So much of the media I enjoyed last year got saved up for my Year in Review post in December. I haven’t actually had a standalone Ben Recommends post since the first, when I talked about the then-finishing Dimension 20 series. That’s in part because there’s some properties I think work better in that retrospective post rather than on their own. I think these standalone posts are more fit for long-form content or stocked libraries – stuff like series, specific creator channels, podcasts, etc. Which, brings us to today.
Late last year, I got introduced to Jet Lag: The Game through a livestream. I found the crew compelling and got hooked, catching up on many of their earlier “seasons” while watching their weekly uploads on the season they were airing then, their second race across Europe. And now, with the wrap up to a race from the United States’ northernmost point to its furthest point south, I wanted to give them a shout out and maybe find them some more fans.
What is it?
Jet Lag: The Game is a game show/travel vlog show where three or four players compete, with various harebrained challenges to earn methods of travel or other victory conditions. In their races across Europe, they needed to complete their challenges to earn currency that could be used to buy rides on trains, planes, or automobiles (paid for in minutes spent traveling based on the method’s speed). In a game of Capture the Flag in Japan, they had to do challenges both to use the country’s public transportation and acquire powerful defensive options to delay their opponents.
What do I like about it?
There’s a ton to like about the show; you get to see fantastic vistas and learn about the countries they visit; the crew and their guests are fantastic hosts and storytellers. There’s so many gags and gaffes that will bring the laughs, and it’s easy to get invested in a team or player’s progress through their season.
How does it compare to similar shows?
I’ve never seen The Amazing Race myself, but I imagine they’re pretty similar with Jet Lag having a continuity in its players that can be either better or worse depending on one’s taste. They still mix things up with a guest when the games call for equal teams, but if you don’t like the boys there’s no getting around it.
So that’s Jet Lag: The Game. It’s been a blast to watch the show and I’m looking forward to the next season! They upload episodes one week early on Nebula, but it’s available free on YouTube. If you end up checking it out, I’d love to know!
As always, thank you for reading.
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