No Reservations w/ Anthony Bourdain

[jlb1705]

Chicago Tribune: Anthony Bourdain Joins CNN for New Show

Bourdain will appear exclusively on CNN once the as-of-yet unnamed show begins early next year, leaving his Travel Channel series, "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations."

Damn. This seems like an ominous move. I get a feeling that CNN is going to sanitize this show within an inch of its life. The gonzo aspects of the whole thing are what have made the No Reservations watchable. Without that, it's just an old dude eating entrails.

Not to mention, I'm going to have to go out of my way to remember to find this show when it starts up. Because of all the shout shows and other cable news inanity, I don't flip thru any of those channels when I'm surfing.

Oh well, I hope it's good.

 

[AKAK]

Chicago Tribune: Anthony Bourdain Joins CNN for New Show

Damn. This seems like an ominous move. I get a feeling that CNN is going to sanitize this show within an inch of its life. The gonzo aspects of the whole thing are what have made the No Reservations watchable. Without that, it's just an old dude eating entrails.

We'll know the first time he says "Michelin"

 

[CentralMOBuck]

Well there goes one of my favorite show's. I agree, I think CNN is going to ruin what makes Bourdain entertaining.

 

[jlb1705]

Well there goes one of my favorite show's.

It was one of my favorites too.

I go out of my way to watch just four shows. House, No Reservations, Archer and Top Gear. The first two are gone now. If either of the other two get cancelled in the next few weeks I'll have no choice but to go on a rampage. Meanwhile, The Office, which I only watch out of obligation/guilt somehow lives on.

 

[stowfan]

Chicago Tribune: Anthony Bourdain Joins CNN for New Show

Damn. This seems like an ominous move. I get a feeling that CNN is going to sanitize this show within an inch of its life. The gonzo aspects of the whole thing are what have made the No Reservations watchable. Without that, it's just an old dude eating entrails.

Not to mention, I'm going to have to go out of my way to remember to find this show when it starts up. Because of all the shout shows and other cable news inanity, I don't flip thru any of those channels when I'm surfing.

Oh well, I hope it's good.

So, you don't think first off, they will send him back to Amsterdam?

 

[knapplc]

I doubt CNN sanitizes the show too much. Anthony is in a position right now where he can call his shots. There is little chance he was going to move to another channel without getting his way on content and creativity. He already had that at Travel Channel - why would he leave to get muzzled by CNN? He doesn't need the money - he's got several successful books, two successful TV shows, and he's dabbling in publishing now. And that's all on top of a very successful touring career.

It'll be a small bother to retune the DVR to the new time/channel. Otherwise... I'm not expecting much change.

 

[BigWoof31]

It'll be a small bother to retune the DVR to the new time/channel. Otherwise... I'm not expecting much change.

It'll be more political I'd wager.
Think Christiane Amanpour with 15 minutes focused on local cusine.

I'll pass.

 

[knapplc]

It'll be more political I'd wager.
Think Christiane Amanpour with 15 minutes focused on local cusine.

I'll pass.

Nah. I don't think he's going to retool his whole schtick that drastically. Every show he makes, every book he writes, every public speaking engagement he does is food-centric. He'd kill his brand if he became a political mouthpiece.







Just occurred to me - does this mean he's done doing The Layover, too? Or is that going to continue to be his Travel Channel show and the No Reservations concept will move to CNN? The Layover is very, very similar to No Reservations, anyway.

 

[jlb1705]

Nah. I don't think he's going to retool his whole schtick that drastically. Every show he makes, every book he writes, every public speaking engagement he does is food-centric. He'd kill his brand if he became a political mouthpiece.







Just occurred to me - does this mean he's done doing The Layover, too? Or is that going to continue to be his Travel Channel show and the No Reservations concept will move to CNN? The Layover is very, very similar to No Reservations, anyway.

The Layover had been renewed for one more season. That is his only remaining obligation to the Travel Channel. After he completes that he will move on to CNN.

 

[knapplc]

They just started filming The Layover within the past month, according to a tweet from one of the producers. Anyone know if it's going to be another eight-episode season or if they're doing more?

How many No Reservations are left?

 

[jlb1705]

How many No Reservations are left?

None, I believe. Baja was the season finale, and the series hadn't been renewed yet.

I don't know if they tried or not, but it seems pretty stupid for Travel Channel to not have had him locked up on a longer deal.

Andrew Zimmern is going to have start eating even more penises now.

 

[knapplc]

None, I believe. Baja was the season finale, and the series hadn't been renewed yet.

I thought that seemed like a sign-off, but didn't the "season" just start? I know they do these broken-up mini-seasons now, but usually they're eight episodes, and I didn't think we'd seen eight episodes recently.

Crap if that's for real. The wife and I only watch a few shows and this is one we look forward to. :(

 

[jlb1705]

I thought that seemed like a sign-off, but didn't the "season" just start? I know they do these broken-up mini-seasons now, but usually they're eight episodes, and I didn't think we'd seen eight episodes recently.

Crap if that's for real. The wife and I only watch a few shows and this is one we look forward to. :(

Actually, I guess I was wrong. I must have misread something earlier.

Wikipedia says there's another episode airing on Monday 6/4. Ep. 8-08 will be from Penang, Malaysia. It also says:

Future Season 8 episode destinations include Austin, Penang, Oman, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rio De Janerio, and Israel.

 

[knapplc]

You had me panicking!

Did some digging and found this article:

No Reservations is in its eighth season on Travel, where Bourdain also writes a popular blog. A spinoff series The Layover recently began production on season two. New episodes of both shows will continue to air into 2013. In a statement, the Travel Channel called Bourdain an "iconic figure" at the network.

LINK


From that same article - not liking this:

His CNN show will be produced by Zero Point Zero Production, which also produced Travel’s No Reservations. Whitaker said the goal is to do two seasons of eight episodes each year.

That is too few episodes. Anthony isn't getting any younger. And he has a young daughter at home. Maybe he's not as interested in traveling the world and missing her so much. I know the wife and child travel with him to some locales, but not all.

Kinda makes you wonder how much longer he'll be doing this kind of thing. Probably not a lot longer.

 

[jlb1705]

That is too few episodes. Anthony isn't getting any younger. And he has a young daughter at home. Maybe he's not as interested in traveling the world and missing her so much. I know the wife and child travel with him to some locales, but not all.

Kinda makes you wonder how much longer he'll be doing this kind of thing. Probably not a lot longer.

That makes sense. Also, there is a finite number of places in the world interesting enough to fill an hour of television. I suspect if he want to keep this as a steady gig for a while longer, they're going to have to start rationing locations.