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The Reluctant Traveller centres around Eugene Levy, who admits he hates going on holiday, but at the age of 75, he’s decided it’s time to finally see the sights, despite being uncomfortable everywhere and in almost every circumstance. After all, as Bill Nighy proved in his recent movie, there’s a time when you need to actually start Living…
And so Eugene will be living it up, and trying lots of things, including ice swimming, climbing a volcano, riding a horse and going to see all kinds of sights, in what is a very stylishly-filmed travelogue.
As it’s Eugene Levy – who some may remember most as the embarrassing Dad from the American Pie movies – he mugs to the camera a lot, but in his first visit, to Finland, he goes drilling for fish, he’s tasked with cooking for himself – this time, a reindeer fillet, he’s very dry in his humour, we learn the Finns are the happiest people in the world, he’s tasked with going floating in icy water – which apparently floods you in “happy-making hormones”, he goes huskie sledging, and takes in the sights of the Aurora Borealis… Aurora Borealis? At this time of day, at this time of year, in this part of Finland, located entirely in Lapland? Yes.
So, as mentioned, Finland is the first episode, but he also visits Costa Rica, Venice, Utah, Maldives, South Africa, Lisbon and Tokyo, giving eight episodes altogether.
Since Tokyo is somewhere I want to visit particularly, I also checked out that one – and don’t worry, there’s no plot to spoil by skipping over episodes.
In Japan, he’s sat in a fast-driven a car that looks like it’s come out of the Fast and Furious movies, we learn the city has a poulation of 40 million – the same as his native Canada, but in only 0.2% of the space, he takes a ride in a rickshaw, learns about earthquakes and typhoons even experiencing them!, referees a bout of Sumo wrestling, meets a cosplayer Cyber Bunny, and has a dining experience within an artwork (it’s as mad as it sounds)
Overall, for The Reluctant Traveller, if anything, these episodes are too short. Eugene Levy could’ve spent far longer showing us things, perhaps on the same number of topics, but not rushing them so much. Why couldn’t these episodes last, say, 50-60 minutes? Apple TV+ didn’t need to rush these episodes.
And as good as these are, are they as good as either Michael Palin or the late, great, Clive James? The answer to that will always be no, but Mr Levy’s programmes are very entertaining.
The Reluctant Traveller is on Apple TV+ from Friday February 24th, but isn’t yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD. All episodes are available from day one.
Thanks to our friends at Apple TV+ for the review screener.
Detailed specs:
Cert: 
Running time: 30-40 mins per episode (8 episodes)
Release date: February 24th 2023
Studio: Apple TV+
Format: 2.00:1
Series Director: James Callum
Producer: Stephen Pain
Writers; Alan Connor, James Kettle
Music: David Schweitzer
Presenter: Eugene Levy
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.