Review: Bar Rescue: Toughest Rescues

Bar Rescue: Toughest Rescues

Comedy Central
Street: 05.19

Chances are that if you’ve turned on a TV with cable anytime in the last four years, you’ve probably stumbled across an episode of Bar Rescue. Host Jon Taffer, a food/beverage/nightlife business whiz, features failing bars from across the country in individual rescue episodes. Taffer reviews their weaknesses and ultimately comes up with a plan to revamp the failing bars. In theory, if you are a failing bar owner losing thousands of dollars every month and you get the chance to consult with an industry expert like Taffer, you’d kiss the ground he walks on, but that’s not always the case. Bar Rescue: Toughest Rescues is a compilation of the most ridiculous bar owners in America. From being mentally checked out to blatantly drunk at work to operating the most disgusting kitchens you can imagine, these bar owners put Taffer through the wringer. Watching these segments is voyeurism at its best. There is yelling, cursing and sometimes fighting, and you can’t help but get sucked in. The transformations that occur are intriguing to witness, and Taffer makes it apparent that managing and operating a bar really is a science. You’ll walk away from Bar Rescue: Toughest Rescues pulling for the reformed dickhead owners, hoping that they can finally succeed. –Jamie Stott