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Ask Aida--Why so quiet?


I usually lurk and enjoy reading the posts, plus I only saw the first episode of Ask Aida, but are people watching this show? I was curious to hear others' opinions since I keep missing it. There were a few initial posts after the first show but nowhere near the posts received about Big Daddy, which debuted the same weekend. Hmmm.

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  1. Haven't watched it yet. Been to consumed by the Olympics....

    1. Don't really have time to watch TV; too busy out chowhounding.

      1. I think a great many if not most posters no longer watch FN.

        3 Replies
        1. re: Withnail42

          Looking at all the recent posts (just off the top of my head) on Big Daddy's House, Anne Burrell's and Ted Allen's new shows, Drive-in, Dives and whatever, it appears that LOTS of posters are still watching FN. Even if some have given up on FN, some might be drawn back to give Aida's show a peek. I just find it odd that there is no recent chatter on Ask Aida.

          1. re: dmjordan

            Summer lull. Vacations. Yadda yadda.

          2. re: Withnail42

            "I think a great many if not most posters no longer watch FN."

            I agree, at least for myself.

            It's summer... going out and enjoying the weather while it's still good.

            The Olympics.

            Also, the only show I used watch regularly is Good Eats and it seem to be in reruns, plus FN moved the show from its 7:30 pm time slot to I don't know when.

            Finally, I'm starting to mistrust any new show on FN.

          3. I've watched it 1 1/2 times and didn't care for it at all. She made a pie last week and both the crust and finished product looked sloppy and amateurish. For the Q&A section, I thought her answers were too general and not helpful. Overall, I was very disappointed in the show and will probably not watch again.

            14 Replies
            1. re: chickster

              Have to say I agree with chickster. I'd had higher hopes, especially with the CHOW connection, but the show is very amateurish and the laptop guy is annoying.

              1. re: HillJ

                Ditto - just caught an episode of it. My sense is that it's geared to a much younger audience (I'm 41).

                1. re: MMRuth

                  There must be some rule in the food media that everything has to be geared to 20-somethings who don't know one end of a spatula from another. Or if they do, they're so proud of themselves for figuring it out that they eagerly pass on their fabulous tips to others. Dog knows there's enough of that silliness on Chow.com, so I wouldn't expect anything better from a Chow.com tie-in.

                  1. re: Ruth Lafler

                    Or, you can look at it simply as, who would stand to gain the most from an instructional cooking show? Someone who's been cooking for themselves for 40 years, or a 20-something who doesn't know the flat end from the pokey end of a spatula? We all have to start somewhere.

                    1. re: ajs228

                      aj, point taken.

                      I have two 20+ year olds who are never far from an internet connection, laptop or blog but they don't watch FN. Knowing a demographic thru & thru is important in programming of any kind. The tech guru and Aida's approach might appeal but the programming doesn't.

                      I think the show appeals to children (I have two younger kids) who are in the kitchen with mom, learning to cook and trying new foods. Let's say btwn 9-14 years of age.

                      In my day mom pulled out the cookbook, the recipe cards, etc. today many kitchens have a tv/cable set up in the kitchen. It's a family hub of food excitement. My 14 year old loved Aida.

                      Never to young or old to learn something.

                    2. re: Ruth Lafler

                      >>> There must be some rule in the food media that everything has to be geared to 20-somethings

                      Interesting. And here I was thinking this is the first 20-something food show in years. I mean Giada, Elle Kruger Rachel are in their thirties. Flay, Batali and the rest are in their 40s. Puck is in his 60s (at least?).

                      I have no idea what other food shows are geared to the 20-somethings on any channel now. Which other ones are there?

                      1. re: HarryK

                        I think she meant geared towards audiences in their 20's not the hosts.

                  2. re: HillJ


                    In fairness to Noah, the Ask Aida tech guru, his bio is not too shabby.

                    1. re: HillJ

                      My objection wasn't to him personally, fwiw, but for the show having that "role" at all - I didn't find it added much to the show. I much more enjoyed, for example, Sara Moulton fielding phone calls directly from people watching (actually called in once).

                      1. re: MMRuth

                        MMR, I feel the same way and stand by my original objections to the flow of the show. I added Noah's bio out of fairness to creds earned by a professional adding more balance to my original post.

                        1. re: MMRuth

                          Ok, let's take the guy out of the equation. So, Aida is supposed to every two minutes say, speaking of butter, I recall verbatim a butter question from so-and-so from nebraska who asked. And two minutes later, flour, I recall a flour question from Timmy in Nova Scotia. Wait while this burns I have a video to show you sent in.

                          Naw ... sorry, I don't see how that would ever work. I think the Noah guy fielding things as they come us is unique and works very well with the premise.

                          1. re: HarryK

                            I guess I'm just not so into the interactive thing generally, though, as I said, the live call ins to Sara Moulton's show seemed to work well.

                            1. re: MMRuth

                              I agree - I like Aida but can do without Noah. I wonder if the FN felt she was too weak for some reason and needed a side kick. On the FN website he did a bit about composting the week's waste but it was more about Noah than composting. Couldn't take it and closed it down after a minute or two.

                              1. re: MMRuth

                                That was what originally what got me interested in TVFN, no question was too obvious or too obscure

                    2. I saw how young she was and figured I wanted to ask someone a bit older and more seasoned. Turned it off.

                      3 Replies
                      1. re: melly

                        It seems to be geared towards a mainstream audience that doesn't know much about cooking (surprise, surprise)... I had high hopes as well, but probably won't be tuning in again.

                        1. re: melly

                          That's a bit unfair without giving it a watch. I do find the laptop guy kind of annoying, though.

                          1. re: ajs228

                            I agree. I haven't seen that show, but one shouldn't discount somebody automatically just because they're on the younger side. Some of the best chefs got their start at an early age and probably know more than people twice their age. Age is just a number.