James May: Our Man in...
Runtime47‒53 minutes
PresenterJames May
DirectorTom Whitter[1]
CountryUnited Kingdom
NetworkAmazon Prime Video
First aired3 January 2020
Last aired5 January 2024
Num series3
Num episodes15
LocationJapan
Italy
India
CinematographySean Carswell
WriterJames May
Henry Dalton
Executive producerWill Daws
Tom Whitter
ProducerKate Godfrey
Henry Dalton
Frankie Fathers
Mark Richardson
CameraSingle-camera
Company
  • Plum Pictures
  • New Entity (Series 1–2)

James May: Our Man in... is a travel documentary television series hosted by James May and released via Amazon Prime Video. Each series follows May as he travels a country and undergoes various local activities.

In the first series, titled James May: Our Man in Japan, May's travels are presented as a linear journey traveling from the north end of Japan, via Sapporo and Tokyo to the south island.[2] Series two saw May touring Italy, titled James May: Our Man in Italy.[3] The series takes him from Palermo in Sicily to the Dolomites.[4][5] A third series titled James May: Our Man in India was ordered in February 2023,[6] and released on 5 January 2024.[7] In October 2024, May confirmed the series had been cancelled.[8]

Series overview

The three series all follow a similar format - May starts at one end of the country, and over a period of weeks travels to the opposite end, experiencing the culture and idiosyncrasies of the different regions as he goes along. To aid him in his journey he is accompanied by a series of guides/translators, as well as the film crew and producer Tom, with whom he frequently breaks the fourth wall and are often tangentially involved in each episode.[9]

Production

Production for the first series started in Japan in March 2019,[1] with the show being filmed over the course of three months.[10] In August 2021 it was confirmed that a second series, set in the United States, had been commissioned.[11][12] However, in October 2021 it was announced that filming in the United States could not go ahead as planned due to various restrictions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and instead series two saw May touring Italy.[3]

The concept had originally been pitched to the BBC a number of years earlier, but not commissioned.[13]

Release

Lucy Mangan for The Guardian gave the first series three out of five stars. She praised the travelogue's inclusion of "under-publicised aspects of the [Japanese] culture" but noted James May's interaction with the television crew as low-brow and "strenuously jocular".[14] Joel Keller for Decider enjoyed the series and appreciated that May's "sincere desire to get a feel for Japanese life is worth watching."[15]

Regarding the second series, Anita Singh for The Telegraph gave it four out of five stars. She found the series "enjoyable, even if it does meander", and approved of May's presenting style stating he "is a very pleasant travelling companion".[16]

Like the first two series, the third also received positive reviews. For The Telegraph, Singh gave the series three out of five stars. She found the series derivative of previous travelogues but praised May's style of "slightly bewildered Englishman, resigned to losing his dignity".[17]

References

  1. ^ Clarke, Stewart (11 March 2019). "'The Grand Tour' Star James May Heads to Japan for Solo Amazon Series". Variety. Archived 30 September 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 7 January 2020. Production started this week.
  2. ^ Mangan, Lucy (2020-01-03). "James May: Our Man in Japan review – penis festivals are no place for jokes!". The Guardian. Archived 4 January 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2020-01-05.
  3. ^ Harrington, Alex (1 October 2021). "James May's 'Our Man In The USA' Travel Show Has Been Cancelled… But There's Good News!". Grand Tour Nation. Archived 8 February 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  4. ^ Singh, Anita (2022-07-15). "James May: Our Man in Italy, review: an amiable, food and wine-filled meander at Amazon's expense". The Daily Telegraph. Archived 13 July 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  5. ^ "James May: Our Man in Italy". Amazon Studios. Archived 13 July 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
  6. ^ Kanter, Jake (2023-02-01). "Amazon Renews 'James May: Our Man In…' For A Third Season". Deadline. Archived 9 February 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2023-02-14.
  7. ^ "Watch the trailer for 'James May: Our Man in India' ahead of the launch on Prime Video on 5 January". aboutamazon.co.uk. 6 December 2023. Archived 5 January 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  8. ^ "James May confirms his Our Man In... series has been cancelled". Yahoo News. 28 October 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  9. ^ Prizmi Tripathi (2020-01-04). "Will There be a James May: Our Man in Japan Season 2?". The Cinemaholic. Archived 12 January 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2020-01-12. other cast members are Yujiro Taniyama, Masayo Fujii, Makiko Kobayashi, Hacchan Hatanaka and Mai Nishiyama.
  10. ^ Kanter, Jake (2019-12-12). "'The Grand Tour' Star James May Planning To Pitch Version Of His BBC Show 'Man Labs' to Amazon". Deadline Hollywood. Archived 1 January 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  11. ^ Miller, Adam (26 August 2021). "The Grand Tour's James May hoping 'not to get fat' in new US travel show". Metro. Archived 13 July 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  12. ^ Creamer, Jon (26 August 2021). "Amazon confirms new James May travelogue". Televisual. Archived 13 July 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  13. ^ May, James (24 December 2019). "'The Grand Tour's James May On His Japan Adventure For Amazon, The Future Of TV & Spending Less Time With Jeremy Clarkson". Deadline Hollywood. Archived 25 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 7 January 2020.
  14. ^ Mangan, Lucy (2020-01-03). "James May: Our Man in Japan review – penis festivals are no place for jokes!". the Guardian. Archived 10 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2020-11-10.
  15. ^ Keller, Joel (2020-01-03). "Stream It Or Skip It: 'James May: Our Man In Japan' On Amazon Prime, Where The 'Grand Tour' Host Sees What Makes Japan Tick". Decider. Archived 10 January 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  16. ^ Singh, Anita (2022-07-15). "James May: Our Man in Italy, review: an amiable, food and wine-filled meander at Amazon's expense". the Telegraph. Archived 13 July 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2024-01-10.
  17. ^ Singh, Anita (2024-01-05). "James May: Our Man in India, review: wisely steers clear of Top Gear's diplomatic tussles". the Telegraph. Archived 10 January 2024 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2024-01-10.