Great British Baking Show

Make a joyful sound.  This has been a great experience.  I ave to say that I avoided it for quite some time, just thinking what could possibly be so great about British baking, and I was so wrong.  There was a convergence, where several people who I like and respect told me that it was really terrific, so I got started.  And they were so right.  The situation is that each season 12 amateur bakers from across the British Isles compete each weekend for up to ten weeks.  Each week they do a Signature Bake, a Technical Bake, and a Showstopper.  It is a timed test, with an overall theme (Bread, Pie, Patisserie, Cake), and they are able to prepare their own recipes that they can practice ahead of time for the Signature and the Showstopper, whereas the Technical Challenge is a recipe that one of the hosts has in their cookbooks, and they give them scanty instructions and they have to struggle through.  I know, it doesn't sound terrific, but it really is.  These are incredibly talented bakers, who create things that have inspired us to try to make them ourselves, and for a reality show, people are largely very kind to each other.  Do not miss this, it is sensational.  Streaming on Netflix.