Bourdain needs a break

OK, I gave him Greece, but Anthony Bourdain's uninspired prose and worn-out mien during last night's trek through Jamaica lead me to one conclusion: Tony's fourth season of "No Reservations" was overbooked.

Two months and seven episodes into the Travel Channel's most interesting show, and it's clear Bourdain's network is desperate to push its most noted personality beyond the point where he's able to remain a personality.

In Greece, Tony looked disinterested. In Jamaica, Tony looked flat-out tired. Dare I say a little old, too? Yep.

The show's lineup was a little too predictable: Tony goes to market; Tony eats local fave street food; Tony eats fish on the beach; Tony interviews local artist; Tony laments not being able to get stoned on camera; Tony stays up too late and drinks too much.

Been there, seen it, a few dozen times.

Further, Bourdain's scripts seem to have little of the insight that generally make him so engaging. He seems a little too enamored of his own word-smithing; thus, he doesn't let his subjects (whom we presume to be interesting) talk for themselves often enough.

Granted, Greece and Jamaica are just two of his episodes this year (Singapore, Berlin, Vacouver, New Orleans and London/Edinburgh were the other five), and the rest have been slightly better.

I'm sure Bourdain is just as clever, insightful and engaging as ever. In order to stay fresh, though, I just wish he'd take a vacation every once in a while.