Though it could have been both! We hadn't watched a contest show before, and this one seemed like the logical choice (season 6 is the only one currently available on Netflix). It was lots of fun for me, my 10-year old daughter, and my 8-year old son, who really protested at first, but soon became deeply fascinated with it. The technical and creative challenges were really enjoyable in that they showed the nearly infinite variety of baking that is possible, and the kids who participated were bold, creative, and talented in their designs and products. It was always fun to see the finished baked goods, and to hear the judges evaluate their presentation and taste. I was a little surprised to see that the filming of the baking itself does not concentrate on the actual process, and gives no general tips or background information. So after watching the show, one wants to bake like these talented kids, but has not learned anything about how to do that. Another weird thing is that the contestants ranged in age from 10-15, and the first kids to get kicked off were the youngest ones, while the most skilled were the oldest--they probably should have stuck to a 13-15 age range. Finally, my kiddos were a bit puzzled by anglicisms such as the shameless overuse of the word "biscuit" and the mysterious layered monstrosity known as a "trifle", but this low-key intro to standard British English was another positive aspect of the show for them.
Review of Junior Bake Off
