The Baker and the Beauty
Episodes Watched:
Episode 1: “Pilot”
Episode 2: “Ruin my Life”
Episode 3: “Get Carried Away”
Where I watched it:
Netflix
This week, I watched the short-lived ABC show The Baker and The Beauty, which has gotten a resurgence of popularity now that it’s made its way to Netflix (I made a reaction video to the pilot which you can watch here -- this review covers the first three episodes). When I first started the show, I thought it would be a romantic comedy geared toward families. It’s definitely about family dynamics, and it has comedy and romance, but it doesn’t hit the notes I wanted from a typical romantic comedy and a typical family show.
The show is about Daniel Garcia (Victor Rasuk), who runs a family bakery together with his parents (Lisa Vidal and Carlos Gómez), his brother Mateo (David Del Rio), and his little sister, Natalie (Belissa Escobedo). After rejecting his girlfriend’s proposal, Daniel meets supermodel Noa Hamilton (Nathalie Kelley). Despite their very different worlds, the two begin a whirlwind romance.
I talked a lot in the video about how Noa acts in a manipulative way. This is definitely played down in later episodes. However, she never really considers that Daniel might have his own life, and at one point, a member of her posse tells Daniel that the relationship will end if he leaves a party. There’s no in-story reason for why the relationship feels so culty, and it’s never acknowledged. Daniel talks about Noa’s good qualities (apparently her charity built 12 schools in Puerto Rico last year, which feels like an unrealistic number of schools, especially when you consider other expenses) but the show really seems to focus on him being dazzled by her wealth and attractiveness. Nearly every supporting character has told Daniel that this relationship could have bad consequences, and I don’t really see non-superficial reasons for him to stay in this relationship so far. Overall, their relationship feels underdeveloped, and like there’s no conflict between the two of them too quickly.
The primary reason that this doesn’t feel like a family show is the content. I said in the video that it was teetering on the edge of TV-14, but after watching episodes 2 and 3, I have no idea how the show isn’t TV-14. The other reason that it doesn’t feel like a family show is that the family plot is sidelined for the romance (which would work better, again, if the romance were more fun). Besides these things, the family aspect of the show is great. Though the Garcias have their conflicts (his parents worry about the future of the bakery and of their children; Natalie lacks self-confidence and is hiding her attraction to girls from her family), they’re generally much more supportive than most TV families (the parents especially, show a much happier marriage than you usually see on TV).
The supporting characters are great, especially the women in and around the bakery. In the pilot, Daniel’s ex-girlfriend Vanessa (Michelle Veintimilla, who deserves her own show) seems like she’ll fit neatly into the “crazy ex” trope (although, I’m still unclear on whether Daniel has properly broken up with her). She’s funny and sympathetic, and probably the most compelling character of the bunch. The show handles Natalie’s self-esteem issues well: Her lack of confidence is a normal part of her age (and probably because of her inability to tell her parents about her sexual orientation), and not because of anything wrong with her, which is really refreshing. The Garcia family matriarch, Mari, brings so much life and fun to every scene she’s in. I wish the primary romance were a subplot to more of an ensemble show so we could get more of every character, but instead, the show sticks us with the main couple and puts all of the interesting stuff in the background.
I like a lot of aspects of this show (baking! Pretty scenery! Family dynamics!). Within the first three episodes, though, it doesn’t become a show that fits together into something that’s compelling or logical. It’s a shame, because I think it has a lot of components that could be really great. Like an underbaked cake with good flavors, the quality ingredients don’t really tempt me into wanting more.
Detailed content advisory for The Baker and the Beauty:
(Note: I have only seen the first 3 episodes)
Language:
Dios mío (my God) / “oh my God” both used as an oath/exclamation.
Some crude language like “caca” (translates to “poop” or “crap”), “peed,” and “b*lls.”
Some insulting language like “lunatic,” “idiotas” “jerk” “screw him”
Some mild profanity like “h*ll” and “*ss.”
Characters remark on something that will “p*ss [someone] off.”
Violence:
After being rejected romantically, a woman jokingly talks about wanting a knife or a gun.
Sexual content:
Generally, a lot of innuendo, open discussion of sex, and some nudity. No onscreen sex scenes, but characters obviously have sex offscreen.
A man and a woman skinny dip - there’s full back nudity, although the lighting obscures details. They make out in the water while nude.
A man makes jokes about his mother’s menopause
A man jokingly suggests another man take illicit photos.
A man cheats on his girlfriend. Photo of shirtless man kissing a woman who is apparently wearing a bathrobe (it entirely covers her body). Multiple shirtless men throughout the show.
Depending on how you view it, the main relationship could be considered infidelity, since Daniel and Vanessa don’t (at least at the beginning) explicitly break up.
The female lead is impressed that the male lead doesn’t immediately ask her for sex. She says to him: “When I asked my ex[-boyfriend] what he wanted for his birthday, his wish was a threesome with my best friend.”
After Daniel meets Noa, Daniel’s brother Mateo immediately asks if Daniel slept with Noa.
A man tells a woman that he’d like to dance with her. Later, the woman says that “dancing is just a metaphor for sex.”
A teenager is secretly on lesbian teen chatroom and (because she is hiding her sexuality from her parents) isn’t telling her parents that she’s presumably on a dating site. So far, though, her romance plotline isn’t as overtly sexualized as a lot of teen romance (it consists of a near-kiss).
A woman wants to wear “a dress that has [a man] biting his hand with desire for me.” And decides to buy lingerie. Scenes of women wearing lingerie (and a teenage girl wearing a swimsuit), though these are mostly one-pieces and aren’t shot very gratuitously.
Questionable Content:
Flashing lights.
A scene with a man at urinal. Nothing is shown.
The show is rated PG for “substances” - I don’t remember any substances within the first three episodes except for alcohol, which there’s a fair amount of (mostly in party scenes, although there are definitely characters who drink as a coping mechanism).
