Another episode of Obsessed just dropped and our pop culture connoisseurs Taylour Chanel and Britt Ellis are back to break down the TV series they’re living for right now. What do all of these shows have in common? Two words: celebrity travel.
Maybe it’s because we’ve all been on lockdown for a year and a half, but celebrity-hosted travel adventures are having a moment on TV and we’re not mad at it. From sweeping Italian vistas to Icelandic hot springs and Japanese street culture, the genre is giving us the kind of globe-trotting inspiration we need from our stay-at-home entertainment. It helps too that these journeys are narrated by charismatic celebrities who bring a sense of familiarity and fun to some of these off-the-grid treks and culinary ventures.
Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy marries the best of both, transporting the charming Oscar-nominated actor to the Italian countryside. There, Tucci explores the rich history of Italian cuisine — from the 2,000-year-old process of cheese-making in the mountains near Milan to the invention of fried pizza on the Amalfi coast — all while letting the locals guide him through their cities. He chats with Rennessaince scholars and pub owners, DJs, and winemakers to sample every bit of the country’s culture, infusing his musings with his signature wit and likability. And the ladies? They’re impressed.
Zac Efron, another popular A-lister, follows in Tucci’s travel-show-hosting footsteps with his Netflix series Down to Earth. Efron’s journeys focus on the sustainability element of travel, pairing the host with wellness expert Darin Olien as the two travel to some pretty extreme, exotic locations to uncover the secret to everything from living longer to renewable energy, bee-keeping, and Ayahuasca tourism. Efron’s not the most knowledgeable host, but Taylour and Britt think you’ll appreciate his enthusiasm anyway.
After a pit-stop for Conan O’Brien’s Conan Without Borders — a comedic off-shoot of his late-night talk show that will have you laughing your a** off while adding new places to your travel bucket list — the ladies end the episode with a food-centric reality series hosted by Selena Gomez. The pop star’s quarantine experiment takes place in her spacious kitchen where she attempts to make delicious food from different cultures with help from her family, friends, and a professional chef who Zooms in for a quick virtual cooking class. You might want to test out your own culinary skills after watching, or you might just want to visit the chef’s restaurant to sample the dishes done right. Either way, you’ll be treated to good food and a good time.
So get your passport ready and watch the full episode above.