User reviews

"Holiday Baking Championship" is a Food Network series that has been aired every year for the last seven years. It consists of both professional bakers and home bakers competing until one ultimately is crowned the winner of the season. And, like the title of the show suggests, it's about holidays...particularly Christmas and a bit about Thanksgiving and Hanukkah. Each week, one baker is declared the winner (though they actually win nothing until the final round) and a loser who is sent home.

I have enjoyed the show but have noticed something. In season three, I noticed that the judges were NOT getting along well. In particular, Nancy seemed to disagree with everyone....but more often with Lorraine. My daughter and I definitely noticed some tension here....though in later seasons it looked as if all fences were mended and everyone appeared happier. I really PREFER it that way and consider season three an aberration, though I did see a bit of this in season two as well. Still enjoyable...and more so when the judges seemed more unified and less argumentative.

I dug through the entire "cast and crew" section of this page and couldn't find anything about the writers. I know these shows are supposed to be "unscripted" but I'm sure Jesse isn't making up his bad puns on the fly. There has to be a script for the introduction he does in every episode, and it's weird that the writers aren't listed here. Maybe they want to protect the illusion that this is all spontaneous?

I like the show overall but I do think it's a bit unfair that the final results aren't cumulative - someone who has done outstanding work, week after week, should not lose to a less-talented person due to merely having one small mistake during the final competition. The best person doesn't always win, unfortunately.

Don't care for Bobby Dean hosting. I never warmed up to Duff ever since I saw him baking something years ago and licking his fingers and then serving what he was making. Not sure if the animosity with Lorraine and Nancy is real or just for show. Adds nothing. I did like the later host a lot better than Bobby.

Now that lorraine pascale is gone I find it much more like a baking contest vs just eating treats and giggling on tv. I just found her annoying.

Please stop showing the judges bizarre way of eating, especially Duff. He looks like he's in pain or afraid to mess up his lipstick, very disconcerting.

The contestants show amazing talent and creativity.

Nothing else to add but the form requires more characters Wow , I think the counter is off because I am definitely over the minimum characters.

I tried this show starting with Season 1 but was quickly turned off by the obnoxious CHARACTERS they cast. I guess it's a trope that gay men are swishy and cry all the time? Pretty insulting. When they didn't eliminate Erin for the worst baking of the episode, it became clear they had already decided she would win - and we were going to be stuck with her insufferable tweeness for the duration. Do the producers feed them corny, stupid lines to say in their interviews? Because no normal people really talk like that, right? Also it's a mystery to me why people would go on a baking championship who: Don't make cookies, don't make pies, have a severe nut allergy, and have never worked with common ingredients. That's just 8 people A YEAR, Food Network, and you can't find capable bakers? Maybe you should import them from the UK.

They do not judge fair. Not only does the undeserving person usually win... but the judges openly contradict their decisions.

The only explanation is the show being rigged. I literally watched a "Finale" where the judges chose the most interesting design and said her baking tasted terrible. This is a freaking food show.

The only way this show can be redeemed is if they stop rewarding stories and crying. One person cried every episode, was almost eliminated twice, but won the whole thing. In comparison, another chef stayed strong, worked hard, and made desserts that were well liked but because he didn't cry or tell some stupid story.

Do not watch this show.

Yuck. I don't know why the judges pick certain contestants to just obsess over. They will absolutely miss the mark and the judges just go on and on about how they are so amazing as if you should look past all the major flaws due to a huge bias. The host is also like the cheesiest guy you'll ever see. It's like the high school quarterback who burnt out 20 years ago trying desperately to stay relevant. I could go on this show with no experience and make it further than trained chefs since the judges obviously have no sense of taste and are blind to all flaws if they like the contestant. Such a shame how downhill food network has gone.

This is the same boring show re-skinned each season of the yea with the same cast trying to call it something different. There is nothing new behind it why it still airs and is funded is beyond me.

This was the most boring competition I have ever seen. These people act like they never baked anything in their life. One of them owned a bakery! He was struggling just like the home bakers. You can't tell me this wasn't staged to a certain degree. They were confused about how to use the ingredients that were given to them, and their presentation was awful. They looked disappointed when they had to make a Hanukkah dessert - I think it was babka. I understand it's a Christmas show, but it's only fair to be inclusive of other holidays! I'm not even Jewish and I was offended by their reaction. Only one person made it correctly. I hope he wins, because everyone else had such a lack of skills and creativity. I feel like cooking and baking competition programs are overdone anyway, but this one had no excitement whatsoever. It's worth skipping.

Where is Lorraine? Where are comfortable friendly gentle contestants? Not everything needs to be a frenzy especially right now.