So what's the verdict on the premieres?

[Sonic Whammy]

For all the hype that's been put into them, and even though neither show is my kind of thing, I gave them both a try last night just to at least say I saw them once.

Bible: If you can get past the subject material, which is the hardest sell about the show for many, the actual game format is pretty solid. I'll admit I was amused by the "Faithbook" pages. And Foxworthy seems to be the best choice for this show given he's the one who best fits the whole Deep South Bible Belt angle (for lack of a better description).

Chefs: I felt like it was Iron Chef with trash talking. Not the worst thing, but it doesn't have to be there. The biggest thing that works here is that I can look at a lot of the things they make on IC Japan or IC America and not really see a lot of things that I would have the skill or salivating desire to cook at home. Chefs counters that because the dishes are home-cooked to begin with, and if you want to fancy it up a notch, you have the comparison to look to over on the experts' side. For that alone, I'd like to actually see this show last at a few seasons.

[clemon79]

The biggest thing that works here is that I can look at a lot of the things they make on IC Japan or IC America and not really see a lot of things that I would have the skill or salivating desire to cook at home.

For a lot of people that's the entire *point* of dining out.

[Clay Zambo]

Chefs: I felt like it was Iron Chef with trash talking.

I was thinking it was closer to Throwdown with Bobby Flay, except that the Experts team doesn't know what they'll be cooking ahead of time.  (I wonder how much of a stopdown they give the experts for planning, or if that's included in the time.)

Either way, it's a cute proposition.

[Joe Mello]

I was thinking it was closer to Throwdown with Bobby Flay, except that the Experts team doesn't know what they'll be cooking ahead of time.  (I wonder how much of a stopdown they give the experts for planning, or if that's included in the time.)

I'm hoping it's the latter, or at least as close to the latter as ICA does.

I got the Throwdown vibe, too, and there's a bunch of stuff to like, but the one major thing that bothered me is that the reveal for the first match isn't done until the end of the hour.  I understand you are trying your damnedest to make it look like these matches are happening on the same tape day and in sequence, but withholding results like Idol, et al makes it look like you aren't confident with your product.

Also, someone tell the host that you don't need to run on and off the set.  Walking is fine.

[Clay Zambo]

I was thinking it was closer to Throwdown with Bobby Flay, except that the Experts team doesn't know what they'll be cooking ahead of time.  (I wonder how much of a stopdown they give the experts for planning, or if that's included in the time.)

I got the Throwdown vibe, too, and there's a bunch of stuff to like, but the one major thing that bothered me is that the reveal for the first match isn't done until the end of the hour.  I understand you are trying your damnedest to make it look like these matches are happening on the same tape day and in sequence, but withholding results like Idol, et al makes it look like you aren't confident with your product.

I don't know from Idol (I'm the one who isn't watching it), but I'm totally with you on this.  Also, it doesn't make sense to me that there are two unrelated games in each episode.

[Joe Mello]

Also, it doesn't make sense to me that there are two unrelated games in each episode.

"Two is more than one" is all the explanation I need.

[Don Howard]

I'm waiting for the third episode to watch since it's only then where I can be a part of a better measure of the viewing audience.