If you’ve been a fan of MasterChef on the TV schedule for the last decade plus, you should know the series is not afraid to try new concepts, new twists, and occasionally even new themes for entire seasons. Season 13, for example, started out as a battle of regions (Midwest, South and so on and so forth) before splitting into an individual competition. Another recent season was an all-stars season subtitled “Back To Win” and featuring returning heavy hitters. Yet as the latest season of the hit show is coming to a close, I’m here to say that sometimes these twists are a mistake and I’d really like to see the series rectify this in a new season.
So, let’s talk it out. And if you aren’t caught up on Season 13, I’ll only be getting into spoilers for about the first half of the season!
The Twists On MasterChef Can Be A Huge Problem
MasterChef, like certain other reality shows that like to change the format often (here’s looking at you Survivor), is a mixed bag. Sometimes the show produces twists that I really enjoy. I for example, loved it when the show introduced the wall challenges in which a team of two cook on opposite sides of a tall obstacle wall and attempt to produce the same dish. (Though even that challenge is divisive.) I did not love it during when an eliminated contestant was "reinstated" nor have I loved it when an entire team of two has gone home during the tag team challenge –which also happened during the wall challenge this season, sigh.
As all this illustrates, the twists can be a bit of a mixed bag, and while I applaud the show for trying to keep things interesting for more than a decade, I wish sometimes the decision-making was a little more thoughtful and didn't feel like a twist for the sake of throwing in a twist.
Let’s get back to that team of two going home during the tag team challenge, because I think it illustrates exactly how some of these random twists on MasterChef can be a huge problem. Back in Season 10, Michael Silverstein proved himself to be a formidable force in the kitchen. However, that was one of the seasons that Gordon Ramsay and co. ultimately decided that not just one person would be eliminated during the tag team season, but two. Typically whomever is immune tries to pair a weak player with a strong player hoping the lesser player will bring the stronger one down. So there's strategy involved.
In the case of Michael in Season 10, he was a frontrunner on the series very early on. That season, however, the twist was that Masterchef did the tag team challenge on the earlier side and chose to eliminate two contestants. Two contestants didn’t have to be eliminated, it was just a dumb decision the producers probably made because they thought it would make for good TV. Michael ended up coming in 15th place, a shocking result, after being unable to work well with Liz.
It also is an example of how frequently good contestants end up going home early on this show. In fact, I'd argue that frequently the best contestant does not win the Fox competition series, which feels wild to me given there's no fan voting component and no one is getting kicked off an island by their peers.
In the Michael example, when MasterChef signed him on for “Back To Win,” he was given the opportunity to compete exceedingly well, and while he didn’t win, he did make the Top 3, so he certainly went home early in that first season. I still feel he should have probably won Season 10, and I just think MasterChef sometimes thinks that so many twists keep the audience invested, when actually some of these twists just piss people off.
The good news? This could lead to an opportunity moving forward.
I Just Complained About Twists, But Here’s What I’d Like To See A Future Season Do
There’s an argument to be had that ultimately if you are able to make it to the final three chefs on the series, you are given a chance to really showcase your talents and win on your own merits. First, however, you have to make it into the final three on the Fox series. Most of the time, several of the good chefs go home way early on the series and in challenges that just may not be in their wheelhouse. For example, Wayne almost went home during the first episode of Season 13 making risotto for State Fair food, but he was flukily saved by Kyle winning the immunity pin for his entire team. Wayne went on to have an incredible run, but without the immunity twist, he would have gone home literally first.
I’m just saying: You may be a BBQ master, but cake can bring you down. You may be creative individually, but you may crack if you have to take a backseat to someone else’s ideas. You may be able to make a great plate for Aáron Sánchez, but feeding 101 diners may be your achilles heel. Good people go home early on MasterChef all the time.
It makes me wonder how many contestants got eliminated early, like before the Top 10, who might be strong contenders today? Maybe they’ve stepped up their game and learned some desserts. Maybe, like Michael Silverstein (who did already get a chance to come back) they simply made a mistake that cost them dearly.
I think it would be really cool if the show handpicked some past contestants who were sent home too soon and gave them a second chance in the MasterChef kitchen. I know this is kind of what Back to Win was, but I’m talking about contestants who didn’t make it into the Top 10 who might have the chops to compete harder under different circumstances. Aáron, Joe and Gordon might even be able to have a say in picking the contestants and they could work in teams (sort of like the regional stuff this season) until further along in the competition when they could split out individually (also like the regional stuff this season).
I just feel like there has to be a shortlist of people on the judges’ minds when it comes to what could have been with certain contestants, and I’d be interested to see a season of underdogs duke it out. You could even call it Second Chances.
Look, MasterChef always has some element of chance given the immune contestants are encouraged to throw out challenges and some of the competitions are not necessarily in every single person’s wheelhouse, but you have to think there are myriad names out there who, under the right circumstances, could have ended up first or third or sixth instead of fourteenth. I’d like to see those individuals back on TV one more time… but boy oh boy, can you imagine going home first on a season of second chances?
