Cake Boss Season 3

So how does a show like Cake Boss keep up its energy and momentum for a third season? A lot of the appeal has to do with the ‘wow factor’ of the cakes, and surely that’s going to get old at some point? 

For those who missed the first 2 seasons, Cake Boss follows the life of Bartolo ‘Buddy’ Valastro and his family in the daily running of Carlo’s bakery, New Jersey. While the bakery churns out all kinds of sweet and delicious treats, the real drawcards are the fantastic and over-the-top cakes that they make to order. In the past, Buddy’s team have made life-size nascars, roulette tables and apple trees for their clients. And while Buddy is technically ‘the Bawse,’ he is surrounded by his sisters, mother and cousins, none of whom are ever short of an opinion. 

In season 3 the team are faced with some of their toughest challenges yet, including the delicate task of making a proportionately correct sculpture of Buddy’s wife Lisa.

There are also a few bombshells let loose this time around, including the shock retirement of Buddy’s mother, a health scare and a ‘bun in the oven’ of a different variety. 

While the ‘wow factor’ is still there, some episodes fall short of the mark. There are some scenarios where you feel like Buddy is out of sorts, and isn’t producing his best work. The episode with the giant ‘flip-flop’ (thong for Aussie viewers), in particular, feels flat. And yes, that was a bad pun.  

But you certainly can’t criticise season 3 for a lack of content- it features 24 episodes, with enough variety for you to forgive the absence of any special features and the odd flat spot.  

The series closes with a massive three-part Italian special, in which Buddy revisits his homeland and swaps trade secrets with the local bakers. The formula gets a welcome shake-up here, as Buddy is forced to work in some unfamiliar environments and improvise to get the job done. 

Closing comments:

This is one family that doesn’t need an intercom system- they can shout at each other up the stairs all day, and never seem to get tired of it. Cake Boss, season 3 has all the dramas, tantrums and crises we’ve come to expect and enjoy. Despite the odd miscue, there’s enough variety to warrant a look from fans of the series.