I have to admit being a huge fan of the James May: Our Man in…a series that feeds that Brit passion for travel through the ages. May became a household name on Top Gear but has branched out into other types of television programs.
Journalist, TV presenter and broadcaster, Alan Whicker was the man about the planet from the ’50s. He is and forever will be the “king” of travelogue presenters.
Those who went before
Whicker had a clever and witty approach to his world travels. The man interviews abroad included dictators and tyrants. He went literally everywhere. If Whicker was the king of travelogue world, then Judith Chalmers was Queen. Although her travels were more of the holiday variety. From Bognor Regis to the South of France.
Her foray into the world of travelogues were specifically aimed at the average British family’s yearly holiday (vacation) crowd.
Michael Palin (Yes, the one from Monty Python’s Flying Circus, et al) became the next “Alan Whicker” he joined the travelogue set. He spent a number of years as the latest British globe trotter. Palin came across as the slightly bemused “every man” who went to exciting locations. He could be called a pretender to the throne that Alan Whicker more or less invented.
And then there was may
There have been other presenters, performers and broadcasters to take on the role of travelling super star but none have quite matched the popularity of Alan Whicker. Although, it must be said that James May just might climb up to reach the heady heights of pretender to Whicker’s throne.
May manages to convey the same sort of Palinesque everyman traveller. For a man who, self admittedly, was a bit of a waster till he was 42, he could understandably fill the “man on the street” role. He is amusing and like Palin, has that bemused view of the rest of the world.
*Side note: When I worked in a juvenile prison in the UK, Palin came to give the lads a pep talk, if you will, to push the youngsters into the right direction. I was desperate to attend this talk (as chaperone) at something called the “JAC Center.” At that time I loathed the place and my higher ups, remembering this, posted me someplace else that day. I don’t think I’ve ever quite forgiven them.*
india
May is currently visiting India. He is just as typically English in this iteration of the James May: Our Man in… as he was in the other two global visits. His style of presenting in the first two seasons is still there. He intermingles well with the locals and seems to have an affable connection with the film crew and director.
He is quickly becoming the next Michael Palin. Chalmers, ITV annoyingly fired her when she got “too old,” need not worry about losing her crown. May will never be that Bognor Regis chap. His presence on foreign shores satiates the British yearning for travel, or as they called it back the old days, colonization.
Amazon are showing all seasons. The third, May’s travels in India, is halfway through. This is good stuff. Check the trailer and then the show.
the trailer
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