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An Idiot Abroad Season 1 Episodes
Season 1 Episode Guide
9 Episodes 2010 - 2010
Episode 0
The Preview Show
30 mins
A man, who sees the world as a photograph, is forced by his friends Ricky and Steve to go out to see the seven wonders of the world. What he does not know, is that he will be getting pranked the whole time.
Episode 1
China
44 mins
Ricky and Stephen send Karl on his first trip to perhaps Karl's worst nightmare: China. The reason that Karl is so afraid of this locale is that what he is exposed to of Chinese culture - that being solely his local Chinatown - he does not understand at all, and he is afraid that if he gets a taste for some exotic Chinese food, such as toad, he won't be able to find it when he gets back home. On his itinerary is Beijing, the Great Wall of China (which he ends up believing is not great but a sham), and Shanhaiguan. Stephen also surprises him with some excursions, namely to a fortune teller (the thoughts from who Karl takes to heart despite not wanting to experience it since he does not want to know bad news in advance), on an extended trip to lesser section of the Great Wall, to a kung fu school where he is not only a spectator but also a student, and for a traditional hot massage, which is a little hotter than he would like. Karl has perhaps the most issue with the public restrooms, where there are no doors on the toilet stalls, and the food. Although he can avoid the street food which is unusual to him, he can't avoid the meal prepared for him on his remote visit to the Great Wall.
Episode 2
India
44 mins
Upon Karl's arrival in Delhi, his senses are overwhelmed, and not in a good way, which is not helped by his sleeping arrangements. He trusts on day two of his trip, he will feel better if only because things can't get worse. He is scheduled for an eight hour overnight bus ride to the Kumbh Mela Festival, the largest religious festival in the world, which he is not looking forward to since he is not a religious person and doesn't understand the attraction of religion. But the day ends up being a "colorful" one in an unexpected way, which in part is the reason for him not feeling too well. As if the festival was not enough, his next stop is to visit with a living saint in his ashram for some spiritual guidance. Next, he is sent to a cow sanctuary, where he comes up close and personal with many aspects of the sacred animal, including its famous patties. And finally, he goes to Agra to visit the Taj Mahal, which he believes was built out of guilt.
Episode 3
Jordan
44 mins
Karl is somewhat excited about his trip to Petra, Jordan, if only because of its association with the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), although he does mention that he would rather live in a cave across from the palace rather than live in the palace to be able to see the beautiful instead of seeing the squalor from the beautiful. His excitement is tempered when Stephen and Ricky suggest that since he is in the Middle East, that he take advantage of the situation by visiting Israel as well. This suggestion scares him because all news stories out of Israel are generally grim. Karl is amazed by the dichotomy of religion, which should be peaceful, versus the presence of armed military everywhere. Ricky and Stephen further surprise him with some training apropos to being in a war torn region of the world. Crossing the border into Bethlehem, which is in the Palestinian side, strengthens that dichotomy in his mind. On his way to Jordan, Karl stops off at the Dead Sea, which he sees as somewhat of a refuge for himself. The enjoyment he experiences floating in the water is marred by a telephone call from his friends, and something else floating in the water. Once in Jordan, Ricky and Stephen have arranged for him a two day camel ride across the desert to get to Petra, instead of the faster drive. Once in Petra, which is all Karl really wanted to see on this trip, Ricky and Stephen further surprise him by fulfilling his stated wish. Karl in turn surprises Ricky and Stephen by his response after that experience.
Episode 4
Mexico
44 mins
Karl isn't overly concerned about going to Mexico beyond Ricky and Stephen's assertion that it probably is the most dangerous place from a personal safety perspective than anywhere he's traveled thus far. As he travels there during the Easter season, Karl is exposed to two religious celebrations, the first which recreates the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, and the second which is on the surface less religious and which the authorities would like to shut down if only because of its explosive and thus potentially dangerous nature. Interspersed between these two, Stephen and Ricky send Karl into training for what has become a Mexican cultural phenomenon: professional wrestling. He makes two stops on his way to the raison d'etre for the trip to Mexico, Chichén Itzá: the first to experience the life of a churro (a Mexican cowboy), and the second to spend some time with a Mayan family who are descendants of the builders of Chichén Itzá. The latter stop exposes him to more unusual food, namely bee larvae. He finally arrives at Chichén Itzá before dawn to beat the crowds, and to watch the sunrise over the monument. However, Karl can only focus on the issue of the "dead heads" associated with the place. Throughout his stay in Mexico, Karl goes on a search for the Mexico of his childhood, and it is uncertain if he will be able to find it. And he makes a surprising admission before he heads home.
Episode 5
Egypt
44 mins
For Karl's trip to Egypt, Ricky and Stephen believe it's time for him to experience budget travel by flying economy and staying in the seediest of hotels, about which Karl is not too happy. Karl's first experiences wandering the streets of Cairo makes him wonder how anyone gets anything done, as he is bombarded by street hawkers at every turn. Unlike his other travels, Karl ends up traveling almost immediately via camel-back to see the main site, the Great Pyramids, due to their close proximity, which ends up being underwhelming if only because of the weather. As he waits for the weather to clear to make another attempt to see the Pyramids, Karl is provided a guide, Achmed, who gives him a lesson in bartering, and takes him to the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, in which Karl has no interest. So Karl ditches his guide to find some comfort food, which ends up also being an experience to which he is unaccustomed. Stephen and Ricky then send him on a Nile cruise, which does not lift his spirits beyond doing something just to piss off Ricky. They also send him to visit a couple named Andrew and Seija, who provide an alternative view of the Pyramids. Karl then revisits the Pyramids, which he will not believe great if only because they're old (unless they are the oldest things on Earth).
Episode 6
Brazil
44 mins
When Karl is told that his next trip will be to Rio de Janeiro to see Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado, his first reaction is that it is akin to a pylon: something that is there everyday that people probably get tired of seeing. What Ricky and Stephen don't tell him until he arrives in Rio is that they want him to be more social on his trips. As such, they place him in a dorm room in a hostel. They do tell him that Carnival will be happening while he's there. He's not too excited about it as he hates crowds and he presupposes it's a gay event, which makes him feel uncomfortable. But he is thrown into the festivities, whether he likes it or not. His anxiety at crowds is heightened when he is told he is also to attend a block party. He remarks at the dichotomy between the Catholic nature of the statue towering over the city, versus the overt sexuality displayed by the people, especially at the beach. His discomfort increases with interactions with his guide, Celso, which includes excursions to make sure Karl looks his best at the beach, a stop at the particular section of beach, and an invitation to stay the night at his place. And much like his sights were overwhelmed in India, his sense of hearing is overwhelmed throughout his stay in the city. He searches for a sanctuary, which doesn't end up being what he expects. When he finally goes to see Christ the Redeemer, will he still liken it to a pylon? He is given a slightly different perspective when he is taken on a helicopter ride around the monument.
Episode 7
Peru
44 mins
Karl is relieved that this trip is his last, but is worried that Ricky and Stephen will do something monumentally outrageous to end the series on a high note. Karl has never heard of the monument he is to visit next: Machu Picchu. He is also not aware of the potential of altitude sickness due to lack of oxygen. But he is not concerned about the eleven hour trek to get to Machu Picchu, as he likes camping, and even makes preparations for a makeshift toilet. When he gets to his Peruvian lakeside location to start his trek, he learns that Ricky and Stephen are making him trek through the jungle along the Amazon instead. Of his Amazon accommodations, Karl is unsure of what's worse: the first couple of nights staying deep in the jungle in a tent among all the nocturnal creatures, many which are deadly, or the last few nights staying with a native tribe who used to be cannibals. When he reaches his destination of Machu Picchu, where he does feel the effects of lack of oxygen, Karl makes a surprise announcement to Ricky and Stephen. They in turn talk to him about a potential second season of the series. Will Karl agree to such?
Episode 8
Karl Comes Home
44 mins
Karl, now back in Britain after his "seven wonders" trips, sits down with Ricky and Stephen to discuss the experience. Stephen is confused by Karl's seemingly contradictory statements about not wanting to miss the many sights and sounds on his travels, but also being overly annoyed by them. Many of those sights center on food. Many of the situations Karl experienced he classifies as false fun, which he does not like in principle. They talk about the people Karl met. Karl tells them about what he thinks he's learned from these travels. They discuss the fact that many viewers believe Karl is an actor playing a buffoon and that the show is scripted, or that Stephen and especially Ricky are bullies to Karl. Stephen and Ricky talk about their favorite moment: the Israeli terrorist training, which Karl did not know was going to occur. Beyond that situation, Karl talks about what was perhaps his most difficult experience. Despite Karl's assertions that he won't do another, they talk concepts for a second series. Karl gives his thoughts on his general impression of the world. And he compares these recent travels to his favorite travels, those when he was a child to a holiday park in Wales, those travels which he recently recreated.