Mediterranean with Simon Reeve

Simon Reeve is an incredibly annoying combination of naive observations (good grief, organised crime in an EU country!) and hyperbolic reactions. I made it through the first episode, but that was as much as I could take. At times, he really seems to struggle to say anything meaningful or appropriate.

He's so hilariously bad, that I almost wondered if this was an undeclared mockumentary.

There's a truly ridiculous bit in the first episode, when he is interviewing a member of the "Cacciatori". Simon Reeve: "Are you military? Are you police?" Il Cacciatore: "We do both things [...]" Simon Reeve: "You're a well-equipped, surveillance, fighting, investigative unit. Satisfying?" Il Cacciatore: "Yes, really satisfying." (It's the ridiculousness of the "Satisfying?" that cracked me up; and perhaps you have to see and hear him say the word to truly appreciate the ridiculousness.)

To put up with the annoying presenter, this series would have to provide a lot of information or entertainment and the first episode certainly provided neither. A real dud.

One reviewer is disappointed that this series doesn't focus only on the pretty, lovely aspects of the Mediterranean. Well too bad!! That would be boring. This is reality, my friend. This is how people live in some of the richest but also some of the poorest, most war torn countries. Simon Reeve is an excellent host and a true journalist - curious, perceptive, open minded, and not so jaded that he's not delighted or horrified by what he sees. The Libya and Tunisia episode completely blew my mind. These are countries with so much to offer, with friendly people and incredible monuments. Yet we never see this side on TV, due to war and terrorism. It's sad. But maybe in a small way, Reeve is educating us as viewers to be less dismissive of these places, and to see that ordinary people can be extraordinarily welcoming and can teach us things we didn't know.

Re Malta fact. You can't interview ONE brainwashed person ( Manuel Delia ) and conclude that what's he's implying are FACTS. A person who syphoned 100's of Thousands of Euro from the previous Govt, for doing NOTHING. Malta have a passport scheme APPROVED by the EU ( like 10 other countries ) and persons buying these passports do not register their address in a Garage. (Manuel Delia is simply LYING ) Check your facts.... As for the murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, the truth will come out and there's 3 people awaiting trial, and so far NOTHING was proofed to be politically motivated. God rest her soul, she used to SPEW bile against whoever deemed be, including cancer patients & disabled people..... and she was NOT LIKED by the total majority of the maltese people..... She didn't deserve to die in that horrible manner but she made too many enemies by spreading UNFOUNDED allegations. I hope that this docu will be edited when the truth comes out, and not point fingers and allegations from a vile person ( persona non grata ) who's only aim is to damage our beloved Malta's reputation....

I really don't know on what base this guy is getting money for this awful peace of something! I have the feeling that is only purpose of his "documentary" is to show every other country worst then UK! He is just going around and he is looking for the worst things in every country, mixing old staff with new ( there is new mafia in Italy and they are now spreading around EU?!? WTF?!? They are famous from 1990). He did not mention that loads of dirty money on Malta is from UK, Germany and so on, and that all EU now is tax paradise, same as Luxemburg and they are untouchable because EU need countries to wash the money. And so on, so on... Unfortunately he will continue to go around world and keep doing unrealistic, random documentary to court middle UK class that just want to see a world with rainbow glasses!

Watched all 4 episodes and despite being overall depressed about what's happening around the Med - I felt informed about the reality of the rich/poor divide and the ups/downs of the effect we are having on the environment. I found Simon's reporting style humour and empathy particularly easy to follow and am a little surprised at the vitriolic reviews on here - but I dont have a personal affinity to any of the areas featured which might make the difference- happy to watch Simon's reporting any time