Customer Reviews

"Very well done. It was so interesting to hear the interviews with different people who were affected in completely different ways by the same person. Yes, it was long, some reviews felt it was too long. I think it was important to present all these stories. It would be too easy to skew the narrative one way or the other. I feel like this was done as objectively as possible. The man did terrible things. Victims of sexual abuse are changed for life, and I am glad these men got to tell their stories. It was difficult and uncomfortable sometimes, as I expected it to be. I hope his victims have found some relief and peace in telling their stories. As far as the FG program goes, Smith sparked interest and opened minds to different foods and the joy in preparing food for those we love. As the series mentions, he led the way to what became a huge industry of food television. I know I wouldn’t be the cook I am without that valuable resource. Peace is elusive. May we all keep seeking it."

"This documentary tells the complete story. Done tastefully and is a compelling retelling. Covers a long time period in interesting manner. I think it is just interesting enough to appeal to younger demo who did not live through it."

"Overall I thought it was a well done and thorough documentary although a little long. The part that amazes me is how many people interviewed downplay the heinous acts this horrible Lecherous Pedophile committed and forget the victims and their suffering."

"I was very interested in this documentary when I first saw it advertised. I was born and raised in Tacoma, and went to high school a block away from Jeff Smiths store; The Chaplain's Pantry. It was there that I had my first introduction into Gummy Bears. I loved them so much, that I went in there often to buy them, and to get bagels as well. I dated a gal who's brother used to work there and she said "that guy is a perv." That always stuck in my mind, but I had no other reason to think so. Later in life, I would watch his cooking show, and tried some of his recipes. I Bid You Peace was excellent from start to finish. I thought it was very well put together and covered all aspects of Jeff's life. I enjoyed the people that were interviewed. They were all very honest, well spoken and seemed credible. I was very impressed that the story of his life was told, without bashing him. It was sad to see him lose everything because of the poor choices that he made."

"Very well done. It kept my interest and was well balanced. The subject matter was meaningful to me as I was a big fan of The Frugal Gourmet show and cookbooks. The balance of good and evil has kept me thinking for days. Huge moral issues are introduced; issues that apply not only to the people in the documentary, but to all of us struggling with life's choices."

"Very nostalgic - Jeff Smith ignited my interest in cooking long ago and I still love it. I thought it was a nice unbiased chronicle of his life and I learned interesting details about Smith I could have never guessed."

"I found the docs series to be well done and a very enlightening view of Jeff Smith."

"It was very good but it made me so sad. I learned so much from his tv shows and books. I was an avid fan. If times were what they are today maybe he would have felt that he could come out of the closet early and things could have been different. Maybe i’m calloused to it now i don’t know. I just feel lingering sadness for the victims and for Jeff. His legacy has been so tainted. What a loss …"

"I loved watching The Frugal Gourmet in the 1980s. I rarely missed an episode. Jeff was a character and very engaging. Although I am very sickened and disappointed in where life took him and the damage he created for many people, I do believe he was a good person in many ways. His demons eventually took over and made him who he eventually became. Such a sad ending for a man who seemingly had everything."

"We always wondered what happened, and now we know. If your looking for a feel good nostalgia trip with a happy ending, this is not it."

"IBYP is very informative and honest. Back in the day, I was a frequent viewer of The Frugal Gourmet series and bought or was gifted many of his cookbooks. I am now feeling some buyers remorse for having supported him. I wish the process of getting it to play on my TV was a bit more intuitive. (Note: I am an experienced smartphone and computer user.)"

"I really enjoyed it more than I thought I would! It was very well done."