I just watched the Istanbul episode. The episode had nice pacing, cinematography and covered diverse aspects of the city. Kristen Kish and Kyle Martino are attractive hosts who have decent personalities if not totally magnetic. Kyle is the more charming of the two. Kristen adds an air of authority to the dining scenes. (It's too bad Kristen left the kitchen not long after winning Top Chef. It seems that the contestants really want to be celebrities, but c'est la vie.)
These travel shows suffer from their inevitable comparisons to Anthony Bourdain. It might be more fair to compare travel shows to Andrew Zimmern who is a decent and knowledgeable host, but not as celebrated as Bourdain. I still say Bourdain's skills are his disarming wit and his power as a storyteller. He was making insightful political and cultural commentary long before he went to CNN. He also seems to connect with the locals with humanity and a very sincere interest in their cultures.
Most travel hosts are merely guides taking us on what amounts to viewing your friend's travel photos and videos. But hey, I like that sort of thing. I will give 36 Hours a chance.
These travel shows suffer from their inevitable comparisons to Anthony Bourdain. It might be more fair to compare travel shows to Andrew Zimmern who is a decent and knowledgeable host, but not as celebrated as Bourdain. I still say Bourdain's skills are his disarming wit and his power as a storyteller. He was making insightful political and cultural commentary long before he went to CNN. He also seems to connect with the locals with humanity and a very sincere interest in their cultures.
Most travel hosts are merely guides taking us on what amounts to viewing your friend's travel photos and videos. But hey, I like that sort of thing. I will give 36 Hours a chance.