British comedy duo Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant send their simple and closed-minded friend Karl Pilkington on a trip around the world to experience a variety of people and cultures.British comedy duo Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant send their simple and closed-minded friend Karl Pilkington on a trip around the world to experience a variety of people and cultures.British comedy duo Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant send their simple and closed-minded friend Karl Pilkington on a trip around the world to experience a variety of people and cultures.
- Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
- 8 nominations total
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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.
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.
10mrzech
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" :)
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!
An Idiot Abroad was the funniest thing to grace British TV for years. No script, no actors, just a normal bloke from Manchester taken completely out of his comfort zone and sent to explore the world against his will.
The results is hilarious, with Karl hating every minute of his travels and Ricky and Steve making it increasingly difficult for him as the series progresses.
Whilst it may fall under the category of travel documentary, it's Karl's dour personality and relentless whinging that makes it so entertaining. The actual travelling, visiting the Seven Wonders and participating in bucket list activities, become merely a sideshow.
There aren't many TV shows that make you laugh out loud like 'An Idiot Abroad', it's comedy gold.
The results is hilarious, with Karl hating every minute of his travels and Ricky and Steve making it increasingly difficult for him as the series progresses.
Whilst it may fall under the category of travel documentary, it's Karl's dour personality and relentless whinging that makes it so entertaining. The actual travelling, visiting the Seven Wonders and participating in bucket list activities, become merely a sideshow.
There aren't many TV shows that make you laugh out loud like 'An Idiot Abroad', it's comedy gold.
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!
Did you know
- TriviaKarl once produced Ricky and Stephens radio show on XFM
- Quotes
Ricky Gervais - Executive Producer: Nothing is funnier than Karl in a corner being poked by a stick. I am that stick.
- ConnectionsFeatured in This Morning: Episode dated 22 September 2010 (2010)
- How many seasons does An Idiot Abroad have?Powered by Alexa
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