Top Gear
#2
Re: Top Gear
Been watching it else where.....and the first episode, so much less annoying that the last series
#3
Rootbeeraholic
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Houston, Tx
Posts: 2,280
Re: Top Gear
Thanks for that - didn't realize. I've always loved TG. I actually have it on my Netflix queue to catch up on the few episodes I've missed over the years.
#6
Rootbeeraholic
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Houston, Tx
Posts: 2,280
Re: Top Gear
Only TG would put a Bentley round a rally stage! Awesome!
#7
Just Joined
Joined: Nov 2012
Location: Oahu, Hawaii
Posts: 10
Re: Top Gear
I haven't watched TG on BBCA in a while. Has it always been only a week delayed from the UK? I seem to remember it being an entire series behind... or at least several months.
#9
Rootbeeraholic
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Houston, Tx
Posts: 2,280
Re: Top Gear
I imagine there must have been quite a lot of body damage and chipping if nothing else but there had to be some damage to the suspension as well given the beating it got...!
I would love to know what TG's budget for a season is. Can't imagine it's a low number.
#10
Re: Top Gear
I think to a certain extent some car manufacturers are begging to be on Top Gear and gladly supply the cars knowing they may come back a little damaged. Think about it from Bentley's POV particularly in light of Clarkson's closing comment that the wrong people buying it. After that showing on a rally stage you can bet at least a few of the "right" people are at least adding it to their list. They realize the huge positive coverage they can get (vauxhaul Vectra and probably Tesla notwithstanding).
#11
Rootbeeraholic
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Houston, Tx
Posts: 2,280
Re: Top Gear
I think to a certain extent some car manufacturers are begging to be on Top Gear and gladly supply the cars knowing they may come back a little damaged. Think about it from Bentley's POV particularly in light of Clarkson's closing comment that the wrong people buying it. After that showing on a rally stage you can bet at least a few of the "right" people are at least adding it to their list. They realize the huge positive coverage they can get (vauxhaul Vectra and probably Tesla notwithstanding).
#12
I approved this message
Joined: Dec 2004
Location: Chicago
Posts: 2,425
Re: Top Gear
The Vietnam special was the last great work TG has done. Personally, I consider the proverbial shark to have been jumped.
#13
Re: Top Gear
Last autumn it was reported that Clarkson alone was getting £3-4million in fees, bonuses, and income on his equity stake in the production company. I'd guess that the cost per show to average close to £1million, and that they can afford cosmetic damage to a £150k car as a mere operating expense. A few years back when Dodge wouldn't lend TG a Challenger, they just bought one, and last series JC tore the rear end off a new Jag XF.
#15
I approved this message
Joined: Dec 2004
Location: Chicago
Posts: 2,425
Re: Top Gear
Just one man's opinion. I think the show has become increasingly forced in the past few years. There are occassional moments of brilliance, but increasingly each episode is required to hit certain beats:
- Jeremy says something offensive and hits stuff with a hammer to "fix" it
- Richard tries to justify something ridiculous he's done and complains about foreign food
- James carries on about WW2 engineering and refuses to be rushed
Cheap cars are purchased, challenges are presented by white coated assistants, questionable drag races are run, tired jokes are trotted out yet again. Nostalgia for stiff upper lip olde Englande is maintained. The show has lost much of the spontineity, wit and nonchalance it used to have. Both the "characters" of the hosts and the "plots" of each episode have become increasingly formalized, scripted and calcified.
I still like the show, but it has lost something. I think some of the other shows the hosts have done in the past few years are better than TG, particularly some of the stuff May has done.
- Jeremy says something offensive and hits stuff with a hammer to "fix" it
- Richard tries to justify something ridiculous he's done and complains about foreign food
- James carries on about WW2 engineering and refuses to be rushed
Cheap cars are purchased, challenges are presented by white coated assistants, questionable drag races are run, tired jokes are trotted out yet again. Nostalgia for stiff upper lip olde Englande is maintained. The show has lost much of the spontineity, wit and nonchalance it used to have. Both the "characters" of the hosts and the "plots" of each episode have become increasingly formalized, scripted and calcified.
I still like the show, but it has lost something. I think some of the other shows the hosts have done in the past few years are better than TG, particularly some of the stuff May has done.