Dark Tourist

Dark Tourist is a groundbreaking Netflix docuseries that aired in 2018, where New Zealand journalist David Farrier, known for his distinctive storytelling style and knack for uncovering the darker, more unusual aspects of human society, embarks on a journey across the globe. The goal? Exploring the macabre and bizarre phenomena associated with tourism spots associated with tragedy and death, or in other words, the concept of 'dark tourism.'

The show has a unique premise that goes beyond the traditional notions of tourism. Instead of exploring the typical postcard-perfect sights that draw crowds by the millions, the series delves into an unorthodox niche where travelers' motivations are driven by curiosity, fascination, or the sheer thrill of engaging with death, disaster, and the darker side of humanity's history and culture.

The series, spread over eight riveting episodes, takes its audiences on a global expedition exploring diverse dark tourism destinations. These aren't your traditional holiday hotspots. Farrier provides his audience with an insight into quirky, eerie, and downright strange sites – from a radioactive city, haunted forests and sites associated with violent pasts, to a voodoo festival, macabre-themed theme parks, and cities that hold tragic nuclear disaster stories from history.

As the host, David Farrier possesses an exceptional ability to interact with a diverse range of characters, infusing a sense of humor and a healthy dose of skepticism into his encounters. This amiable approach helps to alter the show's potentially grim tone, making it palatable enough for mainstream viewers. However, it doesn't trivialize the subject matter and acts as a lens through which audiences can grapple with why society is fascinated by the grim and morbid.

What adds a distinctive twist to the show is the often shocking honesty and raw emotional responses from the host, the interviewees and, at times, even the viewers themselves. Dark Tourist is thought-provoking and forces its audience to ask hard-hitting questions, both about their attitudes to such places and about human fascination with disaster, death, and darkness in general.

In each episode, Farrier ventures into various regions - including Latin America, Japan, the United States, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Europe – providing an eye-opening exploration of the intriguingly morbid and shocking practices adopted by cultures worldwide. The series offers an enticing blend of history, horror, suspense, and dark comedy, with Farrier's keen sense of curiosity and bravery guiding us through it all.

Throughout the series, Farrier demonstrates an affinity for delving into sociocultural peculiarities, exploring narratives tied to historical atrocities, nuclear disasters, cult phenomena, and violent crimes. His storytelling approach coupled with the often-graphic imagery leads to gripping television that keeps audiences on their toes.

The slick production of Dark Tourist does an exceptional job taking viewers to these extreme locales that are filled with despair and horror but also humanity and resilience. Beautifully shot, the series perfectly balances the reality of the locations' grim histories with the thriving tourism that they have attracted.

Dark Tourist has been praised for its infectious enthusiasm for alternative travel, grippingly unique concept, host's charm, and for occasionally challenging viewers' comfort zones. However, it also started many conversations about the ethical implications of such tourism and the complex dynamics of capitalizing on locations associated with tragic histories.

In the end, Dark Tourist offers more than just a thrilling, morbid rollercoaster ride around the world's most unsettling places. It throws light on an overlooked form of tourism and makes its audience question why such places hold appeal and why we, as a society, are drawn to the gloomier side of life and history.

Whether Dark Tourist is appreciated for its bold travels into the realms of the unconventional, or criticized for its exploration of tragedy and discomfort, it undeniably forces conversation, understanding, and contemplation. It's a must-watch for everyone with an adventurous spirit, a fascination with the unusual, or an appetite for thought-provoking and subversive content in travel shows.