Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares (BBCA) 1/24/08

[Gunnyman]

I'm so glad the original is back. I'm ready to forget the horrible Fox version now.
Gordon knows his stuff and I've never seen a more belligerant restaurant owner than Allan Love. Is he some washed up British stage star?
Anyway, good episode.

[Langree]

I looked him up on IMDB, looks like he was more active in the 80's and not very much at that.

[Neenahboy]

Oh, you guys are in for an awesome season...the best of the series by far, IMO. I should really set up a SP to watch them again.

[Haps]

I just got turned onto this show last week. My wife was watching some show on BBCA and left to go do something. I was on the computer and RKN was on after her show. 5 mins in I was hooked(Think it was the Morgan's episode).

Ramsay makes me laugh all the time. I haven't enjoyed a show this much in a long time.

[TonyTheTiger]

My only regret is that he can't churn these shows out fast enough! If he stopped making the crap US version of this show, he'd have a lot more time for episodes of The F Word and RKN!

I watched a recent "live" show he did in the UK where he got people to make a three-course meal along with him in an hour. IMHO, it's worth hunting out if you're a Ramsay fan, but be warned that it's not beeped out!

[jlb]

I would love one of the networks here to pick up the reruns of the RKN. Like what (IT hink) NBC is doing picking up Dexter.

[Neenahboy]

Originally Posted by jlb

I would love one of the networks here to pick up the reruns of the RKN. Like what (IT hink) NBC is doing picking up Dexter.

It's CBS, actually.

[TonyTheTiger]

...and they're only doing that because of the writers' strike and the shortage of new scripted shows!

Highly unlikely that anyone will pick up reruns of RKN as they're shown ad nauseum on BBCA.

[vikingguy]

Awesome start to the season. It only reminds me of how bad fox botched the american version.

[devlindark]

I don't know why all of you hate the Fox version so much seems to me it's the same show just not in The UK. I love when he goes off on the people in the UK version though because even though they bleep it you get the feel for how he is and how he takes a no holds bared approach to getting through to people. Other than that I enjoy both of the series equally

I especially love the fact that people on both shows in the UK and US resist him so much
only to realize that he is right! I mean dam what did have him come there for in the first place. He's only Gordon Ramsey I world class chef with several high end restaurants
all over but he doesn't have a clue about your place that for dinner for 2 might cost say $60 yet at his thats just the appetizer

[Gunnyman]

The fox version was like Hell's kitchen, the diners were obviously "hired" there were confrontations that were obviously staged, and the narrator was completely unnecessary.

The BBC version is more polished, it feels more realistic.

[montag]

BBCA=Real

FOX=Fake

BTW, anyone else see the commercials (I know, I know) for Last Restaurant Standing which premiere's in early February..the 12th I think.

[TonyTheTiger]

Not sure that BBCA is totally real. There's a lot going on that we don't see. It's just we (the Brits) are better at it!

The main difference for me is the visit later, so we actually see how the changes affected the business.

[Olly]

Yes I think there is a lot of preparation and research done beforehand as there is no way you could get a restaurant dining room refurbished or a kitchen replaced overnight without a little planning.

However, in my opinion the British version is so much better in structure and presentation. I get the impression that the American version is put together in the editing room from a pile of clips in some random order. It's like watching a series of events without a story hence the need for a narrator to try and make some sense of it all. In the Brit version Gordon tells the story.

Oh and don't get me going about the need before an ad break for showing highlights of what might be coming up after this (or maybe the next) break and then after the break for telling us what happened before the break!. Crazy.

[marksman]

Originally Posted by TonyTheTiger

Not sure that BBCA is totally real. There's a lot going on that we don't see. It's just we (the Brits) are better at it!

The main difference for me is the visit later, so we actually see how the changes affected the business.

Yeah I think people are getting carried away between the two versions and what is and is not real.

Also notice that he re-did the interior of the restaurant. I think the reason the shows come across differently is mainly because of how they are edited. The UK version focuses on the Owner/Kitchen almost exclusively and the US version focuses on the entire restaurant.

The UK restaurants don't have any customers just like the US ones. I am not sure what makes any of you think that somehow in a week they magically manage to attract a legitimate audience, they go out and recruit them just like they do for the US show.

I am sure the little old lady who told Gordon to F himself just was walking through that area (!?@@!?!) and decided to stop in for a quick bite.

Some of you are giving credit to the UK show that it is really not due. I enjoy them both and I think the UK show is put together better, but at their foundation the shows are almost identical.

[dmlove51]

I never even knew there WAS a British version, but now I've got a Season Pass, and there are at least 8 episodes scheduled. Can't wait to see it.

[JaneiR36]

No way am I signing up for digital stations just to see the British version of a show that I happen to love very much. No got dang way.

(Holy crap there goes another $15/mo )

[MasterOfPuppets]

I think that the BBC and the Fox versions are very similar.

I also think that Ramsey may have become overexposed to me, because watching his shows isn't nearly as interesting to me now.

[Neenahboy]

Originally Posted by MasterOfPuppets

I think that the BBC and the Fox versions are very similar.

No. Just...no.

[JETarpon]

Ramsay has two different television personalities. The two personalities are best exhibited on The F Word and on Hell's Kitchen. In The F word, Ramsay is more friendly and jovial, on Hell's Kitchen he's a screaming hardass.

On RKN, he's much closer to this F word personality. He doesn't take **** from the restaurant staff, but he's still mostly friendly. On Fox KN, he's much more like he is on Hell's Kitchen. He's more likely to scream at the staff, and there always seems to be a confrontation that's over the top.


BTW, I also noticed "Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares Revisited" on the guide. Are those just reruns of previous seasons, or are is there some new material?

[TonyTheTiger]

Originally Posted by JETarpon

Ramsay has two different television personalities. The two personalities are best exhibited on The F Word and on Hell's Kitchen. In The F word, Ramsay is more friendly and jovial, on Hell's Kitchen he's a screaming hardass.

On RKN, he's much closer to this F word personality. He doesn't take **** from the restaurant staff, but he's still mostly friendly. On Fox KN, he's much more like he is on Hell's Kitchen. He's more likely to scream at the staff, and there always seems to be a confrontation that's over the top.

That's because Fox - and network TV in general - thrives on confrontation.

BTW, I also noticed "Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares Revisited" on the guide. Are those just reruns of previous seasons, or are is there some new material?

Revisited is basically a rerun of the same show with an extra visit to the restaurant a little later.

[ElJay]

"I hear there's no fresh fish in Brighton-- What the **** is this?"

I thought this was a pretty nice "feel good" episode. There were some rocky parts, but it seems like Ramsay actually had very good success in finally reaching through to Allan and making the place substantially better.

[newsposter]

that owner really was in denial...was a shame. And i dont like lobster but dang that was sad. All that waste.

[goblue97]

Originally Posted by JETarpon

In The F word, Ramsay is more friendly and jovial, on Hell's Kitchen he's a screaming hardass.

We must be watching two different versions of the F-word then. The episodes that I have seen have him tearing into his kitchen staff.

[pmyers]

There are some similarites between the UK and Fox version but A LOT of differences. To me, I feel like the Fox version has more of an "extreme makeover" feal to it while the UK version seems to focus more on making do with what you do have and can afford rather than bringing in $75k worth of new stoves and decor.

The UK version also spends more time on the re-visit.

I like them both but like the UK version better.

[Jesda]

The Fox version is more fun, but fake.

[7thton]

Originally Posted by Neenahboy

No. Just...no.

iawtc