Director: Nic Stacey
Cast: Jeff Goldblum
Episode One — “Sneakers”
Air Date: 19/11/2018
The World According to Jeff Goldblum is currently streaming on Disney+ (first three episodes available).
In recent years, Jeff Goldblum has become an internet favorite thanks to his eccentric interviews and red-carpet flair. I’m not sure exactly when the meme-ification peaked, but it feels like it coincided with Thor: Ragnarok, in which he played the wonderfully odd Grandmaster. Now he fronts Disney+’s documentary series The World According to Jeff Goldblum.
In the premiere, Goldblum explores the sneaker industry and the booming market for exclusive, collectible shoes—from the floor of Sneaker Con, where hundreds of thousands of dollars change hands, to Adidas HQ, a YouTuber’s home, and the workshop of The Shoe Surgeon, renowned customizer Dominic Chambrone, who helps craft a bespoke pair for Jeff.
Little is learned in the episode and, as fun as Jeff can be to watch, he’s not a particularly strong interviewer. As a documentary, this sets up The World According to Jeff Goldblum to be of limited interest. As a showcase for Jeff Goldblum memes, it’ll likely thrive.
After watching, I Googled “The Shoe Surgeon” and found a more insightful VICE piece on Dominic Chambrone and the custom-sneaker scene than anything the episode covers.
The show floats intriguing questions—Why do people spend ridiculous amounts on shoes? Why buy to shelve and not wear? Is this consumerism at its purest or something else?—but doesn’t meaningfully tackle them.
If you’re a Jeff Goldblum super-fan, this will deliver plenty of chuckles. But the core concept—Jeff dipping into random topics—feels better suited to short-form. The half-hour plays like a producer is hustling Jeff between locations with minimal prep. If it’s truly the “world according to,” it needs to feel more honest and include more of Jeff’s thoughts—not just Jeff-isms.
I didn’t start the episode wanting a deep dive on sneaker collecting, so maybe its success lies in prompting that Google search afterwards. This is doco-lite, with the entertainment value tied to your affection for Goldblum. Personally, I found it more boring than cleaning shoes.
