https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN6pSBOlVqE
The clip above is from Season 4 of Extreme World but helps to show the style of these documentaries, hence why its used across all seasons.
Season 1 |
Season 2 |
Season 3 |
Season 4 |
Season 5 |
Season 6 |
Episode Guide
Texas
West Bank
Manila
Naples
Madagascar
Now in its sixth season, Ross Kemp’s documentary series Extreme World returns with another slice of raw realism and culturally relevant issues, even if it isn’t quite as explosive as some of the previous seasons. Narrated by Ross Kemp himself, this season sees the ex-soap star travel to various locations around the world including Texas, Naples and Madagascar to discuss issues affecting that area of the world. From a growing race war to a devastating new drug called hydro, Extreme World provides another excellent slice of documentary entertainment.
Much like previous seasons, Extreme World follows an episodic format with each episode tackling a different issue affecting the world today. Each are structured in much the same way as they have done in previous seasons, with an impartial view to each topic narrated by Ross Kemp himself and various interviews with each side dominating the bulk of the episode. This impartial approach Ross takes to this by interviewing both sides of a conflict is a refreshing change from other agenda-driven documentaries that feel biased in the way they’re depicted.
This impartial approach to filming ultimately makes Extreme World one of the best documentary series out there tackling these sort of human issues. The boots-on-the-ground approach to filming is largely unchanged this year; with numerous hand held camera shots and Ross himself acknowledging the film crew it gives the show a raw realism that’s refreshing in the world of glossy, polished documentaries. The balance between this and a series of establishing shots with Ross narrating facts and background around the issue at hand breaks up the episodes and gives each a consistent pacing.
After some of the explosive episodes that have occurred in the history of Extreme World, it was always going to be tough to maintain that level of adrenaline-fuelled entertainment going into the sixth season. Whilst this documentary series is still consistently great quality, there isn’t anything here that’s inherently different or as intense as the previous episodes in the show’s history. Its a minor gripe but those going into this expecting something as intense as the full scale riots and gun fights that have occurred in previous seasons will be left disappointed.
The sixth season of Ross Kemp: Extreme World proves yet again that Ross Kemp’s style of impartial journalism at ground level is incredibly informative. The way Ross interviews both sides of the conflict explored in each episode helps give Extreme World a fair view of the world lacking in many other documentaries of this nature. Whilst the sixth season feels familiar in its delivery, the episodes and issues explored this year are more thought provocative than adrenaline-fuelled. If you’re looking for a documentary series that’s realistic, shocking and culturally relevant, you can’t go wrong with Extreme World that proves it can still deliver an excellent documentary experience unlike anything else out there.
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Verdict - 8/10
8/10