How did Matty win?

Today, my girlfriend asked me, “How did Matty win?”

For context, we’ve been watching the Great British Baking Show, which she picked up on Netflix last week. After watching the available episodes for the newest season (or collection, as Netflix calls it), she started us on last year’s season (or collection, as Netflix calls it).

SPOILER WARNING, as they say. Maybe that’s unnecessary at this point, given I spoiled the winner in both the name of the blog and the first sentence.

Either way, for those of you that don’t know, but still care, this guy Matty won the 2023 title of Great British Bake Off champion. By no means do I or my lady think he is undeserving, but he did beat another fella, Josh, who showed throughout the season (or collection, as Netflix calls it), that he had the strongest skills overall, day in and day out.

Josh didn’t bake as strong of a cake as Matty in the finale, and the judges presented that as being the difference, but Josh had produced consistently good work throughout the season (or collection, as Netflix calls it), while Matty had struggles, particularly early on, as he improved his game throughout the season (or collection, as Netflix calls it), ultimately producing his best work as the season wore on.

Not to mention, Matty is a charismatic guy, who, since winning the show, has capitalized on the opportunities of working with brands and growing his own, with the story of a ‘secret’ baker who has now developed the confidence to share his gifts. By contrast, Josh was a steady, stable, but fairly boring, contestant who consistently baked items clearly fit for any high end bakery. My most common comment to my girlfriend when referring to Josh’s work was, “Yeah, that looks legit. I could see that in a real bakery.”

The man (Josh) has finesse, but that wasn’t enough to get the job done in the end, as he didn’t bake his best cake. The young man who did bake his best cake was Matty.

That’s how he won. And, that’s what I told my girlfriend. “I know he wasn’t the best. Josh and Dan [the other finalist] were better overall through the season, but Matty got it done when it counted.

”It’s like any other reality competition show. You just have to be good enough to survive to the final, then try to make it happen when you get there.

“Think of the US Open (tennis). You could dominate all the way through, but if you don’t show up in the final, you’re not gonna win it.”

For those of you that may have zoned out when you read the word “tennis”, but are sports fans, the thinking applies to any playoff scenario. Unfortunately, I just witnessed it firsthand with the Yankees. The way I see it, the Yankees loss was partially due to an imbalance in top team skill levels between leagues, which allowed them to think it was all so easy. Meanwhile, the Dodgers appreciated the significance of making it after battling 2 of the hottest teams in baseball.

But, the Yankees lost it, offering up everything they could. The Dodgers were ready, willing, and able to take advantage of opportunities given to them, which the Yankees consistently provided at all the worst times.

Anyway, “How did Matty win the Great British Bake Off?” That’s what I asked ChatGPT.

This was ChatGPT’s response: “Matty won the Great British Bake Off by showcasing his exceptional baking skills, creativity, and consistency throughout the competition. He often impressed the judges with his unique flavor combinations and technical abilities, allowing him to stand out among the other contestants. His ability to handle challenges under pressure and produce visually appealing and delicious bakes ultimately secured him the title.”

Having watched the season (or collection, as Netflix calls it), I don’t know that I agree that Matty “often impressed the judges with his unique flavor combinations and technical abilities”. He did enough through the second half of the season (or collection, as Netflix calls it) to stay alive, and give himself the opportunity to win out.

While ChatGPT may have overstated Matty’s impression on the judges through his technical abilities, it did correctly recognize his skills under pressure. and as a result, I’ll call it a draw. Welcome to the board.

Me: 1.5

ChatGPT: 0.5