Up to Speed

I am generally a fan of quirky, irreverent, even silly takes on common themes, but to call this "travel" show quirky or irreverent gives it too much credit. The research is teaspoon shallow, the production devices are moronic, and host's general silliness is so much of a put-on that it puts me off. This is the TV equivalent of those round, styrofoam-like puffed rice snacks that made the rounds ten years ago -- they looked like a good idea, but once you bit into one, it had no flavor, was dry as the desert, and failed to satisfy any hunger you might have been feeling.

I hope there was a phone call from Mr. Linklater to Mr. Levitch explaining why no more shows would be funded that went something like this: "I'm sorry, Speed, but these shows are not any good."