Louis Theroux

What he does successfully is disarm his interviewees. They open up because they think he is naive - this works a charm in the States. Non threatening, non presumptuous, non judgemental. Someone they think they can bamboozle by winning the intellectual argument, or talk their way out of it - which prevents the clam up.

He's like a confused kid, protected from the universe and released into the wild as an adult, wanting to understand the world.

Whether this is by accident or design, and I tend to think it's more by design, it gets the required results.

^ Exactly !
His manner and approach are absolutely deliberate. Louis is a very clever man, a brilliant investigative journalist, who has an enviable record of award winning programmes in his portfolio.

Asks a question that appears to be naive then keeps silent and allows them to dig a big hole.

The Millwaukee episode was classic Louie.

Agree with all the above, gets answers no one else would.

It's a form of manipulation really...he's very good at it he knows what he's doing, not innocence but conscious manipulation.

This Dark States series has been brilliant mind. Especially 1 & 3.

It is all just a form of (very sad poor) Manupulation & definitely done by Design

He's obviously been well versed for the Job

Theroux moved with his family to Britain at the age of one, and was brought up in London.[8] He was educated at Westminster School, a public school within the precincts of Westminster Abbey. While there he became friends with comedians Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish,[9] and the Liberal Democrat politician Nick Clegg (with whom he travelled to America).

If his naivity is simply to get them to open up then why are his follow up comments like , errmm , ooohhhh , I seeeeee (end of) !

I couldfollow up better than he ever could , he simpy drives a dagger into their heart & stops right there , leaving the viewer to feel sorry & 'make their own minds up'

Just shameful BBC tactics are per usual

Nothing of any substance whatsoever , no programs shot in the Uk (just broken America) while our pound continues to Crash ... Diddums for all you loyal viewers but you're being Duped

On again bbc2...

Very interesting how he got Saville to expose his darker side in a previous series.

Agree with moonbeam, his attempts are to embarrass people, make them feel foolish, uneasy, upset..

Not to get to the truth or to discover anything meaningful or interesting about the person he is interviewing.

Nothing is revealed, we are left with something superficial, unsatisfying about his programmes.

I disagree. I think he charms his interviewees to open up, let's them talk and then lets the viewer make their own conclusions. I like him.

can it work that way? are people that he interviews so naive and gullible , is this what he thinks himself ?
I think he underestimates other people and perhaps overestimates himself .

There is a camera , people can see that if nothing else .

If you watch eg Theroux with the Nazis , or part of it .
Quite early in there is a part where the mother answered one of his questions , can't recall it
But at the end of her answer after describing  in interesting detail her own way of thinking she turned to Theroux and says something like :
You see I can understand your way of thinking but you can't understand mine.
The camera cuts to thereoux briefly and the is a fleeting moment of shock , or realisation on his face...perhaps that possibility hadn't occurred to him ..that's the problem right there .

The woman then says did I offend you .

But the fleeting moment of shock on his face was not because of what the mother had said when answering his question. iit was because she had demonstrated that she understood him more than he did her,

Yes that thought hadn't occurred to him.

The way he disarms people is like that stupid looking American policeman with the long raincoat.

Inspector Gadget I think his name is.

:) I prefer the way Columbo disarms people.
Now Columbo is charming, and very smart .

Was on top form last week coloured guy gets shot, Louis says i heard he had children yeah 4, by how many mothers 4 they say, really says louis wow ,then the family start arguing whether its 3 or 4 mothers to the kids.