and contend that not only is it still the best reality show on television, but that this all-stars iteration also might be the finest the show has ever been.has perfected the need for long-running reality series to escalate scale, stakes, and spectacle, as a means for staying both exciting and relevant. Yet it does this without becoming so ostentatious or convoluted that it loses the core tenets of what made the show great in the first place.
It’s also the first time the entire season is taking place abroad, with the contestants gathering in London. One might instinctively scoff at the destination for this historicouting being the home of British cuisine, which doesn’t have the most sterling reputation. But all it takes to get on board is for host Padma Lakshmi to explain the culinary esteem of the city once—such are her powers.