I like No Reservations as a pleasant diversion, it's a good show just to relax and enjoy the sights of other countries, or to watch in comfort as Bourdain slogs uncomfortably through rivers in Thailand or samples culinary nightmares that I'd personally never touch.
However, I don't think the show is as excellent as some people rave about. It has a bit of an exploitation vibe about it, there's nothing reassuring to me about a white middle class man imposing his capitalist privilege on people in the developing world. Why more people don't mention this disturbing aspect of Bourdain's career, I'm not sure. In all honesty, he was a harbinger to the shallow, entitled "influencer" culture that people half his age perpetuate on social media today. Tony's fixation on consumption is alarming if one thinks about it too much.
Still, I enjoy his comedic approach, especially to travel in Asia. I would say at least half of the episodes are worth watching, but Bourdain's preference for large cities gets a bit repetitive - you've seen one neon bathed nighttime bar and restaurant rush, you've seen them all. On the other hand, Bourdain's adventures to rural areas and encounters with indigenous people are very cool to vicariously experience.
However, I don't think the show is as excellent as some people rave about. It has a bit of an exploitation vibe about it, there's nothing reassuring to me about a white middle class man imposing his capitalist privilege on people in the developing world. Why more people don't mention this disturbing aspect of Bourdain's career, I'm not sure. In all honesty, he was a harbinger to the shallow, entitled "influencer" culture that people half his age perpetuate on social media today. Tony's fixation on consumption is alarming if one thinks about it too much.
Still, I enjoy his comedic approach, especially to travel in Asia. I would say at least half of the episodes are worth watching, but Bourdain's preference for large cities gets a bit repetitive - you've seen one neon bathed nighttime bar and restaurant rush, you've seen them all. On the other hand, Bourdain's adventures to rural areas and encounters with indigenous people are very cool to vicariously experience.