Review: 'Winner Cake All'

For the most part it's pointless to review primetime Food Network shows - particuarly the competition-centric ones. Viewers know what they're getting into when they watch and other than making a decision about whether or not you prefer a cooking or a baking competition, these shows are designed to be watched in a soft blur of warm half-consciousness.

Which is ironically the same way that you are expected to watch Giada De Laurentiis. Giada is a calming, even-keeled presence on the Food Network. While she began on the network as a chef with her own show, she's evolved into the network's female counterpart to Bobby Flay. She does her own shows, she hosts or co-hosts multiple series and has no problem making a guest appearance when needed. She's the Swiss Army knife of the Food Network and that is simultaneously a good and bad thing.

The upside is that nearly everyone likes - or at least doesn't dislike - Giada. She's warm-ish, knowledgeable and has an easy hosting style that fits just about any show that doesn't involve a lot of high energy. The downside is that her style only changes about ten percent from show to show, which is especially an issue when the show itself doesn't include anything all that extraordinary.

Which brings me to "Winner Cake All," which despite the kinda clever title shares a lot of DNA with other earlier incarnations such as "Cake Wars." There are four teams of bakers and they are competing for $10,000 and the opportunity for their creation to be featured at some real life event. In the episode I saw, it was a bachelorette party. Challenge one is done without having met the "client." In this case, it was creating a cake topper of some sort of bachelorette fantasy trip. One team is eliminated, then the remaining three teams meet the client to get some input.

If this process sounds familiar, it's because you have literally seen nearly the exact same idea in three or four unfortunately similar shows. And while Giada is certainly charming enough, the fact she's a solid host doesn't make up for the fact that she doesn't add much to the proceedings.

If you enjoy baking competitions or if your remote is broke and you can't change the channel, then dive right into "Winner Cake All." But otherwise, I can't recommend the show.