According to TLC’s web site the new season of BBQ Pitmasters will have little resemblance to it’s inaugural season.  In season one, Pitmasters followed the nation’s top meat smokers on the ultra competitive Kansas City BBQ circuit.  This year, well …

“The competition to become a Pitmaster just got more heated. BBQ Pitmasters is back with a whole new look and whole new format. The show now pits teams against each other in a series of challenges – all under fire to win the title of BBQ Pitmaster. The teams will have to impress an expert panel of judges who will pick apart each contestant as they vie for the grand prize.”

Judges for season two include season one break out star Myron Mixon.  Myron never met a a rib he didn’t think was inferior to his own.  Mixon made his mark on season one by being very critical of his competitors and the judges.  He was very critical of everything really except his own BBQ and his wife who it was clear from candid footage is the light of his life.  Myron is opinionated, foul mouthed and one of the foremost experts in the world on traditional American BBQ.

Warren Sapp is a hall of fame football player.  He has also proven he can dance (sort of).  But what Warren really excels at is eating.  Sapp won a National Championship with the Miami Hurricanes where he played on a star studded team that included linebacker Ray Lewis.  In the NFL, Sapp was the cornerstone of the legendary Tampa defense that brought the city it’s lone Super Bowl victory.  If there is anyone better suited to set Mixon straight I’d like to know who it is?

The final judge is cheflebrity Art Smith.  Art has been a contestant on Top Chef: Masters and a judge on Iron Chef.  He has cooked for Presidents, governors and foreign dignitaries.  He also authored the award winning cookbooks Back to the Table and Kitchen Life (both available at amazon). But Smith is best known for having been Oprah’s personal chef.  Clearly Smith has the culinary acumen but the question is if his Truman Capote-esque persona can stand up to the machismo of the other two judges.  That may be the dynamic that makes this show stand out.

So will the new format attract more viewers or alienate the established, predominately male fan base?  The new season of the revamped BBQ Pitmasters premieres on Thursday August 12th at 10/9 Central on TLC.