Many great reality shows occupy the summer reality TV show space, but many have become a copy of other great series in the genre. Finding one that’s unique or offers a fresh take on a typical premise is challenging. However, a few have added some exciting spins on this content, and Crime Scene Kitchen is one of those shows.
It’s not a complete anomaly, because it does have aspects that are very similar to other great cooking shows and great baking shows, but it still manages to be unique enough to feel like a new take. It's become one of the series I look forward to watching each week.
If you haven’t been watching Crime Scene Kitchen, let me explain why you should.
It Combines Crime Solving And Baked Goods
Crime Scene Kitchen is a baking competition that combines the art and passion of baking with playing amateur detective. Weekly, contestants examine clues to figure out what was baked, then must recreate this dish. The team closest to the actual recipe could win immunity or escape elimination. Each episode involves two rounds of mystery solving and baking, with the team furthest from recreating the mystery dish being eliminated.
This may not be something that fans of the best true crime shows will love, but the added mystery element makes it more interactive for you. If you enjoy baking or just mysteries, you may watch and play along to try to figure out the mystery dishes. This is a series that rewards being a knowledgeable and good baker. It also rewards attention to detail and mystery-solving capabilities.
As a fan of solving mysteries and baking, I am definitely the target audience for this new show.
Joel McHale Offers Funny Commentary Without Taking Attention Away From The Contestants
Some hosts are the center of attention. This isn’t a bad or good thing, but a fact. In some shows, you expect the host to be one of the show’s attractions because their personalities are part of the experience of the show. However, other series use the host in a limited way to allow the contestants to shine more.
Crime Scene Kitchen falls more in the latter category. Joel McHale’s wit and personality shine, but are used sparingly to not remove focus from the contestants. He still gives funny commentary and interactions with the contestants and judges, but McHale is only part of the appeal.
I enjoy both a host who's almost the star and one who takes the backseat, but for this baking show, I really enjoy that McHale is a presence, but not the star. The stars of are clearly the bakers and (most importantly) the dishes.
Crime Scene Kitchen Tests Your Knowledge Of Baking
Some of the earlier episodes involved making very popular desserts, even some classics that you would expect to see during holiday baking shows because they’re such staples in most homes, especially during celebrations. However, seeing things like cookies and cakes being made all the time would become stale and make the mysteries too easy. Therefore, Crime Scene Kitchen mixes things up with classic baked goods and niche or lesser-known sweet snacks.
These bakery treats really test the contestants’ knowledge of the baking world. You have to read, research, and follow baking trends to figure out the clues that lead to some of these dishes. This allows the competition to test the participants' know-how and knowledge of the baking world. There have been so many dishes that only someone who studies baking or loves it will figure out.
This show separates the baking fans from the baking scholars. It turns out that I am a fan and not a baking expert, because I usually have no clue what’s the right dessert to bake.
It Teaches You
Viewers have in this series one of those cooking/baking competitions that inevitably teaches you something about cooking. It doesn’t focus solely on technique, but also on the stress and mishaps of the contestants. In all the chaos, this reality TV show sprinkles in a few important baking lessons.
It teaches about time management, trusting your gut, and the importance of getting the right ingredients and measurements. It also teaches things like paying close attention to detail, collaboration, and focusing on taste as well as accuracy.
This series also teaches the audience about new desserts. You may have heard of a cheesecake but have you heard of a basque cheesecake? You may have heard of a brownie, but what about a Creme De Menthe brownie?
Crime Scene Kitchen really broadens your horizon on baked goods. It made me want to attempt my own versions of these delicious recipes, or at least learn more about them.
Crime Scene Kitchen Has High-Pressure Situations But In A Fun Way
There are a lot of great anxiety-inducing movies and TV shows available to watch. However, most people, myself included, don’t want to stress while watching a baking show. The Great British Baking Show and shows like it are so popular and beloved because they aren’t going to cause you anguish while watching them.
They’re nice reality tv palate cleansers, if you will. You can consume a lot of dramatic reality shows and then enjoy something light and drama-free. This Fox series has drama, but it’s nothing too serious like fighting, near-death experiences, manipulation and strategizing, or arguing. Instead, a lot of the drama comes from the contestants' own struggles with creating the right dish or typical baking problems, such as underbaked dishes and flavors not being harmonious.
I like dramatic reality shows occasionally, but I prefer when they are light, silly, fun, and involve some type of competition. This one checks all those boxes.
It's Whimsical
Most baking shows have some degree of whimsy, and this one is no exception. It’s filmed on a brightly colored set, and it’s often silly, with things like baked goods rising from the ground and Joel McHale engaging with the contestants in a fun, colorful way.
It also involves a lot of really pretty pastry, and what’s more whimsical than that? There's also just a light and airy feel to the proceedings. You can feel the joy while watching it. I love some whimsy sprinkled on top of everything I watch.
Crime Scene Kitchen airs Mondays at 9 p.m. EST on Fox. It then streams on Hulu the following day.
