November 27, 2007
Still not enough good travel shows on the Travel Channel!
A short time ago, this site featured my comments on the lack of good travel shows on American TV and it seemed like quite a few people agreed with me. If you have cable or satellite TV, you probably get the Travel Channel. Despite its name, this channel is rather disappointing as it seems to show very few actual travel shows and a lot of programs such as “World Poker Tour”, “Monster Trucks” “Cash and Treasures” and “Made in America”
The Travel Channel does show some travel shows such as “Globe Trekker” “Passport to Europe” and “Earth’s Natural Wonders” but any regular viewer of the Travel Channel will probably have seen all these episodes before as they have all been on several times. Every episode of “Passport to Europe” has now been shown at least a dozen times over the last year or two.
And the offering for Thanksgiving Day on the Travel Channel was an all-day marathon of the show “Bizarre Foods” – possibly for those who had got tired of eating turkey…? A lot of those shows seem to feature various creatures having just been killed, so you certainly know that the food is fresh.
Britain’s BBC network has recently shown the latest travel show by one of my favorite travelers – Michael Palin - featuring Eastern Europe. Palin has to be one of the most well-traveled people on TV, having been around the world, across the Sahara and through the Himalayas. His old shows appear occasionally on the Travel Channel – hopefully this one will be shown sooner or later. By the way, you can purchase books and DVDs from his various travel shows at his website.
One of the best reality shows is back on CBS with a new season – The Amazing Race, in which teams literally race around the world. A recent episode had the teams traveling to Ouagadougou, which most of the teams couldn’t pronounce – let alone find on a map. (It’s in the small African country of Burkina Faso – I’m not sure I would have known that either!)
If anyone knows of any good travel shows hidden away on any of the cable channels, let me know.
Guest entry by Mancunian
Posted by James Trotta at November 27, 2007 12:15 PM | TrackBack
Rick Steve's Europe Through the Backdoor is an excellent presentation on PBS.
Posted by: D Andersen at November 27, 2007 4:15 PMi agree completely ~ it amazes me how few actual travel shows the travel channel offers! the only one that my husband and i watch religiously is 'anthony bourdain: no reservations' ~ awesome show ~ he really knows where to go and how to do it right!
Posted by: kimbosita at November 27, 2007 6:07 PMResearch online is so much more fun.
Posted by: travelfan at November 27, 2007 7:31 PMI agree - I would like to see more travel on the travel channel and less poker.
Posted by: Heather at November 27, 2007 7:42 PMI wish there was a Poker Channel where the World Poker Tour could be shown, releasing those time slots for those of us who don't care about it and would have some much better shows to view. I guess it's "different strokes for different folks", but I can think of nothing more boring!
Posted by: David at November 27, 2007 8:01 PMThe Travel Channel only sucks in the USA. As an american living in Europe I was surprised to see such a difference in programming. The UK version of the Travel Channel actually shows 'travel' shows. GlobeTrekker, Africa Trek, Don't Forget Your Passport,and The Thirsty Traveller are all repeated frequently but there's new programming each month. The shows are actually about travel experiences and places and, glad to say, no poker shows or monster trucks. The problem is that too many americans are offended by the drinking, the dancing, the staying out late, the breasts at the beach and even the mental or spiritual awakening that travel can inspire. Travel, from a european standpoint, is about self discovery as well as another place or people. Travel from an american standpoint is about disneyland, shopping or the spa that overlooks the golf course. Sad Sad Sad.
Posted by: gordon at November 28, 2007 5:47 AMHi. I run the Travel Channel and read your blog and the comments posted.Ithink you haven't watched the network properly for a while, because in the past two years we've significantly increased the number of real travel shows - Bourdain, Samantha Brown, Made In America, Taste of America, Living with the Kombai, Tribal Life, Joan Cusacks Family Flavor, Drew Carey's world Cup, Jeremey Piven's India, national parks programming and 1000 Places to See Before You Die. You may not be a fan of Bizarre Foods, but it simply takes the adage that "one mans drink is another man's poison" to show how foods which may appear strange to some are delicacies to others. Likewise Best Places to Find Cash and Treasures is a show popular with families looking for low cost and often local activities they can do together.
I accept your main point- Poker has no real relevance to travel. That's why we've not commissioned any new series of WPT. Instead we're using that money to order additional episodes of Bourdain, Andrew Zimmern, Samantha Brown and Cash and Treasures. We also have Michael Palin's new series, a new series by Ian Wright and in December we have Pilot Week where the viewers get the chance to watch five new pilots and give us their feedback about which one(s) they want to see as series. I hope you'll watch them and get involved. Pat Younge
I agree with Gordon - I too live in Europe and get to watch the UK Travel Channel. Even then I'm disappointed with the dullness of many of the presenters and the topics covered. One good new show this season is The Travel Guy. Real people doing real things - it's a nice change. I hope it is one of the shows on Pilot Week for the American Travel Channel.
Posted by: Jacy at November 28, 2007 7:10 AMI am glad to know that the travel channel is planning on focus's more on 'travel related shows' in the future. I too have felt overwhelmingly over the years that more than 50% of the programming was non-travel related. Which is a shame. Can't wait for a new line up of shows!
Posted by: Jessica at November 28, 2007 2:13 PMI totally agree that the Travel Channel is boring! How can we get the UK Travel Channel? Since I am not a poker fan, those shows are very boring too. Episodes with Rick Steve are great - let's see more of them!
Posted by: Elaine G. Pearl at November 28, 2007 6:13 PMMy husband and I also agree about the Poker, we do not play so to sit watch others is not our thing. We love to watch all the different destinations and live through others adventures, especially Rick Steves and Globe Trekers, and especially Samatha Brown. I read the comment from Pat Younge of the Travel Channel and will be looking forward to any new travel shows.
Posted by: Sandee at November 29, 2007 12:55 AMI read with interest Pat Younge's comments. I TiVo Anthony Bourdain's show, as it is one of my very favorite shows on ANY channel.
I like Samantha Brown, although she can be a little too perky for my taste. Andrew Zimmern is a great host, but I literally can't watch his show. It would be great if he hosted another, more mainstream travel show. I'm looking forward to Michael Palin's series and Pilot Week.
Posted by: Jill at November 29, 2007 1:14 AMI have almost given up on the Travel Channel. There are a few shows worth watching, but the majority seem to feature Las Vegas, poker, and a very genial man eating things that I'd probably throw a shoe at if I saw them slithering or crawling toward me. And I may be among the few, but I also really don't care how very rich people spend their vacation bucks on yachts, palatial vacation homes and six star hotels. I agree with Sandee about Rick Steves. Perhaps the Travel Channel should watch PBS to see how an informative and enjoyable travel show is produced.
Posted by: Janet at November 29, 2007 1:57 PMI've been thinking about this almost everytime I hit the road. I do a little long distance hauling with the influx leaving Michigan nowadays. It really takes me through some areas people don't think about. My customers that travel behind me seem to find my information I provide helpful as in what hotels along the highway are priced reasonable, where to (or not) to eat. Travel doesn't allways mean a vacation. Though I would like to visit more places while on the road, I'm usually on a fairly tight schedule. That's just one of the reasons I think if you can squeeze in something quick here and there, it makes a long road trip a little more enjoyable! Hopefully you just don't end up like Clark Griswold! And if you need something moved?!? e-mail me at mckone@sbcglobal.net
Posted by: steve at November 29, 2007 3:40 PMThis is great, I too have wondered many times why all the poker games on a travel channel? With so many places in this world to explore you'd think they could come up with some better programs! I used to love Small planet, and tuned in every time it was on. Now I check faithfully to see what is on and seem to always find Poker! Too bad...
Posted by: Lorraine at November 29, 2007 3:42 PMI am glad that I am not the only one that is bored by all the poker. I love Anthony Bourdain's show and Andrew Zimmern is fun to watch sometimes. Globe Trekker is pretty good but Samantha Brown gets on my nerves and her budget for travel is so much higher than mine. I don't care for the luxury shows, there is enough of that on "E" and after a while it all looks the same. I would love to see more travel shows about America, not just people making stuff but actually traveling. We live in such a beautiful and diverse country filled with fabulous history, why not show more of it. National Parks, Native American Culture, Arts and Culture in the major cities (New York, Chicago, etc.) - and not just the expensive stuff either.
Posted by: Heather at November 29, 2007 6:10 PMI totally agree, I love to travel and when we first starting receiving this channel I thought it would be one of my favorite. then came the poker and alot of other stuff having nothing to do with travel there are a few good shows here and there, but like others have stated over at least 50% of the shows have nothing to do with travel if they dont stop they need to rename the channel. I would like to see more shows with people visiting different tourist attractions and fun places to vacation and also reviews of hotels in different parts of the world.
Posted by: Susie at November 29, 2007 9:28 PMTravel, from a european standpoint, is about self discovery as well as another place or people. Travel from an american standpoint is about disneyland, shopping or the spa that overlooks the golf course. Sad Sad Sad.
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Actually Travel from a European standpoint is about what is the cheapest deal they can find. I've traveled with people from Germany and from Scotland as well as Italian friends....all cheapskates. They will stay in holes rather than have a nice hotel room with decent amenities and views.
Most of my Italian friends were shocked that I would get on a train over the weekend to visit another city. In one year, I visited more places and cities in Italy than they visited in their entire lifetime.
Most of the arguments I've seen in restaurants in Europe are Europeans arguing with other Europeans about the price of the meals.
Sad, sad, sad