Men In Kilts: Season 2 Review
By Sioph LealSam Heughan and Graham McTavish hit the road again with season two of “Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip with Sam and Graham,” taking fans on a new journey through the adventure capital of the world: New Zealand. The two friends bring their kilts “down under” as they explore New Zealand’s action packed, adrenaline-fuelled land and culture in this travel docu-series. Like the first season, the Men in Kilts explores different cultures and attractions of New Zealand, while finding links to Scottish heritage.
The first episode, ‘Scottish Influence’ touches on some of the Scottish in New Zealand. From the 20% of New Zealanders who claim Scottish heritage to the first commercial bungee jumping opening in 1988, the first episode is short but tries to cover a lot. Heughan and McTavish tackle zipping down mountains, standing on top of a glacier and coming face to face with a terrifying an apex predator. Though brief, this episode highlights the more playful part of Heughan’s and McTavish’s friendship.
Later in the series, the Scottish duo immerse themselves in the rich culture of the Māori. Episodes touch on how the British settlers arrived in New Zealand and how the Māori were forced to adapt to the British system of rules and regulations. The new laws that affected the Māori directly, and over time separated them from their land. It’s clear to see the similarities between the British trying to eradicate the Māori culture, as they had tried to do with the Scottish culture by banning clan tartans and playing of the bagpipes. The second episode is by far the strongest as it doesn’t just focus on the two men trying the various tourist attractions. Seeing them dive into the Māori culture with care and respect was beautiful to see. Having people of the Māori culture explaining the complexities of a Tā moko and how sentimental they are to the Māori. The Tā moko takes the duo to an emotional place, exploring their family dynamics and how they are connected to the men they are today. There is so much to be said for identity and reclaiming a culture that was once outlawed that makes this episode one of the best to watch.
Heughan and McTavish clearly have a great chemistry, which makes even the clearly scripted parts easy to watch. They have a banter that feels natural, even when Heughan is goading McTavish during some stressful situations. As the two friends talk, it’s hard not to find yourself grinning at some of their banter. The only downside of the series is how often Heughan links various activities to his show Outlander. While Outlander is a big part of his career, the frequent mentions sometimes take you out of their thrill-seeking adventures.
The first two episodes were streamed for review.
Men in Kilts, season 2, is available to stream on Friday, 11 August on the LIONSGATE+