'The Great British Baking Show' Season 8, Episode 1 Recap: Cake Week

It arrived about a month later than usual, but even a pandemic could not keep The Great British Baking Show from bringing us the comforts of Cake Week.

But instead of bakers going home every week to practice and returning over the course of ten weekends to film, everyone moved, American-reality show style, into the "Bake Off Villiage," a.k.a. "The Baking Bubble." But it may have unintended effects, as it's not evident if contestants are getting enough practice bakes ahead of their Signatures and Showstoppers. (Considering the opening trainwreck in this hour, they very well may not.)

But even if this season winds up wobblier than usual with more soggy bottoms all around, there's new host Matt Lucas. His quiet, friendly energy has brought back a much needed "contestant friend" element to the Tent. And his surrealist silliness (randomly appearing on camera with things balanced on his head, playing with the announcement timings) has the effect of making Noel Fielding work harder too.