Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown will air its last new episode tonight. The food and culture show, which started in 2013, has run on CNN for 11 seasons and will conclude tonight after Bourdain's unexpected death earlier this month. The final episode will air at 9 p.m. EST on CNN.
At the time of his death, Bourdain was filming season 12 of the show. It is unclear if CNN plans to air any of that footage.
The last episode of season 11 will explore Bhutan, a remote area of South Asia, where Bourdain will feast with yak herders and visit the capital for a traditional meal. A trailer for the episode features beautiful, lush landscape saturated with fog. Bourdain speaks with an individual about the Buddhist view of life saying, "It is considered enlightening and therapeutic to think about death for a few minutes a day," his conversation is met with a response: "Life is an illusion."
The preview's depth, while chilling in context, is not abnormal for the morale of the show. While many who haven't watched believe the show to be something of a lighthearted Food Network production, Bourdain's angle is not Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.
I wasn’t really familiar with Anthony Bourdain, so I checked out Parts Unknown last night. The guy was awesome, and I feel like that show should be required viewing for everyone. The Congo episode was eye-opening and heartbreaking.
— Chris Fafalios (@chrisfafalios) June 19, 2018
Parts Unknown has been praised for merging cultures and creating an air of acceptance in a time of political disconnect. From eating a five-star meal while ice-fishing in Quebec to dining with Barack Obama in Hanoi, Vietnam, Bourdain has traveled the world, making even some of the most remote locations accessible to anyone with a television.
Bourdain used his platform to speak not only on food but also on politics and social justice. Some notable, expression heavy moments include his exploration of the 1992 Los Angeles Riots and a season three episode on Russia in which he speaks candidly on Vladimir Putin. Bourdain has consistently been open on life, death, politics and food, a large bundle of interests that CNN has fit into an hour-long network slot.
According to CNN, Netflix was set to remove Parts Unknown at the start of June, but due to lobbying fans, has renewed the show's agreement. Eight previously aired seasons of the show can be streamed on Netflix.
Some fans have noticed that Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown was scheduled to come off Netflix US on June 16. As of today, we’ve extended our agreement that will keep Parts Unknown on the service for months to come.
— Netflix (@netflix) June 12, 2018
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