MasterChef 2.0 is coming
If you think MasterChef has lost a bit of soul this year you're not alone -but there are already plans to restore its brand for 2012.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under News
It’s been almost impossible to ignore the growing dissent over this year’s edition of MasterChef.
The show has been attracting good numbers but viewers and critics have been expressing their disappointment in the series.
Favouring certain contestants, unfair Immunity challenges, dull contestants, uninspiring dishes, accidental Spoilers, strict behind-the-scenes rules, unnecessary lockdowns -the list of complaints grows with each passing week. Dani’s cook-off against Eamon Sullivan this week saw a major backlash amid cries he is not a professional chef.
But at the heart of the problem has been a shift from celebrating the talents of ordinary Aussies to raising the bar higher and higher -to levels of incredulity. The drama no longer emerges from a contestant’s ability to rise to their own ambitions but in trying to top the shock-and-awe of a previous challenge.
While the judges try and tell us this is ‘tough love’ in the grooming of a professional chef, it’s hard to know how “lockdown” in a New York hotel room contributes to character. What’s next, Siberian salt mines?
All of this contrasts enormously to the first season when it was a breath of fresh air to have a Reality show that wasn’t chockful of nasty judges and heroes and villains. Remember that show?
TV Tonight understands the changes -and the audience response- has not gone unnoticed.
The powers that be are looking to see the soul restored into MasterChef for its 2012 season. While there are no expressed plans to change the judging line-up, there are rumblings that the brand has to be restored. But there will be an uphill battle to win back audience trust.
Later this year Junior MasterChef returns. It will again be produced by Shine Australia which takes ownership of the main event for 2012. This will see it under the helm of the creative team that produced the first season.
While the current edition is heading to its finale, nobody in the inner circle is keen to have a detailed discussion about the misgivings of this season.
But there are already plans for MasterChef 2.0.
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66 Responses
@sarah h
Agreed. Remember that David chooses his accompanying pics with care and this one is a beauty. Much as I’d like to say what I really think of those poseurs it’s hard to top that photo.
@sasha – spot on. It’s a betrayal of the viewers trust, imo.
It would be nice to see the show’s producers or judges come out and at least admit there has been a failing this season. They Must realise the show, the episodes, the contestants, the challenges – they have all been seriously lacking this year. I don’t think Junior Masterchef is going to help their cause either…way too much of the brand I reckon, especially when My Kitchen Rules is kicking butt and actually demonstrating all the things that MKR once had but has now left behind.
I think one of the main issues here is that MKR really has taken the shine off masterchef. IMO it is a better produced show – much more cooking, fanntastic casting and there is a sincerity that is still tangible (hope MKR can maintain). MCA got too big for its boots. They are the over-gilded lilly. The greasy, fattening, garish main course after a simply delicious and beautifully presented entree that was MKR.
Oh, and putting Matt Moran in was a mistake. It’s become a real boys club (which is why all the pretty young things get to stay in) and not enough soft edges at all.
Like many shows like this, it’s the judge’s massive egos that eventually ruin things. Although this show is so disappointing in many ways. Last night’s challenge wasn’t even about creating food. Most stuff was prepared and they merely had to put it together. Anyone with kitchen confidence could have done it.
I’ve said it before Australia just doesn’t have the population to support these shows year after year. MC, Idol, BB, SYTYCD, DWTS, etc etc all go sour after a few seasons as the networks try to keep us interested and end up screwing up the entire package.
Run them every 2nd year and we will return to watch.
Didn’t catch much of last night but what disturbed me was the number of people wandering around the tarmac of Sydney Airport and working in a kitchen within a sterile area of the airport without ASIC passes or visitor passes visable.
Agree with the comments regarding unfair favoritism towards certain contestants. They should bring in a female judge for 2012.
Cheers
They have lost me as a viewer this season, the incredibly obvious favouritism to certain contestants, particurly in the immunity challenges, just rubbed me the wrong way.
I agree with Karlos, a lot of the challenges this time have just been way too hard, these are supposed to be home cooks!
Dan – totally agree about last night’s result.
Dani burnt toast and produced awful BLT sandwiches!
Ellie failed to plate up within the supposed 20 minute time limit
Their performance in the kitchen was shambolic…
yet – they won the challenge!!!
The three best chefs remaining are all facing elimination tonight and the two worst chefs – Ellie and Dani – continue in the competition???
What odds the challenge tonight will be a dessert? Kate’s speciality!
I think they should replace George with Anna Gare. I thought she did a great job on Junior Masterchef last year and George’s mannerisms and sayings are starting to really irritate me. Seriously, who says “it’s time to boom shake the room”? And you don’t need to finish every sentence with “yeah?”
Having a female judge with the two males would balance things out nicely.
Spot-on article, it encapsulates the problems that MCA has had this season and I am glad that the powers-that-be are paying attention to the cries from the bleachers. They ignore them at their peril. Series Four needs to be a vastly improved effort on this season, otherwise ratings in 2012 are going to fall off a cliff. They can’t have a repeat of this series, it will completely destroy the brand.
This season has, quite frankly, been dismal and has been so unlike the original first series that I wonder if it is the same program. Problems have been numerous: dull and uninspiring cast of contestants (in my opinion, the season’s biggest Achilles heel, casting is so crucial.) – check; barely disguised favouritism towards certain unnamed contestants that has thoroughly enraged viewers – check; ludicrous and borderline sadistic shock-and-awe challenges that routinely produce sloppy, uninspired food and contestant stress outs – check; ridiculous and unachievable time frames given for complex challenges – check; total lack of any true heart and an almost complete disregard for inspired examples of achievable, high quality home cooking that viewers can attempt – sadly, check. My Kitchen Rules, which screened earlier this year, was much more enjoyable than this series of MCA.
even though i was not a fan of Sun, i dont think there was any need to keep her in lockdown in a hotel room. I would have preferred to be thrown back on a plane back to oz.
judges practicing their stink face in that pic? who else thinks it’s hilariously unnecessary when they’re judging the food and doing their stink face every few bites. maybe they should all be up for the best actor Logie next year!
I personally will see this season out as I have become committed to the characters and want to see how it unfolds but I won’t commit to it again next year.
Reality shows always have their season in the sun and when it’s gone it’s gone I feel.
I don’t think the blame lays with the contestants or the judges but squarely on the shoulders of the producers.
Every show has its day, maybe it has peaked and no matter what you do, there is only one way to go ……down hill
The producers have been challenged in Series 3 as they need to “keep it fresh” but not lose the program’s essential DNA. It is not surprising that MC needs a refresh as most reality shows peak between series 2 and 3 and then start a long slow decline. The producers are trying to avert this.
There is the added complication of MKR which in people’s minds is like another series of MC so they may tire of the underlying product more quickly. That the hosts of MKR are now seen as more likeable than the increasingly grumpy and starstruck MC hosts is also a problem.
I would not be surprised to see one of the original hosts gone next year with Matt Moran stepping up. He appears to be more of a talent than the histrionics of George etc.
Good to read this article. I have been somewhat disappointed with this series. Mainly because it seems like the challenges are *too* tough. That is, they are set up to make the contestants fail, and therefore drama unfolds.
I miss those challenges that pushed the contenstants, but were still reachable… and watching the pride and satisfaction when they push themselves and find they can do it. There doesn’t seem to be much of that this year.
This year the challenges (especially the team challenges) are way too stressful. I end up tuning out because it’s too tense. The last thing I want to do is unwind after a long day by watching an overly intense reality show.
Restoring the soul of MasterChef is a definitely must, given next year MC and the new season of The Block could possibly begin on the same week, even on the same night. The producers (and Ten’s promotion department) had made more mistakes this year, especially with accidental spoilers and the choice of challengers for the immunity challenge (I know it depends on when the chefs are available, but they could still be better arranged). If these mistakes were repeated in 2012, ratings could drop even further.
The biggest issue I have with the show is the Sunday night shows have changed from what they were in the first season.
It was great to have a mystery box challenge then the invention test as it meant they had to fit plenty of cooking and tasting into the one episode. This year most of the Sunday shows have been ‘specials’ and we’ve seen very few mystery boxes as a result.
Conversely in Masterchef USA one of their two episodes each week is just the mystery box and invention tests and allows for plenty of dishes to be seen and judged.
Excellent article, David. You hit the nail on the head.
after they brought contestants back in 2010 (after doing it in season 1 in 2009) I have never watched it again…and never will. Lost me with that stupid stunt
It was pretty obvious who the judges wanted to win last night! The red team could have served the food off the floor and they still would’ve won. Dani and Ellie have been the judges favourates, they have been helped way too much and been too inconsistant with the food they produce. It’s a cooking show and they can’t cook!!
The season started out really well with a lot of simple challenges that home cooks could relate to– making the best batch of scones, hollandaise sauce, etc. It should be more like that.
Too late, and Junior masterchef. not for me, yuk