An Idiot Abroad

To all who know Karl Pilkington from the hilarious audio shows, you will not be disappointed. The man who doesn't know if he controls his brain, or his brain controls him, delivers exactly what you would expect - winging and whining about absolutely everything. And he does so in an amusing and a charming way that makes me squeeze his head really tight! From start to finish, Karl's comments are unique and honest - about the toilets in China, about eating fetuses and insects and about the Alright Wall of China. I can't wait to see the rest, but I have a feeling everything Gervais touches, turns to gold. Let's be honest, it's not Palin, but as Karl brilliantly said, "It's the parts from Palin they would cut out" :)

Ok it has its really dumb moments where you're not quite sure if it's scripted or not, but for the most part this is a laugh-out-loud show that ironically gave me a lot of travel ideas! Ricky Gervais is hilarious in this too! His giggles are hysterical. Do watch!

This is what a travel show should be. It's not sugar coated and it's not like any show thats come before. It's a regular bloke, sent abroad, speaking his mind. Is Karl Pilkington an idiot? Is he a genius? It's very hard to tell, but I can tell you one thing and that is, i could watch the bloke on TV all day long and not get bored. One reviewer was complaining that the show was crap (before it aired i might add) because Gervais and Merchant were not in the show as it appeared that they were in the poster campaign.... I couldn't disagree with the reviewer more; Karl Pilkington is what makes 'the Ricky Gervais' podcasts funny and Karl Pilkington is what makes this show funny.

Gervais and Merchant are fantastic writers and the Office and Extra's are amazing but at the same time, they know that Pilkington was the main drawer for their podcast and they very wisely came up with this little gem and for that, i applaud them.

I happened upon this programme by accident as whilst enjoying The Office and Extras I'd become a little bored of Ricky Gervaises Hollywood offerings. I'd never heard of Karl Pilkington, but within minutes of watching the first episode I was crying with laughter. Karl's view of the world is so honest and uneffected that he says what the rest of us are thinking most of the time. Pure genius - a travel programme that doesn't take itself seriously, is funny yet still hits the emotional buttons in each of the episodes I've watched so far. From a travel perspective he stays in places that your average tourists wouldn't stay in and whilst not necessarily enjoying the experience Karl makes an effort to immerse himself in the local culture. He is full of wisdom - and totally without the BS I see in so many other travel programmes.....Karl - you are a star!

Finally,an honest travel guide to accompany you to the most famous sightings in the world.Don't expect adoring sighs and ramblings about the lovely local beverages and cuisine though.

And that's exactly what makes this series a stroke of genius.Karl is a reluctant traveler and not easily impressed.He engages in philosophical monologues,and he's almost always spot-on.Even the most experienced globe-trotter laughing at Karls awkward attempts to mount a Mexican rodeo horse or Egyptian camel will probably agree,even if not out loud. Most exotic activities and festivities he will refer to as being "mental". He fills his suitcase with Monster Munch thus hoping to evade the worst expressions of local cuisine.Such as toad and balls. To no avail.Because Gervais and Merchant have,naturellement,booked him at the scruffiest of hotels(if he even gets to a hotel)and arranged for him to eat and experience things he probably never wanted to do ever in his life.To make things worse they send numerous text messages simply to annoy him.At one point Karl ponders the use of modern technology in the western world,how we mostly use it as entertainment. Behind him deaf Egyptian fast-food restaurant employees use their mobiles to make video calls. And Karl produces his own mobile to show for the camera what his friend Ricky G usually send him. I love it.Every annoying thing about traveling that you never dared to mention to your people-of-world friends will be aired here. Go watch!Pronto!