Shark Bytes

My sister has all three Chef seasons on DVD, so I sat down to watch them straight through. They were great until the 3rd season, when suddenly everything changed. I thought, hmmm, I bet they changed the writers. I checked the boxes. Sure enough. Pretty much ruined it for me, even though I love the show. Gareth was completely out of character, and some of the stuff verged on idiotic slapstick. I can't imagine that Lenny Henry wasn't pissed.

Watch the three seasons every year, what a good show!!!!!

I agree for the most part with the previous post but I liked the second series too. The ones where Chateau Anglais had a new owner and everyone but Everton was new in the kitchen were a poor shadow of the previously great series. The Canadian blonde with a crush on Chef and the new-money ex-barrow-boy as owner/manager were the worst characters and they got too much screen time. If Everton was supposed to be an "absolute kickin' cook" how come he was still slaving away as a commie when all the others had either flunked out or moved on to better jobs. Just a slow learner I guess. Lenny Henry is a very funny fellow...right!

This show was great! and then... well let me tell you what I think happened. This was only supposed to be a one year show, not that uncommon in British shows where they have only about 8 shows a year. Chef! was such a hit, they had to bring it back, but most of the characters (actors) didnt make it back with the show, and it fell flat. The 1st season was laugh out loud, and by the middle of the 2nd, it was ho-hum. To bad, Larry Henry is a wonderful actor, and played the part brilliantly. I'll buy the 1st season on tape definitely, but think I'll wait until the bargain for 2 and 3

I found this show late one night on PBS when I was living in Washington DC and watched it RELIGIOUSLY in the wee hours of the morning. Then I moved to St. Louis and CHEF was gone. Arguably the biggest mistake the producers ever made was the change to videotape, the new music, the change in characters and storylines. I thought it was HYSTERICALLY FUNNY but after the changes I had to rely solely on Lenny Henry's acting to give me a laugh out of the show.

Jumped BIG TIME at the beginning of the 3rd season - it isn't nearly as good as the first two. I shall now launch into a series-1-or-2-style Gareth Blackstock tirade: First, they got rid of several good characters (Lucinda, Piers, Otto and Lola). Then, they added several mediocre-to-poor characters, ranging from Gustav (mediocre) to Savannah (veeery poor!). Next, they had to pollute the show with an American. Now, I realize that I, myself, am American, and that I have actually mentioned her already, but I thought that she was such a huge mistake, that she was worth mentioning twice. Next, they got cheeeeeeeap on us and switched from film to video tape. My wife and I just noticed that the show didn't "look as good", but we didn't really understand why until we read on one of the many Chef-related web pages that they had done this. I understand that the reason for this was to cut down the production time. This was an extremely bad idea for the same reason that Gareth does not have a microwave oven in his kitchen: speed does NOT equal quality! Finally, there is the @#$%^&*! laugh track! This is one of the main reasons why most America sitcoms are crap! Has there been an end-of-season clear-out in the cranial department at the BBC? What possessed them to do this? My wife suggests that maybe the crayfish have taken over programme planning. Well, sorry to vent on y'all (that's what we say down here), but my wife and I are just so disappointed that the BBC took a great show and turned it into a Neopolitan compost heap. There is an old saying here in the States: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" Unfortunately, it appears that the BBC has never heard that one.

Janice leaving/selling the Chateau/changing of the kitchen staff--how depressing. The end to a once great comedy...

I'm black, college educated, and watch PBS. I've only watched a few episodes, but this show sure beats the hell out of UPN and WB "Black"sitcoms. It's refreshing to see a sitcom anchored by Black people, interacting with other races w/o projecting attitude, completely devoid of mugging for the camera, shouting, bling blinging, and all that other crap presented on U.S. programming. Always wondered if we were above that (could we present complex human realistic Black sitcom characters?) in the states here- we're not. Britain was. Long live Chef!

When Savannah joined the cast this once great show took a nose dive. Her poor acting and, sorry, annoying accent sent this show to the brink. I also agree that when Lenny split with his wife the story lines got a little ridiculous.

One of the best shows ever done on either side of the Pond, but is my example of the Lunatic Fringe when it comes to jumping the shark. That third season, with the loss of Janice, a new face for the same old Gary, the addition of love interests and the loss of clothing in episode one, capped off by the change from film to video make it the most dramatic and disappointing shift I have ever experienced.

I would love to see this show come back with Gareth and his wife opening a resort in Jamaica. The reactions of the laid-back Jamaican workers to Gareth's rants would send him quite over the edge. I have seen the "Unpasteurized Stilton" episode a number of times, and each time I see it my stomach hurts and I am crying with laughter. I am actually with a guy who reminds me quite a bit of Gareth, and the interplay between Gareth and Janice could be the story of my life as well. High Maintenance Men and the Women Who Love Them. I think it's a book. Ta.

Have not been able to see enough episodes to determine if and when it jumped the shark. Although I love the show so much I am going to name my first born Gareth!

I love CHEF! I watch it every Saturday on my local PBS station. Lenny Henry cracks me up. I love his sorrowful rendition of Harry Nilsson's "Without You" when Gareth and Janice have a row. I love Savannah. Is she really American? She is hysterical. I love Renee and Everton and Cyril. This show is just too funny. I envy my sister (she took her junior year at Exeter) because she actually went to England. I also like EASTENDERS. I don't follow the story, I just love the accents.

At the end of the second season Blackstock & Le Chateau Anglais are successful beyond the fondest hopes of everyone. How did they follow that grand victory in Lyon? They open the third season with Gareth "gone skint" and selling the restaurant to a used-car salesman-cum-restaurateur.

I've never seen this show, but I do know some PBS stations have carried it - and I do know - GET READY TO DROP DEAD! - for four episodes of this show at least, none other than Pui Fan Lee, who might be better known for wearing the Po costume on the TELETUBBIES! Is THAT why some PBS stations have carried CHEF, if in the wee hours...