9/19 Show Discussion Thread **Spoilers**

[Vonna]

Originally Posted by shoepie

How disappointing! This episode was very disjointed and not at all like its BBC counterpart. No mention of Restaurant Depot ravioli after Gordon said the filling was like baby food. No mention of how to make a good crab cake or insisting they be eliminated. It showcased Peter. He was NOT good TV. Gordon working with the chef to create better food should have been, at least, part of it.

Ohhhhhhhhh, I hope they get better. This episode was just nonsense.

And yes, the mob leaped to mind with the "bill collector".

I was so worked up over PETER mooching off his sister, I didn't even think of the show's potential or even Gordon's mission to help the chef, etc.
You made some good points and hopefully those directions will be incorporated in the upcoming episodes...

[Google]

 

[Adult Beverage]

It would have been nice to see Gordon sampling the dishes after the kitchen makeover, to see if the staff needed help. Were they any good? Don't know because Gordon changed the menu. Agree that Peter's redemption was probably only for the cameras. I did like that he noticed that Gordon told him all the things everyone else was thinking, but were afraid to say. Maybe hope after all.

[lopevian]

I thought the first episode was very entertaining. What was even more fun than watching a piece of work delusional egomaniac with cowering loved ones on the verge of collapse, was Ramsey's reactions to it all. This episode was a hit if for no other reason than it gave us Gordon Ramsey sliding down an inflated chute!

[Bearcata]

Originally Posted by lopevian

I thought the first episode was very entertaining. What was even more fun than watching a piece of work delusional egomaniac with cowering loved ones on the verge of collapse, was Ramsey's reactions to it all. This episode was a hit if for no other reason than it gave us Gordon Ramsey sliding down an inflated chute!

Spot on with your brilliant observation.

[Krom]

Originally Posted by Vonna

I was so worked up over PETER mooching off his sister, I didn't even think of the show's potential or even Gordon's mission to help the chef, etc.
You made some good points and hopefully those directions will be incorporated in the upcoming episodes...

Go find some episodes of the REAL version of this show (aka "the British one") and you will see that typically Gordon is much more about Gordon nurturing people than dealing with wack-jobs.

[Secret]

Originally Posted by CantGetNuf

I thought this show was hilarious. The reason it showcased Peter is because he was the whole problem. The chef knew how to make crabcakes he just didn't have the tools to accomplish it, like a working oven. I thought Peter made for great tv because he was so over the top. The owners of the next restaurant will probably be boring compared to Peter.
I got the impression at times that Gordon was a little intimidated by Peter but he still told him like it was. I was actually worried for Gordon a few times. I was wondering if he had bodyguards with him.

The show was funny in the beginning, not to mention disgusting *shudder* thinking back to the scene of Gordon finding all of the rotten food in the cold room.

IMO, yes, Peter made for good TV, but he also has serious issues and the fact that the staff and his family just ignored his behavior and complete lack of control over his own temper was actually frightening to me and was also very sad. I mean, hello - when going after that 'bill collector' HE KNOCKED HIS FATHER OVER and didn't even notice. I really found him completely disgusting and I had a small hope he'd somehow get kicked out of the restaurant entirely - for good. What a mooch and waste of space and money.

This show will be entertaining, but I prefer the real Kitchen Nightmares. That has a much more warm, cuddly version of Gordon that I really enjoyed.

They also really need to add back the feature from the original, where he goes back multiple months later to see how they handled the changes more long term. Without that kind of follow-up, we're left believing that everything is hunky dory. When, in reality, I would be shocked if Peter didn't go back to eating the profits and screaming at everyone. (I'm a big fan of that guy, can you tell??)

[Ellen]

Originally Posted by Krom

. . . typically Gordon is much more about Gordon nurturing people than dealing with wack-jobs.

Or, as in this case, whack-jobs!

[onewally]

Yeah, I was for sure thinking "MOB" when both those guys showed up. You bet. What I couldnt figure out was, what was going on? who were they there to collect money from? Peter or his dad? Peter is the obvious answer, but he just went nuts on the guys, and you dont behave that way with someone you owe money to.

Here in Chicago, there's a trial just finishing up, the Calabrese trial. One of the witnesses was a guy that had a pizza place, cant think of the name of it but its an existing restaurant now with an outlet in the convention center (awful food, I recommend Mcdonald's just across the hall). After he got into business and was doing ok, Calabrese sent the 'tax collectors' to him, told him to pony up $300,000 to stay in business. The guy talked them down to $150,000, plus after that he had to keep a noshow on the payroll for a thousand a month and he did that for many years. I dont remember all the details of it...anyway, after Calabrese was arrested 3 or 4 years ago, the guy just quit paying. And nothing happened.
I thought that whole scenario-paying off a mob guy to stay in business- only happened in books but apparently not.

So...I was thinking about all that and wondering if something similar was going on with Peter's Italian Restaurant. As for GR being intimidated by thugs...I dont think soooo.

[onewally]

Gotta say...all you folks posting about how much better the BBC version is are kind of ruining this for me. I never saw it and I liked the premier episode just fine. Is the BBC version currently running?

[MsDiva2007]

You can watch the BBC version on Directv. I enjoyed this first show. The Bill collector had the look of a wiseguy coming to collect the protection money. I mean what real bill collectors just walks in like that.

I was so wanting someone to knock the mess out of Peter.