Customer Reviews
THIS IS BRILLIANT - By: Mr. A. Thompson, 18 Jul 2008 
Everyone seems to have missed the pointin reviewing this programme!
It is not meant as an advert to make you want to travel to certain countries. It is meant to educate you about the history of what it was like & what it's like now, & that isn't always good. I like the way Palin looks at the worldin a sarcastic & alternative perspective. If you wanted to watch trashy holiday advertising BS, look elsewhere
Milyen lószar.......... - By: Disappointed, 18 Jun 2008 
I have livedin Hungary now for 16 years & workedin all of the countries that Michael Palin visited. Having enjoyed all his other series I looked forward keenly to seeing how he would interpret the different cultures that he visited & what conclusions he would draw as to how the New Europe would evolve.
I was stunned therefore to see that he had made not the slightest attempt to understand any aspect of what makes these different countries tick: what he gave wasn't even a half decent travelogue. I hardly recognised the countries from the appalling pastiche that the BBC cobbled together.
I agree with a previous reviewer that the series is effectively the Michael Palin show: does it really give us any insight into a country to see himin clearly organised "spontaneous" events which are nothing to do with normal lifein the country.
I found that as I watched the series I became increasingly annoyed & depressed that this fascinating part of the world was being portrayedin this slipshod & patronising manner. I simply couldn't see any aspect of the reality of these countries - either good or bad - portrayedin this series.
I am writing this reviewin Albania - but the real one not the Disneyland version that Michale Palin seemed to have visited.
The reason why this is not his best - By: D. Fidock, 17 Jun 2008 
The reason we liked Plain's travelsin the other series was that we enjoyed watching the journey & people he met along the way. In this series the journey is ignored & the chance to see places we may never get the chance to see forgotten & we are left with interviews with people we are not particulary interested in,in foreign capitals. Quite dull.
Tom D - By: Tom Dragicevic, 27 May 2008 This series is better than good until something better comes along & that is a compliment. Of course there are pluses & minuses. I probably agree with the comments across the spectrum of opinions. But hey guys, has anyone done anything better & fresher than Michael? I have an interestin FSU etc. & have visited some of the places (or like them)in the series,in the last few years. Mind boggles what we have been missing for the past 50 to 100 years.
The budget for this road-show, it seems, did not allow for an in-depth treatment, alas. Typically the visit to Lvov...or Lviv, was so short you would have missed it if you were to put the kettle on. Perhaps this is the nature of the beast? Therefore deserves my 3.85 stars.
Classic Palin; Except episode 5 - By: Christian M. Harris, 11 Apr 2008 I'm a long-time fan of Michael Palin & personally believe that Pole to Pole is his finest work. Michael's latest series, New Europe, is an entertaining & informative journey through Eastern Europe (and Turkey). The formula which has worked so wellin the past worked fairly well again; exploring new countries, meeting new people & having key 'informants'. I have only one gripe; Episode 5 is just horrid. He spends far too long with hippies livingin a house shaped like a pyramid. While they are interesting, I would rather meet & see sights more indicative to the country (Lithuania). Whoever proposed this scene should be fired. My impression after that episode was that I really should give Lithuania a wide birth; apparently there is nothing there worth filming.
Aside from episode 5 I found yet more amazing places I want to visit. I don't know if there will be another series, but I would push for one focusing on Central/South America!
