[14x06] December 27th, 2009 [South America Special]

[14x06] December 27th, 2009 [South America Special]

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Just finished the episode. Well ... this'll take a few words, so bear with me.

Technically, I would have given it an 8/10. A very good episode, but I personally felt a bit underwhelmed. However ... there are two reasons why I felt underwhelmed.

1. I analysed Top Gear very thoroughly within the last weeks, so I approached this episode differently than I would normally have. Let's just say I was "prestressed" when watching this episode, if you catch my drift.

2. I was spoiled by previous adventure episodes. Basically, this was a mixture of the two America specials and Vietnam for me, and therefore "an adventure as usual" (that's a bit harsh though). Since I can not take this into account when rating this episode as I think it would be unfair, this doesn't count either.

So on that basis, I have to give it a 10/10. It's not that it pains me to do so, yet it feels a tad strange to me. But then again, I think that everything I could possibly not like about the episode is with me, and not with the episode.

So 10 it is.

Nonetheless, if I'm brutally honest, I still see myself rather rewatching clips from earlier, more car-oriented seasons than this episode. But that's just me.
 
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having a Top Gear ep on my birthday is always a treat but that episode was utterly brilliant.

Andy Wilman if you ever read this, it was a truly magical episode. I really really really hope you release the episode on Bluray, and with many scenes im sure you had to cut out to fit it on air. I think this episode perhaps more than any other showed the chemistry between the 3 guys that no script could ever write or show.

the drive on the Death Road had my heart in my mouth, especially Jezza having to pass the other car.

the episode really did feel like a trip with everyone to hell and back almost. to the 3 presenters and the entire crew of Top Gear, you guys really nailed it with that episode. any scripting or doubt i ever had about Top Gear has been wiped out by that episode.

11/10
 
Sir Stiggington said:
Andy Wilman, you genius. This is well and truly a response to alll criticism!
Click to expand...

I'll qualify this statement by saying that I've not see 14x06 yet ... but whilst it appears that 14x06 is excellent, I'd hardly call it a 'response to all criticism'. Rather, I'd call it a case of Andy making good on a promise: he acknowledged that much of Series 14 was made of fail and reconstituted horseshit, but said that the Bolivia special would be the solid TG gold we all know and love.

At least we know Andy is good at keeping his word, and this gives me hope that Series 15 - whenever it is - will be less cartoony and contrived.
 
I think the guys have exonerated themselves in the "they can't do the spontaneous 3 mates stuff anymore" department. Just brilliant.
 
Solute to Andy Wilman and the whole TG team...

A truly epic EPIC episode. Makes me proud to be a TG fan.

Props to everyone! and of course the three chaps. Drink up! and Merry Christmas!
 
Just got the 720p version from BBC iPlayer, hence my new signature. :)
 
I'm inthe middle of watching, can't give a proper rating. ..

@ the 18:50 mark Hammond has some trouble with bugs ... I haven't lol'ed @ TG in a long time.

... said it in the other thread. I wouldn't give them a pass cause of one great episode.
 
It's a special but I'm not feeling the genuinety like in the Africa or north pole one. The first 20 minutes were painful but I did like Jezza going back to get his phone, showing the amazing progress they had made :p After that it went a lot better and while from a "action" pov there wasn't much to see what they actually did was amazing; being at those heights without any special training is quite an achievement.

Bonus points for not having a crap car/Marina following them in case one of them broke down. I did miss some extra mini chalenges but that could easily be explained by their "lets try it differently" so no complaints there.

7/10

p.s. Hammond got annoying a bit at points, or rather; tiring.
 
10/10 - you could almost hear Clarkson's sphincter relax once he got past on the devils road.
 
I'm a bit lost for words.

Might attempt a review after a second watching. At the moment I'm a bit too blown away to put things into words. I lost count of the number of times I was shouting at the TV because even though we know all the guys got home intact there are some things I really hate. Balloons are at the top of the list, but heights aren't exactly far behind. The waterfall bit made me shudder. Even knowing everything would ultimately be fine, my heart was thumping as if I'd just been out for a five mile jog (I expect. Actually going for a jog would probably kill me, assuming I could find a sports bra that would permit jogging in the first place).

And when it finished, I was thrilled, and breathless, and smiling. It reminded me all over again of why I love Top Gear.
 
9.6 for me but I still love Botsawana - sorry, oh and Polar more. Still great episode - loved it. Jeremy and that bloody ledge - wow just wow.
 
Agree, by far the best ep. of the season. Jezza on the quite creepy road was good. The whole jungle journey was good. One thing that annoyed me, wat when Hamsters car roll over on the sand dunes at the very end. Leaving the car on a slope or so with no handbrake - they have done this imo too many times so it's not funny anymore.
 
As a fellow sufferer of the vertigo/acrophobia thing, I really don't know how James did some of that. It can be a physical response as well as a psychological one, and it's not easy to point that car when your pulse is racing, you're sweating, you feel sick and and your brain's frozen!

I did wonder with the "Hammond's car rolls down the dune" thing whether it was Richard himself that it was decided should be protected at that point. It's all too easy for us to believe that there are no lasting effects from his accident, as that's what's presented to us. We don't really know what his limits are (nor should we - that's his business).
 
I didn't really have a problem with the dune thing. They clearly needed an 'out' at that point, and it wouldn't be the TG way to just walk away, and a straightforward breakdown wouldn't have washed given the number of times the car was brought back to life. Maybe done a bit inelegantly, but I'd rather that than the car went down there with someone in it :)
 
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck Look Andy!! you did it. Hope you re reading it cause this was fucking brilliant !!! FUCK!!!! and fuck you!! EPIC!!!! simply fucking epic!!

EDIT:
ok, I might have got excited a bit. lol

EDIT2:

Also what POS user on this forum gave it a 4!? someone plz punch him in da face ^^
 
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Well, I can't say it was a brilliant episode, they didn't went to Peru :-D

Just kidding, it was an epic episode, it reminded me of all the beautiful stuff I saw while I was in Peru... which was great. Now I just need to go live in South America, anyone hiring?

Hammond Land Cruiser just looked badass when jacked-up, I need one of these :-D

Oh and who cares if they deliberately pushed it down the cliff? It doesn't makes this episode any less great!
 
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