Get them both...you will enjoy each of them. Also...I think you mentioned that you have seen "Season 2," but that series actually aired first (on OLN). The "Season 1" series aired after the Network changed its names to VS. but it came out on DVD first. Either way, they are both entertaining and worth the 10 bucks for sure. You get 2 discs for the VS. version.
You also asked about judges...in addition to Chocolate Thunder, there was an actress who is probably best known for being in a movie with Larry the Cable Guy (can't recall her name and I never saw the movie - so no help there either), and a French Chef who was pretty good, I guess.
I prefer the judges in the first series and I also thought the hosts were better in the first go round. It seemed like having a guy like Chris Lilly as a host helped to lend some credibility to the show and his co-host, Peggy Bunker, was attractive, smart and very good on camera. I have seem her in similar duties on other shows since and she is just as good. The hosts in the second series seem to always ask the same questions and really brought nothing to the show. The judges in the second series were probably more entertaining, the judges in the first show were a little rough at times - but they were real competition BBQ judges too. Actually, I thought the best judges were the cooks in the final episode of the first series in NYC. Myron, Bart and espescially fast Eddy were thorough and made the best comments.
There is a lot to look at on these shows and you can learn a lot. Buy them and watch them a lot. You'll see a lot of stuff in the second or third time around that you might not have caught the first time.
This kind of turned into a review...but once I started typing, I couldn't stop. Sorry for such a long response.