An Idiot Abroad (2010–2012)
10/10
Karl Pilkington – An Idiot Abroad Episode 7 'PERU'
8 November 2010
Karl Pilkington – An Idiot Abroad Episode 7 'PERU' Karl Pilkington's new series 'An Idiot Abroad' may just prove to be the tipping point for Karl as a solo artist. It is so refreshing to hear his thoughts without the cackling Ricky Gervais every 5 seconds laughing at every single comment Karl makes.

In this episode Karl treks through the Amazonian basin for over 1000 km to get to his 7th and final 'Wonder of the World' Machu Pichu. The entertainment comes from the trek itself as Karl experiences life in the jungle. As Ricky suggests in the preview show for this series 'There's nothing funnier than Karl sitting in a corner being poked by a stick." Well this really comes to life when Karl is in an Amazonian village watching a local being injected with the poison from a frog in order to get high before a hunt. At which point he reminisces about his 'Aunty Nora' and the amount of drugs she's on, stating "If it hasn't been tested on animals its been tested by me aunty Nora".

Other gems of wisdom spring from Karl's brain as he ponders the way tribes don't count to more than 3 because they never have to deal with mass. He then proceeds to introduce 'connect 4' to the villagers to no avail. Karl's perspective on Dolphins is intriguing too, he spots one in the Amazon and then states 'Dolphins annoy me right, cos everyone thinks they're dead intelligent and that, but I've never seen them do anything that's blown me away", "People call me a div and yet think dolphins are intelligent, it just baffles me." Whilst on the Inca trail Karl visits a doctor in order to check he is in good shape for the trek. The doctor gets out a 'bag o shite', as Karl puts it, and then produces a Guinea Pig! Karl comments that when you've got a doctor with cotton buds and bits of fluff and that in a bag, your probably better off getting a second opinion from the guinea pig. The doctor then proceeds to tell Karl that all the badness from him has been transferred to the guinea pig at which point Karl states "Well, that Guinea Pig is gonna have the major shits then".

Karl eventually makes it to see the 'wonder', from a distance (he's too lazy to actually go all the way), at Machu Pichu but this isn't the point of the series by a long way it's his commentary and bimbling that makes this show great. This is a must see for not only Karl Pilkington fans but any fan of travel log documentaries as Karl actually experiences the trip and doesn't just voice over as he points out that David Attenborough does.

As the series developed throughout September we were taken through a journey of our own as seen through the eyes of Karl. Ricky Gervais sums up the project by stating 'This is one of the funniest, most expensive practical jokes I have ever done", and he's not wrong.

Essential viewing all round.
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