Ewan McGregor’s New Apple TV+ Show Is a Streaming Hidden Gem

Ewan McGregor has a new show on Apple TV+ and it’s one of the best things I have watched on any streaming service. The world of streaming is vast and it seems like hundreds, if not thousands of brand new things are being flooded on to these services without you even knowing about it. You’re at the mercy of the algorithm or word of mouth unless it’s a massive tentpole project like The Last of Us or Andor. It’s impossible to keep up and for me, it’s extremely overwhelming to the point that I just don’t watch much TV anymore. I have a few shows I keep up with like Dexter and Daredevil: Born Again, but that’s about it.

The great thing about streaming these days is TV has evolved to be bigger in scope and scale. There used to be TV actors and movie stars, it was a pretty clear distinction that would sometimes see breakout TV stars like George Clooney make a transition to being a movie star. However, streaming has attracted high profile talent from all walks of life to participate in TV shows. Apple TV+ in particular has been really great about snagging big talent like Jake Gyllenhaal and Seth Rogen for TV shows. However, one of my favorite shows on Apple TV+ isn’t a fictional show, it’s more of a reality travel series starring none other than Obi-Wan Kenobi himself, Ewan McGregor.

Ewan McGregor has a new show out on Apple TV+ called Long Way Home, but this journey didn’t start here. In fact, this show technically began in a different from 20 years ago with a series called Long Way Round. In essence, the show sees Ewan McGregor and his best friend/television presenter, Charlie Boorman, plan a big, cross-country motorcycle trip. The show then chronicles their adventures, the highs and lows, their interactions with different cultures, and much more. The first series, Long Way Round, saw the duo going on a 19,000 mile motorcycle journey from London to New York City, which required cutting through Europe and Asia before boarding a plane to go to Alaska to make their trip through North America.

This was followed by three more shows, respectively titled Long Way Down, Long Way Up, and Long Way Home which all see the pair doing motorcycle journeys in other parts of the world such as Africa, South America, and more. They also penned two books based on their first two trips, allowing for a more in-depth retrospective of their adventures. The first two shows began on Sky TV and BBC in the UK, but Apple TV+ produced the last two shows and has all four of them on their service.

The series caught my eye back in 2020 with Long Way Up, the first of the Apple TV+-produced versions of the show as it was a really incredible and captivating way to experience parts of the world that I simply couldn’t because of the pandemic. Not only that, but they obviously have the resources to plan such an elaborate trip in a way that average people can’t. Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman’s relationship is incredibly charming and you can see that life-long bond on-screen. There’s a deep care for each other and it’s fun to see them get into all kinds of unexpected events whether it be an injury or accident, having to race to a certain location before a ferry leaves, or something as simple as Ewan walking into a local shop and seeing one of his own movies playing on a TV.

The series is also beautifully shot and is filled with visuals that are totally arresting. All the shows have great soundtracks too featuring songs from Coldplay, Radiohead, and even artists I’m not familiar with, but this imagery combined with great music make for such a fun watch. It’s the kind of show that makes you want to go travel the world, see the sights, and plan an adventure with a friend. It’s a very wholesome show and one that I am absolutely giddy to see return with Long Way Home.

The new season just premiered a few weeks ago and new episodes release every Friday. This time, Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman are traveling across Europe on refurbished vintage bikes, a big change from the electric bikes used in the previous series. When all is said and done, they will have traveled 15 countries over the course of a couple of months. In the early episodes, there’s already been a motorcycle accident, good looking food, and fun interactions with locals in some of the small towns they’ve made pitstops in.

All in all, if you’re looking for something new to watch that can serve as the television version of comfort food, please check out Long Way Home on Apple TV+. It’s a show I can’t recommend enough and I would love more people to check it out, because I selfishly want to see more adventures like this from Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman.

Long Way Home is now streaming on Apple TV+. New episodes release every Friday.