The Reluctant Traveler

There are some bad reviews here, but I think from those that don't know the background. Also... Eugene Levy is Canadian, not an American. Eugene truly does hate to travel and why he was chosen for this show. He was recently on the Smartless podcast with Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes... which is where I heard about this show. He talks about why he almost turned this project down and how truly reluctant he was to do this. He is not any of the things the negative reviews say he is. In his 70's, he is facing his fears and getting uncomfortable and it's such a joy to see Eugene Levy as himself.

I don't think I've ever enjoyed a 'celebrity' travel programme as much as this one. Eugene Levy's droll wit and self-deprecating humour are what elevate The Reluctant Traveler. Despite Levy's trepidation, he tries activities many of us will never actually get to do, and he does them with a marvellously funny perspective. I laughed out loud many times, whilst learning interesting things about a different way of life. The people he meets are fascinating and full of warmth. In today's age of depressing politics, war, climate crises etc, this televisual delight is a breath of fresh air. Sign Mr Levy up for Season Two now! Just joyous.

Spectacular cinematography and really magical locations, I'll give it that. It's like "An Idiot Abroad" but Eugene just isn't as funny as Karl. I get that they're trying to get him out of his comfort zone and I respect him for doing so at 75. He really seems to be experiencing things that he'd rather not, hence the reluctant in the title. I think that element, which is the highlight of the show, is sometimes its weakest one. It gets overly repetitive and annoying at some point that it takes away from the magic of the locations he's in. Hearing someone complain the entire time on a trip is my biggest caveat, so maybe that's why I couldn't fully enjoy this show and Eugene's commentary as it is.

So glad we found this show. The photography is stunning, Eugene Levy is hilarious but at the same time humble and respectful as a tourist. The show seems to have no other agenda other than taking the viewer to beautiful and interesting places in the world. What a refreshing break from the political agenda that has ruined a lot of shows.

Levy's acting and narration really do a great job of making us feel like we are there with him, out of his comfort zone, in the elements, eating foreign cuisine, and doing many things that scare him.

If you want to watch something that elevates your spirit and curiosity instead of making you feel like you are the scourge of planet earth and the source of all its problems LOL, watch this! Highly recommended.

We know Eugene Levy is comic gold, even though this eight-episode 2023 series felt like a cross between a more jaundiced "Somebody Feed Phil" and Jack Whitehall's "Travels with My Father". His observations are less cynical than Whitehall Sr.'s and more dryly relatable except perhaps for his lifelong aversion to sushi. I think having a diametrically opposite travel companion like his son Daniel, or more ideally, Catherine O'Hara, could've made this series less one-note as we rely solely on Levy for his comments which remain consistent no matter the locale or how many exotic travel experiences he has.