"This was great for those of us who were around in the 80s to see Smith’s rise to fame. I knew he was a minister prior to the Frugal Gourmet but knew little else other than my parents worshipped his show and books. For those who had not previously heard of Jeff Smith, I could see how the back story might have seemed a bit drawn out.
Regardless, the documentary portrayed Smith in an unexpectedly fair and balanced manner without diminishing the gravity of what he allegedly did. This was a perfect Sunday afternoon binge."
My name is Jeff
"I thought that this docuseries could have been a two hour documentary at best. I felt like I was tricked into believing it was going to be much more than it was and it was so redundant! I guess there was a reason that it was self-marketed because I’m guessing no studio found it to be worthwhile? Perhaps I’m being harsh but l feel that I’m expressing my true opinion of the series."
Pearpicker19
"i almost quit watching it after the second episode…too slow and had nothing indicating what jeff smith had done to cause his down fall.."
Judy j
"Having been a fan of Jeff Smith and The Frugal Gourmet, watching the docuseries was a bit of a healing experience. Many of us were left saddened and shocked by what happened, cookbooks and recipes in hand. It was a story that answered many questions we were left with at the end of Smith's career."
Barbara C.
"Slow start for 1st two episodes, then became more captivating. Interesting story, as I live near Tacoma, which made the story more relatable to me. I feel like $20 was a bit steep for this purchase, but I guess it’s a trade off for not going through a streaming service."
Sal
"Balanced, thoughtful and at a good pace. While Jeff Smith was undeniably the villain, this series did a good job sharing that life is complicated. A mature presentation, not sensationalized."
MICHAEL
"I think the series was very thorough in its coverage, though I think it could be cut to 4 episodes without missing anything important, and a lot of the history was very interesting. I’m just disappointed in the scenes with all the tone-deaf white men showing sympathy for Mr Smith, especially the pastor who actually brought religion into the abuse conversation - it’s not surprising, but your decision to include them is. And I understand you had to include mention of Elmo, but interviewing Kevin Clash for a doc about a molester? Yikes…"
KEE
"This thoughtful series documents the rise and fall of Jeff Smith, the Frugal Gourmet, a complicated and puzzling human being. Through a series of interviews that form a thread running through the episodes, we watch the trajectory of a brilliant career as it ascends and then implodes. The viewpoints of former friends, colleagues in the culinary world, business associates, and employees, give us a multi-dimensional view of Jeff, warts and all. There is no doubt that he was larger than life, mercurial, unpredictable, difficult, and brilliant. But the ultimate verdict depends upon those points of view: do his remarkable accomplishments stand alone, or are they tainted by his proven record as a longtime serial sexual predator? The series doesn't try to answer that question but rather to lay out the evidence, both good and bad. Jeff was generous and kind at the same time he was scarring young men for life and alienating friends and co-workers. Unquestionably, his life was an enigma."
Alicia
"I was impressed by the editing, production and video quality.
For me, the narrative suffered a lot from lack of attention to Jeff Smith's family and to Craig Wollam. If they refused interviews, this should have been stated."
Frugwatcher
"This was a thorough documentary. I liked how it took its time to build before dropping the real problem. Worth the money to view it. Wasn’t disappointed!!"
Patience IsaVirtue
"I thought it was very good, maybe a little redundant. I'm not sure why this couldn't be a n regular tv."
Michelle
"I remember when the Frugal Gourmet abuse story broke and how conflicted I felt about owning his books. This documentary explores the many sides of Jeff Smith. I think it was a fair, if not slightly complimentary, review of his life. The documentary leaves the viewer to decide how to feel about this deeply flawed American celebrity. I do not regret donating all of my cookbooks."
Liz O