We don’t have any hockey right now, so here are some ideas from us at RMNB on how you could spend your time.

In today’s episode: the only good reality show in existence

I know I’m like several years late on this, but in hopes that there are other unsullied GBBO-ers inthe audience, let me just say what everyone else already has: this show is fun.

The Great British Bake-Off (or “The Great British Baking Show” in the US) is a reality competition show in which a bunch of people with silly accents cook ridiculous things and almost everyone is nice about it. I probably wouldn’t eat most of the food they prepare (I don’t like persimmon or rhubarb or pistachio or whatever the hell suet is, and there’s way too much shaved almond on stuff), but I sure do like watching them make it. I like it when they cook well and they’re proud so their competitors are happy for them and give them hugs, and I like it when they struggle to cook well, and then their competitors help them out and hug them.

There’s a lot of hugging on this show. I’m not a big hugger IRL but the pandemic has me re-evaluating stuff. I like watching the people with the funny accents hugging.

Here are some of my favorite bakers.

Nadiya: the best facial expressions ever on the show.

Yan: wanted to be the scientific baker, but really she was just the one that helped everyone all the time

Ruby (the first one): I’ve never seen someone more miserable while baking something so world-bendingly tasty and fancy.

Rahul: If he were a D&D character, he’d max on cooking and min on social skills.

Val: Maybe the most clever person I’ve ever seen on television? She was devious.

And then there’s Mel and Sue, my favorite presenters, who were funny when they wanted to be and humane when they could. From what’s been reported, the soul of the show is owed to them. They rule.

If you’re feeling iffy about humanity, or if your nerves are shot, try GBBO out. Aileen and I had it pretty much nonstop since the beginning of the month, and it’s done wonders for my blood pressure.