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Season 1 – Down to Earth With Zac Efron

Play trailer 1:25 Poster for Season 1 – Down to Earth With Zac Efron Jul 2020 Travel Adventure Play Trailer Watchlist
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71% Tomatometer 14 Reviews 79% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
Zac Efron and superfoods expert Darin Olien travel the world in search of the secrets to good health, a long life, and a higher level of eco-consciousness. Adventure, laughs and goat-milking ensue. This is a binge-worthy travelogue, food odyssey, and eco-warrior series that takes the star out of his comfort zone and into the far corners of the world. Though the series's focus on travel, life experience, nature, green energy and sustainable living practices is quite entertaining, some critics have questioned the validity of the health and science information.
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Down to Earth With Zac Efron — Season 1

Down to Earth With Zac Efron — Season 1

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Critics Consensus

Zac Efron's earnest exploration certainly comes off as Down to Earth, but the show's lack of focus undermines its important environmental message.

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Critics Reviews

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Dianne de Guzman San Francisco Chronicle 08/13/2020
Misguided, maybe. Perhaps lacking fact-checkers, too. But is the show redeemable at this point? Perhaps it is. Go to Full Review
Mallika Khanna Bitch Media 08/04/2020
Framed within the realm of "eco-innovators" and "superfood enthusiasts," sustainability becomes yet another pursuit for capitalism to dig its claws into and monetize. Go to Full Review
Daniel Fienberg The Hollywood Reporter 07/13/2020
He has been acting since he was a kid, and he's lived his life experiencing highs and lows in the public eye, but to watch him here, you'd think he was just an ordinary hunk with the resources to travel the world looking for ways to improve civilization Go to Full Review
Melissa Camacho Common Sense Media 08/22/2020
3/5
Celeb's eco-travels more entertaining than informative. Go to Full Review
Laura Bradley The Daily Beast 08/04/2020
More entertaining than it is educational. But Efron seems genuinely invested in sparking curiosity around a subject that is both vital and, speaking as a former environmental reporter, difficult to make people actually care about. Go to Full Review
Daniel Hart Ready Steady Cut 08/04/2020
3.5/5
Down to Earth With Zac Efron is an easy-to-follow Netflix series that uses a star to platform a real problem - we need to save the earth and open our minds for long term survival. And there is nothing wrong with that. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Daniel S Dec 1 It’s remarkably embarrassing. I can’t tell if it’s a genius parody or only worth watching for the Zac Effron schadenfreude. Californians abroad doing pseudo science and being awkwardly emotional interspersed with lots of expressions of appreciation and respect and wow … See more Stephen C @bob25009 Oct 8 8 real episodes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All ages admitted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See more Florence R 04/16/2024 What if caring about the planet and those who live on it was all but boring ? What if spectacular images, natural kindness and open-mindedness could make us a little more tolerant, give us just a bit oh hope ? Zac Efron and Darin Olien explore several countries in search of concrete solutions to develop a more sustainable lifestyle. Water, food, energy production, respect for flora and fauna, and of course global warming… Each episode presents the facts of the problem and suggests concrete ways for improvement. Important changes, but also small things that everyone can do without changing their lifestyle. The beauty of the images is breathtaking. Discovering little-known cultures, customs and research is an enriching experience. Down to earth is, to my knowledge, the only series to give such recognition to aboriginal peoples, for example, and bravo for that! I’ve read reviews of the series that I find simplistic. It says that only Zac Efron fans can love it. Personally, I only knew his name, which I associated with mediocre films for young people, but he’s risen in my esteem. Using one’s notoriety to attract the public to a just cause is much more meaningful than what most stars do. More importantly, the series was accused of being too light-hearted, and even of advocating unfounded medical practices. I may be a vegan living a very simple, low consuming life, but I am old enough to know that if you want to convince as many people as possible, you have to COMPROMISE. Simply stating the awful reality of the damages inflicted to our poor planet, advocating radical changes, it’s true, but it’s not a good strategy. Nobody wants to watch a depressing, moralistic show. Down to earth has opted for a much more positive approach, conveying feasible solutions, confidence in humanity and hope. Simplistic? Perhaps. But indispensable. As for the critics about millennia-old practices that traditional science scorns, it’s a classic of narrow-minded people. My father is a scientist, and he taught me that the the true scientist doubts. Open-mindedness is what drives science forward. Of course doubt works both ways, nobody should believe a guru without solid ground for conviction. But that’s not what I saw. When the medicinal properties of plants are presented, I see a field that the pharmaceutical industry should explore! In my opinion, down to earth is an excellent show, featuring wonderful people and hopeful solutions. It should be shown in schools and DVDs given to all the grumpy people who pollute our beautiful planet. See more Denji D 05/31/2023 I love how this docuseries can move everyone's mindest and be open to what is happening around us. It shows how people and small communities build innovations for a better tomorrow. See more 01/25/2022 "Wow" and "mind blowing". That's the main contribution of the hosts, no depth whatsoever. As a UE citizen, the France episode was mostly uninteresting as having mineral water by the city is a reality for most European cities ( thankfully!!), and everything in the series gave me the impression of its sustainability being capitalized because it's seen as trendy right now. Also, funny (NOT) how Zac Efron's interest in sustainable lifestyle and fighting climate change starts and ends with the promo for this series. Disappointed but not surprised, sadly. The only positive feedback I have is that I'm happy that some sustainable realities had a chance to have visibility. That's not nearly enough though. See more 06/02/2021 The locations were genuinely interesting, but there was a lot of messing about in unfunny ways by the two hosts that took away from time spent in location. Not sure Dilan was needed at all. Also some weird uncomfortable moments from rude crew members to experts... See more Read all reviews
Down to Earth With Zac Efron — Season 1

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Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Jul 10, 2020 Iceland Zac and Darin get an up-close look at Iceland's renewable energy efforts; they also soak in a spa, sample reindeer meat and view natural wonders. Details Episode 2 Aired Jul 10, 2020 France Before heading to Paris to learn about its tap water system, Zac joins friend Anna Kendrick for a lesson in H2O from a water sommelier in Los Angeles. Details Episode 3 Aired Jul 10, 2020 Costa Rica In Costa Rica, Zac and Darin try out life in a swanky eco-village committed to a small environmental footprint; they visit a wildlife refuge and enjoy a zip-lining trip. Details Episode 4 Aired Jul 10, 2020 Sardinia Sardinia boasts a notable number of centenarians, causing Zac to rethink his views on nutrition as he ponders how the locals live such long healthy lives. Details Episode 5 Aired Jul 10, 2020 Lima Zac and Darin head to Peru to delve into potato cryopreservation, biopiracy and the sport of sandboarding. Details Episode 6 Aired Jul 10, 2020 Puerto Rico In the wake of Hurricane Maria, Zac explores sustainability in Puerto Rico where he meets chef José Andrés, milks a goat and eats ceviche. Details Episode 7 Aired Jul 10, 2020 London Zac learns about beekeeping on a New York City rooftop, then he heads to London to check out its pollution-reduction efforts, from wall gardening to trash collecting. Details Episode 8 Aired Jul 10, 2020 Iquitos In the Amazon rainforest, Zac boosts his immune system, climbs a tree, explores ayahuasca tourism, and watches his dinner wriggle on a plate. Details
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Season Info

Executive Producer
Jason Barrett, Griffin Gmelich, Cisco Henson, Darin Olien, Michael Simkin, Brian Volk-Weiss
Network
Netflix
Rating
TV-PG (L)
Genre
Travel, Adventure
Original Language
English
Release Date
Jul 10, 2020
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