An Idiot Abroad: Season 1

A man, who sees the world as a photograph, is forced by his friends Ricky and Steve to go out to see the seven wonders of the world. What he does not know, is that he will be getting pranked the whole time.

Ricky and Steve send Karl to China to visit the iconic Great Wall but he struggles to fit in with the locals and adjust to the Chinese culture, in particular the local cuisine.

Karl is sent to India to see the Taj Mahal but he gets an unexpected surprise when it turns out he's visiting during the Hindu festival of Holi, and he struggles to adapt to the Indian lifestyle.

Karl is somewhat excited at the prospect of visiting Petra, Jordan but first Ricky and Steve decide to send him on a detour to Israel, a place he's less excited about visiting.

Karl is sent to Mexico for what he expects to be a peaceful visit to Chichén Itzá but he soon finds himself in a number of dangerous situations on his way to the ancient city.

Ricky and Steve send Karl to Egypt to see the Pyramids of Giza, a wonder he has little interest in visiting. His trip is made even worse when he discovers that he's staying in budget accommodation.

When Karl is told that his next trip will be to Rio de Janeiro to see Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado, his first reaction is that it is akin to a pylon: something that is there everyday that people probably get tired of seeing. What Ricky and Stephen don't tell him until he arrives in Rio is that they want him to be more social on his trips. As such, they place him in a dorm room in a hostel. They do tell him that Carnival will be happening while he's there. He's not too excited about it as he hates crowds and he presupposes it's a gay event, which makes him feel uncomfortable. But he is thrown into the festivities, whether he likes it or not. His anxiety at crowds is heightened when he is told he is also to attend a block party. He remarks at the dichotomy between the Catholic nature of the statue towering over the city, versus the overt sexuality displayed by the people, especially at the beach. His discomfort increases with interactions with his guide, Celso, which includes excursions to make sure Karl looks his best at the beach, a stop at the particular section of beach, and an invitation to stay the night at his place. And much like his sights were overwhelmed in India, his sense of hearing is overwhelmed throughout his stay in the city. He searches for a sanctuary, which doesn't end up being what he expects. When he finally goes to see Christ the Redeemer, will he still liken it to a pylon? He is given a slightly different perspective when he is taken on a helicopter ride around the monument.

Karl is relieved that this trip is his last, but is worried that Ricky and Stephen will do something monumentally outrageous to end the series on a high note. Karl has never heard of the monument he is to visit next: Machu Picchu. He is also not aware of the potential of altitude sickness due to lack of oxygen. But he is not concerned about the eleven hour trek to get to Machu Picchu, as he likes camping, and even makes preparations for a makeshift toilet. When he gets to his Peruvian lakeside location to start his trek, he learns that Ricky and Stephen are making him trek through the jungle along the Amazon instead. Of his Amazon accommodations, Karl is unsure of what's worse: the first couple of nights staying deep in the jungle in a tent among all the nocturnal creatures, many which are deadly, or the last few nights staying with a native tribe who used to be cannibals. When he reaches his destination of Machu Picchu, where he does feel the effects of lack of oxygen, Karl makes a surprise announcement to Ricky and Stephen. They in turn talk to him about a potential second season of the series. Will Karl agree to such?

Karl, now back in Britain after his "seven wonders" trips, sits down with Ricky and Stephen to discuss the experience. Stephen is confused by Karl's seemingly contradictory statements about not wanting to miss the many sights and sounds on his travels, but also being overly annoyed by them. Many of those sights center on food. Many of the situations Karl experienced he classifies as false fun, which he does not like in principle. They talk about the people Karl met. Karl tells them about what he thinks he's learned from these travels. They discuss the fact that many viewers believe Karl is an actor playing a buffoon and that the show is scripted, or that Stephen and especially Ricky are bullies to Karl. Stephen and Ricky talk about their favorite moment: the Israeli terrorist training, which Karl did not know was going to occur. Beyond that situation, Karl talks about what was perhaps his most difficult experience. Despite Karl's assertions that he won't do another, they talk concepts for a second series. Karl gives his thoughts on his general impression of the world. And he compares these recent travels to his favorite travels, those when he was a child to a holiday park in Wales, those travels which he recently recreated.