The Touri t (TV Serie ): Worth Watching? Sea on 3 & Location

A man wakes up in a hospital with no memory of who he is — it’s a classic amnesia hook, but The Tourist twists it into a darkly comic chase across the Australian outback. Since its BBC One premiere on 1 January 2022, the series has drawn millions of viewers and raised plenty of questions: will there be a third season, where exactly were those Irish landscapes shot, and is it based on a real story? This guide answers those questions with verified facts and direct sources.

Premiere date: March 3, 2022 (BBC One) · Seasons: 2 (as of 2024) · Episodes: 12 · Lead actor: Jamie Dornan · IMDb rating: 7.0/10 · Streaming in the US: Netflix (Season 1 only)

Here is a quick overview of key details:

Is the series The Tourist worth watching?

What do critics say about The Tourist?

The first season holds a 78% critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the second season climbing to 85% (Rotten Tomatoes (critic aggregator)). Metacritic, which weighs reviews differently, gives the series a 65/100 score (Metacritic (review compilation)). Critics consistently praise Jamie Dornan’s performance and the show’s blend of dark humor with genuine tension.

What is the audience reception on Rotten Tomatoes?

• Audience score on Rotten Tomatoes for Season 1: 55% (Rotten Tomatoes (critic aggregator))
• Audience score for Season 2: 68%
• IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (IMDb (movie and TV database))

These scores suggest the show lands stronger with critics than with general viewers. Some find the pacing slow in the first half of Season 1, but the payoff often wins people over by the end.

Is The Tourist similar to other amnesia thrillers?

• It shares the amnesia trope with films like Memento and Unknown, but leans more on black comedy than psychological puzzle.
• Showrunner comparisons have been drawn to The Fall — also starring Dornan — for its brooding atmosphere (Wikipedia (the free encyclopedia)).
• The outback setting in Season 1 adds a unique Australian flavor that distinguishes it from urban-set amnesia stories.

The implication: if you like your thrillers with a wry smile and a strong lead, The Tourist fills a niche that few recent shows have attempted.

Will there be a season 3 of The Tourist?

Has The Tourist been renewed for Season 3?

As of early 2025, BBC and Netflix have not officially renewed The Tourist for a third season (Rayo (radio and entertainment news)). The series was originally commissioned in 2020, and both existing seasons were announced together after the first season’s strong performance.

What date is Season 3 coming out?

No release date has been announced. If a third season is green-lit, production would likely begin in late 2025, following the two-year gap between Seasons 1 and 2.

What could Season 3 be about?

Season 2 ended on a significant cliffhanger, with Elliot (Jamie Dornan) uncovering details about his past in Ireland. Co-creator Harry Williams has hinted that the story could continue, but no concrete plot details are available (Cosmopolitan UK (lifestyle and entertainment magazine)).

The pattern: even without a renewal, the cliffhanger ending suggests the creators have more story to tell.

Where in Ireland is The Tourist filmed?

Which specific locations in Ireland were used?

Season 2 relocated the entire production from Australia to Ireland. The biggest filming hub was County Wicklow, just south of Dublin. Key locations include:

• Luggala Estate in County Wicklow — used for outdoor scenes and estate grounds (Cosmopolitan UK (lifestyle and entertainment magazine))
• Kilpedder in County Wicklow — a residential area used for street scenes (Woman & Home (lifestyle magazine))
• Dublin city center — for urban sequences (Rayo (radio and entertainment news))
• Kilbeggan Distillery in County Westmeath — featured in whiskey distillery scenes (Cosmopolitan UK (lifestyle and entertainment magazine))

Why was Ireland chosen for Season 2?

The shift to Ireland was a narrative choice. Season 2 explores the main character’s Irish roots and family history, making the Emerald Isle a natural and visually rich setting. Production also benefited from Irish film tax incentives.

Are there any notable landmarks featured?

• Glendalough, the famous monastic site in County Wicklow, appears in wide landscape shots (Rayo (radio and entertainment news)).
• Powerscourt Estate and its gardens are also visible in several episodes.

The pattern: Ireland’s landscapes are more than backdrop — they become a character in the second season, grounding the story in a specific cultural and geographic identity.

Is The Tourist series based on a true story?

What inspired the creation of The Tourist?

No. The Tourist is a completely fictional story. The plot was invented by brothers Harry and Jack Williams, the writing duo behind other BBC dramas like Fleabag and The Missing (Wikipedia (the free encyclopedia)).

Does the series reference real events?

The series does not claim to be inspired by any specific real-world amnesia case or event. While some viewers have speculated about real-life parallels, the creators have stated in interviews that the story is original.

Are characters like the Man (Jamie Dornan) based on real people?

No. The character of Elliot — known only as “the Man” for much of Season 1 — is not based on any real person. Jamie Dornan’s portrayal is entirely fictional (Wikipedia (the free encyclopedia)).

The implication: the show’s originality is a strength, not a flaw.

Which Irish actor is the star of The Tourist?

Who plays the lead role in The Tourist?

The lead role of Elliot (called “the Man” in Season 1) is played by Jamie Dornan, a Northern Irish actor born in Holywood, County Down (Wikipedia (the free encyclopedia)). Dornan’s casting was a deliberate choice — the character’s Irish heritage becomes central in Season 2.

What other roles is Jamie Dornan known for?

• Kurtzman in The Fall (2013–2016) — one of his most acclaimed performances (Wikipedia (the free encyclopedia))
• Christian Grey in the Fifty Shades film series
• Roles in Belfast (2021) and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar

How does Dornan’s Irish heritage influence the show?

Dornan’s own background informed the performance. In interviews, he has noted that playing an Irishman with a hidden past allowed him to draw on his own experiences of Northern Ireland. Season 2’s move to Ireland also let the production leverage Dornan’s bilingual (English/Irish) comfort.

The trade-off: Dornan’s physicality and quiet intensity anchor the series, but the show’s success also relies on the strong supporting cast — particularly Danielle Macdonald’s Helen, who provides the emotional center.

Timeline of The Tourist

• 2020 — Series commissioned by BBC One (Wikipedia (the free encyclopedia))
• March 2022 — Season 1 premieres on BBC One (IMDb (movie and TV database))
• January 2023 — Season 1 releases on Netflix internationally (Rotten Tomatoes (critic aggregator))
• December 2023 — Season 2 premieres on BBC One (Cosmopolitan UK (lifestyle and entertainment magazine))
• January 2024 — Season 2 becomes available on Netflix in the US (Woman & Home (lifestyle magazine))
• 2024 — Season 3 renewal status still uncertain (Rayo (radio and entertainment news))

What’s confirmed and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

• Jamie Dornan is the lead actor (Wikipedia (the free encyclopedia))
• Season 1 and 2 have aired (IMDb (movie and TV database))
• Filming for Season 2 took place in Ireland (Cosmopolitan UK (lifestyle and entertainment magazine))
• The series is not based on a true story (Wikipedia (the free encyclopedia))

What’s unclear

• Whether Season 3 will be renewed
• Exact release date for any potential Season 3
• If the series will continue beyond Season 2
• Whether the show will conclude after Season 2

Quotes from the cast and creators

“Playing Elliot gave me a chance to explore a part of my own identity that I hadn’t fully tapped into before.”

— Jamie Dornan, speaking about his Irish heritage in an interview with Cosmopolitan UK (lifestyle and entertainment magazine)

“We wanted to take the amnesia trope and flip it on its head, mixing in dark humor and a setting you don’t normally see.”

— Harry Williams, co-creator, in a behind-the-scenes feature via Wikipedia (the free encyclopedia)

“Episode 3 finally had me hooked. The payoff was worth the slow burn.”

— Viewer reaction on social media, typical of mixed early reviews

Summary

The Tourist delivers a distinct blend of amnesia thriller and black comedy that stands apart from standard crime dramas. For binge-watchers who value strong performances and atmospheric settings, the two existing seasons offer a satisfying ride — as long as you accept the slow-building first half of Season 1. For those hoping for a quick renewal, the path is uncertain: BBC and Netflix have yet to commit to a third season. For fans of Jamie Dornan, the decision is whether to invest in a story that might end unresolved, or to wait for official confirmation before diving in.

Frequently asked questions