You’ve probably seen the clips of a shirtless Terry Bradshaw trying to figure out a Japanese bidet or William Shatner looking genuinely perplexed by a plate of writhing octopus. If you missed it when it first aired on NBC, the show was called Better Late Than Never. It wasn't just another reality TV cash grab. Honestly, it was one of the most surprisingly wholesome, hilarious, and occasionally gut-wrenching travel shows to ever hit network television.
The premise sounds like the setup for a "walks into a bar" joke. You take a legendary Starfleet captain (Shatner), the Fonz (Henry Winkler), a heavyweight boxing champ (George Foreman), and a four-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback (Terry Bradshaw). Throw in a young comedian, Jeff Dye, to act as the "babysitter," and send them across Asia and Europe with no luxury hotels or private jets.
It worked. It worked because these guys—mostly in their 70s and 80s—stopped being "icons" and just became four old friends dealing with the reality of getting older while trying to stay curious.
What Was Better Late Than Never Actually About?
The show was an American adaptation of a South Korean hit called Grandpas Over Flowers. The vibe was "bucket list adventure," but the execution was pure chaos. Most reality shows are scripted to the teeth, but while Better Late Than Never had its produced moments, the chemistry between the leads was 100% authentic.
Terry Bradshaw and Henry Winkler, in particular, were the odd couple nobody knew we needed. You have Terry—this loud, boisterous, unfiltered Oklahoman who isn't afraid to look like a "hillbilly" (his words, usually) in the middle of Tokyo. Then you have Henry, who is essentially the human embodiment of a warm hug, serving as the executive producer and the "heart" of the group.
The Cast Dynamics
- Henry Winkler: The ringleader. He was the one who actually helped get the show made and chose his travel mates.
- Terry Bradshaw: The wild card. Whether he was getting naked in a spa or trying to catch a pass in a crowded street, he was the energy.
- William Shatner: The intellectual. He spent a lot of time "correcting" people with facts he may or may not have made up on the spot.
- George Foreman: The gentle giant. He was often the most soft-spoken, but his emotional breakthroughs were some of the show's heaviest moments.
- Jeff Dye: The "bag carrier." He was there to navigate the apps and the luggage, but mostly he just instigated trouble.
Why the Terry Bradshaw and Henry Winkler Connection Worked
There's a specific scene in Season 1 where the guys are in Tokyo. They're staying in a capsule hotel—basically a plastic tube in a wall. It’s cramped, it’s weird, and it’s the last place you’d expect to find multi-millionaire legends.
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Winkler and Bradshaw had this way of balancing each other out. Terry would be complaining about the food or the lack of space, and Henry would just look at him with this patient, almost parental gaze. But then, they’d have these quiet moments.
In one episode, Henry talked about his struggle with dyslexia and how "The Fonz" was a shield for him. Terry, usually the one cracking jokes, actually listened. It wasn't "TV listening." It was real. You could see the shift in their friendship. Terry later said that watching Henry interact with fans—always stopping for a photo, always being kind—changed how he viewed his own fame.
Moving Beyond the "Fish Out of Water" Tropes
Sure, there was a lot of comedy. We saw them try "Atomic Wasabi" roulette in Japan and attempt to train as matadors in Spain. But the show found its soul when it slowed down.
In Season 2, the group traveled to Berlin. This wasn't just a sightseeing trip for Henry Winkler. He used the opportunity to retrace the steps of his family members who were killed in the Holocaust. Standing at the "Stolpersteine" (stumbling stones) in the sidewalk that marked where his relatives lived before being taken to Auschwitz, the humor stopped.
The image of George Foreman—a man who literally fought his way out of poverty to become a global icon—standing silently next to a weeping Henry Winkler is something you don't get on The Bachelor.
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Terry Bradshaw had his own moments, too. While he's often the butt of the joke for his "recalcitrant child" behavior (as Shatner called it), he spoke openly about his depression and the physical toll his football career took on his body. For a guy who represents "toughness" to millions of sports fans, seeing him be vulnerable was a big deal.
Why Was It Canceled?
People still ask this. The ratings were actually pretty solid. Season 1 premiered in 2016 to over 7 million viewers. Season 2, which took them to Munich, Sweden, Lithuania, and Morocco, also performed well.
However, in July 2018, NBC decided not to move forward with a third season. There wasn't a huge scandal or a dramatic falling out. Usually, with shows like this, it comes down to the "math" of television. You have four massive stars whose schedules are nightmares to coordinate. You have the high cost of international production. And, let’s be real, these guys aren't getting any younger. Traveling for 35 days straight at 80 years old is an athletic feat in itself.
The Legacy of the "Grandpas"
Even though it only ran for two seasons (12 episodes total), Better Late Than Never left a mark. It proved that "older" celebrities didn't have to be relegated to talk show couches or cameos.
The show tackled things like:
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- Ancestry: Helping the cast find their roots in Europe.
- Mortality: Shatner’s interest in Zen Buddhism after meeting a monk in Thailand.
- Friendship: Proving that you can make "best friends" even when you're 75.
If you’re looking to watch it now, it pops up on various streaming platforms from time to time, or you can find highlights on the NBC YouTube channel. It’s worth the watch just to see George Foreman try to eat a bug with a "wingspan of a 747" while Terry Bradshaw cheers him on.
How to Apply the "Better Late Than Never" Mindset
You don't need an NBC camera crew to do what these guys did. If you're looking to recreate that spark of adventure in your own life (or for the older adults in your family), here is how to actually do it.
Don't wait for the "perfect" time. The title of the show is the whole point. Whether it’s a trip to the next town over or a flight across the ocean, the logistics will never be perfect. Just go.
Mix the generations. If you're planning a family trip, don't just put the "young people" in one group and the "seniors" in another. The best parts of the show came from Jeff Dye (the millennial) clashing with and then learning from the "legends." That friction creates the best memories.
Be willing to look stupid. Terry Bradshaw was the MVP of the show because he didn't care about his "brand." He was willing to fail, to trip, and to eat things that looked like aliens. That’s where the growth happens.
To revisit the journey, you can check out the episode guides on IMDb or the official NBC site to see the specific cities they visited, from the neon lights of Tokyo to the desert sands of the Sahara.
Next Steps:
If you want to dive deeper into the specific episodes, I can break down the "Must-Watch" list from Season 1 (The Asia Trip) versus Season 2 (The Europe/Africa Trip) so you know which ones have the best Bradshaw/Winkler moments. I can also pull together the specific filming locations in Kyoto and Seoul if you're planning your own "bucket list" itinerary.