JaydoDre This is not a linear professional documentary I expected.First, it needs to be noted that although the premise indicates that the show will talk about a whole bunch of countries these guys pass through, that is not the case. There are only 7 episodes (10 + special features in the special edition) and there is no way in hell you can cover all those countries in a meaningful manner in that time.So instead the show concentrates on events in Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Russia.Secondly, the structure of the show is very...nonexistent. Despite the fact that there is a whole support team assembled, the show feels more like it is someone's home-video. This is not necessarily a bad thing.This documentary is like a really good home-cooked meal, with Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman. It shows only the weird characters and situations that these two guys encountered on their way.Would I really like them to have more content spread over 10 more episodes including Europe and US. Yes, but this concentrated version was cool too.Because there is a film crew and actors involved, the two travelers at the centre get a lot of attention from various people and governments, which makes their experiences feel a bit unrelatable. You and I, we would not get police escort through Kazakhstan you know. On the other hand to some this may seem like a good thing, causing more weird stuff to happen, but to me it puts them further away from the countries they visit.It was still very personal and interesting though. The two main characters, being friends, have a lot of chemistry. Definitely worth a watch.

chris_fodder "Posh Spice Moves to L.A.".....or "Long Way Round" Take your pick, they're both self-indulgent crap. In this show, Ewen Mcgreggor and his rich (yet horrifyingly ugly) sidekick ride motorcycles around the world. Don't expect a travel documentary. This focuses only on Mcgreggor and his sidekick as they showcase their adolescent antics in the various countries. The scenery isn't even that great, since they went in the rainy season.It's also a product placement extravaganza. They don't ride their own bikes around the world, BMW provides the bikes and various other companies supply everything else. The pilot episode was like watching two spoiled millionaires win the lottery. I actually found myself rooting against them.

Jackson Booth-Millard I did not see this broadcast on television as it was on a Sky channel, and again on the BBC, I watched it on DVD, and it is one of the most engaging documentary series ever made. The programme documents the 19,000-mile (31,000 km) journey of actors Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman as they ride their BMW motorcycles from London to New York, travelling eastwards through Europe and Asia, flying to Alaska and riding the rest of the way. With the support of their crew in four-by-fours, director/producers David Alexanian and Russ Malkin, and cameramen James Simak and Claudio Von Planta, the boys travelled through the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, the USA and Canada, ending in New York. Through the ten part series you saw their struggles, success and exploration of each place they were in, for them, it was not just an experience travelling the world and riding bikes, it was for their families. With a fantastic title song by Kelly Jones, lead singer of the Stereophonics. It was number 76 on The 100 Greatest TV Treats 2004. Very good!

dave-irland I ride motorcycles so it was a special treat. The guys were great, and good at speaking to the camera in an engaging way devoid of excessive ego or showboating. Which brings me to my main frustration: these guys seem to be mechanically challenged, which is a bit odd considering the remoteness of the areas they rode through. It was unbelievably frustrating watching them get hung up to the point of near-despair on something that anybody with a basic knowledge of machines would have been able to fix. At points like these (and there were more than a few), I started to see these guys as extremely likable, albeit urban and almost useless. However, Ewan is never shy about pointing out his shortcomings. What blew me away was how upbeat they continued to be despite what must have been an absolutely exhausting odyssey of sleeping in huts, tents, and borrowed houses. Despite the small army of support vehicles and an apparent ocean of money, they still managed to make it a true adventure -- parts of Russia drew out the rugged innovator in both of these guys. Like all documentaries, there was a pronounced lack of interest in/ respect for the raw facts: where did those giant six-wheel trucks come from to drag them across rivers? Who changed Charlie's tire when it went flat? How did the camera man's light, cheap, probably Chinese two-stroke manage the rest of the trip after it was purchased to replace his broken $25,000 BMW? And how come the two actor's travails are presumed to be more interesting than those of the long-suffering, somewhat comical Swiss camera man who's logging exactly the same miles, only with a job to do? And why didn't the support group include a competent mechanic???????? Otherwise, a really enjoyable ride. Mongolia and Russia look like places to experience before they modernize. Lucky buggers, I say. Love to see the same film done again, only with a solo rider with MUCH less equipment and less portly motorcycle and a much greater degree of riding and mechanical skill.