Louis Theroux Is Returning.

Good news, Louis is back soon - a new series of ten TV shows in going into production, with all subjects remaining secret at this point. Looking forwards to these already, and may venture back and pick up his book, 'The Call of the Weird' which is a journey back to see the progress of those he has previously interviewed. Anyway, remember Michael Moore's Early 1990s Series 'TV Nation'? Louis had a segment within the show, and later a series of his own that expanded these ideas - to follow people living strange and eccentric lives and highlite how oddly they lived through, partly, his own incredibly down-to-earth and natural approach to life, and also his razor-sharp observations and innocent (in appearance only) questions which were more often than not answered very directly and innocently.

For many folk he was involved with in his series 'Weird Weekends', at least initially, he appeared a typical investigative journalist. As time went on, as the following grew, it was more apparent to people what his abilities were - fun was, that it was hard to keep track and control how he managed to work his way into his interviewees minds, and although many were attracted in order to reveal a side of them they believed the public wasn't aware of, there was always a downside : you would be the talk of the town for some time to come, and potentially the show would become a generations dominant memory of you.

Later series, including his 'Louis Meets...' had him with famously eccentric british celebrities and politicians, giving him often unpresidented access to their lives and baring their soul in a way which they could easily live to regret or hope to capitalise upon. Some of this work easily rates amongst the first of the relatively modern phenomenon of uncomfortable comedy that has appeared in later Sitcoms, some of it easily the best form of interview I can imagine. Very disarming with his apparent innocence, charm and honesty, very clinical in one respect, very sharp and often appears as a whole during editing in a way which would wrong-foot the sharpest observer experiencing his techniques first hand.

'Louis Theroux : At Home with the Hamiltons' Overview, Including Viewer Comments from 2001 at BBC.

'Louis Theroux Weir Weekends Volume 1 on R2 UK DVD at Amazon.co.uk [Direct Link].
'Louis Theroux Weir Weekends Volume 2 on R2 UK DVD at Amazon.co.uk [Direct Link].
'Louis Theroux Weir Weekends Volume 3 on R2 UK DVD at Amazon.co.uk [Direct Link].
'Louis Theroux Weir Weekends Volume 4 on R2 UK DVD at Amazon.co.uk [Direct Link].

'Louis Theroux : Call of the Weird' in Hardback and Audio Book at Amazon.co.uk [Direct Links].