HELL’S KITCHEN: Contestant Dafne in the season 21 premiere episode of HELL’S KITCHEN airing Thursday, Sep. 29 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. © 2022 FOX MEDIA LLC. CR: FOX.
For the majority of the foodies out there, the arrival of a new season of Hell’s Kitchen is reason to celebrate. Seeing Gordon Ramsay go off on a new group of chefs like the drill sergeant in Full Metal Jacket is always good television.
And while the first episode of Season 21, which sees a team of chefs who are all over 40 compete against a team made up of twenty-somethings did have some fun moments, they were few and far between.
Because for a season billed as Battle of the Ages, I was anticipating fireworks and insults and lots of screaming. Instead, I came away incredibly bored, which is not something that has ever happened when it comes to watching Hell’s Kitchen before.
Battle of the Ages is in full swing! 🏁 #HellsKitchen pic.twitter.com/MNqdaswibC
— Hell's Kitchen (@HellsKitchenFOX) September 30, 2022
Now I fully realize this was Part One of a two-part premiere and that the majority of the real action takes place during dinner service, of which the first one is next week. So I will give the premiere a break there. However, for the last few seasons the only part of the show that’s really been worth watching has in fact been the dinner service.
The challenges are silly and boring and in the end are completely meaningless. A team can win all the rewards and challenges it wants but if they mess up dinner service and someone goes home, as far as I’m concerned you’re a loser.
And it seems the challenges each season get more and more ridiculous. Honestly I have no desire to watch chefs have chocolate sauce dumped on them or have to try and skateboard a halfpipe. I watch Hell’s Kitchen to see people try and cook amazing food and get screamed at by Chef Ramsay when they screw up.
Hell’s Kitchen has unfortunately gotten into a rut the last few seasons where they all seem to blend together. Despite trying new things by mixing up the ages of the contestants and other gimmicks, the series feels predictable and for lack of a better phrase, like it may have jumped the shark.
No general admission allowed in #HellsKitchen! 🥵 pic.twitter.com/EqxRY7fp2p
— Hell's Kitchen (@HellsKitchenFOX) September 30, 2022
Of course, this was just the first episode of Season 21. There is plenty of time for this to possibly be one of the best seasons of Hell’s Kitchen foodies have ever seen. And I hope it is because I want to see the series succeed.
But if it doesn’t, maybe it’s time to think about shaking things up and focusing more on actual cooking and dinner service and less on challenges that mean nothing.
What did you think of the premiere of Season 21 of Hell’s Kitchen? Did you enjoy it or did you think it was a bit boring? Leave a comment below and let us know or join the conversation on our Twitter and Facebook pages.
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