Extreme Fishing II With Robson Green   Starring: Robson Green Acorn Media UK RRP: £24.99 AV9727 Certificate: E Available 01 February 2010

Actor and passionate fisherman Robson Green experiences more breathtaking adventures of the wet and wild kind in the second series of Extreme Fishing. Green searches out the biggest, the strangest, the rarest and the hardest to catch fish on the planet. Working alongside some of the finest in their field, he learns more than he’d like to, works harder than he meant to, and eats... well some things that just shouldn’t be eaten. This series finds Robson island hopping in Canada; ice fishing in Alaska; fishing - and singing - with the Maori in New Zealand; facing crocodiles, rare sea snails and octopuses in Australia; fishing for the elusive striped Bass in North America; struggling with the Mekong Giant Catfish in Thailand; and experiencing jellyfish in the Philippines...

For those that have seen Extreme Fishing, Extreme Fishing II represents more of the same. Here Robson Green travels across the globe taking in the sights as well as hiring local expert fishing crews; experiencing what it's like for professional fishermen who are at sea more than they are on dry land; partake in some traditional fishing practices and rituals; and attempts to prove that he can live off what he catches - well, at least that's what he starts to say about half way through the series. I'm not sure whether this was always the plan, but it wasn't made that clear at the start of the series.

While the show's premise is extremely interesting, even to those that aren't particularly keen on fishing, the biggest disappointment is Green's presenting skills. While it might be for comedy effect, being rude to your host - when they are actually trying to help you - is more rude than funny. He also goes way, way over the top with his emotions. There are points in this series where Green's erratic emotional swings almost make you want to reach for the remote control and watch something less hammy.

Disc one contains the first three episodes which see Green head off to Canada (in which he loses a bet and has to swim naked in a very cold river), Alaska (where he tries his hand at fishing with a fork) and New Zealand (where he goes fishing Māori style, free dives for crayfish and has a go at shark fishing).

Disc two contains another three episodes. This time Green heads off to Australia (where he gets up close and personal with a crocodile and goes fishing for milk fish using bread as bait), North America (starts off in Cape Cod the backdrop for a lot of scenes in Jaws, there's more shark fishing and we go in search of striped bass) and South Australia (where Green goes abalone fishing in shark infested waters, engages in some practical jokes with a crab fisherman and competes in a tuna tossing competition - where tosser jokes come thick and fast).

Disc three has the final two episodes which sees Green head off to Thailand (where a giant stingray gives him the fight of his life) and the Philippines (where he tries to stay on his own on a deserted island for 24 hours - he manages about eight hours before calling in the rescue party).

The only extras are the text based Robson Green Filmography and a picture gallery.

The locations, the actual fishing and different varieties of fish he seems to manage to catch mere seconds after dipping his rod in the water is impressive, it's just a shame Green isn't a bit less... well... English in his embracing of other customs and cuisine. Yes he does throw himself in there, but it's not without a look of "ha! stupid foreigners and their silly ways" to the camera.

8

Darren Rea