I have been looking forward to watching the 1,000 places to see...show. I have been traveling and following the book and checked off some of the places I have visited.I watched it last night and It's the worst travel show ever. The places are terrific but the Ulles ruined the passion and appreciation we have for travel. How in the World did they get to host a travel show? They provide silly comments and my 15 year old can provide better comments and ask more intelligent questions. I watched the episode on France and I think the most intelligent comment Mel and Albin gave to the audience was "Wow", "Amazing". I can't believe that Albin would ask if the Eiffel Tower is made of steel. And that since it's his first time, he would like to climb the stairs to the top. Bless your heart. Spare us your ignorance.And, at the Taillevent restaurant, Thank God the owner was there to provide some information. The Ulles ned to research prior to getting on air.Or at least, read a pocket sized guidebook.Also, the producers should coached them to be more engaging. They don't have charisma and there is no chemistry between them on the air.Very poor presence and substance. It was embarassing.I'm sure other travellers have made better home videos. I will stick to the book and leave the entertainment to my imagination. I will not waste my time watching the Ulles and their silliness.
I could not agree more with andrea63. I was also excited about seeing the show and the many places in the world. However, my wife and I could not even stomach an entire episode due to the Ulles. While hosts like Ian Wright and Samantha Brown provide insight into a place and humor to the show, this couple seems like a couple of gradeschoolers on a field trip with no charisma, no personality, and absolutely no insight whatsoever. Some of the inane comments from this episode (Hawaii):
1) "Of all of the countries we are going to visit, I was most excited about Hawaii" (I guess he thinks Hawaii is a country)
2) "I cannot believe that there is this metropolis - on an island!" (I guess she has never heard of Manhattan or the countless other islands that contain cities)
3) "What's a caldera?"
Please take this off of the air and replace it with a show that your viewers can enjoy. These wonderful places in the world deserve a better presentation than this.
I did not see the Hawaii episode but the remarks made me laugh. I can't believe she said those comments on air. The producers should have edited such. It's so embarassing.You're right. I hope they stop the show before it ends up in the Hall of shame.
FYI, there is a forum called "Travel Channel -- Tell Us What You Think!" and a thread on this show and there are some people that actually like this show. I posted there, maybe the rest of you should. Hopefully they get the picture.
On another note, maybe they got to host the show because they have friends in high places at the travel channel that wanted to provide them with an all expense paid honeymoon. Or perhaps this is seen as a "reality show" and it is cheaper to give away a trip like this as opposed to actually paying someone with experience. Whatever the case, I cannot watch it.
"We feel extremely grateful to have been selected to travel around the world, seeing and experiencing places that we've read about for years. This truly is the opportunity of a lifetime, a trip we consider to be the ultimate second honeymoon."
Read? Read! These two are so unread it's pathetic. I bet the last time either one of them completed a book was in the 3rd grade and I'm sure the last time they even cracked a book was a textbook in college. It's so sad that this show was wasted on them. Really, if you are given the opportunity to travel the world on someone else's dime, you should consider it a job and do some work. Some insightful comments would have been appreciated. Instead we get nothing from these two.
You are right I wonder how long are they (producers) going to keep them. I have heard so many negative feedback on the Ulles. Does anyone know how to give the feedback directly to the producers?
I hope the producers at the travel channel read these posts because I was also turned off by those morons, and what could have been a very good show was totally ruined by the producers choice of the Ulles. I must add to the list of their enlightened comments: "Oh my gosh".
I managed to see part of the Brazil and Paris episodes but refuse to see the rest.
They should just pay Anthony Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern to do more shows, instead of broadcasting reruns.
I like to call them the Dull-es. My husband and I agree completely with all of the above comments. We too were looking forward to the show. It's such a shame that the Ulles cannot muster anything above a monotone "Wow" and "Amazing." I hope the producers kick it into gear if the show stays around.
If you want another laugh, go to the area where you can see the "Dull-es" photos. They say things like, "Our hotel was cool." and "We saw kangaroos and mountains." Wow! They are brainsurgeons, arent' they?
And here I was thinking that I was the only person who thought these two were the WORST choice for this show. Brothers and sisters thank you for showing me that I am not alone. I still try to watch the show if only for the scenery, but these two make it so darn hard to finish an episode, thank goodness for Tivo. What were the producers thinking?
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I had the same initial reaction the rest of you are having. "Where did they find these people?" The Ulles aren't actors, they simply won a contest. We can't expect them to be as entertaining as Samantha Brown or Anthony Bourdain. I think the travel channel will bring a new couple on each season.Part of the show is the personal growth the couple go's through on the journey. Relax and give them a chance.
Talk about personal growth; here's a quote from Melanie Ulle in an aticle I found online:
“There are all these little things that have changed for us,” Melanie says, noting one. “I notice that I don’t want to (do) drive-through coffee anymore. I enjoy drinking coffee, and people all over the world treat it as a ritual. I know its so minor, so dumb, but that means something.”
There was an element of sarcasm there. A Driven American learning to enjoy a cup of coffee rather than thinking of it as fuel,is kind of deep. We find the Ulles personalities kind of dry, maybe the show could emphasize their developement.
We have been waiting for this show to begin and set-up our DVR so it would record the show. How the Ulles were chosen to host this show in a sense is beyond me. Yes, the people watching the show already understand that this is a once in a lifetime experience however some history of what you know about the area, local questions, anything of substance other than "Oh my gosh", "Wow", "We cannot describe it, you have to see it on your own."...It is so bad that it became a drinking game during the first show for us. We attempted to watch it two other times but the Ulles could not hold our interest. The only substance was provided by the guides assisting the Ulles. I'm sure they are wonderful people and intelligent in their own right but the Discovery Channel could have chosen more wisely in who they wanted to represent their reputation.
I think the worst part is not necessarily that the Ulles are painfully dumb. The worst part is that you can tell by the things that they say that they both THINK that they're brilliant and insightful. I don't have any problems with stupid people. You can't help the way God made you. But if you're dumb as a post and you spend you're days walking around telling everyone how smart you are, that's just annoying. And whoever said that there's absolutely no chemistry between these two hit the nail right on the head. When you watch them interact with each other, it doesn't look/seem like a couple in love on their second honeymoon. It looks like an awkward reality show first date with each one fumbling around with their feelings for the other. If I didn't know they were married and had to guess, I would swear that these two had dated for a few weeks, won this contest and then once they were off traveling, weren't sure if they made the right decision to spend the next 5 months with the other person. I love the book and like the Ulle-free portions of the show... I guess it could be worse... Melanie could be narrating the show... "like... then we went to like... Nepal? and there's like... ice there? but the people were like... awesome?"
The idea is that people should be chosen provided that they can do the job. There are plenty of qualified people in this world would would have given anything for the opportunity to do this and have the talent to do it, why waste the show on people who have no skills in this area? I do not see my company bringing in people just to let them try to do the job for a while even though they have absolutely no qualifications. I am sure there is something that they are good at, but it is definately not hosting a travel show. One of the previous comments was correct - at least they should have read up on the places before going there so that they could add some insight and not sound like 5th graders being chaperoned around on a field trip.
The best thing that we can do is not watch it at all and voice our complaints. Maybe word will get to the producers and they will cancel the show and get a real one in its place.
I am so relieved to see that everyone else seems to have the same take on this show. I don't know how these two got picked, but they're so bland and dumb and empty that it's downright offensive. Couldn't they have found someone at least SLIGHTLY engaging and funny? Interesting? With a modicum of intelligence? I feel like I'm watching an ex-frat boy and the former prom queen show me around the world. A concept like this has such potential, but it needs better hosts. I think the ultimate moment was in Cambodia, when they're both crying at the Killing Fields, and Chad (I call Albin "Chad" because it seems to fit) says, "Well, we're going to do what we can to get the word out."
About the Killing Fields.
Umm, thanks Chad.
Anyhow, at least the music in the series is pretty decent.
I've only seen one episode and promised myself not to watch the show ever again. I can't believe he said that comment about the killing fields in the Cambodia episode. Wow, does he think the viewers are as ignorant as he is?
I thought I was the only one. At least now I know I'm not crazy. How can the Travel Channel get two the most dopiest people to host a show? I've been tolerating their ignorance just so I could see the wonderful destinations. Is it just me or did Albin really believe he met the Inca king in the Peru episode? There was no mention of the guy being an actor. I wonder if he's aware that the Inca empire no longer exists. In the Bhutan episode, Melanie made mention of how it was an "authentic" experience to go river rafting. I'm sure the Buddhist monks ride the river in their spare time. Where did they find these people? That's it, I'm done! I am not watching this show anymore.
I think these two pea brains are a disgrace to the USA ... just think, people in these other countries might think that is how we all are. WOW, WOW...no wonder they hate the United States.Please get these zombies off the show, or did their Mummy and Dada buy their way on the air. They need to go back to the frat house and buy some more friends, because the real world would kick their butts in about two seconds. To quote(sorry) Paris Hilton..."Mommy it's not fair"...I am sure that is what they would say if got their plastic a*#es kicked off what is a good show and what would be a better show without them.
I, too, was eager to watch a show based on one of my husband and mine's favorite reference books, "1000 Places...". We have traveled a lot and have a fun time adding to our own list some of the places mentioned in the book.
I set my DVR to "capture" the first show. My husband and I eagerly watched, but it wasn't long before he (the intelligent one) gave up and declared the show a disaster. I was a little more forgiving, thinking that it was just my jealousy of the Ulles that was keeping me from enjoying the show. Afterall, aren't they living our dream?
Before long, though, I couldn't help but notice the Ulles were neither prepared for their location nor did they make very relevant comments about their surroundings. So
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Absolutely correct.