In March 2006 Louis Theroux signed a deal with the BBC to produce ten films over the course of three years, much to the delight of his fans, who did not know whether he would be back on the television ever again after a lengthy absence.

• Gambling in Las Vegas
  • How ruthless is the casino with its customers, do they take advantage of people with too much money and not enough brains?
  • Watch Online: Google Video http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=8496651290175922534 (DOWN)
• The Most Hated Family in America
  • Picketting funerals of dead soldiers, this family in America have not tried their best to endear themselves to the public, Louis investigates the indoctrination of their children and even tries to convert some members away from this extremist religious cult.
  • Watch Online: Google Video http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7735501683185935638 (UP)
• Louis Theroux: Under The Knife
  • Aired October 7th, 2007. Louis investigates plastic surgery and is convinced to have some surgery of his own.
  • Watch Online: Google Video http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6373446796659353133
• Louis Theroux: Behind Bars
  • Aired January 13th, 2008
  • An investigation into San Quentin prison and relationships therein.
  • Watch Online: Google Video http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-2782724892376360707
• Louis Theroux’s African Hunting Holiday
  • Airing April 6th, 2008
  • An investigation into the South African hunting industry, due to air Winter/Spring 2008.
  • http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?area=4&article=38697
  • http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7329425.stm
• Law and Disorder: Philadelphia PD?
  • An inside look into the Philadelphia Police Department.
  • http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/07_july/10/bbctwo5.shtml
• Law and Disorder: Johannesburg?
  • Louis continues his theme of Law and Disorder, but this time in Johannesburg, South Africa.

This was Theroux’s big break into showbusiness, holding a regular prime time slot on BBC2. He mostly followed American subcultures around, investigating and researching their backgrounds, friends and enemies in the process, often presenting moral questions to the viewer, encouraging them to make up their own mind regarding the subject in hand, rather than directly give his own opinion. The show ran from 1998-2000, with a total of 17 episodes.

On the series, Louis had this to say: “Weird Weekends set out to discover the genuinely odd in the most ordinary setting. To me, it’s almost a privilege to be welcomed into these communities and to shine a light on them and, maybe, through my enthusiasm, to get people to reveal more of themselves than they may have intended. The show is laughing at me, adrift in their world, as much as at them. I don’t have to play up that stuff. I’m not a matinee idol disguised as a nerd”

• UFOs
  • Louis tours Area 51 seeking to see UFOs with his own eyes.
  • Starring: Thor Templar, Reverend Robert Short
  • Watch Online: Google Video Click Here
• Porn
  • Is it that easy to be a male porn star? Louis finds out.
  • Starring: J J Michaels
  • Watch Online: Google Video Click Here
• Swingers
  • Louis investigates the pros and cons of “the lifestyle”.
• Wrestling
  • How real is wrestling? How dangerous is it? Does Louis have what it takes to become one? Just some of the questions Louis answers in this adventure into the American subculture.
• Gangsta Rap
  • Just how dangerous and gangster are gangsta rappers? Louis finds out and tries rapping and writing some rap music of his own.
  • Starring: Mello-T, Shaun Brock, Master P?
  • Watch Online: Part 1, Part 2 ,Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
• Televangelists And Religious Cults
  • How far will Christians go to spread their word? Louis investigates the new craze of televangelism.
  • Starring: Randy James
  • Watch Online: Google Video Click Here
• Survivalists
  • Louis meets different groups of people who think the world is coming to an end.
  • Starring: Mountain Mike, Gig Lizzy
  • Watch Online: Google Video Click Here
• Infomercials?
  • Investigation into the quality of US shopping channels.
• Black Nationalists
  • Louis encounters many awkward moments interviewing black supremacy groups and discovering their extremity.
• Demolition Derby?
  • Louis tries his hand training and competing in a demolition derby, but will he make it to the final?
  • Watch Online: Part 1, Part 2 ,Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
• Off-Off Broadway
  • Louis investigates talent agencies in New York to see how they work and find out whether he has what it takes to make it big.
  • Starring: Nicole, James Lawrenzo
• Hypnosis
  • Is hypnosis real? Louis Theroux investigates several hypnosis techniques, one of which claims to turn you into a millionaire. No challenge!
  • Starring: Marshall Sylver, Michael, Ross Jeffries?
• Enlightenment
  • What is enlightenment in India? Louis visits many spiritual leaders and their followers questioning their validity.
• South Africa
  • Louis investigates white supremacy groups in South Africa.
  • Watch Online: Part 1, Part 2 ,Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
• Body Building
  • How legal are body building competitions? What risks are involved for men and women? How sexual is the underground world? Louis Theroux investigates!
  • Starring: Guy Grundy, Charles Peoples?, Tatiarna?, Maria?
• Thai Brides
  • Louis discovers what lengths men will go to marry in Thai marriage agencies.
  • Starring: Ronnie Conrad, Lake Palmer, Lawrence Lynch, Si
• Weird Christmas
  • Louis brings three familiar faces from Weird Weekends together to complete individual challenges (an evangelical balloon release, a porn shoot and a music recording) to spread good faith during the Christmas Period in New York. He also hosts a Christmas dinner for his guests while discussing their differences and what they can do to bring them closer together.
  • Starring: J J Michaels, Randy James, Mountain Mike, Reverend Short?

Theroux’s second foray into television did not disappoint. This time he followed celebrities around, regularly pressing them with quite personal questions to make the show one long stressful interview for the subject, something almost every celebrity did not expect. Louis regularly questions life decisions they have made and difficult areas for them most journalists would avoid (e.g. Anne Widdecombe’s virginity).

Series One

• When Louis Met Jimmy
  • Louis meets Jimmy Saville, has Louis finally met his match with the restless presenter?
• When Louis Met Paul and Debbie
  • Louis interviews Debbie on her new drama company while questioning Paul about their relationship.
  • Watch Online: Part 1, Part 2 ,Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
• When Louis Met The Hamiltons
  • Christine flirts outrageously with Louis but during filming the couple are arrested on accusation of rape.

Special

• Living With Louis
  • This special discusses Louis Theroux’s time with the individuals he has met on both series and contains interviews with Paul and Debbie, The Hamiltons, Jimmy Saville, Chris Eubank, Keith Harris, and Louis Theroux himself.

Series Two

• When Louis Met Ann Widdecombe
  • Louis interviews Ann, even touching on the unmentionable subject, her love life.
• When Louis Met Chris Eubank
  • Louis investigates Chris Eubank, the family man, the entertainer, and fund raiser and not to mention boxer.
• When Louis Met Keith Harris and Orville
  • Has Keith Harris got too attached to the success of him and Orville, can he ever find a way out of it? Louis finds out.
• When Louis Met Max Clifford
  • The PR Guru Max Clifford gives Louis a surprise after Max decides he doesn’t like his interviewing techniques.

Between When Louis Met and Series 3 Louis Theroux made three episodes inbetween, all released in 2003, these tend to be some of his least well known documentaries, however, all three of them are a very enjoyable watch.

• Louis and the Brothel
  • With the legality of Brothels in Nevada, Louis sets off to visit one and interview the workers there, questioning their moral decisions and having some fun himself along the way.
• Louis, Martin & Michael
  • Louis Theroux travels to America for the chance to meet Michael Jackson, but getting hold of the man turns out to be a lot more difficult than he had anticipated.
• Louis and the Nazis
  • Louis travels to America to find out more about some of the neo nazi movement.

This episode aired on October 7th 2007 and follow the plastic surgery industry. Louis is always interested in the motivation behind people doing the things they do and as such has undergone some surgery of his own for the documentary.

The following is taken from a press release by the BBC and acts as a synopsis for the show:

Louis Theroux travels to California, the birthplace of plastic surgery. In this land obsessed with beauty and self-image, just a few thousand dollars and the flick of a knife can turn people into whoever they want to be.

Louis meets Eve, who is set to perform a complete makeover on Laura. Following some initial advice about clothes, Laura’s now ready for “the next level”: a boob job, brow lift and liposuction. Sensing a bully at work, Louis wonders who’s really in control of Laura’s decisions.

He also strips off to compare bodies with Kris, a 24-year-old DJ who’s forlorn; despite hours in the gym he cannot get the sixpack he desires. It’s hurting his reputation with the “beautiful people” so he resorts to lipo-sculpting sucking out the fat between his stomach muscles.

Dr Linder is the boob-man of Beverly Hills. Cruising Rodeo Drive with Louis, he points out all the breasts he’s enlarged. It appears he’s tweaked most of LA!