no reservations

When the show first started, I thought No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain was the most brilliant thing on television. I had read his book, Kitchen Confidential (which my blog title nods to) and thought that he was this total bad ass, doesn't give a shit kinda punk rock guy. I thought that he was an unapoligetic prick, and the first season of No Reservations confirmed it. He was brash and arrogant, he smoked and drank and while totally respectful of his environs, he was critical of anything he found to be less than perfect. But I just watched the debut of the new season, and the show has gone progressively down hill. He has become too much of a kiss ass. He's lost his edge. He's lost his opinion. He's totally complacent and doesn't stand up for anything. The edge and grit that got him to where he is today is totally gone, and it's totally disheartening. He's no longer worth watching, because there is no longer the potential that he will snap and get in a fight, or drink too much and make an ass of himself. He's just some dopey dude on a great vacation.