An Idiot Abroad - Yay Netflix!

As long as we recognize Lucas is washed up and most TV sucks, we'll all get along fine.
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Leisher
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Post by Leisher »

Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant have a friend named Karl Pilkington that they equate to a living, breathing Homer Simpson. They think it'd be entertaining to send him around the world in a sort of travel program featuring someone that will speak his mind. They also don't send him to the best places. In fact, as Ricky says, "I want him to hate every minute of it." So they really go out of their way to make his trips terrible.

This will be hit or miss for you.

Karl is an average person with average thoughts on things. So he's pretty funny to watch encounter new cultures. He has no problem saying no to people who are his hosts and trying to help him experience new things. He also judges them openly. So it's not like any traveling show you've ever seen.

Don't think he's an ass or rude. He's a genuinely nice person and does his best to be polite, he just doesn't hide his feelings towards anything.

Ricky and Stephen, meanwhile, don't come off looking great here. They come off as bullies, which does get addressed in S1:E8, but I think it gets addressed badly. It's typical guys bashing each other stuff, but I feel like the way it's edited they're sending an odd message.

Anyway, the places he goes in his travel are more about making him uncomfortable or showing you things other programs don't show you, like bathrooms. Karl's unwillingness to use a hole in the ground to shit is a joke that gets run through the first season.

Karl has a great personality, and despite Ricky calling him a moron, you'll find yourself agreeing with many of his assessments. Yes, some of his observations make the series well titled, but others are things people want to say, but don't.

I think most of the people who frequent these forums would enjoy this series.
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TPRJones
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Post by TPRJones »

I second this recommendation. It was a great show.

Sometimes Karl is an ass, but not in any way maliciously. He's just being honest.
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