Travel Channel

Here is a copy of what I wrote in my blog. I encourage others to make their own blog entries outside of this site so that future search engine searches will pick it up. The producers should know the level of frustration that the viewers have (at least if they reflect my own review) in watching this show. It was such a great concept, however the complete lackluster attitude of this couple is truly saddening.

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For a few months I had seen promos (excellent lead in commercials for it BTW on a marketing standpoint) for a Travel Channel / Discovery Channel series '1000 Places to See Before You Die' that borrowed from the premise of the book by the same name. I was especially interested since it was being broadcast on Discovery HD so that I would really get to see some quality pictures. The concept was great, however the execution has been quite disappointing.

Apparently some newlywed couple, 'The Ulles', was chosen for this 14 week trip and I do not think they could have found any any less energetic or vapid set of people. The host female is one of the most lackluster people I have seen on TV. She seems the only-go-to-college-to-find-a-husband kind of person as conveyed in the movie 'Mona Lisa Smiles' and has absolutely no ambition. The only thing typically out of her mouth in every episode is 'wow' or 'I cannot believe that ...' and it seems they had done absolutely no research regarding any site they visited. Maybe the producers wanted them to first learn of things as they are experiencing it, but it makes them seem more ignorant than anything else. Clothing is a typical style of 'fashion' expected from a rich background and worn without thought as to local custom (such as shorts in middle India). Neither are up to attempting anything outside of their norm. Even the comments they have on the website 'photos' is extremely dumbed down and even idiotic.

I had hoped it would involve more information about the interesting sights around each region, not just the big hotels and contact plugs. The Paris show spent a good bit of the time involving their learning how to ride a Segway while Venice had them playing with pigeons in the park, ignoring the Louvre, museums, or other such sites. I hope the Discovery Channel really places more thought on the kind of person they get to host futures shows. I am sure it was a great opportunity for this couple, however they just seemed to have squandered it with a lack of consideration, knowledge, and personality. They honestly seem to be more interested in showing off and looking good than in having any real sense of adventure.

I had looked forward to the show as a means of reviews sites that I might someday like to visit, but it is just too uncomfortable to watch. I really do not hope that there really are that many people out there like these two.