34 Comments
User's avatar
Sarah Munn's avatar

Oooh really want to see this made. Especially Farrier abseiling down a sink hole.

I've always loved the Death Towers, ecologically sound and much less personally horrifying way to deal with your corpse. Granted other people may be disgusted, but it seems peaceful to me.

Looking forward to part two.

Expand full comment
David Farrier's avatar

Abseiling down a sinkhole is a combination of my favourite idea (big tunnels! secrets!) and my nightmare (heights! arghhh!)

Expand full comment
Chris Barlow's avatar

Harrison Ford and Sean Connery are my favourite Bollywood stars

Expand full comment
Gay Wilson's avatar

This sounds like a series I would definitely watch David——- except for the Aghori Monks ! That is a step too far for me —ugh !!!! Here’s hoping you get it made while I am still around to watch but I do intend to reach my century so fingers crossed ! Happy New Year.

Expand full comment
David Farrier's avatar

Thanks Gay. I'm not big into human flesh myself - and of course various health risks to the brain. Would be fascinating to learn about though, but I might sit the eating out. Or would I? I wasn't going to jump into a radioactive lake, but in the moment -- sometimes things just happen. And if they wanted me to, and it was rude not to - what do you do?

Expand full comment
J P's avatar

This was so much fun to read! I'm don't think any of these are really off limits and I feel like some of these places and parts of our world are actually pretty important for us to discover and understand. While I read this, I felt like this massive reminder that our world is actually huge, and we have human culture and history that completely transcends what we're experiencing now. It was a reminder of perhaps what my outlook used to be like, and what I hope it will return to somewhat again. Thank you

Expand full comment
David Farrier's avatar

JP - could not hope for a better response to this. On a very pretentious level, it's all we could have hoped for with the show. This kind of POV of the world. So thanks for this.

Expand full comment
Sam's avatar

Loved seeing you on the cryptid factor today. 💖

Expand full comment
David Farrier's avatar

Ha! Yeah it was fun to see my buddies. I don't see them nearly enough. And nice to see so many friendly faces on my screen :)

Expand full comment
Andra Jenkin's avatar

I love the stories that take place where people can't generally gain access such as North Korea. In the same breath, I'd be concerned about the morality of exposing yourself and others to danger, especially of the PCB, toxic gas, radiation kind where you can't tell the effects until its too late.

While I'd hope a trip to a Syrian refugee camp would shed light, I don't think awareness generally translates into help, so in a story like that I'd want a direct correlation between your visit and bettering conditions for at least some refugees, and certainly a way of ensuring they're no worse off. As well I'd ideally want a call to action easy enough for passive armchair warriors such as myself so guilt is alleviated by concrete help that genuinely benefits the subjects.

I guess that's the balance for me because without benefits for those the story is about its just other's misery as entertainment and for that I'd rather watch less sympathetic miserable humans like the various rich, clueless housewives on the Real Housewives of... franchise. People poorer than me being miserable is just depressing.

Expand full comment
David Farrier's avatar

Yeah, you're bang on about that. Essentially Dark Tourist is entertainment. I mean, I hate to say it, but it is. Sure - it's a chance to educate and inform, but if you're pushing into humanitarian disasters, then there has to be a push for some kind of positive outcome. Part of what was appealing in making Dark Tourist was looking at the ethical issues involved in touring to a place something awful has happened. But of course, you run the risk of becoming part of the problem as a crew.

Expand full comment
Lauren's avatar

These all sound like great ideas! If I ever win the lottery I promise to fully find series two, or in more likelihood I really hope Netflix fund a series two at some point!

I think the point you’ve made about it being a while off - if ever - is totally true, most people I know including myself still wake up and can’t believe what has unfolded this year, especially in the uk where we still can’t go out for food, go to pubs or clubs or even see some family and darkness isn’t really something there’s a market for for the minute, but in a few years time when this is all hopefully over I can see there being a massive post covid boom for dark shows where we can all look back at what has happened and sigh with relief

Expand full comment
David Farrier's avatar

The UK sounds so totally frustrating to me. Sorry about Boris. It's strange - so many people still ask me about Season Two (which is a compliment, it's nice) but seem totally unaware of the travel factor. Like things will snap back to normal. This is gonna take awhile and we all just have to take a moment. Please stay safe. This is going to be a surreal new years for you...

Expand full comment
Lauren's avatar

The UK is honestly just a nightmare at the minute and I genuinely can’t see an end in sight for us for at least another six or more months, and to make matters worse I have a horrible feeling when this is all over and we have an election everyone will forget the crap Boris put us through and re-elect him based on some sort of nostalgia and happiness for it all being over! With the new strain I’m just locked down with my two cats and of taking any risks, I’d much rather stay home eating my weight in orange smarties and have a great festive season next year than the other alternative!

Expand full comment
David Farrier's avatar

Two cats is a blessing. I hope they are making the most of their human time. And also I have a feeling you might be right about Boris. It's fucked up, but voters are a strange beast.

Expand full comment
Stephtractor's avatar

I spent an Easter in Mexico some years ago, they too have an annual reenactment of the full stations if the cross over 3 days including crown of thorns, 90k walk, whipping by soldiers on horseback and a full and real crucification. Over a million attend including 1000s who fully participate to cleanse themselves of sin. Most incredible spectacle I have witnessed to date.

Expand full comment
yoyomofo's avatar

Thank you for sharing!

From the ideas you’ve listed I find the topics of death practices, black magic, and cults most intriguing. Awkward David at a Japanese Sex Hotel would probably also be very entertaining.

Has there been any thought about changing the format if Netflix does not pick up a 2nd season (but things have gone back to relatively “normal” and it’s safe to make the show again)?

For example, since you have so many ideas for India, instead of doing 3 stories for one episode and maybe revisiting India again in a later season, doing a longer format focused on region. So maybe India is a 1.5 hour episode, or maybe it’s a series all on its own and has 3 or 4 shorter episodes within it.

Would still be expensive and time consuming, but could be more cost effective way to produce it in the long run.

Expand full comment
David Farrier's avatar

I can guarantee you it would be pretty f--king awkward!

I'd be dead keen on spending longer in each area - and even certain stories justify an hour instead of just 20 minutes (or less!). Working with Netflix and people's attention spans, we ended up keeping the pace fast. Which worked for what we did. But I do like to think there is a world where 1 off specials could work. Like post HBO's Chernobyl, a one hour Dark Tourist looking at that place, and renewed interest since that could be kinda amazing. There is enough history and current stories there (you can hunt radioactive boar!) I reckon it'd work a treat.

Expand full comment
Shelby's avatar

This is everything to me

Expand full comment
David Farrier's avatar

Thanks, Shelby :). Part 2 coming in a few days. A new year's treat!

Expand full comment
Shelby's avatar

I can’t wait! :)

Expand full comment
Lee Ann's avatar

The way you've presented the breadth of delusional ideation/righteous comfort of the unreal over the past months has helped me feel better about the previous five years of lonely effort (I was annunaki, bloodtype-specific evil, infidel, working for satan, persecutor, punishment target, and humiliator - essentially all the evidence was there ha I can almost laugh about it but for how the person suffers actually, every day, and in a sense their closest ones have been relieved by the righteous neatness of the "scamdemic" narrative). So many many thanks for that work, reading it has been healing and I appreciate the dissonance and frustration that comes with encountering it. But Dark Tourist...well done - I've long held criticism of international tourism (poorly articulated but lived belief that vicarious will do me thanks) - you and your team have done a brilliant job of showing weird and normal compassionately. Thanks for series two notes! Travel aside, it's like traveling just reading it.

Expand full comment
David Farrier's avatar

Your words mean a lot, Lee Ann. What a year, eh? The thought that my ramblings have helped in some small way means so much. As for international tourism - there is so much to validly criticise. We are on the same page there. Appreciate you taking in the show, though. Again - thanks.

Expand full comment
Linda.Baker's avatar

The robot sex hotels and the jinn palace stuff really leapt out at me.... Prob says a lot more about me than it should. But please don't go down the sink hole! Please don't. Send someone else....! 😳. I really hope season two happens one day in the not too distant future and that any likely venues for any future seasons remain far from the shores of

Aotearoa....! Ps. Possessor looks great! Where do I find it? 👍😊

Expand full comment
David Farrier's avatar

As my friend said about the sink hole:

"David Farrier. Born December 25, raised in Bethlehem, swallowed by the Dead Sea"

Expand full comment
David Farrier's avatar

And as for the sex hotel - I'd definitely make sure that one happened. How could I not?

Expand full comment
David's avatar

In the absolute best way possible this totally does read like a google doc. Right away the Holy Week crucifixion hits the Dark Tourist note really well. I think the ship graveyard and the Dead Sea sinkholes do as well but they all sound like ideas I'd love to see on screen.

I am a little curious how the actual business of tourism in these areas is for making these decisions. I think that's where the voice of the show really felt different, for example when it turned the lens on the Americans visiting Pablo's prison in Colombia. I'm thinking of the pitch to visit Syrian refugee camps which strikes me as a segment that would focus more on the tourists than the camps.

Expand full comment
Dilly's avatar

Somehow just saw this article and man, I would have loved to see your take on the Moonies as I was born and raised in it.

It’s gotten even crazier since the death of Moon. His widow and his youngest son are fighting over the cult and his son has created a cult that worships AR-15s and they had a mass wedding while holding them.

If you ever do end up doing anything about the Moonies, I may be able to answer whatever questions you have.

Expand full comment
Sarah (she/her)'s avatar

Just watched DT for the first time and then came here to binge some more content.....the idea of Israel/ Palestine you've sketched out here hasn't ages well has it? Awkward

Expand full comment
Shaun Pritchard's avatar

A second season would have been amazing! I'm so glad I "discovered" you on Armchair Expert with Dax and now look forward to your Armchaired and Dangerous episodes there. I also found a podcast with you and some other guys doing a live show, talking about some horrific event in New Zealand's history but actually enjoyed the whole thing! It's just so nice to have found a voice who maybe can't make sense of an absolutely horrible year but is a voice of reason during this incredibly crazy time and listening to you makes me feel like I haven't totally lost it. You should definitely come to Texas sometime, you wouldn't believe the crap we do on a daily basis and it's a pretty big state so it would keep you busy for awhile.

Happy new year! Hindsight is 2020

Expand full comment