I have a new reality TV obsession. I bow to thee, Top Chef, O King of Reality TV.
Here’s the deal. I never wanted to be THAT GUY. You know THAT GUY…he’s the one who watches all sorts of bad reality television and can’t help but spout off about it on a regular basis. But I am THAT GUY.
The truth is…the only mainstream reality that I watch is the new Season of The Apprentice. The rest of the reality TV that I watch resides on that station in the middle of the numbers called BRAVO. Owned by NBC, Bravo came to recognition originally with interesting shows like Inside the Actor’s Studio with James Lipton (brilliantly lampooned by Will Ferrell years back on SNL). Then came Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. That show was kind of the Tipping Point for the network, which followed it by Heidi Klum’s Project Runway (a show I can’t watch, but that Alli absolutely loves). As the Project Runway season came to a close, they began advertising a show “from the producers of Project Runway” called Top Chef.
Now, I LIKE cooking shows…I don’t love them, but I like them enough to sit and watch Boy Meets Grill with Bobby Flay in about 3 hour blocks if they are running a marathon of shows and there is nothing else on. But Top Chef intrigued me.
Then, Bravo embraced the awesomeness that is the iTunes Music Store and offered the Pilot episode for download through their video store. I thought that was a brilliant move on their part (one that NBC subsequently copied with its show Conviction, a show I downloaded, but never watched). I downloaded the initial episode and I was totally hooked.
What makes Top Chef so completely genius is what makes reality television so popular. THE CHARACTERS. Depsite the fact that they are “real people”, they aren’t exactly what one would call “normal”. There are some of the largest egos and biggest train wrecks ever on that show and I love it for that.
And it is a really interesting show, too. There are some extremely talented (albeit very eccentric) chefs on the show and I have already found myself rooting for my favorite (Harold) and rooting against the “villain” (Steven). It’s just really compelling television.
As much as I hate to admit it.
Well, it is no Project Runway but it isn’t bad. I jumped into watching it the last two weeks and it has the same addictive chemical as the apprentice does for me. You don’t really want to watch it but every week you head back. It is interesting and has cool challenges for cooking. It has also made me realize what an unsophisticated palette I have! So what – I love Chipotle!
I’ve never met your wife, but I’d already welcome her into my home with open arms. Project Runway is a staple at our household. I’ll have to give Top Chef a shot, but I can’t seem to get past the fact that it’s sitting in the coveted spot where Heidi and Tim Gunn and friends once sat.
I’m hooked as well … it’s probably the only show I can get in to. All the other just seem to be back stabbing and cat fights.
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