The Ganges with Sue Perkins

Wow this was awful and cringeworthy in every way. Patronizing and bigoted.

This is an odyssey with a funny soulful woman who is bracingly courageous (though of course it helps when you have a whole crew behind you). If you've been to India it will make you nostalgic -- and also, super concerned about the condition of rural Indian women. Thankfully some change and help afoot for them (see Episode 2).

This series is an eye-opener -- but does not overly focus on the very real distress of the people.

India is an incredible place to see and the people, some at least, are extraordinary and one gets to meet a few of them in the series. They sure seem to like Sue Perkins (presumably, no relation to Marlin), who has some interesting things to say after she slips in a dark alleyway late at night in a human poo-pile and nastily scuffs her arm (Episode 2, around 44:00). It's the unrelenting sea of humanity in which one is just a small bug -- that is why we watch this show and breathe a sigh of relief!

Still, just watching, one yearns to swim there again. (But I don't mean literally go swimming in the Ganges. Noooooooo.)