The Max Travel Series With A DC Star Inspires You To Dream Big
Jason Momoa’s On the Roam docuseries just got picked up for a second season on Max, and you’re going to want to catch up on the first eight episodes that season 1 has to offer. Taking inspiration from Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown and Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, On the Roam is a travel series that boasts a similar premise and format, but primarily focuses on high levels of artistry and craftsmanship. Jason Momoa’s passion and curiosity for all things hand-made and carefully constructed never comes off as pretentious, but rather comes from a place of genuine, child-like fascination that will have you hooked from the very first episode.
Jason Momoa Is A Conduit
In his quest to restore vintage motorcycles and recreate iconic musical instruments from decades past, Jason Momoa doesn’t necessarily function as the host of On the Roam, but rather as a creative conduit that allows viewers to experience what he’s witnessing first-hand throughout his travels. The central theme of the series is that artists themselves are works of art in their own right, and should be celebrated for their life-long dedication to their creative pursuits.
In other words, Momoa doesn’t take the center stage in On the Roam. More often than not, he opens up the floor to let his idols speak, revealing how they got into their respective art-forms, and how they’ve honed their crafts over the years. His humble and down-to-earth personality allows viewers to get a high-level crash-course on bike building, photography, and the finer points of craftsmanship through the eyes of an inexperienced enthusiast who wants to learn more about the dedication that’s found behind the scenes.
Making Way For The Experts
Throughout On the Roam’s eight-episode run, Momoa gets his hands dirty and works on recreating and restoring artifacts under the guidance of seasoned experts who have been mostly working under the radar.
What makes On the Roam so addicting is the fact that Jason Momoa never claims to have even a general level of expertise, but rather an unwavering enthusiasm for the creators and builders he has admired from afar for a very long time. Using his fame and platform to highlight some of his favorite creators, Momoa visits warehouses, factories, and in some cases, the garages and basements that are responsible for forging the legacies that inspired his own creative journey and career.
But perhaps the most endearing aspect of On the Roam is how Jason Momoa simultaneously geeks out with his idols while raising money for various charitable organizations.
Musician And The Craftsmen
Season 1’s penultimate episode, “Musician and the Craftsmen,” drives this point home as Momoa works with Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top and the luthiers at Gibson Headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee to recreate his iconic 1959 Sunburst Les Paul, affectionately known as Pearly Gates. After building three duplicates of the legendary guitar, he gifts two of them to Gibbons, and has the third autographed by Gibbons himself so it can be auctioned off to raise funds for Gibson Gives, an organization that focuses primarily on music education.
Giving Back
In the same episode of On the Roam, Jason Momoa similarly auctions off custom-built guitars from his own personal collection with the help of Primus’ Les Claypool to raise money for St. Jude’s Hospital and the Make a Wish foundation.
A Series Worth Watching
On the Roam is an inspiring docuseries that places emphasis on the artistry and meticulous attention to detail that takes place on the factory floor. By learning what makes the man behind Aquaman tick, you’ll be inspired to look at the world from a place of genuine curiosity. You can stream all eight episodes on Max, and with season 2 currently in development there will be plenty more where that came from.
