Anatomy of a Great British Baking Show Flameout

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As a longtime viewer of Great British Bake Off, I have to say that this season has been particularly intriguing. The contestants have brought such creativity and passion to the tent, and Dylan, with his unique flavor combinations and infectious enthusiasm, stood out as a clear frontrunner from the start. However, watching him falter in the finale was a sobering reminder that even the most talented bakers can struggle under the pressure of the final.

Spoilers follow for this season of The Great British Baking Show, the finale of which debuted on Netflix on Friday, November 29. 

Initially: Dylan is doing well. The fusion of Jason Momoa and Rufio, with artistic abilities and unexpected culinary flair, boasts over 100,000 Instagram followers, a position in a Michelin-starred eatery, and it seems he’s contemplating different hair product endorsements. (If not, why not?) However, one may question if Paul Hollywood’s handshakes could be a misfortune, and whether being the front-runner on GBBS truly offers the best prospects.

Despite two Star Baker titles, multiple handshakes, and an endearing personality that made him appear as a possible protege of Paul, Dylan faced significant challenges during the final, much like his difficulties in the patisserie semifinals. Last week, he failed to complete his croissant signature or entremet showstopper; the dough for the former was underproved and he produced one less than required in the latter, a mistake that surprisingly went unnoticed by the judges. This week, his scones were left incomplete, and his Colours of Murano hanging cake was smaller and rougher compared to Georgie’s or Christiaan’s. He placed last in the technical round and produced misshapen plaited rolls, similar to his underperformance during bread week. His showstopper, featuring Earl Grey tea and candied orange flavor combinations, suffered from an incorrect choice of cake type, causing the genoise sponge to become too dense. Although Paul suggested that Dylan, Georgie, and Christiaan were very close in skill level, this competition, which now heavily emphasizes extraordinary showstoppers, made his call for tension seem less sincere.

In simpler terms, Dylan appears to be an enthusiastic individual who might have become overly attached to his concepts, struggling to adapt them into something more feasible. Most of his errors stemmed from timing and fundamental baking oversights, which is reasonable given that he’s just 20 years old. It’s also plausible that a touch of overconfidence factored in, considering the frequent praise he received for his flavor combinations and ideas, even when the execution of his bakes was questionable. For instance, during Bread week, despite placing last in the technical challenge, Dylan was awarded Star Baker over Nelly, who excelled in the technical and produced impressive signature and showstopper bakes. This might be due to more than just the judges’ admiration for his ideas; they also seemed to appreciate his personality, which could have influenced their decision-making process.

As a movie enthusiast, watching Dylan express his humility after the climactic challenge left me pondering the compassionate nature of this season’s judging panel. It struck me how rarely Paul and Prue delved into specific mistakes to help contestants grow. If the judges had consistently pointed out Dylan’s technical flaws during the competition, perhaps he would have entered the finale with a clearer understanding of his abilities. If Paul and Prue had been more open in their critiques – or if the GBBS editors had shown us those critiques more often – maybe everyone could have managed their expectations better, making it less surprising when stress took its toll on Dylan during the final stretch.

It’s important to clarify that the discussion here isn’t intended as a critique of Dylan as a competitor; everyone can have off days in the kitchen, and stress definitely affects performances. However, it’s worth noting that dramatic falls from grace are somewhat typical on GBBS, particularly for younger contestants who lack extensive baking experience and are frequently hyped up by the judges all season, only to struggle under the pressures of the final. Previous examples include Tasha and Josh from last season, who appeared to be strong contenders (each earning the GBBS trio of handshake, technical winner, and Star Baker) and delighting us with their innovative flavor combinations. Yet, Tasha’s inverted puff pastry sent her home in the penultimate week, while Josh’s slightly immature cake decoration cost him the final victory. In 2019, Steph won Star Baker four times, including three consecutive victories, but struggled to perform in the finale. And going way back to 2013, there was Ruby, a college student who received endless praise from the judges for her determination (she baked in her dorm room!), but whose showstopper wedding cake didn’t measure up to her competitors’ masterpieces in the final. Her silent tears still linger in my memory.

As a dedicated fan, I’ve noticed that Great British Baking Show (GBBS) often celebrates unexpected victories from young or novice bakers, and this trend resonated with me when considering Dylan’s journey. For instance, Matty charmed us with his pastel explosion showstopper in 2023, Syabira amazed us with her chicken satay macarons in 2022, and Peter left us awestruck with his impressive technical skills at just 20 years old in 2020. Dylan embodied aspects of each contestant – Matty’s astonishment upon receiving praise, Syabira’s zest for experimenting with unconventional flavors, and Peter’s infectious enthusiasm.

Watching a talent show like GBBS can feel mysterious at times because judging is influenced by personal opinions and aspects like taste that aren’t visible on TV. This means we, the audience, often rely on the judges’ spontaneous gestures such as handshakes, pats, or using words like “decent” to gauge someone’s potential. The show acknowledges this complexity and uses these moments to shape the season’s storyline. For instance, the finale opening might focus on Georgie not getting a handshake this season, even though she had as many Star Baker and technical wins as Dylan. Despite this, both Georgie and Christiaan were portrayed as underdogs who ultimately challenged Dylan for the top spot, which they managed to achieve.

Ultimately, Georgie’s underdog status added a sense of triumph where Dylan’s performance felt anticlimactic in the finale. Her Mediterranean-inspired savory and raspberry sweet scones were appealing both to the ear and eye, and her hanging showstopper cake was nothing short of stunning. Although she didn’t get the infamous handshake from Paul, Georgie demonstrated that she was more than just a front-runner; she was a winner.

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2024-11-30 00:54