Full Circle with Michael Palin

1997
Full Circle with Michael Palin

Seasons & Episodes

  • 1
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EP1 Alaska and Russia Aug 31, 1997

Michael Palin travels around the Pacific rim. He starts in the Diomede Islands in the Bering Strait, goes to see the Kodiak bear in Alaska and visits the geysers and hot springs of Kamchatka.

EP2 Japan and Korea Sep 14, 1997

In this episode Michael Palin samples the oddity of Oriental life while passing through Japan and South Korea.

EP3 China Sep 21, 1997

Michael Palin enters China by boat from Korea. He visits the cities of Qingdao and Shanghai and takes a local steamer down the Yangtze.

EP4 Vietnam and the Philippines Sep 28, 1997

Michael Palin visits Hanoi, takes a sampan on the Perfume River, witnesses psychic surgery, sees the Cu Chi tunnels, judges a beauty contest and fails to see the Banaue rice terraces.

EP5 Borneo and Java Oct 05, 1997

From the Philippines, Michael Palin crosses the Sulu sea in a leaky ferry. He travels on through the Borneo jungle to Java where he climbs a volcano.

EP6 Australia and New Zealand Oct 12, 1997

Michael Palin reaches Australia where his activities include a cameo role in Home and Away. He also looks for sperm whales in New Zealand's icy waters.

EP7 Chile and Bolivia Oct 19, 1997

Michael Palin lands on Cape Horn, parties on Chiloé, visits Santiago, the Juan Fernández Islands and La Paz, and crosses the Andes by a train which is derailed.

EP8 Bolivia and Peru Oct 26, 1997

Michael Palin takes a reed boat on Lake Titicaca in the Andes, before an 1,000 mile journey along the Urubamba river to the Amazon.

EP9 Peru and Colombia Nov 02, 1997

From a canoe in the Peruvian rainforest, Michael Palin visits Machiguenga Indian villages in one of remotest spots on planet. He then he sails down Amazon on a restored riverboat.

EP10 Mexico, USA, Canada and Alaska Nov 09, 1997

Michael Palin travels from Mexico City to the Diomede Islands where his trek began. He meets up with illegal immigrants in Mexico, cruises San Francisco's gay scene and visits Alcatraz.
8.4| 0h30m| en| More Info
Released: 31 August 1997 Ended
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Country: United Kingdom
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00tcl80
Synopsis

Michael Palin travels to 18 countries around the rim of the Pacific Ocean.

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Reviews

Rennie Petersen This trip is just so long and unusual that you can't help being intrigued and fascinated by it all. Ten months and 50,000 miles traveling through 17 countries all the way around the Pacific Ocean!Specifically, these countries were visited: USA (Alaska), Russia (Siberia), Japan, S. Korea (entry to N. Korea was denied), China, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, USA (California and Washington), Canada (British Columbia) and back to Alaska again.What makes Michael Palin's trips so special is the enthusiasm, wit and charm he brings to the endeavor. Plus the ability of the crew to find extremely interesting people for Michael to talk to and very interesting activities for him to sample. And the whole thing is beautifully photographed, making you want to visit the various places yourself.Among some of the most interesting points on the trip are a wedding ceremony in South Korea, the Russian Gulag in Siberia, the CaoDai religion in Vietnam, Philippine women learning how to be foreign workers, lassoing camels in Australia, a French shaman in the Amazon valley, narcotics problems in Bogotá, and illegal immigrants from Mexico to the USA.My only criticism is that the west coast of the USA and Canada got glossed over. I'm guessing that Michael Palin, after nine months of traveling, just wanted to get home.The DVD version of this TV program consists of three discs. These discs contain the ten 50-minute episodes (8 1/2 hours) plus some extra material:a very interesting interview with Michael Palin (28 minutes) some scenes that didn't make it into the TV program (almost 50 minutes) a funny meeting with Eric Idle, with lots of inside jokes for Monty Python fans (8 minutes)Even without the extra material I'd give these DVDs a "highly recommended" rating. The extra material, especially the interview with Michael Palin, makes it even more wonderful.Note that there is also a beautiful and well-written book available that covers this trip - also highly recommended.Rennie Petersen
alkinsey1982 Michael Palin's travel shows are so enthralling, and this, a journey around the Pacific rim, is no exception. This time Palin travels through countries as diverse as the United States, Vietnam and New Zealand along the way, and the spectacle is as good as ever.The witty and informative commentary remains as interesting as in Palin's previous travel series, and the mix of cultures encountered en route combined with this provides unlimited replay value. A joy to watch.
Needfire You can tell that Palin is having great fun, at his own expense rather than at the expense of the people he encounters. I am just watching the visit to China, Vietnam and the Phillipines and am so pleased to see that there are so many things about my ancestors' country that I never knew. Who would have thought that the Communists, Mao and his cronies would have allowed a Bavarian castle to continue standing in a seaside resort town in China?I saw Palin speak at his launch of Sahara a few weeks ago. The man is such a delightful, charming man. If you cannot get out to see him show you his slides, at least borrow the tapes of his series from your library.
Jeffrey-19 Full Circle with Michael Palin is the best travel documentary I have seen. The BBC crew (including Palin) captures all thecultural aspects of the places they visit, with truth and imagination. The fact that you can check it out (in multiple parts) at your library, makes the journey last that much longer and leaves you longing for the next one.