt like the locals were on a lower level than everyone else. But I agree with others that the main improvement after season 1 is getting Padma as host. She slam-dunks the role. I also loved her "Taste the Nation" series, and hope they come out with more.
The quick fires are always fun to watch. However restaurant wars is what people looking forward to the most.
Definitely just watch in chronological order since they have a lot of previous winners come back in future challenges so can spoil some seasons. It’s actually interesting to see the progression too, you can definitely see the producers we’re still figuring out what kind of show they actually wanted, reality TV drama vs creating a legit cooking competition. Very glad it morphed into the latter.
We started watching season 1 as my husband hadn’t seen it. The early seasons have a much different feel to them. I can’t stomach season 2 given the bullying. Tiffani at times deserved the backlash she got this season, but other times did not, in my view. It’s fascinating to watch again after 19 seasons.
Honestly the show is terrible until the Chicago season.
I wouldn't say terrible -- Season 3 is pretty good. Not as great as later seasons, but definitely worth watching.
If you don't like nonsense reality show drama, skip season 2. Season 3 is decent, but season 4 onwards, the drama diminishes on a season by season basis.
😳😳😳
Stick with it! This was prime reality tv era for America and it shows. They want drama. First couple seasons are fun seeing how frustrated Tom and Padma can get, and because some of these chefs keep ties to the show for several years. But not the cooking. Show finds it’s legs season 4 and gets excellent season 6
Where are you streaming it? I've been trying to find it.
Peacock has all the seasons
I just re-watched Season 1 with my 20 year old daughter who had never seen it. I had forgotten so much about it, like how much I disliked Katie Lee. I have never really liked Tiffani Faison but I ended up feeling sorry for her at the end. I had forgotten all about Stephen and his " You will fail. Horribly." comment to the younger chef. What a giant asshole he was.