The Reluctant Traveler

When I saw this advertised I had high hopes for this travel show as I general enjoyed Levy in his other roles and travel shows, but it quickly became apparent that this isn't really up to the calibre one has come to expect. Frankly I'm surprised how this gets a rating of 7.5. While there are some interesting places there certainly isn't anything special here - each episode seems to be heavily structured to promote the accommodation and/or sponsored by the local tourism board. At times it feels like some of the script has been written by the accommodation provider - don't forget to mention the floor to ceiling windows, or the size of the bathroom etc... On the upside the filming is great and looks beautiful. The on-going joke from Levy showing his hesitancy and ignorance about, well, everything doesn't stop and gets tired quickly. It doesn't help the travelling American stereotype either. If they pulled that back a little and showed a little more of the real location rather than 'wow look at this swimming pool/breakfast/bathroom', it might be more appealing. If you want a more interesting, genuine and humorous travel show (providing you like British humour) check out Karl Pilkington's shows - An Idiots Abroad and The Moaning of Life.

I thought this would be good but was sadly disappointed. I liked Levy in Schitts Creek but found this boring and very pretentious. Always cracking wise but failing at the attempt. His unqualified criticisms are nauseating. The people he visited are basically being insulted by him being there. I was unimpressed after the first episode but watched a second one. There will be no third episode for me. I think the people at the places he visited deserve better publicity than that. I can't wait for the day when technology allows me to watch a show and block out the sound of irritating commentators..

Ugh, this had so much potential...but they picked the completely wrong guy for this. He seems put off all the time. He's not gracious or thankful or impressed....just painful to watch. We get the schtick....but it isn't something normal people want to see. He's flown to far-off exotic locales, introduced to interesting people and given the opportunity to experience things many will never be able to see...and he poo poos it all. If this series is to continue, perhaps the producers can find a better person for this. Until then, this mess is just tough to watch. Note: I like Eugene Levy-I think he's a talented, funny actor-and I love travel. This was just a poorly conceived concept.

Put together the most beautiful places in the world, record them with talented filmmakers, and place a boring, shallow and embarrassing American - this is what you get. Eugene Levy has the emotional depth of a fire hydrant. He is served all these wonders on a silver platter, and gains - nothing. Instead of chosing a host who actually is able to feel emotions like joy and enthusiasm, they chose this grumpy couch potato. Try out pair of diving goggles and inspect the colorful corals? Nope, he'd rather order a cheeseburger and golf clubs. Decadent and so ... American. His scripted lines are flat, but his spontaneous non-scripted reactions to something unfamiliar are even worse. All we get are some one-liners like "Wow, that's .... something". The five stars are for the film crew.

I recently watched the "Reluctant Traveler" documentary and was blown away by the incredible storytelling and stunning visuals of Eugene Levy. The documentary follows a Eugene Levy who initially has no interest in traveling, but through his journey, he discovers a new perspective on the world. The documentary is expertly crafted, with beautiful cinematography and a well-paced narrative that kept me engaged from start to finish. The interviews with locals and travelers alike provide a unique and insightful look into the different cultures and traditions of each location. One of the things I appreciated most about "Reluctant Traveler" was its ability to inspire a sense of wanderlust and adventure. The character's transformation and newfound love for travel were truly inspiring, and I found myself wanting to pack my bags and explore the world myself. Overall, "Reluctant Traveler" is a must-see documentary for anyone who loves to travel or is looking for inspiration to embark on their own journey. It's a beautiful and thought-provoking exploration of the transformative power of travel. Five stars, without a doubt.

We know Eugene Levy is comic gold, even though this eight-episode 2023 series felt like a cross between a more jaundiced "Somebody Feed Phil" and Jack Whitehall's "Travels with My Father". His observations are less cynical than Whitehall Sr.'s and more dryly relatable except perhaps for his lifelong aversion to sushi. I think having a diametrically opposite travel companion like his son Daniel, or more ideally, Catherine O'Hara, could've made this series less one-note as we rely solely on Levy for his comments which remain consistent no matter the locale or how many exotic travel experiences he has.

There are some bad reviews here, but I think from those that don't know the background. Also... Eugene Levy is Canadian, not an American. Eugene truly does hate to travel and why he was chosen for this show. He was recently on the Smartless podcast with Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes... which is where I heard about this show. He talks about why he almost turned this project down and how truly reluctant he was to do this. He is not any of the things the negative reviews say he is. In his 70's, he is facing his fears and getting uncomfortable and it's such a joy to see Eugene Levy as himself.

I am a huge fan of Eugene Levy. Even as a kid, he was my favorite SCTV actor and I coukdn't get enough of him in Splash as Dr. Kornbleauth. Schitt's Creek was one of my favorite shows and he is always kind of the glue that holds things together without being center stage as a main character. He steals the show as Jim's Dad in American Pie in only a few scenes. In this show, he is front and center as the main attraction. While he is affable and dryly funny, the producers of the show focus too much on constantly broadcasting this theme that he is reluctant to travel. I get its the theme of the show ... but they go overboard to script him leaving poor Eugene seeming to play a characterized version of himself. This character is somewhere between Larry David's crusty nebbish on Curb Your Enthusiasm and Bill Murray's hypochondriac in 'What About Bob?'. While Levy is a master of the Jack Benny style reaction, it feels schitcky and forced. Despite having to force belief that Levy is actually often worried about things like Venice being built on stilts and sinking, the show's cinematography is visually beautiful. It is very similar to the instagram-like photography of Stanley Tucci's show Finding Italy, although this show utilizes zoom in drone shots and ultra zooming techniques. Wherever they film, you want to be. We noticed that many of the episodes are filmed on grey sky or overcast days. This takes away from the 'perfect blue sky travel wish fulfilment' aspect of the show a bit. Speaking of comparisons ... where does Levy stack up against Stanley Tucci or even the gold standard of Anthony Bourdain? I've always found Tucci a bit smarmy and wooden. There's not much you can do with the reactions without getting annoying when eating a lot each episode. Tucci seems to do, 'Mmmmm. Come on! ...' or 'Ohhhh. That's fantastic' a dozen times each episode, which annoys us to no end. Levy does show reverence to his server but we respect him making dry jokes as a reaction vs. The obligatory contented grunt and eye roll. Case in point when he does his suspicious curmudgeon act over a piece of salt cod in Venice before taking a bite and telling his host, 'That's actually good. I expected it to taste like cat food.' Levy doesn't bite off as much in each setting as Bourdain or Tucci ... some of the things he does seem forced and overly dramatic. I'll leave the elephant thing alone ... but plunging into ice cold waters or retrieving floating breakfasts from an infinity pool. Eh. The producers make sure he seems skittish about being in the water while taking any sort of boat ... milk any kind of fear out of flying or swimming ... and even script the staff he speaks to. Such as when the director of a $7,000 per night luxury resort in the Maldives makes it a point to mention to the wide-eyed Levy the sharks that occasionally swim past their coral reef or the guest whose ear was bit off by a trigger fish. It's hard not to be jealous of someone being paid to stay in a $1,000 per night resort and be pampered. As Anthony Bourdain showed us, the grass isn't always greener and this IS work, afterall. I'm not going to be jealous of Levy and his crew. Rather, I do enjoy seeing some of the 'other half' living it up knowing that a few of their spots are carefully selected by local fixers and you better believe I am going to try them when I am in that location. Bottom line is its hard not to enjoy the scenery and cinematography of this show and as far as travel shows go, Levy is a natural host. I just had hoped for a little less scripting ... the show seems too forced. The opposite is true of Tucci. In season 1, he was so wooden and boring the producers hired joke writers to jazz it up. Levy doesn't need that as his personality shine through but a little less forced by the producers would be nice. We get it ... he's reluctant.

I actually made an account just to review this show. This show is entertaining, educational, and shows the best parts of the human experience. Connection, trying new things, family, and culture/traditions. I love Eugene's honesty in his experience and his guts (or sisu) to get out of his comfort zone at his age. Not only is he hilarious, he is an inspiration. I'm in my 20s and I hope to be as adventurous as him at his age. He grabs agism by the throat and chucks it aside. You won't believe some of the things he does! He taught me that getting old is really only a frame of mind. Your body may age, but you don't have to get old. I hope to see more of this show and more like this on Apple TV.

I knew the series was going to be top-notch as soon as I saw Eugene Levy's name connected to the show. Such a classy guy with the offbeat sense of humour I love. No one could have done better. It seems a lot of thought went into the eight destinations that were chosen. Fresh new ideas and presentation coupled with interesting locations. None of the same old London, Paris etc that appear in other travel shows. This is not a complaint...the only thing I would have hoped for was a bit more info/background on some of the areas that were visited. But...you can only do so much in a half an hour and when editing was done one can see we were given the best they had. Excellent Host! Excellent Show! Well done Mr. Levy! Fingers crossed for another season.