Episode Guide
Iceland: The land of glaciers and volcanoes. France: A country with a rich history and culture. Sardinia: A beautiful island with stunning scenery. Lima: The capital of Peru and one of the most vibrant cities in the world. Puerto Rico: Home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean. London: One of the world’s most famous cities and a popular tourist destination. Iquitos: One of the poorest countries in Latin America and one of the most difficult to get to by plane or road.
This year, travel documentaries have taken on a new and more sustainable tone. James May’s Down to Earth series in Japan and the quest to find fans in Twogether on Netflix both explore this issue in depth. These shows are not reinventing the wheel, but they do provide an interesting perspective on the genre that is important for viewers to consider.
The show is a light, breezy watch for sure and the comedy between the pair is ultimately what makes this so watchable. Each episode see the pair travel across their chosen country, with an accompanying translucent map depicting their route along the roads. There’s plenty of car banter too but it’s hard not to believe Darin is high on marijuana through much of the show. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing though, given Zac Efron balances the pair out with his own array of jokes, but his slow speech and relaxed demeanour certainly gives off that impression.
The joke is about a waterfalls expert who takes his friends and family on a journey around the country. The expert has an infectious enthusiasm that makes the trip all the more enjoyable.
Zac Efron executive produces Down to Earth, a show that is geared towards Americans. A lot of the facts and expository text that pop up on screen are common knowledge while America is mentioned and shows up a fair few times across the episodes – there’s even a good 10 minute segment in the episode about France dedicated to visiting a French restaurant in LA. ..
Down to Earth is a breezy show that’s easy to jump in and out of. The episodes explore some fascinating and beautiful locations across the globe while keeping the message about sustainability at the core of what the pair get up to. Zac Efron’s star power will be enough to get a good amount of eyeballs on this but there’s actually some really compelling material here that makes this a decent entry in the genre. If you’re looking for another travel documentary series to whet the appetite, Down To Earth is certainly worth a watch.
