Esquire Network Embraces Travel TV with Celebrity-Led ‘The Getaway’

Not many television shows have managed to get travel right on television. It’s so hard that networks with both “travel” and “channel” in their name have nearly given up on featuring travel at all.

So if you’re a producer who hits on a winning formula it’s not a bad idea to see what else you can do with it. Anthony Bourdain and the people at Zero Point Zero have taken the 48 hours in a destination format from their old Travel Channel show “The Layover” and swapped out the host for a rotating cast of actors, musicians, and personalities, shipped them off to some of the world’s more interesting cities, and called it “The Getaway.”

Instead of Anthony eating in Hong Kong, you have comedian Aziz Ansari. Rapper Eve visits Jamaica, comedian Seth Meyers goes to Amsterdam with his twin brother, and actor Aisha Tyler goes to Paris, among others.

And it works, too. On the episodes made available for screening, each of the participants brought a destination to life in a different way while sticking to a style that works from episode to episode, no matter who’s in front of the camera.

In tonight’s premiere, “Community” star Joel McHale visits Belfast, Northern Ireland. There’s beer, unhealthy breakfasts, dog racing, more beer, a DeLorean, and some whiskey, too. For the rest of the participants, click through the images above for names and destinations.

The show premiers Wednesday night on the Esquire Network, which is likely still labeled Style Network on many viewer’s television guides.