I Saw This!! What I Have Been Watching: A Long Long Look Back, Pt. B - Gems

 I Saw This (double exclamation point) is our feature wherein Kent(!) or Toasty attempt to write about a bunch of stuff they watched some time ago and meant to write about but just never got around to doing so. But we can't not write cuz that would be bad, very bad.  Ottawa Freedom Convoy bad.

What I Have Been (or Am) Watching is the admitted state of me spending too much time in front of the TV. But what else was the last few years about? Sure, we got a few breaks from being confined at home, and might have actually gone outside (gasp!) and socialized with (double-gasp!) human beings (faint-dead-away) but we always ended up back on the sofa, flicker in hand, trying to find something to watch amidst the 35 shows we downloaded, and the 5 or so streaming services we are subscribed to.

Part A is here. 

When I talk about my streaming services, I always refer to the ones I pay for, like Netflix or Disney+ or Amazon Prime Video. And on occasion, one of the Amazon add-on's like StackTV -- I will get to that utter loathing another day. But SmartTVs give you apps, and some apps let you watch stuff for free, like Tubi or CBC Gem. Sure, they have limited choices and usually add in ads, but you can find some *ahem* gems in there, to watch.

Coroner, 2019 - 2022, Netflix/CBC

One of the WFH days, I was looking for something I could watch without Marmy, something I could start and stop and not worry about. Click click Crime TV ! I was caught up on the FBIs and waiting their return, so I started the Toronto-situated Coroner, based on the Jenny Cooper books out of the UK. Cooper (Serinda Swan, Inhumans) is the titular coroner for the GTA, who returns to work after her husband unexpectedly died. The show has her dealing with his loss, as well as the legacy of her sister's death when they were kids, and how they both contribute to how she handles cases, for if she didn't get personally involved in each and every death, we wouldn't have a show.

The death of the week was always fascinating from viewing the morphed geography and culture of Toronto (e.g. one of the episodes is about the owner of my fav Dumpling House on Spadina being murdered, and its relation to Chinatown being gentrified), but what really caught my attention were the creative choices the show made. I caught myself constantly saying out loud, usually to Marmy in the kitchen, "Wow, I love the direction that just took. In an American version of this, it would have..." The two main characters, Jenny the coroner, and Detective McAvoy (Roger Cross, Eureka) become close, but the two never become a couple; in fact, the show makes definite choices in the first two seasons to show how strong their friendship grows, as just friends. The police always focus on disarming situations and gun play is limited. The diversity in Toronto, and the still existing constant challenges, is at the forefront.

The show also tackles current affairs rather well, from the realization that the previous coroner was regularly cutting corners, putting the rulings on many cases into question, to the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. The latter is rather curtailed, thankfully so, as it arose during the pandemic fatigue stage, but the episode on Jenny bagging bodies in long term care homes is heart breaking, more than news exposure ever could reveal. 

Alas, the show seemed to lose its way after a couple of seasons. Its that typical desire to constantly repeat the key tropes that make the first season popular: Jenny dealing with the loss of her husband (they kill off her new boyfriend), Jenny being haunted by her sister's death (panic attacks and hallucinations), Jenny dealing with challenges of work (Jenny returns from leave to find another coroner strong arming the office). I prefer to let shows evolve, not always having to return to the beats that make the first few seasons popular.

The Great British Bake Off / The Great British Baking Show, 2010 - current, CBC Gem

And then there is a format that they can repeat over and over for more than a decade and I love it over and over and over. 

We have been watching the show here and there, when it pops on, from PBS to CBC, but never putting any concerted effort into watching. That is, until we found it on CBC Gem. More accurately, Marmy found it, and began binging, and it was on every time I walked into the TV room. For weeks, I would saunter in, get caught up filling in the gaps for my favourite seasons and favourite home bakers, even seeing most of a season I had never caught at all before. And every single time, I was provide the urge to try baking that, and this, and that and that and THAT !

I didn't bake a single thing in response.

For those who don't know, Bake Off (called Baking Show in North America because of copywrite issues) is a British series created by (more than a little pompous) bread baker Paul Hollywood and legendary baker Mary Berry. Each season, a group of home bakers are presented a bunch of challenges to bake/cook, most often having a chance to practice at home, but also provide surprise "technical challenges" that are supposed to stretch their skills to the limits, providing limited instructions and ingredients. Every challenge is judged on appearance, taste and the adherence to the heart of the recipe. Along with the judges, we get a couple of hosts who walk the bakers through the stages, and provide colour commentary. As episodes end, some people are sent home, and the season ends with a winner chosen from a final three.

Most of the styles of baking are traditional British and French baking staples, with some classics from the past reaching in, as well as the occasional nearby European classic item. But as seasons progressed, other things started creeping in, and even on occasion, popping in a North American style baked good. Never was I more aware of the difference between North America and baking across the pond than I was when Paul judged cookies/biscuits.

Along with seeing all the delicious food, you also cannot help but find favourite bakers each season. And unlike American style competition shows, you might get annoyed by the occasional baker drama antics, but you are never expected to dislike anyone. This show is not about Good Guy vs Bad Guy or manufactured upset. This is about good baking and people doing something they love to do. Some of my favourites were Rahul, though his lack of self confidence became tiring when binging the season, the Ruby's and whatever endearing grandmother showed up for the season. To be honest, its hard to choose "favs" as it was all about the moments.

And the hosts. Originally comic duo Sue Perkins and Mel Giedroyc, they went through a few changes, including my favorite seasons with Noel Fielding and Sandy Toksvig. Paul was always presented as a stodgy, unforgiving baker short on his compliments and strict on his expectations. The comic hosts surprisingly had great leeway to play with his cranky character creating some rather surreal and down right weird cut scenes. But despite Paul's grumpy nature, every single contestant sought out the signature Paul Hollywood Handshake, that identified exactly how impressed he was with a baked good.

And now I want to go bake a cake. But I probably won't.