What Food Network may botch next

mstillman · February 20, 2004

Food Network has picked up the US format rights to Iron Chef and expects to have Iron Chef America ready for air this spring. Among the US Iron Chefs will be Wolfgang Puck and Bobby Flay (naturally, he's been down this road before).

I shudder at the thought.

The SVP of programming left the network about three weeks ago or so. I don't see this going well (even if she was there)

Marrow Margin · February 20, 2004

The thread should have been titled, "In the signs of the apocolypse department." Good luck to em. NOT!!!

Edited February 20, 2004 by Marrow Margin (log)

JPW · February 20, 2004

Not to sound too certain about it, but...

Inevitably it will be better than that disasterously distasteful first go-round of Iron Chef USA.

Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll troll eG for some of the tasters.

Gifted Gourmet · February 20, 2004

Apocalypse, huh?

Perhaps the Four Horsemen would be Bobby Flay, Ming Tsai, Emeril, and Wolfgang? Now there is a frightening visual! sorry, vision! :shock:

Edited February 20, 2004 by Gifted Gourmet (log)

misstenacity · February 20, 2004

Perhaps it would be interesting (amusing?) if they had 2 levels of translation: English to Japanese and then the translated Japanese to English for the final broadcast.

And please, gawd, no William Shatner. Maybe David Hasselhof, then the translate path could be English-German-Japanese-English. Hee! :laugh:

Andrea

Cedar Crest, NM

mstillman · February 20, 2004

horrible news that it is...i am just glad i don't work there any more to see them butcher my baby in front of my eyes.

i am just remembering my experience consulting on Iron Chef USA and how defeating it was to speak with the executive producer who was intent on producing the show in the worst way possible against all my advice.

oh well.

bilrus · February 20, 2004

As long as they make it fairly straightforward and A) don't try to replicate the quirky feel of the Japanese version and B) don't try to replicate the smarmy, spoofy feel of the original American version - I'd watch, even with Emeril, Ming, Wolfgang and Bobby. It would make me tune back in to Food Network(at least via TIVO).

Of course all of that is probably asking too much of FTV.

mstillman · February 20, 2004

As long as they make it fairly straightforward and A) don't try to replicate the quirky feel of the Japanese version and B) don't try to replicate the smarmy, spoofy feel of the original American version

But they bought the format rights and so that means in large ways replicating the format and that includes: the chairman, the coming up on platforms (or the like), production style, commentators, etc.

But usually something gets lost in the transition... i.e. "Coupling" from BBC which was a good solid sitcom but once the format was bought by NBC they quickly wasted their money by ruining a fine format and cancelling the show.

The same will happen with "The Office" (one of the best shows on television, period) because the format is so unique.

The only truly successful format purchase that really worked was "Three's Company" because it was screwball comedy and sex innuendoes. That translates pretty easily.

It is hard to make Iron Chef straightforward because otherwise you don't need the format rights. Just make a competitive cooking show where chefs compete against food network chefs.

i do think it is possible to make a quirky and american version of iron chef. i don't know why you would want to when there is such a great original that people still like and are interested in. It isn't tired material at all. but that said, it takes finesse to carry the essence of the show and have it work.

mnebergall · February 20, 2004

I wonder if they will be using fortune tellers, politicians, actresses and actors, sports figures, etc, as judges.

Edited February 20, 2004 by mnebergall (log)

JPW · February 20, 2004

I wonder if they will be using fortune tellers, politicians, actresses and actresses, sports figures, etc, as judges.

I don't care who they use this time, as long as it is people who actually know about food.

Of the 3 (4?) episodes of Iron Chef USA that they aired, the only one that knew anything about good food was my man Ron Popeil

Random Alias · February 20, 2004

Half the fun of Iron Chef was watching them cook 'unusual' items that you couldn't really imagine eating (no doubt, some of the present company excluded). The other half of the fun was the campyness of the production and translation. And maybe there was some worth in seeing the actual cooking and getting an idea or two, but that was never the primary reason I watched it.

Iron Chef USA isn't going to work if it tries to immitate the original. The humor, camp etc. just won't work. They should just focus on making it a competition.

howard88 · February 20, 2004

Gee Do ya think one of the shows might feature various amuse's of fruit fly offal.

I can picture the offal being supplemented by microscopic lobster, truffle and uni. I know, my mind was a terrible thing to have lost.

Mabelline · February 20, 2004

Even as far as Three's Company, I don't think it would have even made it without the incomparable John Ritter.

There seems to be some sad disfunction of America being unable to come up with anything original anymore!Where's Lucy? Where's Honeymooners? We have the Simpsons, South Park, King Of the Hill as our funny contributions! WTF?

As far as Captain Kirk, he can ride his own horse in a little better than Kaga, huh?

bilrus · February 20, 2004

Half the fun of Iron Chef was watching them cook 'unusual' items that you couldn't really imagine eating (no doubt, some of the present company excluded). The other half of the fun was the campyness of the production and translation. And maybe there was some worth in seeing the actual cooking and getting an idea or two, but that was never the primary reason I watched it.
Iron Chef USA isn't going to work if it tries to immitate the original. The humor, camp etc. just won't work. They should just focus on making it a competition.

The unfamiliarity of the ingredients (to me at least) of the Japanese version is one of the drawbacks for me. It's hard to imagine if the creations would taste any good or not.

This is probably because Japanese cuisine is probably the most "foreign" to me of any that I can think of.

Daniel · February 20, 2004

Does this mean that they are not going to keep on the original iron chef as well? I dont mind them trying a new one, as long as they keep the old one on too.. I also think it would be a wise decision to keep todd english's scary mug off the tv too.. He looked like a b actor psycho killer.

TrishCT · February 20, 2004

The original japanese IC series was original, creative, entertaining and fun. All these elements were lacking in IC USA unless you count marvelling at Shatner's most current hairpiece... entertaining

Daniel · February 20, 2004

I dont know if all chefs are equal in the eyes of the ingrediants. Cause you know those cows are more partial to vegetarians. Those judgemental bastard cows like to hold a grudge.

ExtraMSG · February 20, 2004

Half the fun of Iron Chef was watching them cook 'unusual' items that you couldn't really imagine eating (no doubt, some of the present company excluded). The other half of the fun was the campyness of the production and translation. And maybe there was some worth in seeing the actual cooking and getting an idea or two, but that was never the primary reason I watched it.
Iron Chef USA isn't going to work if it tries to immitate the original. The humor, camp etc. just won't work. They should just focus on making it a competition.

I agree. However, it can't just be any old competition. They've had those before. What was it? Ready, Set, Cook, I think. Ultimately mediocre.

They can't mimic the original, but they can keep a similar format but do it more like a serious sporting event. USA didn't take their show seriously and so how could anyone watching it. The one thing you believe when you watch the Japanese version is that even though it's campy and foreign, the people in it take it seriously. Kaga is flamboyent, but it doesn't come across as an act, like Shatner's did. I've seen contestants cry from wins and losses on the Japanese version. You always got the feeling the American version was making fun of itself, that it didn't take itself seriously.

I think the Iron Chefs idea is a good one, to have these kings of the hill who have to be knocked off their thrones. They should make sure they find American chefs who are actually devoted to the duty, not just looking for some extra publicity.

The format is fine, it's the attitude of the American one that needs to match an American attitude. I think we want intense chefs who are going to be pissed off and throw things if they lose, just like we want basketball and football players, golfers, Olympians, and so on who would do the same. They have to care. In America, if you get second, you're a loser. The chefs need to act like that's the case with this just like they would if they were in an international pastry contest or whatever.

hillvalley · February 20, 2004

Not to sound too certain about it, but...
Inevitably it will be better than that disasterously distasteful first go-round of Iron Chef USA.
Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll troll eG for some of the tasters.

Did you see the episodes with Flay? It's doomed.

As for shows that travel abroad or come home, some US versions translate well. Trading Spaces comes to mind. The ironic thing about Coupling not succeeding is that the British version is based on Friends.

Cynthia G · February 20, 2004

I dont know if all chefs are equal in the eyes of the ingrediants. Cause you know those cows are more partial to vegetarians. Those judgemental bastard cows like to hold a grudge.

:laugh:

=Mark · February 20, 2004

Do you think they'll have Rachel Ray as a judge doing the "girlish giggle" thing?

Singapore · February 20, 2004

Do you think they'll have Rachel Ray as a judge doing the "girlish giggle" thing?

Only if she wears one of the outfits she wore in that magazine, what was it, FHM? Maxim?

Be interesting to see Flay and Morimoto on the same team....or have the Japanese Iron Chefs come by during sweeps week.....

If you really want to set the tone of the show early, have Bourdain do the first show against Flay! You know AB won't let them pull any Shatner-esque type BS!

Toliver · February 20, 2004

Do you think they'll have Rachel Ray as a judge doing the "girlish giggle" thing?
Only if she wears one of the outfits she wore in that magazine, what was it, FHM? Maxim?
Be interesting to see Flay and Morimoto on the same team....or have the Japanese Iron Chefs come by during sweeps week.....
If you really want to set the tone of the show early, have Bourdain do the first show against Flay! You know AB won't let them pull any Shatner-esque type BS!

And let Bourdain smoke, drink, cuss and scratch his nether regions while he's cooking. That I would pay to see!

edit to add the nut scratchin'

Singapore · February 21, 2004

And let Bourdain smoke, drink, cuss and scratch his nether regions while he's cooking. That I would pay to see!
edit to add the nut scratchin'

Yeah! And let him bring those guys from KC as his assistants: Steven and Adam. Put in Alton Brown as the Food Expert (Doc), and Bobby Rivers as the in-kitchen reporter!

Make Tommy or Fat Guy one of the permanent judges (like the fortune teller)!

Hell, I'd pay good money to see this! :smile:

mnebergall · February 21, 2004

Perhaps I missed it when going through this thread, but do we "know" who the "Iron Chefs" will be?

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