Man v. Food

Adam Richman was fantastic, Casey a bit rubbish.

A series of it's time, but now we have the internet and YouTube which has much more extreme food challenges on.

Half cooking show, half strange competition show. It started the competitive eating awareness and gave birth to watching men eat too much food in a way the killer from Se7en would find agreeable in the first kill - Gluttony.

Beard vs Food on YouTube is the UK version, wildly popular as he does food in the UK and over the globe.

It's very entertaining and will make you want to pick up your phone and order Uber Eats/Just-Eat. But with the obesity crisis, do we need this in 2024?

All those overly dramatic reviews just have to be written by health freaks. My God, get over it, it's a TV show, nobody is ever invited to follow him, or try it at home. people watch it over here in Ireland & the UK too, and we don't have such massive obesity problems. if your kids are so easily influenced by what they see on TV, switch it off!

I love watching the mounds of crap that these restaurants conjure up. BUT, it is true that he kisses ass a little, I've never once seen him say something was terrible or even just not great. Everything he eats is "Awesome" and it is the over Americanised exaggerating (like every challenge has a crowd of overly eager - possibly actors - behind him) that ruins it in the end.

Watch it on a full tum and you won't go hitting the fridge ;)

For a couple of years now they're showing more and more Cooking- and Food-shows on German (private) Television, something that has been lacking for quiet a few years (this is, unless you enjoy a 60-something lady cooking "Toast Hawaii", a combination of toast, ham, cheese and a slice of pineapple). Gordon Ramsays "Kitchen Nightmares", Andrew Zimmerns "Bizarre Foods", Bourdains "No Reservation", to name but a few. Among one of the more entertaining of those shows is "Man v. Food" which, in my opinion has some very positive features, but also some rather negative aspects. Let's start with the bad first: For one, Adam Richman isn't the most charismatic of presenters. Quiet the opposite: occasionally he comes across as pretty obnoxious, something between a hyped-up Frat-brother, wanna-be Hip-Hopper and a professional glutton. Sure, the variations of the concept are limited, but then again: there are only so many ways with which to stuff food into one orifice within a limited time. During the final, "challenge"-segments, it occasionally also hurts the taste-buds to see plates of food, that look definitely delicious, being so mindlessly destroyed within a limited time. But maybe that's only the food-snob within me speaking.

Which brings us to the good: Many Europeans, who have never visited the US, have the preconceived notion that Americans live on Hamburgers, Steak and the occasional fried chicken alone. Apart from the mindless gluttony of the challenges, the show gives some very nice travel-tip for outsiders, showing them that there is another world apart from McD's, Burger King and (for the obesity-conscious) Subways. "Man v. Food" gave me quiet a lengthy list of "to-dos" when I visit the States the next time and once I sit down at the Orochon-Ramen-house in Little Tokyo, I'll do so on recommendation of "Man v. Food". However, no "challenge" for me. See, I do enjoy enjoying my food and taking less than an hour for a good meal does seem like swallowing in haste.

In other words: Thanks for the recommendation, Mr. Richman, as well as for the freak-show.

As far as the more "exotic" food-shows go, I'd give it a 6/10

Back in the day this show was a fun, amusing and interesting show. Adam Richman seemed to respect the people, establishments, and the food while having a lot of fun doing his job. The scary thing was you could actually see him gaining weight rapidly and you knew he couldn't do it for long. He rode off into the sunset, while getting his weight down, and they replaced him with a dullard that is his polar opposite. While Casey seems to be a genuinely nice guy, he is just too awkward and cringey to take seriously. He stares at the camera creepily and often while making moronic comments that you can see the people around him with "Wtf?" looks on their faces. The show is watchable though because of the food, most of which looks very good. While Adam beat some seriously difficult challenges in during his stint, Casey rarely comes remotely close to beating any. He won't stop talking during the challenge. Eat, you fool! Entertain us, clown!

It's very easy to write off a replacement - you like an original presenter etc, and this can be wholly unfair - people are different, and sometimes that's ok. But...

Not in this case! While OTT and silly, Adam was genuinely funny, quick witted, and knew his stuff.

It's all well and good being amusing, but to also know a thing or two about your subject just elevates the premise of the show.

I have tried and tried with Casey, but he just shouts, has zero knowledge, leaves pauses like he's caught in the headlights, and just isn't funny.

Some great eateries, some amazing chefs. But a real step down in presentation. And ultimately the subject makes you want to watch, but the host just pull you in. No longer, sadly.