How many of y'all are watching? Must admit I was excited when a new season started (haven't watched episode 3 yet so please no spoilers). If you're watching, what do you think? James Browns story had me sobbing, I pray that he will be healthy. Letty, the one with the long flowing hair, nail polish, countless rings and bracelets befuddles me, I just can't understand how sanitary her cakes are she seems to have no sense of hygiene and I don't know why Buddy doesn't remark upon it.

Other than that (oh and of course Buddy's arrogance is as annoying as ever) looks to be a good season.

Let me know you're thoughts.

I have watched, reluctantly, because there are so few cake shows on in my area.  This is barely a cake show, it's a soap opera.  And I say that sadly because I really WANT it to be good.  I feel for James Brown and pray he gets better too.  But that is not about making a cake!  And who goes on a show like that who has no experience in a tall cake, no idea how to make a cake move, no experience modeling. (Apparently 99.9% of them!) Have they never heard of Buddy?  And Buddy is often mean and that's too bad too because I do like him and he runs a successful operation and is creative and skillful.  But if there was something on opposite this show that was actually about baking or decorating I would watch the other in a heartbeat!

I found the bit about dumping the last-to-arrive contestant's cake into the trash sight unseen offensive.  Knowing the streets of NYC is NOT a prerequisite to be a Great Baker.

But clearly the series is all about Buddy and not about baking at all.

Want to watch some REALLY GOOD TV? My tax dollars paid for this and I'm proud of it.  

They had to fill the hockey-less season and this is what us Canucks came up with:

http://www.cbc.ca/titanic/episodes/

Please watch them in sequence from #101 through #112.  You can't download but you can stream them all in full screen.  Commercials have been cut down substantially.

After this series, good ol' Buddy V looks like some hack who just likes to throw other peoples cake decorating efforts into trash bins...

Yes but this is not just a bakery it's a television show it's entertainment. It's shock value a bit.

Not always my cup of tea either sometimes. But I like Buddy et al.

I know a 'great United States cookie store' franchise that tosses all I mean all of it's day olds.

They daily throw away great american food.

I have often marveled at how one teensy little bakery like Buddy's (esp. before he expanded) could pay the mortgage on so many family members houses. That is a lot of serious baking to me, Goofy slapstick tv show. But I love how he honors his father every chance he gets.

I am not a fan of this show, it is just to scripted. I miss Amazing Wedding Cakes :(

I don't and won't watch it. I liked Amazing Wedding Cakes too, at least you could see some techniques etc.

I have a question about the competitors on this show, maybe one of you knows the answer? 

Most of them seem to already own businesses (like Gretle Ann who runs her own business and has 9 employees, Jen sells beautifull wedding cakes,etc) so basically what I want to know is, what are they doing on this show? it's not like the Great British Bake off where they are amateurs, here they all seem successful already. I just don't get it.

I realize that possible one or two of them probably need the experience of working for Buddy for a year and might not own their own companies, but some of them do. I'm confused

When they first started advertising for competitors I seem to remember that they were looking for amateurs. I think that they probably had to extend it to professionals because they couldn't get people to agree to stay in New Jersy on their own dime for two months. One of my friends was called by the producers and went through a bunch of questioning before they told her oh, by the way, you need to be in New Jersy for X amount of itme, and you have to pay for it yourself. She passed on the "honor." I'll bet that a lot of business owners would do it because they think it will get them a lot of publicity. Which it won't, but whatever.

I'm not a fan of the show...but I watch it because I'm cake obsessed.   I would watch rather watch amateurs compete.    To watch some of these "owners" of a shop makes me shake their head.    Their skill level, to me, as OWNERS and EXPERIENCED decorators is way below par.    I can't stand the drama....but I guess that's what exists today on reality shows.    I am glad Chad went home because I cannot stand arrogant people.  He loved to toot his horn and that is such a turn off to me.  Ashley is a hot head....but she is young.    I hope she wins.  

I watch it bc i'm cake obsessed too and I always think I can learn something (sometimes yes sometimes no). Thanks costumeczar for the explanation, I still don't really get it even less so now that you've said they have to pay their own way. What is the point? do people really look up these bakeries and go there? Although, I guess they do bc look at Buddy's own bakery, how much it has grown since the start of his show (incidentally a friend of mine was there last week - she travelled to the States for vacation and cake boss was on her list, she said the stuff she purchased there was just awful). I do not like Gretle Ann at all, her behaviour when she was safe and trying to stab the others on her team in the back was very unbecoming, plus the tears is a very tiresome act why is everything such a drama? I was not happy to see Chad go as he is definitely talented but he would not have won anyway, the best ones never do. 

I stopped watching it.  Buddy comes off as a mean know it all.  I saw him on stage recently in Massachusetts - everything that could go wrong with the show, did -  but he remained calm and entertained us with stories.............brilliantly and artfully told so I KNOW he's not mean.  Why does he think he has to act that way to keep the audiences attention.  I want Charm City back...............or any other cake show.  My vote is to sent Buddy to the Box Truck for a little ride. 

All you have to do is see how much money there is in being the 'drama queen', those are the people that get their own shows and apart from the money that brings in, look how many people go to these bakeries and cake shops once they're featured on a show. I don't think Georgetown Cupcakes for example would be so big if they hadn't been on tv, and their show only works because of the drama. 

I also thought it was a poor move on Gretle Ann's part to behave the way she did in that episode when she was safe. And then to brag about it - what a fool.