They are screening the US version of the show over here (UK) at the moment and there are some fundamental differences in the way the show is presented and edited to the UK version.

To my mind, the US version puts the confrontation between Ramsay and the main protagonist(s) to the fore. Talking heads from the outset set the scene from that episode's subjects point of view, and then Ramsay is sent into the restaurant like some sort of culinary ferret to flush out the terrified staff. Cue shouting/swearing/slamming of doors/tears, and all this is voiced over by some bloke who sounds like he's narrating a trailer for Black Hawk Down rather than a show about food and the business of selling it.

Gone is Ramsay's own narration which provides insight into the reasons he acts like he does towards the staff, how a business needs to be run. Gone is the emphasis on menus, service and the potential of the various underlings in the kitchen. Everything is edited into tiny chucks (presumably for easy digestion) and no shot is longer than 4 seconds. I suppose this is designed to add pace and drama to the programme, but it ends up inducing motion sickness and a sense of frustration as the camera never lingers on a subject long enough to capture the subtly of a situation - there has to be NOISE at all times. To my mind, the edit ends up making some of the scenes look staged.

Try to catch the UK version - it's a lot more considered and whilst the swearing and confrontation is still there the whole show is better edited and offers more insight into the highs and lows of running a successful restaurant.