Louis Theroux's Weird Weekends

While David Attenborough might have been rightly lauded for his investigation into the lives of species we previously knew nothing about, where's Louis Theroux's knighthood? Mr Theroux's walks on the weird side of American subcultures resulted in him seeing things that'd make even the most open-minded naturalist blush.

In any other hands, a documentary on hardline evangelical Christians or Aryan survivalists could slip into point and stare freak-shows, or unwatchable shouting matches ending in both parties red-faced and sulking. With Louis' perfect manners, probing mind and careful curiosity, instead of becoming one-dimensional hate figures, even the most appalling and unreasonable interviewees are allowed to dig their own hole, rather than facing a tirade of accusations and spleen which would have made Gandhi lash out.

Weird Weekends isn't just about the big issues. Some of the most entertaining, enlightening and down-right hilarious moments come when Louis' overnight bag is waiting in the hallway of some of the more colourful characters who ply their trades Stateside. Take the UFO Hunters for example. Until you've seen an elderly man attempting to contact beings from another galaxy whilst sat in his living room chair, or heard him start channelling their voices with the immortal line "this is mission control", you can't appreciate just how unearthly some people's beliefs really are.

Louis also spends some quality time getting better acquainted with what Alan Partridge might have called 'sex people'. Swingers and porn stars get the full Theroux treatment, and what emerges is surprisingly touching, informative and dignified. That said Louis' little boy lost expression should henceforth be used to define the word 'terrified'.