Thursday Movie Picks: Television Edition: Competitive Reality Shows

A weekly series hosted by Wandering Through the Shelves

I'm one of those people who think reality shows are dumb, hence don't watch them, and judge whoever watches them. But the truth is that I too am guilty of watching such shows. Sure, I might not die of excitement waiting for the week's episode of Big Brother, or The Bachelor, or whatever, but I do love me some cooking reality shows. So yeah, that's what I'm going to pick for this week's Thursday Movie Picks.

The Great British Bake Off (2010- )

Each season a group of amateur bakers compete against each other in a series of rounds to impress the judges. A contestant is eliminated more or less each round and one of the finalists become the winner. 

I'm not into baking at all but I liked watching this show. And the bakers are actually talented as opposed to those in the Italian version. We have a huge judge though. 

MasterChef USA (2010- )

Each season a group of amateur cooks compete against each other to impress the judges. As above, each round a contestant is eliminated and the winner is selected at the final by the judges. 

This I absolutely love. It is way more competitive than Bake Off, and I learnt so much by watching this show. Did you know that make the perfect fish for fish & chips you have to salt the fish in advance? I didn't. But now thanks to this and Gordon Ramsay I do. 

MasterChef Italia (2011- )

It is exactly the same as the American one. Of course, the judges aren't the same. Although for some time they both had Joe Bastianich. Anyway, if I know how to cook is thanks to this one. I started watching when I was 16 (10 years ago) with my mom and it's been the one thing we watch together ever since. And we usually support the same contestant too. Btw this year a gay contestant won and he proposed to his boyfriend on TV and it was so freaking moving... damn! I'm crying again.