GBBO Caramel week! 2021 #2 thread

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

New thread for tonight. Will they have to replicate a Tunnock's product? Creme caramel? Can't think what else they might have to do.

That’s lovely re Jürgen’s Tweet - I really liked his understated vibe.
Agree re Ph, why does his handshake carry more weight than Pru’s opinion? They’ve changed every other presenter/judge so it’s time he went I think.

@SchadenfreudePersonified I agree, but that's probably down to the producers rather than Matt and Noel. I also think their jokes were generally unfunny and borderline offensive but there doesn't seem to be any bad blood between them and Jürgen. Mind you, he thanked his supporters and the presenters, congratulated the finalists but said nothing about Paul or Prue...

@Frezia

The more I think about yesterday's episode the more it makes me angry. So bizarre and mean spirited from Paul. Poor Jürgen, the victim of Paul's inflated ego. He puts down anyone who doesn't show sufficient reverence.

I agree with this, Paul seems to think he's bigger than the show and is easily flattered by people like crystelle flattering his ego. Personally I'd put far more weight in Pru's opinion, although for me Mary Berry was the Queen of that show.

To be honest I would find even speaking to Paul and Pru, quite difficult while trying to bake something increasingly complicated in half the time it would normally take let alone Matt and Noel.
Maybe the contestants do find them funnier than comes across on screen. I imagine between takes and in breaks in filming they might be quite amusing , but I think I'd find it annoying to speak with any of them when I was concentrating on complicated baking.
I would be crap on the programme though - I'd probably end up ignoring everyone when they were trying to talk to me, as well as not being a proficient Baker!!

[quote Frezia]@SchadenfreudePersonified Jürgen made a really nice tweet about Noel and Matt and doesn't seem as the sort of person who'd say something like that without meaning it. Their interactions were probably edited to play upon the "blunt German with no sense of humour" stereotype. [/quote]
Tbh I liked Jürgen's no nonsense approach - no matter what Matt or Noel said, he just deadpanned them and cracked on with what he was doing, unflustered and unbothered by their disturbances.

That was what I loved about him - he was infinitely reliable and unflappable, no matter what was thrown at him, and you could see that Noel and Matt took it as a bit of a challenge to see how far they could go to get a reaction while Paul took it as a personal insult that whatever he did or said, Jurgen just took it on the chin and didn't start squealing/crying/justifying choices etc, he just carried on as he was before.

It's funny isn't it - a few years back a favourite had a shocker in the semis, but they didn't get rid of him "because looking at his performance over the series, he has been great."

Then last night, Jurgen was (apparently) bottom - but they didn't look at performance over the series as a whole, it's "oh you're only as good as your last bake."

Inconsistency to fit the producers' "narrative!"

Maybe Paul gives handshakes occasionally to give his hand a break from his self-congratulatory wanking.

@Hetty0 I agree but even last week I thought it appeared they had decided to get rid of Lizzie because Crystelle was more consistent over the series.

I had a sneaking feeling Jurgen would go when he was the only one to be confident in the intro.

Probably the highest quality semi ever. I wondered if they might put all four through to the final.

Agree they should have tested the towers as well as the entremets.

iklboo

Indeed. 😏

In which case Juergen should be relieved.

Sorry Jürgen.

My auto carrot pleased itself there.

The review in The Times on Tuesday morning said that the standard was so high that really all 4 should be able to proceed to the final. I took this as a Sign and confidently predicted to DH and DD that there was in fact going to be a strange twist…

So basically I looked like a knob .

I think you have to watch for the editing. It’s edited from the standpoint that they know who has won. DH and I think that the final winner gets very little airtime in the earlier rounds - if you remember even Nadiya Hussein was very much in the background until quite towards the end, ditto the really good medic guy David a couple of series ago. (One of the other contestants in that series, the young guy Henry, occasionally writes in the Times, and he said that David was always so good and so ferociously organised that once he knocked up a round of biscuits for the crew as he had so much extra time during a bake, plus always did his own washing up!)

So I’m going for Chigs on that basis, I think - has had a slow burn and come in from under the radar. My feel is the Giuseppe has been too “obviously centre stage”. That was definitely the case with Juergen.

Just checked back through this series
Jurgen won Star Baker 3 times
Guiseppe won Star Baker 2 times
Crystelle. won Star Baker. 2 times
Chigs. won Star Baker 2 times

Technical Placings total divided by 9 shows.
Lowest score is the best at Technical challenge :
Jurgen 2.7
Guiseppe 3.0
Chigs. 4.4
Crystelle. 5.8

Jurgen was robbed.

If we're talking consistency, Chigs had two excellent bakes last night and one absolute disaster. Jürgen had three good bakes. When nobody had a perfect week and nobody had a bad week, the decision to send anyone home was always going to seem arbitrary and unfair.

As others have said, what's the point of Pru if Paul's verdict is the only one that counts? The fecking handshake thing gives him that extra bit of say.

Even setting editing impressions aside - (i.e. lets give Paul the benefit of the doubt that he hadnt really taken against Jurgen) the decision to let Jurgen go in the face of his consistency and technical achievements is so manifestly unfair it has made me quite annoyed.

It rather suggests they went this way for "controversy! "based media coverage, or because the programme needs a certain type of winner, or indeed both. Which rather takes away the enjoyment of the whole thing for me at least.

Its also hard to overlook Paul's complete disregard for Pru's judging, it feels incidental to him, he rarely interacts with her in any consultative sense.

Big boo from me.

"Its also hard to overlook Paul's complete disregard for Pru's judging, it feels incidental to him, he rarely interacts with her in any consultative sense."

Exactly this, it seems she's only there to reinforce his opinion. Any disagreement seems to be very mild, it's always made clear he's running the show and has the last word. And she's more than qualified.

There is a head judge in Strictly whose vote carries more weight when the vote is split in the dance off, but there are also three other judges so the power balance isn't so unfair. When there are only two and one always overpowers the other, and it also happens to be the man vs the woman, and the mean^^ judge at that, it just feels like a one man ego trip.

Perhaps Prue wouldn't have offered a handshake to one of the other contestants in the first challenge 🤷‍♀️

It's a big boo from me too, definitely the wrong result
I came on here because I knew most of you would feel the same &

If I was Prue I’d be offering my hand. Or a Prue Hug.

Paul is not a god. He isn’t that special that he is healing the sick with the merest touch. His handshake doesn’t guarantee them successful soufflés.

Can he bake? Of course.

But I’d rather have titbits off Prue than sit at the table of ole hairy.

@cardoon

It's a big boo from me too, definitely the wrong result I came on here because I knew most of you would feel the same &

And I would like to add my boo to your boo.

BOO!

Adding to the booooooos as well!

I'm struggling to succinctly explain how I feel but my sentiments are largely the same as pp. Too much about Paul's ego, too much arsing about from Noel and Matt. Crystelle's work seeing quite samey in terms of flavours and looks.

Cumulatively it's been irritating but I've still enjoyed the show, however Juergen going changes things. It's not because he was my favourite (he wasn't) but it feels so inconsistent I think it's out of order. I feel like it was a decision made for reasons other than baking whether favouritism, personality whatever.

Incidentally, I know last year on the threads we were talking about how the quality wasn't amazing but covid played a part. I think this year the quality has been fortunately better but there's still too much style over substance such as those see through globes or last night's centrepieces which then aren't really eaten or judged.

I completely agree with what you say maggie

I can say it succinctly.

It is contrived and predetermined - more so in the latter stages. It feels like a fix in simpler terms.

I for one hope that Lizzie is the one who gets the telly programmes, the book deals, the guest appearances. With Jurgen as her co host if needs be.

I don’t want to watch simpering presenters. There are enough of them.

Looks aren’t everything when it comes to baking either. I’ve never eaten fairy cakes as good as my granny’s. They were all wonky. And quite possibly made brief acquaintances with the floor a la the sausage roll.

It is about the love of it all and the love that goes in it for me.

I’m so disappointed with their recent decisions.

@iklboo

Maybe Paul gives handshakes occasionally to give his hand a break from his self-congratulatory wanking.

SNORT

I love Chrystell shirt. Anyone know where it's from?

For me the fact that Prue isn't a baker but a generalist when Mary Berry was known for her baking makes a big difference. Mary was also a foil to Paul when he was scathing she would always find a positive.