Skip to main content

The Globe-Spanning Adventures of a Round-Headed Man: An Advance Review of An Idiot Abroad

I have a soft spot for travel shows that offer a twist on the now ubiquitous genre, such as the snarkiness of Travel Channel's Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations.

But it's rare that any of these actually make me howl with laughter. Which is very much the case with Science Channel's new travelogue An Idiot Abroad, which launches on Saturday evening here in the States after a successful run on Sky1 in the UK. This is one show that manages to successfully fuse together pretty pictures of exotic locales, staggeringly hilarious humor, and a round-headed chap with a host of xenophobic issues.

Yes, it stars Karl Pilkington.

If you're unfamiliar with the premise, An Idiot Abroad recounts the globe-spanning journeys of The Ricky Gervais Show breakout Karl Pilkington, here sent around the world to the locations containing the Seven Wonders of the World by close friends Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, who executive produce this series and apear on-screen (and on the phone) throughout as they check in with Karl to see what he's gotten up to.

The results are unpredictable and excruciatingly funny, which I would expect from anything involving Gervais and Merchant.

The first episode ("China") finds Karl on a trek to see the Great Wall of China, but his friends have arranged a few surprises for him along the way, including a fiery massage (yes, seriously), kung fu training with a Shaolin devotee, a picturesque lunch of frog in a small village, and a visit to a local market. Along the way, Karl's eyes are opened up (sometimes saucer-wide) to experiences vastly different to his own as he makes his way through the sights and sounds of Chinese daily life, encountering toilet stalls with no doors (this shakes him to his core) and unusual delicacies.

In true Karl Pilkington fashion, his facial and spoken reactions are priceless, his Little Englander mentality coming to the fore the minute he arrives in China, unable to get a reaction from anyone by smiling at them. It's impossible not to love the big buffoon, though, especially as he cracks me up every time he opens his mouth; there's an aura of child-like amusement and discovery with every step he takes. Though I would advise the producers to be sure to keep any sharp objects out of Karl's hands in the future...

Ultimately, this is a novel and hysterical travel show with what might just be one of the most unusual and unexpected hosts ever, one that would rather be at home with his girlfriend and his diary rather than seeing the world at large. Which makes An Idiot Abroad, which Gervais called "the most expensive practical joke ever," absolutely intoxicating and engaging, as Karl is forced to explore some of the most wonderous sights this planet has to offer. Unless you want to be left behind, do not miss this show.

An Idiot Abroad premieres Saturday night at 7 pm ET/PT on Science Channel.

Comments

Pepper said…
I love the Ricky Gervais show and have been looking forward to this for awhile. Glad to hear it's just as funny as I'd hoped it would be!

Popular posts from this blog

Katie Lee Packs Her Knives: Breaking News from Bravo's "Top Chef"

The android has left the building. Or the test kitchen, anyway. Top Chef 's robotic host Katie Lee Joel, the veritable "Uptown Girl" herself (pictured at left), will NOT be sticking around for a second course of Bravo's hit culinary competition. According to a well-placed insider, Joel will "not be returning" to the show. No reason for her departure was cited. Unfortunately, the perfect replacement for Joel, Top Chef judge and professional chef Tom Colicchio, will not be taking over as the reality series' host (damn!). Instead, the show's producers are currently scouring to find a replacement for Joel. Top Chef 's second season was announced by Bravo last month, but no return date has been set for the series' ten-episode sophomore season. Stay tuned as this story develops. UPDATE (6/27): Bravo has now confirmed the above story .

BuzzFeed: Meet The TV Successor To "Serial"

HBO's stranger-than-fiction true crime documentary The Jinx   — about real estate heir Robert Durst — brings the chills and thrills missing since Serial   wrapped up its first season. Serial   obsessives: HBO's latest documentary series is exactly what you've been waiting for.   The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst , like Sarah Koenig's beloved podcast, sifts through old documents, finds new leads from fresh interviews, and seeks to determine just what happened on a fateful day in which the most foul murder was committed. And, also like  Serial  before it,  The Jinx may also hold no ultimate answer to innocence or guilt. But that seems almost beside the point; such investigations often remain murky and unclear, and guilt is not so easy a thing to be judged. Instead, this upcoming six-part tantalizing murder mystery, from director Andrew Jarecki ( Capturing the Friedmans ), is a gripping true crime story that unfolds with all of the speed of a page-turner; it

BuzzFeed: "The Good Wife Is The Best Show On Television Right Now"

The CBS legal drama, now in its sixth season, continually shakes up its narrative foundations and proves itself fearless in the process. Spoilers ahead, if you’re not up to date on the show. At BuzzFeed, you can read my latest feature, " The Good Wife Is The Best Show On Television Right Now," in which I praise CBS' The Good Wife and, well, hail it as the best show currently on television. (Yes, you read that right.) There is no need to be delicate here: If you’re not watching The Good Wife, you are missing out on the best show on television. I won’t qualify that statement in the least — I’m not talking about the best show currently airing on broadcast television or outside of cable or on premium or however you want to sandbox this remarkable show. No, the legal drama is the best thing currently airing on any channel on television. That The Good Wife is this perfect in its sixth season is reason to truly celebrate. Few shows embrace complexity and risk-taking in t