10 Picks Down
Apple TV+’s weekly motorcycle ride is quite the globe-trotting adventure. Between the beautiful vistas, interesting details and banter, there’s a lot to like about this series. Have you finished streaming Long Way Up? Wondering what to watch next? Well, fret not! We’ve combed through the archives and saved you the hassle of having to try and find something similar with our top 10 picks for alternate viewing. To keep things simple for skim-readers we’ve added what similarities these have. Of course for all the shows we’ve reviewed, we’ve also added a handy link so you can check out our full thoughts on that series and see if it’s something you want to invest your time with. So without further ado, we present 10 TV shows that should whet the appetite when you’ve finished streaming Long Way Up.
Long Way Round
Similarities – Tone & Characters
Probably one of the more unsurprising entries on this list. Long Way Round is the first motorcycling adventure featuring Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman. This delightful duo travel around the world through Siberia, Kazakhstan and more before eventually ending up in New York. Alongside the gorgeous vistas are a number of informative and educational tidbits that help make this a thoroughly enjoyable watch.
Long Way Down
Similarities – Tone & Characters
Following the success to Long Way Round, it was perhaps inevitable that Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman would produce a follow-up adventure. Adopting everything that made Long Way Round so enjoyable, Long Way Down is the next motorcycle adventure for the duo. This time, they travel from the North of Scotland down to the Southern tip of South Africa in Cape Town.
Twogether
Similarities – Brotherly bond & Celebrities
With a distinct Asian style and a great mix of humour and gorgeous visuals, Twogether is a compelling travel show. Within these 8 episodes, the growing bromance between Seung-Gi Lee and Jasper Liu evolves and becomes quite special. The premise is simple and each episode sees the pair heading across Asia in search of their fans. It’s funny, informative and packed full of interesting locales. You can read our thoughts on Twogether in our full season review here!
The Grand Tour
Similarities – Vehicles & Humour
The result is something that immediately feels more expansive and ambitious than Top Gear while retaining the familiar tone and humour that made that series so good for such a long time.
Travels With My Father
Similarities – Humour & Road Trip
English comic Jack Whitehall takes time away from his stand-up gig for a travel documentary series. Taking his pessimistic and conservative Father on a trip to the Far East, Travels With My Father features some hilarious and insightful episodes full of comedy and beautiful scenery. Although the series is spoilt slightly by a few cringe-inducing staged incidents, the series continues to offer up great entertainment across its four seasons You can read our thoughts on Travels With My Father in our full season reviews here!
James May: Our Man In Japan
Similarities – Humour & Beautiful Scenery
From the very first episode, James May makes it clear that this is a travel program unlike other travel programmes. “It’s all a bit of a lark!” He exclaims early on. Tokyo doesn’t even show up until episode 3 and all of this is wrapped up in a lighthearted and playful tone. With plenty of establishing shots across the six episodes, The Grand Tour star delivers an educational, interesting and humorous plunge into Asia’s prolific island. You can read our thoughts on Our Man In Japan in our full season reviews here!
An Idiot Abroad
Similarities – Humour & Trips Around The World
Very few travel programmes capture the sheer stupidity and bewilderment of English people on holiday. Thrown completely out of his comfort zone, Karl Pilkington is shipped across the globe to visit the different wonders of the world. What makes this show work so well is the humour that stems from this. For all of Pilkington’s quips and observations, he actually raises some hilariously relevant points along the way. This ultimately elevates the series into a truly wonderful travel documentary. While the later seasons do feel a bit contrived and staged, season 1 is pure comedy gold from start to finish.
Cruising With Jane McDonald
Similarities – Humour & Interesting Locales
Cruising with Jane McDonald is exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a travel documentary following the exploits of Jane McDonalds as she sets off on various cruises across the globe. From interesting tidbits of information and tips to take away with you when you go on holiday, Cruising backs this up with a decent amount of wit and humour along the way. The result is something that immediately captures your attention and makes for an endearing and engrossing watch.
Race To Dakar
Similarities – Charley Boorman & Motorcycles
Educational, funny and interesting, Race To Dakar will immediately feel at home for any fans of Long Way Up. This time around we follow motorcyclist and actor Charley Boorman as he competes in the 2006 Dakar Rally. This race sees him driving from Lisbon to Dakar. Along the way are all the usual pockets of anxiety, doubts and elation that make for an intimate and really enjoyable documentary series.
Simon Reeves: The Americas
Similarities – Setting
To be fair, any of Simon Reeves’ documentaries are worth watching. He’s certainly an enigmatic guy and experienced some pretty crazy things on his travels. Here though, Simon embarks on an ambitious quest across the Americas which seems fitting given the setting for Long Way Up. Much like the electric bikes and emphasis on the environment there, this documentary follows suit. Along the way Simon dives into the threat posed by global warming. Accompanying that though are some truly breathtaking vistas that make this a really enlightening and eye-opening experience. So there we have it, our 10 TV show picks to keep you busy while you eagerly await the next episode of Long Way Up. What do you think of our picks? Do you agree? Are there any notable omissions? Let us know in the comments below!
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