James May: Oh Cook!
{{short description|Cooking series hosted by James May}}
{{use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox television
| runtime = 27‒32 minutes
| presenter = James May
| director = Will Daws
Tom Whitter
| country = United Kingdom
| network = Amazon Prime Video
| first_aired = {{Start date|2020|11|13|df=y}}
| last_aired = {{End date|2023|5|24|df=y}}
| num_series = 2
| num_episodes = 14
| location =
| cinematography = Gary Rogers
| writer = James May
| executive_producer = Will Daws
James May
Tom Whitter
| producer = William Fisher
| camera = Single-camera
| image =
| company = {{plainlist|class=nowrap|
- Plum Pictures
- New Entity (2020)
- Amazon MGM Studios
}}
}}
James May: Oh Cook! is a cooking programme hosted by James May and released via Amazon Prime Video in 2020. The programme features May attempting to cook a variety of different dishes, with each episode focusing on a particular cuisine or meal. The show's title is a play on James's catchphrase from previous programmes.
From 2019, May was involved in producing food-oriented videos for DriveTribe spin-off FoodTribe.{{cite web |last1=Radu |first1=Mihnea |title=James May Reviews Cheese and Eggs on New FoodTribe Channel |url=https://www.autoevolution.com/news/james-may-talks-about-cheese-and-eggs-on-new-foodtribe-channel-140550.html |website=autoevolution |access-date=21 November 2020 |language=en |date=24 January 2020 |archive-date=13 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013104412/https://www.autoevolution.com/news/james-may-talks-about-cheese-and-eggs-on-new-foodtribe-channel-140550.html |url-status=live }} In June 2020, it became apparent that May was working on a cookery show with Amazon.{{cite web |last1=Kanter |first1=Jake |title=Amazon Working On Cooking Show With 'The Grand Tour' Star James May |url=https://deadline.com/2020/06/amazon-cooking-show-the-grand-tour-star-james-may-1202959396/ |website=Deadline |access-date=21 November 2020 |date=16 June 2020 |archive-date=12 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212091041/https://deadline.com/2020/06/amazon-cooking-show-the-grand-tour-star-james-may-1202959396/ |url-status=live }} Amazon confirmed the show in July 2020, announcing that it would be released alongside a book, titled Oh Cook!: 60 Easy Recipes That Any Idiot Can Make.{{cite web |last1=Kanter |first1=Jake |title=Amazon Confirms Plans To Serve Up Cooking Series With 'The Grand Tour' Star James May |url=https://deadline.com/2020/07/amazon-confirms-james-may-oh-cook-the-grand-tour-1202999367/ |website=Deadline |access-date=21 November 2020 |date=30 July 2020 |archive-date=24 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201024050105/https://deadline.com/2020/07/amazon-confirms-james-may-oh-cook-the-grand-tour-1202999367/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last1=Marshall |first1=Rosie |title=James May confirms his new cooking show will be on Amazon |url=https://foodtribe.com/p/james-may-confirms-his-new-cooking-bJURe0uyR4ODquX4E0fhGA?iid=UBozcZaSQIGCPV-rzNOcBg |website=FoodTribe |access-date=21 November 2020 |language=en |date=30 July 2020 |archive-date=27 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230527123755/https://foodtribe.com/p/james-may-confirms-his-new-cooking-bJURe0uyR4ODquX4E0fhGA?iid=UBozcZaSQIGCPV-rzNOcBg |url-status=live }}
In press interviews released alongside the first series, May stated that he would like to film a second series of the programme abroad, saying he would be interested in learning how to cook a "proper American breakfast".{{cite web |last1=Cremona |first1=Patrick |title=James May would like to go abroad in a potential second series of Oh Cook! |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/on-demand/2020-11-13/james-may-oh-cook-season-two-release-date-amazon/ |website=Radio Times |access-date=21 November 2020 |language=en |date=13 November 2020 |archive-date=24 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124005046/https://www.radiotimes.com/news/on-demand/2020-11-13/james-may-oh-cook-season-two-release-date-amazon/ |url-status=live }}
Episodes
During the episodes May is assisted at times by home economist Nikki Morgan, who is kept in a cupboard until her assistance is required.{{cite web |title=Oh Cook! - James 'Captain Slow' May Has A Cooking Show! |url=https://goggler.my/oh-cook-review/ |website=Goggler |access-date=21 November 2020 |date=17 November 2020 |archive-date=18 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201118173938/https://goggler.my/oh-cook-review/ |url-status=live }}
= Series 1 (2020) =
{{Episode table |total_width= |background= |series= |title= |airdate= |aux4= |aux4T=Length |episodes=
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 1
|Title = Asian Fusion
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|11|13|df=yes}}
|ShortSummary = James puts a British spin on food from across the Asian continent.
|LineColor =
|Aux4 = 0:32
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 2
|Title = Pub Classics
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|11|13|df=yes}}
|ShortSummary = James attempts to fry the perfect steak for Nikki, cooks his first pie, and creates a fish pie.
|LineColor =
|Aux4 = 0:32
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 3
|Title = Pasta
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|11|13|df=yes}}
|ShortSummary = James ventures into the world of pasta, creating a lasagne, experimenting whether cream should be used in carbonara, and trying to put a twist on alphabet pasta
|LineColor =
|Aux4 = 0:28
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 4
|Title = Curry
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|11|13|df=yes}}
|ShortSummary = James cooks an Indian-inspired feast featuring lamb keema, dal, chapatis, and a raita.
|LineColor =
|Aux4 = 0:28
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 5
|Title = Pudding
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|11|13|df=yes}}
|ShortSummary = James turns his attention to pudding, creating cakes, custards and crumbles.
|LineColor =
|Aux4 = 0:30
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 6
|Title = Breakfast
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|11|13|df=yes}}
|ShortSummary = James focuses on the first meal of the day, looking at dishes from around the world.
|LineColor =
|Aux4 = 0:28
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 7
|Title = Roast
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2020|11|13|df=yes}}
|ShortSummary = James, having promised the crew lunch, attempts to cook a Sunday roast.
|LineColor =
|Aux4 = 0:27
}}
}}
= Series 2 (2023) =
{{Episode table |total_width= |background= |series= |title= |airdate= |aux4= |aux4T=Length |episodes=
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 1
|Title = French Classics
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|05|24|df=yes}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor =
|Aux4 = 0:33
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 2
|Title = Japanese
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|05|24|df=yes}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor =
|Aux4 = 0:32
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 3
|Title = 70's Dinner Party
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|05|24|df=yes}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor =
|Aux4 = 0:31
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 4
|Title = Vegan
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|05|24|df=yes}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor =
|Aux4 = 0:32
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 5
|Title = German
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|05|24|df=yes}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor =
|Aux4 = 0:32
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 6
|Title = Picnic
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|05|24|df=yes}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor =
|Aux4 = 0:31
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 7
|Title = Mexican
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2023|05|24|df=yes}}
|ShortSummary =
|LineColor =
|Aux4 = 0:31
}}
}}
Release
= Critical reception =
The programme has a score of 100% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes and a 4.7 out of 5 on Amazon Prime Video.{{Citation|title=James May: Oh Cook!: Season 1|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/james_may_oh_cook/s01|language=en|access-date=2021-04-02|archive-date=13 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210913162035/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/james_may_oh_cook/s01|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/James-May-Oh-Cook-Season/dp/B08N2ZJVQP|access-date=2021-04-02|website=www.amazon.com|title=Watch James May: Oh Cook - Season 1 | Prime Video|archive-date=30 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130143801/https://www.amazon.com/James-May-Oh-Cook-Season/dp/B08N2ZJVQP|url-status=live}}
Michael Hogan for The Telegraph gave the series three out of five stars, saying the show has "unlikely charm" and there was "finally a cookery show for blokes".{{cite web |last1=Hogan |first1=Michael |title=James May: Oh Cook! review: boozy, un-PC and unpretentious – finally a cookery show for blokes |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2020/11/13/james-may-oh-cook-review-boozy-un-pc-unpretentious-finally/ |website=The Telegraph |access-date=21 November 2020 |date=13 November 2020 |archive-date=19 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119004638/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2020/11/13/james-may-oh-cook-review-boozy-un-pc-unpretentious-finally/ |url-status=live }} Lucy Mangan for The Guardian gave the series three out of five stars, saying it was "occasionally charming – and mostly slightly dismal".{{cite web |last1=Mangan |first1=Lucy |title=James May: Oh Cook review – will this be a culinary car crash? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/nov/13/james-may-oh-cook-review-cookery-show-amazon |website=The Guardian |access-date=21 November 2020 |date=13 November 2020 |archive-date=19 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201119230927/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2020/nov/13/james-may-oh-cook-review-cookery-show-amazon |url-status=live }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08N2ZJVQP/}}
- {{IMDb title}}
{{James May}}
{{Amazon Video original series}}
Category:2020 British television series debuts
Category:2023 British television series endings
Category:2020s British cooking television series
Category:2020s British documentary television series
Category:British English-language television shows
Category:Amazon Prime Video original programming
Category:Television series by Amazon MGM Studios
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