Blog: ‘Down to Earth’
If viewers can get past their opinions of Zac Efron, I think Down to Earth is a show we could all benefit from watching.
This travel series follows actor Zac Efron and author/healthy living enthusiast Darin Olien on their journey around the globe in search of healthier ways to live. We’re taken to places like Sardinia, Italy where its people credit their long lives to low protein consumption. Viewers are educated on the complexity of water and how France provides clean, fresh water to all of its citizens — including the homeless. And the people of Iceland share their secrets on how they operate on renewable energy through geothermal and hydroelectric power. I was intrigued. I think working at a restaurant that thrived off of sustainability was the starting point for my interest in a healthier lifestyle for not only myself but for our beloved planet Earth.
I’ve heard many good things about this show but I have also heard negatives about it. Interestingly enough, the negative comments, for the most part, are all the same. People claim that although Down to Earth has a strong concept, Efron is hard to watch as a host due to his lack of knowledge and bro-like demeanor. Now, this is just my humble opinion but I don’t think Efron is a bad host. He’s a tad silly and not as educated on the subject like his co-star Olien but he’s using his platform to bring awareness. You have to applaud him for that. He even explains that he was inspired to learn more about healthy living when he listened to Olien on a podcast a few years ago. He’s learning as he goes, just like we are while watching. Maybe you don’t like him for that and that’s cool. I just don’t think that should take away from the bigger picture. You have to give Efron props for wanting to be known for more than just his successful entertainment career.
One of my absolute favorite episodes is the second which focuses on the quality of water. Sound silly? You’d be surprised to learn that there are brands of water that are quite bad for you and actually dehydrate you. Usually, I pop into a gas station and snatch a random water bottle and don’t really question it. Or people purchase water bottles in bulk from the store and since they say “purified” you assume it’s good water. But apparently, you shouldn’t be consuming any sort of purified water. Sketch. We’ve been conditioned to consume a certain amount of water each day for our overall health but no one ever told me to be conscious of the type of water I’m putting into my body. Apparently, you need to drink water with high TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) levels. If you’re skeptical about the likelihood that you’ll take to this show, at least watch this episode.
Watching Down to Earth gives me a serious itch to travel. Although the show is uber informative on healthier ways to live, it also includes insane shots of the landscapes. The waterfalls in Iceland are striking and the villages in Costa Rica are surrounded by thick, beautiful greenery. Unfortunately, COVID is putting a damper on travel desires right now.
If you’re looking for a show that’s more in-depth about its subject, then perhaps this isn’t the show for you. Down to Earth is, for the most part, rather surface-level/introductory. Efron’s voice-overs can sometimes be a wee bit cheesy and most of the people we’re introduced to have a connection with Olien on some level. Not that that’s a bad thing, but I did read a lot of comments from people complaining about wanting more interaction with the locals. But if this all piques your interest, the episodes are around 30 minutes and easy to breeze through. And, if anything, watch the water episode!
You can stream Down to Earth now on Netflix.
