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Rant: Dear Bravo, Please Stop The Obvious Editing on Top Chef

Gee, I wonder who was going to pack their knives last night?

Honestly, I was going to do a Top Chef culinary recap today, but I'm just not feeling it, especially after last night's episode ("Capitol Grill") fell into the same trap that recent episodes of Top Chef have (which I bemoaned last week at length).

I understand that we're in the early rounds right now and there are still a lot of contestants to cover but I've officially had it with the editing on Top Chef this season as within five minutes of each episode beginning, it's painfully obvious to anyone who has ever watched a reality competition series just who will be getting eliminated that week.

Is Top Chef about more than just who packs their knives and who walks away the winner that week? Sure. It's a culinary-themed competition and as a voracious foodie, I love watching the chefs at work. But it also can't lose sight of the fact that it's also a reality competition series and that much of tension derived from such a format emanates from the fact that someone will be going home that week.

To erase that possibility by cheating attention to the eliminated party and focusing on them throughout the episode denies the viewer that hook. I'll still be watching Top Chef and likely writing about it but this week the continued trend just irked me to such a degree that I can't bring myself to actually discuss the, you know, food.

Magical Elves and Top Chef editors: please get it together and stop tipping your hand at the top of every installment. I'm begging you.

Next week on Top Chef ("Room Service"), the chefs are tasked with creating baby food for Padma's newborn baby; later, the chefs are tested on their hospitality service.
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Comments

Kate said…
Well, at least anonymous can't complain about your descriptions of the food this week. I finished watching it last night and asked myself if I really wanted to keep watching when it is so predictable. My TV time is limited and Top Chef isn't convincing me to keep them in rotation, even if they do bring back Obi-Wan as a judge. Any word on the new pastry spin off?
7/01/2010
Bella Spruce said…
It was a pretty lackluster episode. Of course, it's just the beginning of the season but I have to say that I am now enjoying Top Chef Masters much more.
7/01/2010
greebs said…
I'm just bummed that Rosie O'Donnell got kicked off. She's needed work for awhile now.

Yes, I'm going to hell.
7/01/2010
ruprecht said…
Maybe instead of blaming the editors you should blame the producers, or better yet - Bravo... they are the ones that really call the shots anyway, smartypants.
7/01/2010
Jace Lacob said…
Ruprecht,

Um, yes. Hence my headline, "Dear Bravo." Not sure what the confusion is...
7/01/2010
rockauteur said…
I hope nobody takes offense to this comment but what's with Bravo continuing to cast a fat lesbian chef who gets eliminated in the third or fourth episode of the season? Rosie O'Donnell follows last season's early ouster of Jessie, another chef who can't cook but think they can. These early candidates lately seem more in tune for Hell's Kitchen than Top Chef. Memo to Bravo casting department: get talented chefs!!!!

Also of note: I think they HATED Kenny's elimination challenge dish last night. Even though he had immunity, they only covered his dish for one comment last night. Tom had his head down in that shot, not eating, while Gail gave one toss-off comment (I can't remember what it was) about the meat. Don't think they liked it at all.

Also, all the blatant self promoting of Just Desserts has got to stop!
7/01/2010
Anonymous said…
They edit Project Runway that way, too. Often times, they've never profiled or even focused on someone, then will do so after the first five minutes and throughout the episode then it's ALWAYS that person that goes home. Do they think we're stupid after 10 years of reality watching??
7/04/2010
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