TV Reviews: Bakery Boss / Mud Lovin’ Rednecks

By Nathan Young on December 5, 2013

This TV Reviews post features two shows from the Discovery Networks that I liked watching, one of the shows is from Alabama! I love being a member of Discovery Press Web so I can preview and talk about these shows for you the Geek Alabama readers!

Bakery Boss

This new show on TLC stars New Jersey baker Buddy Valastro from Carlo’s Bakery and Cake Boss as he goes to 12 family bakeries in Texas, Florida, and Massachusetts. Valastro is bringing his famous blend of business skills and baking expertise to help other bakers that are struggling to make their American dreams come true. Having made his own family-run neighborhood bakery, Carlo’s, known around the world, Buddy understands the challenges of running a business – and the complications of doing it with relatives at your side. Now, Buddy will spend time helping a family in crisis, both personally and professionally, helping evaluating their every ingredient and technique, and challenging them to make big changes all in an effort to transform their crumbling dream into a sweet success.

In the first episode, Buddy visits Violet’s Bake Shop which is a Hungarian-themed business in the New York borough of Queens. The bakery desperately needs an update, but the owner resists allowing her son to make any changes. When Buddy arrives, he tries some of their food but most of it tastes horrible. He then finds out most of the food in the bakery is brought in from an outside provider. How many bakeries do that? I liked how Buddy held a taste test with their food and food from another place. It was a wake up call for the owners. After some remodeling including a new logo, which I like. The owner issues a challenge to sell $5,000 of goods or face closure. The employees exceeded their goal!

I was afraid this show would end up like those other shows like Bar Rescue and Restaurant Impossible where the host remodels the place and brings families and employees back together. I thought Buddy Valastro did a good job bringing Violet’s Bake Shop back together. I guess we will see how the other episodes will fare. One thing is for sure, Buddy is one busy guy! New episodes of Bakery Boss airs on Monday nights on TLC. To learn more about the show go to: http://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/bakery-boss

Mud Lovin’ Rednecks

Only four episodes of this show were made for Animal Planet, which is kind of sad, because any shows that promotes Alabama is good! The show features Mountain Creek Mud Bog in Marbury, Alabama. Journey deep into the heart of Alabama and meet a down home gang of childhood friends as they attempt to start a first time mud bog business on their property. A popular form of entertainment, mud bogging combines big four-wheel trucks, fun competitions in the mud, family atmosphere, and a whole lot of mud. Anna, aka “Lil Bit,” and her husband Bo, have joined forces with best friends Bubba and his fiancée Audrey, aka “Fat Legs,” to transform their muddy land into a booming business called Mountain Creek Mud Bog. While their successful grand opening kicks off the summer season and brings in the bucks, this gang knows that if they don’t step it up for the second bog, their new venture will be closed before it even starts.

The four episodes features the mud bog doing a rollercoaster in the mud, a high school reunion in the mud, and yes, even a wedding in the mud! My only question is this. Why is a show like this on Animal Planet? The show does not feature anything with animals. This would be a show more suited for TLC or even Destination America. I liked the rollercoaster episode where they actually built a track to ride into the mud with a loop! And I don’t know who would have a wedding where you get dirty. Yes, if you are not from Alabama you should know that people love to get dirty, especially in mud!

I thought Mud Lovin’ Rednecks was a good show, there was a little bit too much drama, I guess to make the show an hour-long. But you see people having fun and getting dirty in mud! Too bad only four episodes were made, I hope the Discovery Networks will come back to Mountain Creek Mud Bog to make more episodes! Learn more about Mountain Creek Mud Bog on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/mountaincreek.mudbog and on Twitter @MudLovinRedneck. Enjoy two episodes below!