Top Gear is Back: Season 15

[StarHalo]

The set of Top Gear USA

No, I don't know why the coffee table is a V12. And there's a debate about where the seats came from; leading contenders are a Jeep Cherokee for the bench and a Mini for the chair.

 

[Mjolnir]

I wish they had a more original setup than this; it seems like they are trying to copy every aspect of the original Top Gear down to the V12 coffee table and seat layout. Chances are, if they copy directly it will not be as good as the original; I think they should try to be a little unique (because I don't see anyone beating Jeremy, Richard, and James at their own game).

 

[Monocrom]

The only way Top Gear America is going to even have a remote chance of success is to copy the original. I think they realized this early on.

 

[StarHalo]

Top Gear USA display at SEMA, they certainly know how to advertise..

 

[Monocrom]

Oooo. . . High-performance taxi cabs. Complete with plastic advertising attachments on the roof of each one. :ironic:

 

[Mjolnir]

I don't understand while they still call the History channel the "History" channel, since an increasing percentage of its programming has become devoted to decidedly non historical programming, such as logging reality shows. This show also has nothing to do with history; I wish they would stick to actual historical shows like they used to which are now only found on non basic cable channels.

 

[TONY M]

. The first episode of Top Gear USA was shown last night on BBC 3 in the UK and I caught the entire episode. It was crap.

It was actually even worse than I thought it would be, just cringe worthy. The best bit was having Buzz Aldrin who I very much admire on the show, though he was only on for a short period of time and interviewed like he was a nobody:thumbsdow. If they had done something different and original then I could have liked it but the whole show is trying so desperately hard to copy the British version yet misses everything that makes it special.

Gave me a good laugh at how badly it missed the soul of the original which is what kept me watching.

Sorry to sound like a killjoy but man it was awful.

Tony

 

[Jay R]

Seconded.

Emotionless monochromatic delivery by the presenters. Bad camera and post production work. At one point they had a nice convertabe being chased around the town by an Apache and they had hill-billy music dubbed over the top. What the hell was that !

And as for the bit on the Lamborghinis, I didn't think it was possible to make a bit on three Lambos dull but somehow they managed it. They raced them down the straight and didn't even have a finish line, just slowed down to turn arond and drive back . Eh ?

Even my wife who watches some of the worst crap available on the TV sat open mouthed at how bad it was.

 

[Monocrom]

LOL !

I told you guys the American version was crap. You should have believed me! Why didn't you believe me??

 

[LukeA]

I've watched the first two seasons of your Top Gear. You guys have zero room to talk.

 

[Colorblinded]

I've watched the first two seasons of your Top Gear. You guys have zero room to talk.

I do recall the first two seasons of Top Gear UK seeming better overall, but I have to admit I thought season 2 of TG:A was an improvement in many ways after it stopped trying to completely copy TGUK. They definitely need to improve on their presentation of the 'big star, small car' segment.

 

[StarHalo]

For those who haven't heard, and have access to an XBox 360, Forza 4 just came out and it features lots of commentary by Jeremy Clarkson, the Top Gear (UK) track, the Kia Cee'd, the Chevy Lacetti/Liana, and 500+ other cars, including the Ferrari FXX, Gumpert Apollo, Koenigsegg CCX, etc. I got the Cee'd around the track in just over 1:44 not counting a cone or two, I can see why the celebrities find it so harrowing..

A screenshot (and yes, it drives as realistically as it looks; as an added bonus, when you replay your performance on the Top Gear track, all the cameras and angles are exactly the same as on the show, so it looks like you're reviewing the run footage with Jeremy):

 

[TONY M]

LOL !

I told you guys the American version was crap. You should have believed me! Why didn't you believe me??

I kind of did believe you, just didn't realise that it would be so bad.

I'm not one to make fun of things but that first episode anyway really deserved it!

Tony

 

[Colorblinded]

For those who haven't heard, and have access to an XBox 360, Forza 4 just came out and it features lots of commentary by Jeremy Clarkson, the Top Gear (UK) track, the Kia Cee'd, the Chevy Lacetti/Liana, and 500+ other cars, including the Ferrari FXX, Gumpert Apollo, Koenigsegg CCX, etc. I got the Cee'd around the track in just over 1:44 not counting a cone or two, I can see why the celebrities find it so harrowing..

A screenshot (and yes, it drives as realistically as it looks; as an added bonus, when you replay your performance on the Top Gear track, all the cameras and angles are exactly the same as on the show, so it looks like you're reviewing the run footage with Jeremy):

I've barely been able to pull myself away from my xbox since this came out.

 

[jewlz]

love tope gear!

gonna be pickin up the limited edition forza this wk too!! have way to many hrs logged in the last one

 

[subwoofer]

The best car program ever made. Also nice that it's broadcasted on bbc hd now.

Top Gear used to be about cars. Now it is about three immature morons playing with expensive toys, imposing their mindless opinions on you and thinking they are very important in some way.

Very disappointing.

 

[JacobJones]

Top Gear used to be about cars. Now it is about three immature morons playing with expensive toys, imposing their mindless opinions on you and thinking they are very important in some way.

Very disappointing.

That's why it's so popular. There's fifth gear on channel five for those who are more interested in the cars than the 3 idiots doing stupid (but quite entertaining) stuff.

 

[Colorblinded]

Top Gear used to be about cars. Now it is about three immature morons playing with expensive toys, imposing their mindless opinions on you and thinking they are very important in some way.

Very disappointing.

In a sense I agree. Top Gear has been getting more moronic the past few seasons and less gear-heady. It was never trying to be serious but I feel like the focus is more on antics and less on cars now. I still enjoy it but I don't like it as much as I used to.

 

[Monocrom]

I kind of did believe you, just didn't realise that it would be so bad.

I'm not one to make fun of things but that first episode anyway really deserved it!

Tony

Sorry Tony, but Greta would likely have gotten very upset if I had posted a flaming bag of actual crap to highlight how bad it truly was.

 

[TONY M]

In a sense I agree. Top Gear has been getting more moronic the past few seasons and less gear-heady. It was never trying to be serious but I feel like the focus is more on antics and less on cars now. I still enjoy it but I don't like it as much as I used to.

I am slightly worried about this myself and hope it lasts a while longer before going down the drain as many good things do. Some of the humor has been a bit too childish and dumbed down for my taste in some of the recent versions and I hope it doesn't get worse but much of it is still top class entertainment. I only watch it for fun and to make me laugh of course not to learn anything worthwhile about motoring.

Can't wait for the next series!

Tony