On this page
01The take
The New Trio.
A new permanent trio settling in — just as one of its members is preparing to leave.
02The shape of the season
A rhythm worth tracking.
Season eight ends the rotating-judge period and gives MasterChef a stable three-judge panel again — Gordon Ramsay, Aaron Sanchez, and Christina Tosi. Sanchez's permanent presence adds a Mexican and Tex-Mex perspective the format hadn't carried before. The panel is cohesive and the cooking is solid, but the season functions mostly as a transitional year: Tosi's departure after this run means the show is rebuilding its judging identity for the second time in three seasons.
03Where it sits in the canon
The #12 slot.
Slot #12 of 16 in the MasterChef Editor's Canon. The seasons on either side show what I ranked it against.
No spoilers. Every page is reviewed before it goes live.
06Also appears in