Watch Before You Go: My New Favorite Show

If you've been on this blog at any point before, chances are you know that the one travel-related thing I love *almost* as much as eating is watching travel-related TV and film (especially if said media is about food).

Imagine my surprise when I found out that there exists a completely brilliant travel show that I've never heard of...AND it's funny! When I visited Carly in Ann Arbor, she asked me if I'd ever seen "An Idiot Abroad." She explained that Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant send their stupid friend Karl (the title idiot) around the world, essentially torturing him, and that it's hilarious. Obviously, I had to watch this, and thus my new favorite TV show became an old show from a few years ago. And to my delight, it is binge-able via Netflix.

For instance, check out the opening.

"Nothing is funnier than Karl in a corner being poked by a stick. I am that stick."

I mean...

Obviously here at Hashtag Jetlag we're not motivated by endorsement money (unfortunately). We only share our favorite places, restaurants, books, and TV with you purely out of the altruistic desire to spread similar lolz to you, our loyal Jetlaggers.

I've only watched a few episodes so far but there have been at least two or three moments per episode that I laugh so hard my stomach hurts and I'm in tears. For instance, when Karl checks out Chinese street food before visiting the Great Wall of China (or the "Alright Wall of China," as he calls it):

Karl is equally unimpressed by the Taj Mahal in India. And 1,000 percent confused by Holi:

I really can't say which episode is my favorite so far, but I might be partial to the Jordan episode, in which Ricky and Stephen send him on an unexpected detour to Israel, where he gets "kidnapped," can't work out why the Jews praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem are sticking "bits of rubbish" in it, and floats around in the Dead Sea until his camera man notices there's a bit of rogue gauze from some unknown stranger that's stuck in Karl's bellybutton. 

Karl Pilkington? Not impressed.

OK, I am not going to share any more of the best bits because you should really just watch it yourself and enjoy. And invite me over when you do, because I'll rewatch. 

It's that good.

-Staci