TOP GEAR is the best show on TV...

[Pierre.Suave]

I am watching them race RVs around a racetrack right now...

it is fucking great.

We never would get a show like this made in America.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. It's great.

I don't know if this was manufactured, but having driven that same stretch of Hell, I bet it's authentic...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=otqEbOKFW30&feature=related

[Pierre.Suave]

2. Oh yes, that was great

and I do not think it was manufactured. Unfortunately.

[kentauros]

3. I love this show, too!

And here's the first part of that Top Gear American Holiday Challenge :D

It is the one "serious" show that makes me laugh out loud for every show

[mwooldri]

40. Ah... the American Holiday Challenge.

They managed to demonstrate what some DUers have to endure when driving through Freeper country. The Top Gear guys scrawled things like Country and Western is Rubbish, Man Love Rules OK, Hillary Clinton for President on their cars and got pelted with rocks when driving through southern Alabama. Some DUers get their cars vandalized for having Obama stickers on them.

Mark.

[MorningGlow]

4. It's absolutely brilliant

I don't give a rip about cars, and I love it. Their challenges are fantastic and hilarious--I think turning cars into boats (parts one and two) was my favorite (so far). No, wait, I tell a lie--trying to kill the Toyota pickup was my favorite. No, wait, killing "caravans" is also at the top of the list, especially when they accidentally burned one to the ground at a campsite.
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

That show has been on for years upon years--it's an institution. No way anything like that would succeed over here. In fact, last year or the year before there were rumblings of an American version. :scared: Never happened. THANK THE GODS. Because you just know it would suck out loud compared to the original.

[Pierre.Suave]

6. It is impossible to pick a favorite

there are so many great ones. But I agree, watching that "caravan" burn to the ground, and then setting the neighbors tent on fire in the attempt to put out the original fire was hysterical.

We could NEVER make this show...

[harmonicon]

5. no fucking way

It's a mouth-piece for Jeremy Clarkson, who is a hateful, bigoted, global warming denying, douchebag. I like cars and all, but that piece of shit should be put out to pasture. I can not watch a show that exists as an excuse for him to preach his right wing extremism.

[Pierre.Suave]

7. I will give you the global wamring thing

but I have never heard him say anything hateful,or bigoted.

I think he is hilarious, as is Hammond and James May.

[harmonicon]

10. I find him to be incredibly elitist

Yeah, it's funny to make fun of caravans, but I think there's something more sinister behind it, which is making fun of those who would vacation in caravans, because that's how they can afford to spend time away from home with their families. There is also a lot of talking down about economy (as in, cheap) cars, which I think is a slam at the poor. Clarkson in particular, but also the show as a whole, I think is really demeaning and works to further class divisions. Clarkson also repeatedly belittles public transport, which is having no regard for the environment and the poor all rolled into one. He really is the enemy.

[Pierre.Suave]

11. I dont know

did you see his review of the previous Honda Civic Type R?

He loved it.

I dont get any of that in the show. I hate public transport too, it is slow, smelly, the people on it are rude, and every time I ride the bus the drunkest, smelliest, rudest, most obnoxious homeless guy always gets on the bus and sits next to me. Maybe he is saying we need to do something to make Public Transport more practical in the only way he knows how? Call me an elitist...

Second, how boring would a show be if all it was about is economy cars. I personally don't care about the newest Ford Focus or Honda Civic etc... but I love watching and hearing the Aston Martin DBS go round the track.

[harmonicon]

15. can't say I did, or I just don't remember

I don't know how many episodes I've seen. Maybe I'm being unfair, but I know that I'd seen enough after several episodes to know that I couldn't handle it anymore. Of course I started watching for the cars and the humour, but I can't see past the politics and personalities any more. Perhaps I'll give it another chance.... in a few years.... if it's still on tv then.

[Greyskye]

50. Did you see the 'race across London' episode?

I think the final order at the finish line was:

1) Bicycle
2) Car?
3) Public Transportation?
4) Speedboat

Not sure about the order of 2&3 - but Clarkson was positive that his speedboat would win, and was devastated when he came in last - behind public transportation! :rofl:

[Pierre.Suave]

51. No, the final order was slightly different

it went like this.

1)Bicycle

2)Boat

3)Public Transport

4)Car

[Greyskye]

52. Really?

I must have been drinking more then I thought I was that evening. :silly:

[kentauros]

53. Yes, "Captain Slow"

came in 15 minutes after public transport! :P

[Pierre.Suave]

56. Delete

double post.

[kentauros]

8. Then you can at least laugh

at him ;)

Besides, May and Hammond are the best of the bunch anyway. May did a great review of the Fiat 500 and now I have to wonder if Fiat has improved enough over the decades to really warrant them liking it. Not that the 500 is available over here, but it's still a good car show for information about cars. The humour sells it, though :)

[harmonicon]

12. I used to try

Once he started to bother me I tried to ignore him on the show, but I couldn't, and that went to changing the channel when his bits were on, but I eventually just stopped watching all together, because I don't want to have anything to do with a show that would have him as a host. If the show was really just about cars, I wouldn't care about the politics of the hosts, but I often feel that they use cars as an excuse to impose political views in the guise of journalist automotive review.

[kentauros]

17. Okay, fair enough.

I'm totally against some of the cars they have simply for the environmental aspects, yet, it's like a "guilty pleasure" too. I know something like a Bugatti Veyron, as fuel-guzzling that it is, is so expensive that only a handful will be sold world-wide, so it's okay. That and the fact that even the Autobahn isn't good enough for the speeds that car can achieve. So, those kinds of Supercars will likely sit in a garage somewhere for most of their lives versus being driven on a daily basis like a "reasonably-priced car" ;)

[flvegan]

21. That's just stupid.

Okay, Clarkson does push the envelope a bit on global warming, but he also takes American to task for our role in fucking up the planet. "Can't go there (Iraq) because Americans will shoot you."

But, if you're going to boycott a show about cars that glorify the power and technology that are out there, then that's every single show and (I'll add) every car magazine on the rack. Kind of like the cooking shows suggesting the veal, the renovation shows suggesting chopping trees down for curb appeal, etc.

Oh, and fyi...the Top Gear Car of the Year last time round...the Ford Mondeo



How fucking exotic.

[harmonicon]

42. I'm not boycotting it

I just don't want to watch it anymore myself. You guys can have it all you want - I'm not saying that you shouldn't watch.

[Kutjara]

31. Clarkson's act is self-parody.

He's a big, bluff, Yorkshireman who's got an opinion about everything, and particularly strong opinions about those things he knows least about. He had a talk show for a couple of years, in which he ridiculed just about everybody and everything (with special vitriol reserved for the French), but was inevitably made to look an ass by his guests. That was pretty much the whole point of the show. He's so obviously a self-important buffoon, nobody's supposed to take him seriously - certainly not to the extent of identifying him with any coherent political stance.

Clarkson is basically the archetypal global-warming denying, rich fat-cat, big car-driving, gas-guzzling asshole. That's his stock in trade. The British comedian Steve Coogan based his hilariously un-PC character "Alan Partridge" in large part on Clarkson. Clarkson, in turn, has adopted many of Partridge's mannerisms and turns of phrase, including his trademark "and on that bombshell" signoff. In other words, Clarkson is a parody of a parody of himself.

Richard Hammond and James May are stereotypes, too. Hammond is the urban trendy, while May is the "head in the clouds" artsy musician. One of the things that makes Top Gear fun is that you couldn't imagine three less likely people to be talking about cars.

[harmonicon]

71. I guess I just don't get it

I'd forgotten about the hatred of the French thing.... It makes sense that the Alan Partridge show would be based on him, but that character does seem an awful lot like Clarkson. I'm just afraid that he really believes the act. As for the others, I don't buy into their supposed personas, especially that of Hammond. James May seems like he could be a real person, but not in the way that's portrayed. If these people were really all that different, I don't think they would get along as well as they do, so I don't really buy the act that they're foils.

[DS1]

47. He is a giant tool, yes.

And does bring the whole show down around him with his over the top childish shit.

I typically find myself rooting for James May to knock his ass out with a good punch to the jaw.

[Pierre.Suave]

58. Yeah, but...

May is the least likely person to actually do it...

:rofl:

[kentauros]

59. Hammond might...

but considering the size difference between him and Clarkson, I don't think much would happen

[jakefrep]

9. Top Gear alone makes digital cable worthwhile

It won't work in America because some genius would try to stick Larry the Cable Guy in the Jeremy Clarkson role. It would be hard to find three funnyman presenters who are also skilled drivers.

[kentauros]

13. Yeah, at the very least

three American drivers that understand what a curve is ;)


Ever been behind someone in a 308 Ferrari on a reducing radius cloverleaf? I have. I was in a 1964 MGB and would routinely take those curves at 45-55 mph. The "typical American driver in an ultra-fast car" was going 20 mph! I was on his tail the whole way. Of course, as soon as he got on the feeder, he floored it, leaving me behind. Total ground-effect and he didn't even know what he had for a car. Now that's a total douchebag ;)

[madrchsod]

14. good show....

lot`s of fun to watch

[flvegan]

16. You would indeed be correct, sir.

Top Gear is the best show on television. Hands down, no debate.

BUT...rumors are about that they are planning a US version. Not with the Clarkson/Hammond/May hosts (though they tried getting that) but with the shitty, watered down stupid crap we'd offer.

I'd make fun of the idea here, but it's just not worth it.

LONG LIVE BBC'S TOP GEAR!!!!

[Pierre.Suave]

18. it will fail

or I wont watch it. Especially if they get Nascar drivers on there.

:puke:

[jakefrep]

19. Good luck finding three Americans...

...who have sharp wit and driving skills that haven't been so dumbed down by NASCAR's hegemony that they can negotiate left AND right turns.

[Pierre.Suave]

20. Hey now...

I think I can do it...

:P

infact, I would LOVE to, that is my DREAM job.

I mean you dont get stuff like this on american tv, but I would love to see it...

Grannies Doing Donuts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAVCcHFam7Q

[flvegan]

22. You and me both.

We'll make a total hash of some of it.

But then, oh, those glorious cars we could drive and still try to be funny at the same time.

My dream job as well.

Pays well, too as it appears. Two Lamborghinis amongst the current 3 presenters. Not too shabby.

[Pierre.Suave]

23. I think we would be great

We can edit out the bad puns and stuff we come up with...:P

[flvegan]

27. Yes!!

I'm already practicing my "POWER!!!" and "give it the beans" signature statements.

[Pierre.Suave]

29. HAHA

I need to come up with my own signature statements.

[flvegan]

32. I like

"this is so good, it makes my testicles retract"

That's an flvegan original, but I can see saying it when taking the Ferrari 599 for a spin.

[Pierre.Suave]

35. I can think of a variation

that probably would not make it past the censors...

:rofl:

[jakefrep]

46. Hell, I'd give it a shot

"Top Gear presenter" is certainly on my list of dream jobs.

[Book Lover]

70. They're not rumors...

http://www.finalgear.com/news/2008/06/16/eric-stromer-third-top-gear-us-host-production-starts-this-week/

BURBANK - June 16, 2008 - Television and radio comedian Adam Carolla, champion rally and drift racer Tanner Foust, and TV construction guru Eric Stromer, will lead NBC’s pilot of the international smash hit series “Top Gear.” The production will begin later this week.

Produced by BBC Worldwide America, the U.S. version of the hit franchise will mirror the UK show’s irreverent humor and camaraderie between the three presenters, epic races, outrageous stunts and challenges, unique celebrity guest participation and eccentric methods of testing cars.

“This franchise is a proven winner worldwide and the hosting team of Adam, Tanner and Eric that we have brought together for the U.S. version offers a perfect match of humor, insider know-how and priceless track experience,” said Craig Plestis, Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming Development and Specials, NBC Entertainment. “We are going to create a high-powered show that, like the original, will keep viewers in every demographic clutching the edge of their seats.”

“These three guys will get to drive the world’s most amazing cars, go on incredible road trips and blow stuff up. It’s a dirty old job but someone has to do it…why didn’t I get the job?!” said Paul Telegdy, Executive Vice President, TV Sales and Content & Production, BBC Worldwide America.

Jeremy Clarkson, executive producer and host of the UK “Top Gear” said: “This is fantastic news - but how on earth you lot are going to do it on the wrong side of the road I’ve no idea.”

[Pierre.Suave]

73. That sounds like a recipe for disaster

I am sure Flvegan and I could do a much better job...

Adam Corolla? :puke:

[Book Lover]

77. I have every confidence that you gentlemen could

Hey, let's meet up at the Flats, grab a camera, create a YouTube account, and let's go!

[Pierre.Suave]

80. We should do it.

I can bring an M3

Flvegan has a very cool red Mazdaspeed 3

Our opening show will be kickass!!!!!

[Monk06]

24. Their north pole trek was wack. You have to be a little soft in the head

to drive to the north pole during the spring
thaw. They almost bought it a couple of times.

TG for bush pilots and big budgets.

[Pierre.Suave]

25. I would love to know

how much the BBC spends on this show.

[Monk06]

26. As much as the TG crew ask for. Only Coronation Street is bigger and both are exportable.

[kentauros]

28. My NZ girfriend watches Coronation Street

but I told her I haven't ever seen it on the BBC America lineup. It's not something I'd watch, but I guess I'll have to find some torrent downloads for her once she's here ;)

Too bad TG hasn't been able to let The Stig take the Veyron on their test track, though. That would be the best one yet, I think :)

[Pierre.Suave]

30. is that a wedding show?

I have never heard of it?

[Kutjara]

36. No, Coronation Street (or "Corrie," as it's known to its fans)...

...is a soap opera that's been running continuously since 1960. It takes place in a fictional street in a fictional part of Manchester, in northern England. Corrie is constantly rated at or near the top of the UK television ratings and has a huge and fanatical following. I find it incredibly tedious, repetitive and unwatchable (like all soap operas), but it seems I'm very much in the minority.

[muriel_volestrangler]

57. Corrie has had some big fans

Sir Ian McKellen, after the knighthood and Lord of the Rings, joined it for 10 episodes: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4337079.stm

I'm not a fan myself, but if it can attract one of the top actors in Britain, it must have something.

[Kutjara]

33. You won't see it on BBC America, because it's not a BBC show.

Coronation Street is produced by the Granada TV company and shown on ITV, the historical competitor to the BBC. The competing BBC soap opera is "Eastenders."

[kentauros]

38. Ah, no wonder.

I guess I'll just have to find an online station or torrents if she has to have her fix ;)

[Anarcho-Socialist]

44. BBC America does buy ITV and Channel Four output sometimes

although "Corrie" doesn't seem to be shown there yet. I know some people from Michigan who watch Coronation Street through Canadian television. I'm can't stick soap operas though, but here in Britain people are soap opera mad.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

79. And Eastenders, which I've gotten into recently, is available on our local

PBS station late Friday nights.

What I like about it is that it's a soap opera not about glamorous people (doctors and lawyers who look as if they graduated from Baywatch) but about ordinary people in a working-class area of London. Can you imagine people like this on an American soap?

[Kutjara]

82. That's what always amazed me about UK soaps.

Instead of being about rich, glamorous people like Dynasty or Dallas, they're invariably about ordinary working stiffs. The characters in Eastenders are bartenders, laundromat attendants, unemployed twentysomethings, and fast food workers. In Coronation Street, they're seamstresses, cab drivers, and retirees on low incomes. While this makes them truer to life than the glitterati portrayed on the US soaps, it still fascinates me that such a huge proportion of the UK rushes home every night to catch up on the lives of people...pretty much identical to themselves. It's like spending the evening sitting in front of a mirror.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

86. Yes, in order

Dot (the first person) is a laundromat attendant, Laura (the second person) runs a snack bar, Jim is Dot's husband, retired from I forget what, Phil runs a pub, and Charlie is a cabdriver.

Japanese soap operas used to be like that, too, although they now tend toward the more glamorous.

[Kutjara]

87. It'll never be the same since Mike Reed died.

"Paaaaaaaaaat! Paaaaaaaaaaaat!"

[Lydia Leftcoast]

88. That's either before or after my time

I came to this only a few months ago, and my PBS station is still on the 2002 episodes, although it's broadcasting them at the rate of 3 per week, all in a block late Friday nights.

[Monk06]

34. Apparently, you can get the latest episodes of Coronation St on Torrent

As for the Veyron I think the 2007 Top Gear
challenge is the last chance they're getting
at that car.

[JCMach1]

37. My wife is an Emerdale fan...

[Kutjara]

89. You have my deepest sympathy.

My mother-in-law loves Emmerdale. All conversation in her house stops when it's on. I've seen more episodes than I care to admit and each one was more excruciating than the last. If I lived in that village, I'd throw myself under the first available combine harvester.

[name not needed]

39. Actually, there is a US version in the works.

However, chances are, it's gonna suck.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=127277

[FunkyLeprechaun]

41. Just watched last night's Top Gear

An old show admittedly. They decided to invite a few celebrities around and try out the new "reasonably priced car". The first guy they didn't recognise (I did, it was James Hewitt) but they called him the "Well Spoken Guy". I laughed and said to my husband, "I know who that is, do you?"

He said, "No." He initially disagreed with me when I told him and he looked up his entry on Wiki. Ha!

[WolverineDG]

43. And around the Gambon

When I first came across this show, I thought "dear lord, a show about cars. :boring: " & then they they showed their race across London on a bike, public transport, a car & a boat (yes, boat). I was hooked after that.

I loved watching him drive that 3 wheeled car through the BBC offices too. :rofl:

dg

[kentauros]

54. Not just Clarkson driving that "Eco Car"

but the BBC exec that "stole" it from him to go on a similar joyride through the offices of BBC, with that oily smoke-plume following! You could see and hear people coughing and gagging :rofl:

[WolverineDG]

67. and the fact that it only went forward

:rofl:

dg

[Anarcho-Socialist]

45. I think Jeremy Clarkson is an arse

but I still find Top Gear very amusing and entertaining. Some of their antics such as "accidentally" setting someone's caravan on fire are obvious set-ups, but it's still fun to watch. I think with their US antics, the whole being pelted by rocks did not seem to be a set-up but a legitimate threat.

Clarkson is unusual for a UK right-winger in that he's not very pro-US. He's a bit of an old-school conservative élitist nationalist who sees US culture as second rate.

[LibertyLover]

48. Love that show

Have you seen the one where they race 3 cars across a desert in Africa? Oliver the Opel is a standout with Richard Hammond driving him. My husband and I watch it whenever we can.

[kentauros]

55. Yeah, Hammond really screwed-up

when he tried to "ford" that "proper" water-crossing and swamped Oliver!

How about that method of draining the other two cars of their floorpan water?

[flvegan]

60. I love how they so detest the Beetle.

[kentauros]

61. And yet...

they love it in the end because it made it through without any modifications :D

[Pierre.Suave]

64. Another great episode

I love it when they get these challenges and Clarkson is so convinced of his superiority and gets his ass handed to him by Hammond and May.

Of course, I dont know if he does it on purpose to be funny, or he really thinks he is that great.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

49. Sorry, Jason, but I think we need to get past glorifying cars

:-(

[Pierre.Suave]

65. I know

there are days I dont much like them either.

[kentauros]

62. What was that quote from Helen Mirren after she had driven the track?

Something about it being frightening and wonderful at the same time? :)

I'd love to see them get Paul Newman if he still drives. He'd put whatshisname from American Idle to shame :P

[Pierre.Suave]

63. I think she related it to sex

in some way.

[jakefrep]

66. Jeremy Clarkson for Prime Minister...

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2208998433

They've even figured out who would be in the cabinet.

[Pierre.Suave]

68. How about something for those if us...

that dont have facebook logins?

[jakefrep]

75. And here's his cabinet...

PM - Jeremy Clarkson
Chancellor of the Exchequer - James May
Foreign Sec - Richard Hammond
Home Sec - Hugh Laurie
Deputy PM - Hugh Grant
Trans Sec - The Stig
Health Sec - Jonathan Ross
Education Sec - Stephen Fry
Defence Sec - Boris Johnson
Trade Sec - Simon Cowell
Culture Sec - Peter Kay
Excise and Customs - Charles Kennedy (obviously)
UN Rep - Michael Palin
NATO Permanent Rep - Gordon Ramsey
Head of BoE - John Cleese
Policy Coordinator - Stephen Merchant
Minister to EU - Rowan Atkinson
Chief of Defence Staff - Dick Strawbridge (google image it)

I guess that facebook page wasn't public.

[Pierre.Suave]

76. Thats Hilarious

:rofl:

If that happens, I want to be the US Ambassador to England...

[Book Lover]

69. It was better when nobody knew about it!

I started downloading it before James May came on board... registrations are up at finalgear.com, which is kinda cool, but also depresing. Now that everybody knows about TG, it's not cool anymore!

Have you ever seen clips from the old TG? You think C larkson looks a bit funny now, you should have seen him in the 80's!

[DS1]

72. I do like the Tiff Needel versions, he really knew about the cars

You could tell he didn't have to do any superficial last minute research. Plus, he could drive the hell out of them. He's kind of neutered on 5th Gear.

[Pierre.Suave]

74. yeah he does know about cars

but he was so boring to watch...

[DS1]

90. Informative != boring

youtube search him and enzo ferrari and mclaren f1

oh hell, I wanna watch them again myself

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pAjWP4ZfoM

[Pierre.Suave]

91. Nowhere near as exciting as Clarkson

I still dont like the Enzo that much, I would much prefer an F360 Challenge Stradale or an F430.

[DS1]

92. fine, you can get excited ogling the Top Gear guys

[Pierre.Suave]

93. Awwww

is DS1 jealous?

:rofl:

[DS1]

94. wrong direction, mattress king

[Pierre.Suave]

95. You're not really my type anyway

I like girls...

:rofl:

[ElboRuum]

78. If by, "it is fucking great" you mean "It is teh SuxXorZZ, lol", you are correct.

[Pierre.Suave]

81. No, lol

that is not what I meant. I meant it is awesome!

:rofl:

[GOPisEvil]

83. Where can I watch this show?

Is it on BBC America by chance?

I caught it on TLC when it was on that network for few episodes.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

84. Yes, BBC America. Mondays. Two 1 hour episodes.

Sometimes on the weekend as well, although I haven't figured out that schedule.

Although you can find all their best bits on youtube.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=iRVZoq3EOy8&feature=related

[GOPisEvil]

85. Lovely. Thanks!

:)