I attended the screening for the upcoming show on the ABC network, “The Baker and the Beauty,” as one of the offered events at the annual SCAD aTVfest. The pilot episode was presented at SCADshow and the cast came out to talk to students a bit about the show and how they worked together to make it all happen.
“The Baker and the Beauty” is an upcoming television show aired on the ABC network, that follows an ordinary guy, Daniel Garcia, on a wild Miami night. He ends up having an unexpected encounter with international superstar, Noa Hollander, and they instantly hit it off. The conflict arises when the couple must decide whether to make their very different lives work so they can stay together, a decision that would also lead their families into an inevitable culture clash.
This episode almost immediately showed the audience that family-life plays a major role throughout the entire season. Daniel and his family are shown on screen and significantly focused on, clearly each having their own stories to tell that will be revealed in the episodes to come. This family-life theme is also expressed through the use of warm colors, representing comfort and love, especially when they are shown together. I noticed that there were many formal choices made visually that helped to draw attention to main characters, set the mood of the overall show or of certain scenes and to understand the message that this show is trying to convey.
In addition to this, the television show focuses a lot on Latino culture and the trials and hardships of an immigrant family living in Miami and culture is very much expressed and seen throughout the show visually. The entire cast is made up of people of color from Latin America, or are of Latin-American descent, which is quite powerful to see on television. Culturally relevant music and food is heard and seen throughout the show, making it even more obvious that the show highlights and emphasises Latino culture. They dance a lot throughout the episode to the music, which according to the cast is something Latino people do a lot in general, so they really wanted to portray this in the show.
Overall, I found this show to be funny, dramatic, full of love and at times, a bit sad – which I believe to be the intended moods and tones set. It is very warm and comforting, and I love that it is a cast full of people of color, giving the diverse representation we need in the TV and film industry.
