Here's why I believe The Great American Baking Show is a comfort watch

**Disclaimer: This article on The Great American Baking Show reflects the author's opinion. Reader discretion is advised.**

The Great American Baking Show season 3 premiered on April 11, 2025, with English celebrity chef Paul Hollywood and cookery writer Prue Leith as the judges and comedians Casey Wilson and Zach Cherry as the hosts. With a six-episode run, the series featured amateur cooks, from influencers to pastors, competing for the star baker title.

It saw musical-theater-turned-master-baker Kim Goldfeder win the judges' praise and the winner's title of The American Baking Show season 3. Her winning preparation included a cinnamon carrot cake with a fondant bunny alongside a vibrant cherry rhubarb pie and a rosemary focaccia bread.

While competition is the essence of The Great American Baking Show, what sets it apart from the other American cooking shows is its format, the overall intensity of the competition, the lack of a monetary prize, and the presentation of an overall low-stress, friendly environment.

It is one of the main reasons I believe The Great American Baking Show is a comfort watch, where competition is stripped of its anxieties and presented as a piece of binge-worthy, cozy television.

Unlike popular American culinary competitions like Tournament of Champions, Top Chef, Chopped, and more, this spin-off of The Great British Bake Off is laid-back, where cooks do not compete for ingredients or other resources.

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There is competition, but without conflict in The Great American Baking Show

The first element that makes The Great American Baking Show stand out from other competitive reality shows is how the six-episode run is utilized to present the stories of each contestant. It helps viewers bond with them and connect with their baking approach, making it a comfort watch instead of bringing the tension of the high-intensity cook-offs shown in other presentations.

While competition still remains at its crux and is the whole premise, I believe it has a more personal tone, attracting viewers. Cooks focus more on perfecting their skills and learning from their mistakes than defeating their opponents. Since it is stripped of the cut-throat rivalry and interpersonal conflicts, the show becomes more genuine and rewarding.

In an interview with Hurrdat Entertainment, posted on their official YouTube channel on April 26, 2025, host Casey Wilson shared her opinion on the presentation of the show, saying:

"It's almost like a food p**n or something, and I just find it very, especially in the world today, it's just nice to put something on that you're just like, 'I like what's happening. There's no huge conflict, and I'm maybe learning.'"

Another factor that truly makes shows like The Great American Baking Show a binge-worthy show to watch on a cozy night is noticing how the cooking setup is a tent. Although the challenges are timed and push the bakers to their limits, the overall appearance of the outdoor location illustrates a calm and non-competitive environment, unlike the large indoor kitchens where most shows are shot.

Even when one compares the casting of The Great American Baking Show to other culinary competitions, the former brings people together who focus more on personal growth rather than defeating their opponents. While it might just be the way the show is edited, even then, it adds to the low-stress nature of the show, making it likeable and comfortable to watch.

In the same interview with Hurrdat Entertainment, Casey said:

"They casted so well where they're [contestants] like helping each other while someone will be like, 'Did you think about putting that there?' And you know, it is so gentle-spirited and money's not involved, which I do think is so great about the show."

While in other shows, there is a cash prize at the finish line, The Great American Baking Show offers none. It only presents a trophy, which is the true recognition of a cook's achievements and growth. In my opinion, when money is presented as a reward, a show becomes more cut-throat. While a monetary compensation is appreciated, it often adds extra pressure on the competitors.

However, the spin-off of the British show offered none, making itself a competition of personal growth, where bakers learn, and so does the audience by keeping food at the center of attention.

"People care about that cake plate. They just do. It's meaningful to them. They cry, they get it," Casey said in the interview.

Thus, in my opinion, The Great American Baking Show emerges as a comfort watch in comparison to the other culinary competitions because it prioritizes the contestants, their development, and the friendly competition over the race to the finish line. Moreover, it presents itself in a different and easy-to-watch setup.

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The Great American Baking Show season 3 is available to stream on Roku.