Griff's Canadian Adventure

Picking the cold late fall time of the year along with specifically seeking Canadian mythology just perpetuates inconsistent and inconsiderate stereotypes. (Not the beautiful warm summers nor the fun, twinkling-snow winters.) Canada is much prettier, smarter, and interesting than this series portrays. There are some nice informational points, though a Google search can provide these. A show like this is meant to encourage people to explore the regions spotlighted. However, this show chose places that most Canadians didn't even visit, especially at that time of year! It wasn't charming or encouraging, and frankly, it didn't do it's job of finding the gems and the charisma of a spectacular travel region - the enormous, varied, and enchanting country of Canada. It's so much more than these stereotypes and lazy presentations.

Perhaps the reviewers giving low ratings already knew much about Canada or maybe they just do not like Griff Rhys Jones. I did not know much about Canada, and found this series to be interesting and entertaining, learning many new things about this beautiful country. Of course Griff offers his own perspective on some things, it would be very difficult to remain completely neutral, but I found his musings to be funny enough without detracting from the program. I especially liked the polar bear viewing from tundra trucks in episode 4/Manitoba. Well worth a watch for an interesting introduction to Canada.

He goes underground where the Métro (subway) is and blocks of underground shopping, and he comments on how quiet it is.

Checking when it was released, it was in the beginning of 2022. So, whenever you see when something was released, you have to go back AT LEAST a year to know when it was filmed (counting for editing/production time). So when it was filmed, it was right during COVID restrictions! Come on guys, you're giving Montreal an impractical image.

Other than than that, the show gives a good, if not sanitized, history and culture lesson of Quebec. For example, when he discusses 'Les filles du roi' (the King's girls), he says that there were tons of men here (fur trappers, soldiers, tradesmen), but hardly any women for the men to marry, so the king of France sent over boatloads of women. How the king procured so many women, so quickly, he doesn't mention. (The women were mainly prostitutes). This is what I mean by a sanitized history lesson.

I was hoping to see a documentary about beautiful Canada but most of the best was bypassed in favour of mariuana shops, yoga sessions and cliff climbing. Most of the gest features of Vancouver were ignored and the most interesting first nation centres not even mentioned.

As with many of these programs they skip over a country with the presenter as the main subject. I've travelled across Canada and seen some spectacular things. This series misses most of them and is very disappointing.

Maybe we could have a series with experts like the UK Coast programs showing the country's culture, history and features rather than the presenters face.

This patronising presenter reveals more about himself than he does of Canada. The entire series seems to be made for people who think that Canada is still a colony.

Why do commissioners set such a low bar for these travelogues? Sending frothing, gibbering clowns to interesting locations does not make worthwhile telly.

Its made by a North American production company that seem to think that the UK audience appreciates such superficial arrogant nonsense. A total waste of time and money.

Ryhs Jones should stick the the only subject he knows well - mental health and spare us from subjects about which he knows little and cares about even less.