TV cooking contest shows

[ElSapo]

I think the Food Network has done themselves a real diservice here. Which, ok, maybe isn't the end of the world or anything. After all, it's a cable network about food and they're probably doing just fine.

But what happened last night and last week, I think, represents a gap between where FN is now and where they're going.

The new shows seem to target some apparent need to produce decent food in little to no time. There's an obvious push away from anything more complicated, as if the network fears its viewers have a complete hatred of anything complex.

Assuming this was true, it just seems like FN is educating its viewers on the basics but then not graduating them. There's only so many times you can watch very simple food prepared very quickly — at some point your viewers will either stop gaining and so stop watching, or stop gaining and want something more, something FN doesn't do.

So the folks at Food Network voted off Amy - not approachable, too snooty, or whatever. And then, when the whole Jag thing hit the fan, they bring Amy back and the country votes for her.

That seems to me like they're a little out of touch with their audience.

And what a disaster - Rory having to lose to someone she previously beat, and with no additional challenge? Ugh. I really disliked Rory and I really liked Amy, but still, that's a lousy, lousy way for it to go down.

I think I would definitely watch Amy's show. I don't find her cooking all that complicated (jesus, she baked some eggs and the judges said she was unapproachable. She baked eggs.) ... But while her food isn't too much more complicated it maybe is a step or so above some of the other stuff.

It amazes me they let Good Eats survive. I love that show, but I wonder how it stacks up against others.

Granted, I'm coming at this from a different point of view than most people watching the network (culinary school). But I get the sense FN is really missing something, and last night's train wreck of an episode was a good sign of that.