Why? - Marcel's Quantum Kitchen Discussion

I think the real question is why is he getting his own show on SYFY?! D:

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[–] Observer_2020 13 years ago

Probably because they are trying to expand their demographic reach. Most of their shows skew heavily to a male viewership. Not defending the strategy. Just explaining what they are trying to do.

It's also a reality show, so it might be cheaper than a scripted, SFX-heavy show like Battlestar Galactica and the Stargate shows. Syfy is consciously trying to get away from "traditional" space-based sci-fi, for some reason. Their previous president/CEO had made negative comments about the Stargate shows, and they have tried to add reality programming many times: the Stan Lee superhero reality competition, the live-action reality "video game" competition - don't remember the name, Face Off, etc. Ghost Hunters and Destination Truth are similar in that they aren't traditional sci-fi shows either.

While this show was an interesting change of pace, I can't really figure out why it's on the Syfy Channel, other than to think that Bonnie Hammer was behind it (even though she is no longer in charge of Syfy).

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[–] gold_nava17 13 years ago

because he can cook and he knows how to bring the drama! :)

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[–] robotrix 13 years ago

Neither of which has anything to do with the SyFy Channel.

That lousy channel explained away their putting professional wrestling on because they tended to attract young males 18-25 who tend to be into that....

How does a cooking show fit into that? Maybe "Man vs Food" or a show about grilling...but how many wrestling fans do you think would go, "I love Marcel's foams..."?

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Last night, I was lying back looking at the stars and I thought...where the *beep* is my ceiling???

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[–] surf-10 13 years ago

You guys are totally missing the largest segment of the SyFy audience which is youngish males that are sort of geeky. They're tech savvy, into science and love fantasy and sci-fi. Marcel's molecular gastronomy approach is perfect for this audience and at least in the first episode his friend Jarrid (the can do builder guy) seems like a good fit too.

Now the bigger question of why a cooking show on SyFy is another issue. With the steady increase of cooking shows in general, clearly tons of people like them. I'm both a big SyFy guy and a fan of cooking shows so I guess I am the target audience.

I did think it was curious that Marcel made a point of saying that he is not what his reputation says he is. I wonder if the producers told him he'll have to mind his manners if he wants this to work.

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[–] robotrix 13 years ago

Sorry...only straight male I know who would sit still and watch this on their own is studying culinary arts. Talk about narrow-casting.

Wonder how many who tuned in for this stuck around to watch anything else.

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Last night, I was lying back looking at the stars and I thought...where the *beep* is my ceiling???

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[–] imhappinen 13 years ago

it's a show about the science in cooking! The SyFy channel stands for science fiction so a cooking show where new techniques are used based on scientific principles makes sense!!!! How hard is that to understand????????????

i think it needs to focus more on cooking and less on the people/drama though...

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[–] got_turbo 13 years ago

Because SyFy is moving away what the channel was - "Sci-Fi" even though they'll deny it. They add wrestling to the mix, change the channel name, and add a cooking show with "Quantum" in the name. (Why not "Relative Kitchen"? That might be more interesting.) There's aready a design competion show, albeit scary make-up design. Anyway, in two or three years, the channel is going to be like Bravo!

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[–] imhappinen 13 years ago

There only changing there channel because isn't working!!!! how shocking they want to make more money! or profit! maybe they havent made much or any profit...

look at the Food Network! that channel blew up because lots of people like cooking/food... it blew up so much they created another food channel called the cooking channel (i believe that's the name). the food network has gotten more mass appeal shows now less true cooking/food shows so thats what the cooking channel aiming for. gaining back there original fans, which they have alienated lately!

Syfy channel has no substantial fans so any change is good

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[–] robotrix 13 years ago

"SyFy" would be working if they actually showed science fiction....not hours and hours of low-budget crap like Sharktopus and then non-genre stuff like this....

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Last night, I was lying back looking at the stars and I thought...where the *beep* is my ceiling???

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[–] ats02171 13 years ago

That's so true. I wish that for one year sci took all the buget for their crap movies and put it in to a one good mini serise or 12 ep show.

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[–] kikyoCE 13 years ago

I always thought Marcel is a very talented chef and you learn alot on the show. The end of last nights episode was great, the dessert at the end was really cool.

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[–] dacherx 13 years ago

syfy has done a couple of reality shows.

They did Stan Lee comic hero a couple years back

Just recently they Face Off.

Now Marcel's Quantum Kitchen.

And they are adding pro wrestling.

So they are branching out from bad scifi/fantasy movies. They don't show any studio movies either. It's tough for them to make money without semi-popular, exclusive, shows of their own.

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[–] sandifay62 13 years ago

Marcel is a mad scientist that cooks, his hair is like Wolverine from X-Men, he's an uber-nerd, and he believes foam is food. How can he NOT belong on the SyFy Channel? He IS sci-fi.

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[–] mathmaniac 13 years ago

sandifay62, you really said it all.

I have just watched the episode in which the dessert is an edible wedding ring. It was fantastic - and then, the real punchline: everything tasted good. This is truly something that goes beyond the normal Top Chef critiques ('The fish was undercooked. It was a little too sweet for me. Could have used more salt.') I get why people don't 'take' to Marcel and his molecular gastronomy. It's not something they have eaten and if they are really hungry, they're headed for a big plate of spaghetti or some TRUE surf n'turf - a great big hunk of meat. But it's so damned impressive to see this food transformed and STILL taste good.

Thanks, SyFY.

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[–] MusicLovePoetry 9 years ago

Why did you not like him? He really did nothing wrong and it was felt as if people ganged up on him.

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