The Chopping Block (American TV series)

The Chopping Block is an American reality television series, based on the Australian reality television series of the same name. The series aired on the NBC network and followed participants in an attempt to open a restaurant. It is hosted by British celebrity chef Marco Pierre White.

The Chopping Block
Presented byMarco Pierre White
Theme music composerDuffy (Mercy)
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes8
Production
Executive producerDavid Barbour and Julian Cress
ProducerGranada America
Release
Original networkNBC
Original release11 March (2009-03-11) 
24 July 2009 (2009-07-24)
Chronology
Related showsThe Chopping Block (Australian version)

The first episode premiered on March 11, 2009 to low ratings. Two more episodes aired, each with worse ratings than the last. On March 26, 2009, NBC canceled the series, choosing to run repeats of Law & Order: Criminal Intent in the timeslot.[1] The series completed "airing" on NBC.com and Hulu, releasing one a week.

On April 24, 2009, NBC announced the series would return to television in Friday, June 19, despite airing on the internet already.[2] After the fourth episode aired on the 19th, it was pre-empted on June 26 by television coverage surrounding the deaths of Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson the day before. The show returned Friday, July 3. It then proceeded to air until Friday, July 24, the day the final episode aired on NBC.

On April 27, 2009, British TV began showing the series on ITV2, immediately following the finale of Hell's Kitchen, also hosted by Marco Pierre White, on ITV1 of which 6 of the episodes being aired, although episode 7 was not shown on Monday at 8 o clock as would be expected, and there has been no explanation as to what has happened to the series in the UK or why the episode was not shown.

On May 19, 2009, it was confirmed that NBC had canceled the series and would not be ordering a second season.

Format

Eight contestant pairs, each consisting of a chef and a front-of-house member with an existing relationship, are divided into two teams of four pairs each. The teams are each assigned an empty restaurant space, across the street from each other in downtown Manhattan. Each week, the teams are given a task, and open their restaurants for a service. The team judged to have lost that service has its weakest pair eliminated from the show by chef White. Each week, the teams also have a challenge to compete in (sometimes relating to the kitchen, and sometimes relating to front-of-house), the winner of which gains an advantage during the subsequent service.

The format of the American version differs markedly to that of the original Australian version.[3]

Contestants

The first season consisted of 8 teams of 2 participants each:

Episode results

TeamsRelationship123142526272*FINALE2
Head Chef
Lisa [Red]
Than [Black]
Michael [Red]
Dean [Black]
Kelsey [Red]
Dean [Black]
Lisa [Red]
Than[Black]
Kelsey [Red]
Angie [Black]
Lisa [Red]
Dean [Black]
Lisa vs.
Kelsey
Kelsey [Red]
Lisa [Black]
Kelsey & Vanessa Sisters WINININWINWINWINWINWINNER
Anapol & Lisa Ex-Husband & Wife WINININWINWINWINFINALISTRUNNER-UP
Dean & Shari Married INWINWINININOUT
Angie & Samantha Mother & Daughter INWINWININOUT
Zan & Than Brothers LOWWINWINOUT
Panya & Michael Engaged WININOUT
Mikey & Chad Friends WINOUT
Denise & Khoa Cousins OUT

^Note 1 : The show was cancelled after three episodes.
^Note 2 : The remaining shows are broadcast each Wednesday night on NBC.com. These episodes then air on NBC with Episode 4 having started off the airing of the episodes on June 19, and a break on June 26 because of the Farrah documentary.

^Note * : This episode had no elimination.

  Hotpink background and WINNER means that team was the winner of the competition
  Cornflowerblue background and RUNNER-UP means that team was the runner-up of the competition
  Green background and WIN means that the team was crowned winner for that week
  Blue background and LOW means that the team was up for elimination
  Orange background and OUT means that the team bowed out
  Brown background and OUT means that the team was told to take off their aprons and was eliminated
  Violet background and WIN means that the team was a finalist and won the challenge, but there was no elimination in that episode
  Black background means that the team is a member of the black team
  Red background means that the team is a member of the red team
  Lightgrey background means that the couple(s) were the final two

US Nielsen ratings

U.S. Ratings

Order Episode Rating Share Rating/Share
(18-49)
Viewers
(millions)
1 "Episode 101" TBA 4 1.5/4 3.98
2 "Episode 102" 2.4 4 1.3/4 3.46
3 "Episode 103" 1.8 3 0.9/2 2.60
4 "Episode 104" TBA TBA 0.6/2 1.94

References

  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-03-31. Retrieved 2009-03-28.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. http://tvseriesfinale.com/articles/the-chopping-block-cancelled-coming-back/
  3. Knox, David (2008-03-18). "NBC re-heats 'improved' Chopping Block". tvtonight.com.au. Retrieved 2009-03-27.
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