20 of the most relaxing reality TV shows to watch right now

9. Good Eats

For those of us who are less inclined to culinary feats, cooking can seem like an act of magic. You gather ingredients, wave a knife around, apply heat or cold, and somehow produce an edible meal. Baking can appear especially mysterious, what with all of the chemistry going on beneath a browning crust or in the depths of your mixing bowl.

Don’t fear, however, for we have Good Eats to guide us. Who knew that food could be so nerdy? Apparently, Alton Brown did. He helped viewers learn about the science and technique of good cooking long before it became a trendy thing in the culinary world.

Good Eats, which aired on the Food Network and Cooking Channel from 2009-2012, was a very unique cooking show. While many cousins to Good Eats were sedated affairs with plenty of overhead shots and soothing voices, Alton Brown was different. He presented the show with plenty of energy and enthusiasm, alongside scientific fact to guide the way.

Brown’s style was complemented by the unique look of the show. Camera shots included ones from inside ovens and refrigerators, along with dramatic Dutch angles and the use of mirrors and magnifying lenses. Brown was also typically joined by various actors used to illustrate the history of a dish or ingredient, or else the concepts involved. For instance, once you see the burping sock puppets used to illustrate yeast (which, as you may well guess, is a pretty common topic on the show), you’ll never forget them.

The original run of Good Eats ended with its 249th episode in 2012. During that time, it gathered plenty of acclaim, including a 2006 Peabody Award and the James Beard Foundation’s “Best T.V. Food Journalism Award” in 2000.

If all of this is leaving you a bit sad that there aren’t any new Good Eats episodes, then you may take a minute to rejoice. In 2017, Brown announced that a sort-of sequel to Good Eats, titled Return of the Eats, will air in 2018.