Billy Connolly's Journey To The Edge Of The World, Ep 1, on Netflix

Billy Connolly's Journey To The Edge Of The World was my next candidate for consumption. This is a TV special similar to Billy's travels around Scotland, but this time he's visiting the Canadian maritimes, far North, and a bit of the West coast as he takes the Northwest Passage, walking (sailing) in the steps (in the wake) of Franklin and so many others.

The first episode covers Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland. Some highlights include Halifax, Lunenberg, St. John's, the Cabot Trail, Cheticamp Pleasant Bay, Cape Spear, the viking settlement, and the farthest North lighthouse. There are visits to the highland games (Billy's reactions are pretty hilarious... I think real Scots find most of us ex-pats to be a bit of a bunch of posers, if in a good natured way), to Halifax Pier 21, and to some interesting scarecrow collection held by an Acadian.

Along the way, Billy gets Screeched in, sees moose, sees a whale, goes fishing for Cod in the ocean, goes fishing for Salmon in the Gander river, and gets to hear some pipes, drums, and some Acadian fiddle music. He also visits Gander airport and celebrates the town's birthday with the folk of Gander.

Unlike his tour around Scotland, we don't see stand up segments to go with it; I don't know if Billy wasn't doing a tour at the same time or if they just elected not to mix it with the travelogue.

Billy has a good sense of humour, loves music and dance, and has a deep appreciation for the beauty of the natural world - all of which fit in well in the Maritimes. 

The next episode is to take him off to Baffin Island. We'll see how he fairs in the North.

I enjoyed this first episode immensely. It had a good balance of fact, image, music, and sweeping panoramas of the geography. It also gave you a very short snapshot of some of the colour that makes the people down East the distinct bunch they are. For a 45 minute episode, you can't really ask for a lot more.

I'm giving this one a 4.7 out of 5. I'm penalizing Billy for making disparaging remarks about people wearing kilts. I mean, I've seen him perform in some sort of mumu or frock and stockings and he wears Tartan trews... it takes a fair bit of cheek to poke fun at kilt wearers. Sort of pointing out the grain of dust in another's eye while ignoring the boulder in your own. Or something like that... :)