However, this is a unique travel program. The host, Karl Pilkington didn’t have romantic notions of the Taj Mahal or childhood dreams to walk on the Great Wall of China. He was perfectly happy to stay in the comfort of his white, middle class suburbia, until he was forced by his close friends Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant to open his eyes and live a little.
Karl becomes their victim, their toy, and their source of amusement as they send him around the world in search of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. The romance of travel is well and truly removed by this show yet at the same time the essence of each experience that is captured by super high definition video resonates with the viewer.
In typical British fashion, Karl whinges and complains about everything. When standing in front of the pyramids of Giza, he comments "...a little tornado innit. You don't see that in the brochure. Shitty old nappy whizzing through the air. They tend to leave that out."
At the Great Wall of China, "They say it goes on for miles. Well, so does the M-6.”
While his statements may seem politically incorrect, they are simply unfiltered comments in reaction to the wonders of the world as processed by an untainted mind, coloured with simple amazement, confusion, and the visual comprehension of the illogical and sometimes absurd realities of the modern world.
An Idiot abroad is a remarkable look at the cultures and customs of humanity through the eyes of an uncultured, yet brilliant ‘everyman’.
An Idiot Abroad- The Seven Wonders of the World. Season 1, Sky1
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