All Rise...

Judge Roy Hrab has sampled tastier material.

The Charge

The South's best BBQ…The Big Apple's delicious Belgian waffles…and the most fabulous food on wheels in the fifty states.

The Case

The number of foodie shows littering the television landscape is increasing at a seemingly exponential rate. However, something has been missing…until now. What's been missing this whole time is a series narrated by John Goodman (The Big Lebowski). Thankfully, the good people at TLC have put this oversight to an end with Best Food Ever.

Best Food Ever goes across the United States ranking various eateries on their grub. The five episodes here include…

• "Sensational Sandwiches"
• "Darn Good Diners"
• "Bodacious Bakeries"
• "Fab Food Carts"
• "Buzzworthy BBQ"

With this series, TLC has made an attempt to join the food show bandwagon. Unfortunately, they've done so in a wholly original way. Sure, it's still food. And, yes, there's some outrageously delicious, artery clogging, mouth-watering, and over-the-top dishes here. However, there are a few problems.

First, there is no rhyme or reason given for their rankings. Each episode goes through a top 10 countdown without any judges or scoring system. Second, there is no host. Episodes are presented via Goodman's narration and interviews with patrons, staff, chefs, and the owner. As a result, the show lacks the personality of shows like Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, Adam Richman's Man v. Food, and Bobby Flay's The Best Thing I Ever Ate. Third, the aforementioned shows all cover some of the same establishments, such as Veselka and Tartine Bakery.

From a technical perspective, the standard definition 1.78 anamorphic image and run of the mill Dolby 2.0 Stereo offer nothing beyond broadcast television and there are no issues to speak of. There also aren't any bonus features.

Look, there's enough here to keep any lover of food porn interested, but the vast wasteland of reality television serves up many better offerings.

The Verdict

Guilty of contributing to an already oversaturated niche.

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