The Big Picture
Eugene Levy’s European journey in
The Reluctant Traveler
Season 2 offers a wholesome, heartfelt experience.
Although luxurious accommodations make Levy’s reluctance frustrating at times, he is respectful of different cultures despite his apprehension.
Levy’s weariness and whimsy make
The Reluctant Traveler
a charming and informative series, as well as a reminder to step out of your comfort zone.
Eugene Levy’s travel-comedy docuseries The Reluctant Travelerhas the on-paper potential to be absolutely insufferable. As the American Pie and Schitt’s Creek alum struggles through a lavish itinerary of five-star resorts and once-in-a-lifetime adventures, it would be easy for this series to devolve into an off-putting grumble-fest — and yet, somehow, it never does.
Although the Reluctant Traveler certainly lives up to his name, Levy’s earnest, humble quest to embrace more of the world around him makes for a surprisingly delightful journey. The Canadian legend continues to cautiously toe the line of his comfort zone in Season 2, and we’re brought along on a dazzling European tour that brings Levy closer to his roots, and closer to letting himself fully lean into the experience (even if raw fish is still a major no-go).
‘The Reluctant Traveler’ Season 2 Takes Eugene Levy to Europe — and Only Europe
While Season 1 of The Reluctant Traveler introduced Eugene Levy’s deep-rooted fears of heights, bugs, and open water as he ventured from Finland, to Costa Rica, and beyond, Season 2 explores all these fears (and more!) across the sprawling landscape of Europe. Now, setting the entire season in one continent was an interesting choice. In Season 1, we landed in the Nordic snowscapes before jetting off to sun-soaked beaches and winding canyons. Season 2 of The Reluctant Traveler has far less variety in terms of scenery, and it almost feels like it would have been more interesting had the premise for each season happened the other way around. However, when we get to Episode 2, “Scotland: My Mother’s Country,” the European focus begins to make sense.
In the premiere episode of The Reluctant Traveler Season 2, Levy attends a Midsummer festival in Sweden, where, thankfully, Ari Aster is nowhere to be found, but not-so-thankfully, there are apparently 47 different species of mosquitoes. By the season’s second installment, Levy ventures to Scotland, staying in a luxury highland estate and finally visiting his mother’s birthplace, Glasgow, for the first time. He’s shown family photos he never knew existed, and tours houses not unlike the one his mother may have lived in, where beds are in the kitchen and bath water was shared between four children. As Levy learns more about his history and the sacrifices his family made before he was ever born, The Reluctant Traveler continues its pattern of wowing us with scenery, amusing us with its host’s quiet anxiety, and then hitting us with a pensive, moving ending as Levy breaks bread (and sheep’s stomach) with his fellow Scots.
Eugene Levy “Reluctantly” Stays in Lavish Resorts With Immaculate Service
Image via Apple TV+
Over the course of the remaining episodes, The Reluctant Traveler continues to push Levy’s boundaries as he braves the elements of France, Germany, Italy, Greece, and Spain by staying in resorts that cost thousands of dollars a night. This is also where the show has the potential to lose the viewer. There are moments in The Reluctant Traveler where the privilege of this pilgrimage slaps you right in the face. Like most travel shows, audiences watch this show knowing that they will likely never have the opportunity to visit these places, and that’s okay. However, watching the actor stroll past a hand-painted mural to look off the balcony of his Italian palace is enough to garner a bit of an eye roll.
Similarly, Levy’s hesitancy to try unfamiliar delicacies and activities can get frustrating, but then, again, it’s The Reluctant Traveler. Part of the fun of this series is that its titular traveler is a bit of a drama queen. He’s aghast at the prospect of eating octopus, he thinks that crappy blinds are “the definition of sadism,” and when he’s asked to take his shoes off to walk in the fancy German mud, he looks as though you’ve asked him to strip naked and cannonball right in.
However, the thing that matters most is that, while Levy occasionally struggles with local cuisine or customs, it never feels like he’s being disrespectful of the culture he’s been so graciously invited into. He never claimed to be a world adventurer, and despite his apprehension, he takes part in (almost) every opportunity that’s offered to him, including truffle hunting with Zara the wonder dog in Tuscany, trying cryotherapy, and milking Grecian goats.
Eugene Levy Makes Weariness Work in ‘The Reluctant Traveler’ Season 2
By never putting on a front and only being his authentic, cautious self, Levy continues to make The Reluctant Traveler’s premise work in its second season. The show may not be a pulse-pounding travel log or a sidesplitting comedy, but its charming combination of weariness and whimsy is enough to elicit some genuine chuckles, and the cinematography offers sweeping shots of pristine landscapes that are usually reserved for a desktop screensaver.
The Reluctant Traveler also serves as a wealth of information about various cultures. Levy observes the erecting of maypoles in Gammelstad and the smashing of plates in Milos and experiences the thrill of watching an epic soccer match in Andalusia (his quiet frantic chorus of “oh my god” as he becomes fully invested in this game might be one of the show’s most endearing moments). The series even subtly comments on the importance of environmental issues through rising sea levels and a waning number of fish in the Aegean Sea. All of this learning, of course, comes about because of the friendly locals who welcome Levy with open arms, inviting him into their traditions and, more often than not, teaching him how to embrace the simple things in life — like great coffee, beautiful sunsets, and, more than anything, loving friends and family.
Season 2 of The Reluctant Traveler winds down with Levy cruising the crystal waters of the Mediterranean Sea after conquering one of his greatest fears and hiking the precarious Caminito del Rey. While Levy takes in the view, a pod of pilot whales conveniently swimming by, the candid comedian reminds us that it’s never too late to have new adventures — and that there is nobility in being afraid to do things, and doing them anyway. Much like Eugene Levy’s journey abroad, The Reluctant Traveler is what you make of it. On the surface, it’s the tale of a wealthy actor taking fancy trips where he can enjoy the stunning scenery and learn about a new place. However, the show and its host are also a gentle, humorous reminder that if you’re willing to take even the most trepidatious stride out of your comfort zone, there’s a whole world of experiences waiting for you… and possibly also 47 species of mosquitoes.
The Reluctant Traveler with Eugene Levy
Eugene Levy’s travel series surpasses its simple premise and encourages the audience to experience all that life has to offer (within reason.)
ProsEugene Levy’s honesty and unassuming charm are refreshing.The beautiful scenery is a treat to watch in and of itself.The show is a fascinating exploration of different cultural traditions, and a reminder to step out of your comfort zone. ConsSeven episodes of a celebrity “reluctantly” staying in luxury hotels can be somewhat frustrating.
The Reluctant Traveler is available to watch on Apple TV+ in the U.S. with Season 2 premiering March 8.
WATCH ON APPLE TV+