When I noticed that all 13 episodes of Kitchen Confidential had become available on Hulu, I immediately thought two things: 1) there goes the rest of my work day, and 2) I want to write about about that for Brilliant But Cancelled, but surely someone already has! But apparently no one has? Super weird. Anyway, if you didn't watch the show back in 2005 when Fox did that really great thing they do where they premiere a show, then take it off the air for a ridiculous amount of time, then expect viewers to miraculously find it again, then cancel it when they shockingly don't, I highly recommend falling in love with it now. Because it was truly a fantastic show.
Based on Anthony Bourdain's autobiographical book of the same name, Kitchen Confidential was a fictionalized look at all the crazy crap that happens to you when you work in a restaurant. Sometimes you get robbed at gunpoint by masked marauders, sometimes Vaughn from Alias shows up and starts sleeping with your head waitress and sabotaging you, sometimes one of the kitchen staff's fingers gets chopped off and everyone slips around on his blood -- it is mayhem in the culinary world!
But the plots weren't really what made the show so immensely enjoyable. What was great about it was its awesome cast -- Xander from Buffy, John Francis Daley of Freaks and Geeks, John Cho, Jaime King in a surprisingly likable and funny performance, that sassy Brit Owain Yeoman of The Mentalist and Generation Kill, and, of course, a fresh-faced Bradley Cooper as the pointlessly pseudonymed Jack Bourdain -- as well as some of the tightest, smartest comedy writing I've ever seen on television. Xander sometimes went a little too far into Xander mode overdrive and Bonnie Sommerville was annoying as hell, but other than those two things, the show was ridiculously near perfect. If you're not getting why Bradley Cooper is being thrust into superstardom at the moment, this is probably the best and quickest explanation as to why that has always been inevitable and deserved.
But the plots weren't really what made the show so immensely enjoyable. What was great about it was its awesome cast -- Xander from Buffy, John Francis Daley of Freaks and Geeks, John Cho, Jaime King in a surprisingly likable and funny performance, that sassy Brit Owain Yeoman of The Mentalist and Generation Kill, and, of course, a fresh-faced Bradley Cooper as the pointlessly pseudonymed Jack Bourdain -- as well as some of the tightest, smartest comedy writing I've ever seen on television. Xander sometimes went a little too far into Xander mode overdrive and Bonnie Sommerville was annoying as hell, but other than those two things, the show was ridiculously near perfect. If you're not getting why Bradley Cooper is being thrust into superstardom at the moment, this is probably the best and quickest explanation as to why that has always been inevitable and deserved.
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omg, have been toying with buying the DVD, but this is AWESOME.
sorry people who should be getting residuals...
Chicken hands!! I quote this show quite frequently and people look at me with looks of confusion mixed with pity. I then use this opprotunity to introduce them to the wonderful world that is Kitchen Confidential.
Every year or so I go back and rewatch these. This was one of the original gems on Hulu. Nice to see some more recognition for a truly great and forgotten show.
I was watching this last night again! Fox sucks.
I just ordered this on DVD and it should be arriving any day now. Heard good things but never seen any episodes, am super excited about seeing it now.
I watched all of this series about a year ago and I LOOOVED it. I worked in a kitchen while I was in school, so it was fun to see a TV show about some of the foolishness that goes on. It's still hollywood, but man.. the pastery chef with the scarfs and the dynamic between front and back of the house. Fun stuff.
I think my favorite is "wow, that scarf really matches your..." I won't say what she said b/c it was the funniest line in the series and it's maybe a bit crude. heh. but yeah. BEST. LINE. EVER.
I accidentally helped get this show cancelled. I was part of a focus group in Vegas and we had a dial that we constantly had to move to help measure the level of funny. The couple episodes I saw? Not that funny at all. I kinda feel bad, cause I saw a couple episodes shortly after, and they were pretty funny. Oh, well.
Congrats on highlighting this brilliant show! I also found this on Hulu, and watch the entire series every couple of months. If Bradley Cooper wasn't getting the attention he deserves, I'd have hoped this show could be brought back (along with Firefly).
I know, I'm delusional...
my dvd arrives on monday!!!
YES, Thank You!
I loved this show, and hated when they cancelled it.
If they brought it back (somehow), I would force people to watch it at gunpoint. seriously. Probably only need to do it for one episode, though.
OMG!!! I have been watching this show on Hulu for almost three months. It doesn't matter how many times I watch each ep-I'll still come back and watch again. I love this show-but I was a teenager back when it was on and could have cared less. Everytime I watch it I think about how well it could do if it was out on primetime today. Oh well.
And ITA on Bradley Cooper. He was great as Jack-and deserves all the stardom he seems to finally be falling into.
I love this show!! I never heard of it until i read about it on here a few days ago so i decided to check it out on Hulu and wow this is a great show. I'm on the 13th episode &really wish they never cancelled it!
Love this show! Can't believe they cancelled it. Hopefully someday soon HBO or Showtime or some one will get the rights & do a remake. Well, I can dream any way...
Aw, this was the first series I watched on hulu about 2 years ago! So great, and awesome to see it still getting recognition. Fox has canceled some real gems before their time hasn't it?
After reading this, I went over to Hulu to check out the first episode. I ended up watching all 13 episodes in one night. I freaking love this show! Thanks TWOP for the writeup...I have a new favorite (short and cancelled) show.
Oh awesome! I didn't realize this show was on Hulu now. Thanks! I loved Bradley Cooper on Alias and watched this for him, but I never saw all the episodes. It'll be great to watch them now.
Love this show. "Teddy Takes Off" cracks me up every time I watch it (which is often). The cast had a really good report.
I just watched all of these on Hulu. There were enough good moments to keep me watching, but I was quite disappointed at the blanding (not a word, I know) of what happens in a kitchen. Also, making "Jack" a recovering alcoholic seemed a bit preachy to me. But to each his own. I will stick with the real Tony.
And, in defense of this show, it is much better than 80% of what the networks give us now.
I just watched this while I was recovering from my surgery. Completely underrated show with a great cast. I've worked as a cook before and I have to admit this show brought back some memories. I'd like know what some of the great chefs that came from the bottom to the top feel about this show. I guarantee they wouldn't say stuff like "Dear Network, Pull Nurse Jackie..."
I absolutely loved this show. When my sister first introduced me to it I was wowed by the cast and the hysterical writing. such a shame it was canceled.
I totally agree! Kitchen Confidential was excellent! My friend made this of several other shows he felt were canceled before their time: http://www.ranker.com/list/tv-shows-cancelled-before-their-time/tyvick
I vote no go for a remake. Who could top the brilliance and the spot-on chemistry of the original cast? I hate Fox.
I adore this show, I actually bought the DVD simply cos Nicholas Brendon was in it but now I love the show cos of the ensemble. It's easily the best single camera no laugh track sitcom I think I've ever seen. I can't think of a single moment where the cast wasn't awesome and made every line work.
This just goes to show why FOX shouldn't be allowed to decide scheduling, it should be done for them by a third party with intelligence because FOX proves time and time again that if they get a show that's actually good they'll mess with the schedule and kill it.