Why I Love The Great British Baking Show: A Story in Screenshots

In light of all of the unsettling things happening in the world, please allow me to talk about something pleasant, uplifting, and downright delightful: The Great British Baking Show.

Matt and I like the show so much that we’ve taken to dissecting exactly why. Here are some reasons we’ve discussed in detail, even sometimes at 3am after Isaac's woken us both up.

1. The Hosts Are Subtly, Consistently Hilarious

2. The Hosts Aren’t Dressed Like This:

I got tired of searching the Internet for sexy Padma shots, but you get the idea, right?

3. They Are Dressed Like This and They Wear the Same Pants Every Episode!:

Go ahead and click on this photo to enlarge it and really examine those pants!

5. The Judges Say Things Like, “Bang on.” and “That’s a nice bake.” A Lot.

6. The Show Features Old People! And They’re Not Discriminated Against!

I realize that this is a show for amateur bakers so a direct comparison to Top Chef isn’t exactly fair, but I find it so refreshing to see older people on TV doing things that aren’t stereotypical “old people” things! Sidebar, I recently read this superb essay, in which the author, Roger Angell, writes about life in his nineties. The essay itself is so vibrant, quick, and well: full of life. Here’s a sample of a section that really got to me:

Here I am in a conversation with some trusty friends—old friends but actually not all that old: they’re in their sixties—and we’re finishing the wine and in serious converse about global warming in Nyack or Virginia Woolf the cross-dresser. There’s a pause, and I chime in with a couple of sentences. The others look at me politely, then resume the talk exactly at the point where they’ve just left it. What? Hello? Didn’t I just say something? Have I left the room? Have I experienced what neurologists call a TIA—a transient ischemic attack? I didn’t expect to take over the chat but did await a word or two of response. Not tonight, though. (Women I know say that this began to happen to them when they passed fifty.) When I mention the phenomenon to anyone around my age, I get back nods and smiles. Yes, we’re invisible. Honored, respected, even loved, but not quite worth listening to anymore. You’ve had your turn, Pops; now it’s ours.

7. No Reynolds Wrap Challenges! No Frito-Lay Challenges! No Instagram Challenges! No Constant Close-Ups Of Product-Placements!

8. The Competition is the Opposite of Cutthroat. Everyone Is Nice To Each Other. The Goodbyes Are Sweet And Heartfelt!

9. I Like Every Contestant. They Are All Nice.

10. Everyone Has Their Own Work Station, So There’s No Crazy Scrambling To Trample Your Fellow Competitors To Grab Your Ingredients!

11. It’s Set During the Weekend and in an Idyllic Countryside Somewhere in England, Which in Turn, Makes it Less Like This:

And More Like This:

12. The Winner Doesn’t Get Cash Money at The End. In Fact, They Don't Win Anything at All! Just Flowers! But Guess Who Else Gets Flowers? Everybody.

Please note the pants. Always the same.

p.s This is all based on the one and only season available on Netflix. When will Netflix get more seasons?!