re: #181 Killgore Trout
The Aussie Junior MasterChef is pretty interesting, from a cultural view. The regular series is likewise. I think the key difference is the personalities hosting the shows - the Australian version hosts are just not as hostile as the American ones.
The US version of MasterChef (with Ramsey) was in the news a couple of times - once for some fauxtography, and another where the contestants relayed that they felt the conflict was forced.
The whole concept is owned by the Murdoch daughter (in-law), and apparently she follows her papa-in-law’s despite of the American hoi-polloi.