Antoni Porowski waves from the top of the Shard, shouting, 'If sightseeing is your thing, London doesn't mess around,' as the camera swoops past his custard-yellow cagoule. 'Go beyond the postcards and this city goes deep!' What does this mean? We wait for elaboration, but none comes. The former model merely waves again, and the soundbite drifts into the clouds. Best of the World With Antoni Porowski is no place for elucidation; clarity would muddy its vibe, which essentially says, 'Stop asking questions and enjoy this decontextualised shot of Antoni Porowski embracing a Yorkshire terrier in a gilet.'
An Aimless Premise
If aimless encounters with small dogs and meaningless idioms from unconnected tourist destinations appeal to you, this National Geographic-produced series has you covered. The premise: Porowski, once Queer Eye's food and wine expert, journeys to four vibrant cities in search of... well, there's a question. Instead of a coherent answer, he offers soundbites like, 'I'm on a quest to find the best.' He asks, 'But what makes something the best?' before failing to answer and machine-gunning words over a montage of the Eiffel Tower, a nightclub, an old woman spray-painting a wall, and soup 'so good it makes you wanna cry.'
London: Seven Experiences?
The bewilderment begins in London, where Porowski promises 'six experiences across the city that showcase its complex mix of influences.' This includes flying visits to Kew Gardens, the Shard, a family-run bagel shop in Brick Lane, an open-water swimming club in Canary Wharf, Big Ben, a Dalston drag club, and a gastropub serving Indian-influenced Sunday roasts. The mathematically alert may notice seven experiences. But what's numerical accuracy when up to your nostrils in a salt beef bagel? 'Mmmph,' gurgles Porowski, gobfuls of beef shreds dangling. ''S'good.'
We get a potted history of the bagel shop's 50 years, but the editing is brutal. A shot of the owner's laughing face dissolves into a split-screen montage of taxis, Yorkshire puddings, and Henry VIII, through which Porowski strides in jeans, like Moses parting the Red Sea in distressed Levi's. Then it's off to Big Ben and the Shard, where a caption informs us that 'AFTERNOON TEA FOR TWO COSTS $200.'
Destination Marketing Vibe
There's a distinct air of destination marketing, with lavish drone shots and cake closeups recalling promotional videos shown on planes, where ageing models guide you stiffly around expensive parts of your destination. All would be unbearable without Porowski, whose unaffected interactions with contributors are everything the vacuous voiceover is not. He's in his element gossiping with a Kew gardener who dreamed of being a singer, or a clock mechanic at Elizabeth Tower who confesses to taking his girlfriend on dates to Big Ben. At the Shard's preposterous hotel suite (a snip at £14,000 a night), he's more interested in the manager's Yorkshire terrier, an imperious beast in a satin body warmer who ignores his coos and peers out the window. We assume she'd read his script.
Who Is This For?
Who all this is aimed at is a mystery. Moneybags looking for a curated guide to a dream holiday? Too arbitrary. Locals keen for a deeper dive into their home city? Too fleeting. For all but the most dedicated Porowski fan, the pointlessness goes deep. Best of the World With Antoni Porowski is on Disney+ now.
