James May: Oh Cook
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.[1]
| James May: Oh Cook | |
|---|---|
| Written by | James May |
| Directed by | Will Daws Tom Whitter |
| Presented by | James May |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of series | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 14 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Will Daws James May Tom Whitter |
| Producer | William Fisher |
| Cinematography | Gary Rogers |
| Camera setup | Single-camera |
| Running time | 27‒32 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | Amazon Prime Video |
| Release | 13 November 2020 – present |
From 2019, May was involved in producing food-oriented videos for DriveTribe spin-off FoodTribe.[2] In June 2020, it became apparent that May was working on a cookery show with Amazon.[1] 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.[3][4]
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".[5]
Episodes edit
During the episodes May is assisted at times by home economist Nikki Morgan, who is kept in a cupboard until her assistance is required.[6]
Series 1 (2020) edit
| No. in series | Title | Original release date | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Asian Fusion" | 13 November 2020 | 0:32 | |
| James puts a British spin on food from across the Asian continent. | ||||
| 2 | "Pub Classics" | 13 November 2020 | 0:32 | |
| James attempts to fry the perfect steak for Nikki, cooks his first pie, and creates a fish pie. | ||||
| 3 | "Pasta" | 13 November 2020 | 0:28 | |
| 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 | ||||
| 4 | "Curry" | 13 November 2020 | 0:28 | |
| James cooks an Indian-inspired feast featuring lamb keema, dal, chapatis, and a raita. | ||||
| 5 | "Pudding" | 13 November 2020 | 0:30 | |
| James turns his attention to pudding, creating cakes, custards and crumbles. | ||||
| 6 | "Breakfast" | 13 November 2020 | 0:28 | |
| James focuses on the first meal of the day, looking at dishes from around the world. | ||||
| 7 | "Roast" | 13 November 2020 | 0:27 | |
| James, having promised the crew lunch, attempts to cook a Sunday roast. | ||||
Series 2 (2023) edit
| No. in series | Title | Original release date | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "French Classics" | 24 May 2023 | 0:33 |
| 2 | "Japanese" | 24 May 2023 | 0:32 |
| 3 | "70's Dinner Party" | 24 May 2023 | 0:31 |
| 4 | "Vegan" | 24 May 2023 | 0:32 |
| 5 | "German" | 24 May 2023 | 0:32 |
| 6 | "Picnic" | 24 May 2023 | 0:31 |
| 7 | "Mexican" | 24 May 2023 | 0:31 |
Release edit
Critical reception edit
The programme has a score of 100% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes and a 4.7 out of 5 on Amazon Prime Video.[7][8]
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".[9] Lucy Mangan for The Guardian gave the series three out of five stars, saying it was "occasionally charming – and mostly slightly dismal".[10]
References edit
- ^ a b Kanter, Jake (16 June 2020). "Amazon Working On Cooking Show With 'The Grand Tour' Star James May". Deadline. from the original on 12 December 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
- ^ Radu, Mihnea (24 January 2020). "James May Reviews Cheese and Eggs on New FoodTribe Channel". autoevolution. from the original on 13 October 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
- ^ Kanter, Jake (30 July 2020). "Amazon Confirms Plans To Serve Up Cooking Series With 'The Grand Tour' Star James May". Deadline. from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
- ^ Marshall, Rosie (30 July 2020). "James May confirms his new cooking show will be on Amazon". FoodTribe. from the original on 27 May 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
- ^ Cremona, Patrick (13 November 2020). "James May would like to go abroad in a potential second series of Oh Cook!". Radio Times. from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
- ^ "Oh Cook! - James 'Captain Slow' May Has A Cooking Show!". Goggler. 17 November 2020. from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
- ^ James May: Oh Cook!: Season 1, from the original on 13 September 2021, retrieved 2 April 2021
- ^ "Watch James May: Oh Cook - Season 1 | Prime Video". www.amazon.com. from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
- ^ Hogan, Michael (13 November 2020). "James May: Oh Cook! review: boozy, un-PC and unpretentious – finally a cookery show for blokes". The Telegraph. from the original on 19 November 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
- ^ Mangan, Lucy (13 November 2020). "James May: Oh Cook review – will this be a culinary car crash?". The Guardian. from the original on 19 November 2020. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
External links edit
- Official website
- James May: Oh Cook at IMDb