Quite simply, this show is fucking great. It’s a new program on a new network, the fledgling Esquire Network(for sophisticated men like you and me). In a nutshell, it’s No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain, but with celebrities. Celebrities go to a city they’ve always wanted to visit and document their travels. In this episode, Joel McHale visits Belfast, Ireland. And if you don’t like Joel McHale, what are you even doing here? Have you seen The Soup? McHale is the embodiment of screensnark. He’s my muse. In the first two minutes of the show, he’s sitting at a bar drinking a pint of Guiness and smirks at the camera “You’re documenting my slow descent into alcoholism *takes a huge swig* This isn’t a stereotype!”
Joel McHale is driving a fucking Delorean around Belfast castle! What is even happening, this is amazing. Marty, we have to go back! In true No Reservations fashion, he has to sample the local cuisine and stops at a highly regarded restaurant and pulls a Ron Swanson basically saying give me all of the food and the beer that you have. “They call fries ‘chips’ here. I think they call potato chips running shoes” I’m going to stop quoting McHale now because literally every other thing he says is making me laugh and it would just fill the whole article. watch it for yourself. It’s worth the time.
He goes for coffee with his wife(whom he ribs for acting weird on camera), he goes golfing at a famous, beautiful golf course with some pros and he’s not so good. He decides that his clothes were the problem so he visits an upscale clothing store and tries out many looks in case the ladies are watching the upscale men’s network. More food and beer followed by a trip to the racetrack(dogs, not ponies). Joel places a bet and wins! He celebrates by going to a renowned whiskey bar(he must be getting slammered) where the whiskey expert and owner chastises anyone who mixes Irish Whiskey and Coke. You don’t do it. You just don’t.
He leaves Belfast with a ginormous breakfast at the beloved Maggie May’s. Ok, one more quote “This will shut my bowel system down faster than a half a cup of diesel fuel”. I guess with a show like this, it depends on the celebrity and the host city, so I checked what next week’s episode was. “Aziz Ansari in Hong Kong” I will DEFINITELY be coming back for more of The Getaway.
Highest possible recommendation. 8/8 Toes
