Anthony Bourdain’s Greatest Hits
The late great Anthony Bourdain essentially revolutionized how people travel the world. Using his platform as a renowned chef and talented writer, he traveled the world on several shows over the years. Among them include No Reservations, Parts Unknown, and The Layover. Bourdain’s base-level aim may have been to showcase the food throughout these travels. However, the overarching impact sits in the realm of human connection. We may come from different cultures, though we have more in common than we’d imagine. This is perhaps the biggest takeaway from Bourdain’s programming (which is beautifully shot and artfully narrated).
The Amazing Race
The hit CBS show has been a fixture on television for years. Hosted by Phil Keoghan, The Amazing Race involves teams of two who jet around the globe to complete tasks in each city. The last team to finish all the tasks is (usually) eliminated. This is a very family-friendly program — and one which does a brilliant job in showcasing various cultures in these cities/countries. The teams are normally family members or couples — thus making it even more interesting when they’re faced with adversity out on the road.
Somebody Feed Phil
Though sometimes a bit too saccharine and corny, Somebody Feed Phil is a popular program. Streamed on Netflix, it features television writer Phil Rosenthal as he eats his way through various cities around the world. If you can get over his facial expressions and exclaiming “This is the best [dish] I’ve ever had!” in virtually every episode, you can appreciate the care he has for the show. Rosenthal’s genuine nature shines, and the filming of these programs is quite good. One could categorize this is a G-rated vessel for the travel/food industries.
An Idiot Abroad
This is a comedic program — and one which should be taken for what it is. You won’t be given tons of informative tidbits about the cultures or cities. However, you will see Karl Pilkington — a friend of Ricky Gervais — being put in situations abroad that Pilkington cannot stomach. His grumpy demeanor makes this ‘travel show’ a reality show rooted in natural comedy. Gervais knows exactly which buttons to push with his friend, and the reaction Pilkington gives makes An Idiot Abroad all the more funny. Most of these episodes can be found on YouTube.
