‘Nailed It’ Mixes the Magnificent and the Mediocre

Zoe Robinson, Staff Writer

What do you get when you combine three hilarious food critics, three excruciatingly mediocre home-bakers and a professionally made dessert? Netflix’s new original television series “Nailed It.”

Hosted by comic Nicole Byers and acclaimed pastry maker Jacques Torres, each episode features a well-known professional baker as a special guest and judge. Three average bakers are chosen to compete with each other by recreating dessert masterpieces in a short amount of time and, after being judged based on appearance and taste, the winner takes home $10,000.

What makes this show as fun as the intricate cakes that must be recreated is seeing the final products of the desserts. Whether they actually turn out decent or look like a complete disaster, you’ll either be satisfied that they “nailed it” or humored by comical criticism from the judges.

Not only that, but watching bakers who aren’t half as good as the professionals but still probably better than yourself continuously make the same mistakes will have you feeling like a critic yourself, even if you’ve never baked a cookie in your life.

And if you really haven’t baked a single thing in your life, this show will actually teach you as you watch. Torres explains how the dessert should be made in a step-by-step process, the judges give constructive criticism that not only the competitors can learn from but the viewers can learn from as well, and there are “frosted tips” that pop up as the episode runs that tell you simple yet important tips you should know in the kitchen.

“Nailed It” is a perfect balance of competition, laughs and learning. It’s the perfect palate cleanser from all of the cliché expertise baking shows. And for the cherry on top, it’s also an easy binger.

Netflix nailed it.