Series synopsis
The Moaning of Life is a British comedy documentary television series that premiered on Sky One on October 20, 2013. It ended on November 17, 2015. It stars Karl Pilkington and John Montgomery.
Now Karl’s turned 40 and has officially hit middle age, it’s time for him to re-assess his life. He’s not married, he doesn’t have kids, he’s got a job where he’s known as an ‘idiot’, and he’s known for being miserable. He’s classic ‘mid-life crisis’ material. As Karl attempts to put his life in order, he’ll be dispatched around the world on a crash course to find out how other cultures deal with life’s big questions. The ups and downs of Karl’s experiences will be contrasted against the beautif ...
Premise
Now Karl’s turned 40 and has officially hit middle age, it’s time for him to re-assess his life. He’s not married, he doesn’t have kids, he’s got a job where he’s known as an ‘idiot’, and he’s known for being miserable. He’s classic ‘mid-life crisis’ material. As Karl attempts to put his life in order, he’ll be dispatched around the world on a crash course to find out how other cultures deal with life’s big questions. The ups and downs of Karl’s experiences will be contrasted against the beautiful geography of the countries he visits, captured on HD with stunning aerial photography.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Karl Pilkington as Karl Pilkington
- John Montgomery as Opening Narrator (voice)
Guest cast
- Benjamin Green as Self (voice)
- Jamie Sue Sherrill as Self - Nurse
- Matthew Silver as Self - NYC Performance Artist
- Richard Yee as Self
Episodes
This series spans 3 seasons with 19 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 8 | ||
| Season 1 | 5 | October 20, 2013 | November 17, 2013 |
| Season 2 | 6 | October 13, 2015 | November 17, 2015 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Boyd Hilton Interview Karl is interviewed by Heat magazine’s Boyd Hilton. |
|
| 2 | Series 1 Deleted Scenes | |
| 3 | Series 2 Deleted Scenes Art |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Marriage Karl Pilkington travels the world in search of answers to some of life's most important questions. He begins with marriage, wondering whether he is wrong about not wanting to tie the knot with his long-term girlfriend. In Delhi, he gains an insight into arranged marriages by going on a date with a prospective wife - and her parents - and in Bangalore, he is asked to help a pair of elite wedding planners. He also sniffs out a scientific approach to finding the perfect partner in LA, before searching for an alternative way of getting hitched in Las Vegas. |
October 20, 2013 |
| 2 |
Happiness Karl Pilkington tries to find out how people achieve happiness, something he isn't sure it is worth pursuing. In Mexico, he joins members of a tribe who enjoy running ultra-marathons and meets a group that finds pleasure in pain. In LA he hangs out with some hip-hop clowns, experiences a day of beauty with a plastic-surgery addict and gives up his possessions to see if the simple life is the answer to contentment. |
October 27, 2013 |
| 3 |
Kids Why do people have children? That's the puzzler bothering world-weary philosopher Karl this week. Travelling the globe, he tries to understand why couples feel the need to become parents, visiting a fertility festival in Japan and a natural birthing centre in Bali - where he lends a hand with a delivery - and meets an LA couple looking to take the next step. |
November 3, 2013 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Art Karl Pilkington goes back on the road in search of the answers to more of life's big questions, beginning by heading to America to consider the point of art. He meets artists who make sculptures out of dog muck, attempts to create a masterpiece from his own vomit and strips down to his pants for a spot of performance art in Times Square. |
October 13, 2015 |
| 2 |
Identity Karl tries on toupées and slips into ladies' clothes as he explores the factors that shape our identity. |
October 20, 2015 |
| 3 |
How to Live Your Life Karl meets a group of vigilante superheroes in San Diego as he goes in search of people with unique attitudes towards life. |
October 27, 2015 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | Sky One |
|---|---|
| First aired | October 20, 2013 |
| Last aired | November 17, 2015 |
| Runtime | 45 minutes |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Tuesday at 21:00:00 |