Departures — 2008-2010 · 3 seasons · 42 eps

★ 8.9

Departures poster

Departures

2008-2010 3 seasons 42 episodes

★ 8.9 (2,402 votes) Top 7%

From epic landscapes and unforgettable culture, to the often trying times that come with international travel, Departures chronicles the unforgettable friendships, personal successes and sometimes crushing disappointments that befall travellers Scott Wilson and Justin Lukach on their journey. Departures is as much about the journey as it is the destination.

Episode Ratings Grid

Every episode at a glance, color-coded by rating. Rows are episode numbers within each season, columns are seasons.

Size: M

S1

S2

S3

E1

8.0

7.7

8.7

E2

8.0

7.8

8.5

E3

7.7

8.2

8.9

E4

8.1

7.8

8.6

E5

8.1

7.5

8.6

E6

7.9

8.6

8.2

E7

7.5

8.5

7.9

E8

7.9

8.4

8.1

E9

8.0

8.9

8.1

E10

8.0

8.3

8.1

E11

8.5

8.0

7.9

E12

?

8.5

7.6

E13

?

8.6

8.0

E14

7.8

E15

7.7

E16

8.1

Avg

8.0

8.2

8.2

Great

Good

Episode Power Rankings

The best and worst episodes at a glance. Use this to find must-watch episodes or ones you might want to skip.

🏆 Top Episodes

#1 8.9

S2E9 Zambia

Scott and Justin ultimately find themselves in the midst of some of the most wild roads and dangerous animals on the planet. Sleeping in a tree-blind while lions walk directly under them or taking a walking safari is no match to the real situation with the people they meet. The guys experience a way of life that is so drastically different than theirs, impoverished and battling the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the guys witness the joy and sorrow at a small church ceremony and gain a fresh outlook from their new Zambian friends.

#2

S3E3 8.9

Sri Lanka

Travelling to Sri Lanka at the tail end of the 25-year civil war, the guys expect to visit a war-torn country, yet discover a different land. From exploring the wonders of Sigiriya, an ancient rock fortress and palace ruin, to visiting Sri Lanka’s indigenous inhabitants, the Veddas tribe, and joining the pilgrimage up Adam’s Peak, the guys experience a beautiful and culturally rich country. They get to Sri Lanka’s capital city, Colombo, just in time to see the Navam Perahera – a spectacular parade made up of thousands of dancers and acrobats, and over a hundred decorated elephants.

#3

S3E1 8.7

Russia: Comrades and Capitals

Anything is possible in Russia. Scott and Justin meet up with their friend Bogdan and visit the last man living in the radioactive zone in Chernobyl. They visit St. Petersburg for some homemade vodka and to celebrate Bogdan’s birthday, before hopping on an overnight train to Moscow. The adventures in Moscow are diverse: An awkward visit to a Russian bath, a wild night out in an exhilarating dance club and a chance to drive a cold-war military tank. Next, they fly to Siberia and meet a vodka-slamming shaman, who puts them all to shame on the dance floor.

4. S2E6 "Mongolia: Tribes and Tribulations" 8.6
5. S2E13 "Antarctica" 8.6
6. S3E4 "Vietnam" 8.6
7. S3E5 "Papua New Guinea: Fire and Water" 8.6
8. S1E11 "Thailand" 8.5
9. S2E7 "Mongolia: Meals and Wheels" 8.5
10. S2E12 "Chile: Ends of the Earth" 8.5

📉 Bottom Episodes

#40

S2E5 7.5

Cuba

Avoiding the resorts and the all-inclusive vacation, Scott and Justin rent a car and head towards the tobacco fields around Viñales. They’re looking for a specific farmer to return a picture to him from a friend who visited years ago. After the successful search and a visit into the farmer’s home, they grab a couple of horses to ride into the countryside and try some sugarcane rum. On their way to Trinidad they pick up a hitchhiker, play a game of baseball with some kids, and are invited to take part in a traditional Santeria ceremony. But even the swinging machete, beating drums, sacrificed chicken, rum and cigars won’t end this trip. The three drive along the south east coast and visit Fidel Castro’s remote hideout on their way to Carnival in Santiago de Cuba.

39. S1E7 "Japan: The Past" 7.5
38. S3E12 "North Korea: The Other Side" 7.6
37. S3E15 "Indonesia: A home away" 7.7
36. S2E1 "Morocco" 7.7

The Quality Arc

Each point is an episode, plotted chronologically. The colored bands mark season boundaries. Look for upward or downward trends to see if quality improved or declined over time.

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Episode Engagement

Vote count shows how many people cared enough to rate. High votes + high rating = beloved classic. High votes + low rating = notorious stinker. Low votes + high rating = hidden gem.

Rating threshold:

21 Standouts

0 Infamous

19 Hidden Gems

0 Forgettable

Top Standout: S1E1 Canada: Ocean to Ocean

Best Hidden Gem: S3E5 Papua New Guinea: Fire and Water

Episodes plotted by rating vs. vote count. The vertical line marks the rating threshold (7.5). More votes = more engagement. Toggle above to compare against global or show-specific median.

Series Trajectory

A simplified view: one point per season. This smooths out episode-to-episode noise to show the overall arc of the series.

Trend

Season Momentum

Did each season build momentum or fizzle out? Green arrows mean the finale rated higher than the premiere. Red means the opposite. Longer arrows = bigger swings.

Season Consistency

Some seasons are reliable bangers. Others are hit-or-miss. Each dot is an episode. Tightly clustered dots mean consistent quality. Scattered dots mean a mixed bag.

Each dot is an episode. Clustered dots = consistent quality. Scattered dots = variable season. Hover for episode details.