Having never watched a full episode before, I will admit that on first watch it all felt a tad cheesy. The OTT reactions to gems not sticking in place or not being able to find the right decorative petals felt like an attempt to manufacture drama. But by the middle of the first episode, I was invested in the steadily increasing difficulty of the day's challenges. By the time the credits started to roll I already knew my favourite contestant ( Ophelia for the win) and felt a sense of commitment to seeing her succeed throughout the coming episodes. Unlike competition shows like The Great British Bake Off , Glow Up makes it mark by having multiple, wildly different tasks each week, meaning it's hard to get bored within the show's one hour running time (though I'm not sure if I will still feel that way eight episodes from now).