The 1970s Strike Back in 'The Great British Baking Show's Quarterfinals

It is a truth that The Great British Baking Show will not acknowledge; the two judges who currently oversee the competition have palates formed during some of the worst years of the island nation's cuisine, the 1970s. It's why Paul Hollywood (who is nearly 60) wouldn't know a Mexican spice blend if it walked up to him and slapped him across the mouth; it's why Prue Leith (15 years his senior) is utterly unable to handle foods like burgers. It's why both judges when asked to provide technical challenges, give the bakers things to make like "Spotted Dick" or "Sussex Pond Puddings." You know, things people in the U.K. no longer eat because they've discovered global cuisine and actual flavor.

It is less surprising that the show took this long to do a 1970s theme week when you consider that it perhaps didn't want to highlight this rather embarrassing shortcoming. However, now that it has been spelled out to the producers just how ill-equipped their judges are to handle any foreign food that's not French or Italian, and the last couple of seasons have revealed their predictions for 1970s-era specialties, there's no point in hiding it.

Besides, seeing Alison Hammond ride around on a Hoppity Hop until she rolled it like an old-school top-heavy SUV was absolutely worth it. (I assume Noel Fielding's outfit was direct from his own closet.)