[14x07] January 3rd, 2010
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gt1750
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I liked this episode, all the segments were pretty enjoyable 
multivan
New Member
9/10
LFA: It was nice to see Hammond doing a power test. Nice editing, too.
News: Funny and finally something about new cars. The 2009/2010 jokes were also funny.
BMW X6: Quite a serious road test about a ridiculous car. I liked it (not the car, but the review of it).
SIARPC: I never liked it, but I thought this was quite a good one.
Insignia VXR: I wanted to know what TG thinks about the car, but instead it was more like "James May about roadsigns". I found the documentary interesting, but the car should have been in the focus...
So overall a nice episode to finish the season. If S15 is like the last two episodes I'm happy.
LFA: It was nice to see Hammond doing a power test. Nice editing, too.
News: Funny and finally something about new cars. The 2009/2010 jokes were also funny.
BMW X6: Quite a serious road test about a ridiculous car. I liked it (not the car, but the review of it).
SIARPC: I never liked it, but I thought this was quite a good one.
Insignia VXR: I wanted to know what TG thinks about the car, but instead it was more like "James May about roadsigns". I found the documentary interesting, but the car should have been in the focus...
So overall a nice episode to finish the season. If S15 is like the last two episodes I'm happy.
Maxwellsh68
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I thought last nights show was ok?.I thought the BMW piece was clever?Jezza obvioulsy had some of that in the can for some time (Barbados at Easter, Hong Kong) and was just waiting to use it on something. It was clever because he didn?t mention any car in particular but it fitted well.
vRS
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The VXR gives me a sex wee. Shame Stig never took it round the track to see what it could do on the track.
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8 or 9. First two segments were awesome, especially Jeremy's. James... not so much.
Hammond's film was actually slightly informative and I like the LFA. Jeremy made a film that wasn't completely groan-worthy. The locations kinda made it, although because the clips were so short, the film turned out a bit edgy. And James' film went on a bit after he said he's run out ideas, but had to keep going.
All that "out of material" stuff sounded really made up but I actually believe them for many reasons:
1) budget receives cuts while they spend more and more on individual episodes,
2) crew is burnt out so it may be true that they're really running out of fresh stuff to do, and as usual, they refuse to do stuff that once was a tradition for TG, and
3) the studio bits were apparently filmed way back so they couldn't do intros for stuff they could have shot very recently.
IMO to fill that void at the latter half of the show they could've done the cool wall, viewer mail, concept car in the studio, or really just about anything instead of mindless blathering and cocking about, if they weren't so damn stubborn and fixed on never doing traditional studio bits again. What a shame, that.
Anyway.. where was I. I think May's review on the Insignia was a bit short 'cause there really wasn't any more than that to say. It's just a Vauxhall sedan. What more is there to say? It's got some performance stuff going on about it but he went through all that, and quite thoroughly too. He was quite clear on what he thought of it: just a cheap, fast Vauxhall that's sort of been developed into a more mature direction. I doubt a road test of a 335i, for example, would be any more elaborate than this.
The bit with the road signs is sort of separate IMO. Only thing that was missing was a brief studio bit in between. I disliked most of the segment, which is surprising, coz I normally enjoy May being nerdy for a change. It was all down to the road sign artist who was clearly bored, which made her boring, and a pain to watch. She clearly didn't enjoy appearing on TV, culminating in the scene where she said to James in some words, "all I got from creating a nationwide selection of road signs is to be interviewed by annoying motoring journalists when I'd have better things to do". Like knitting, or stroking her cat, probably. Really, I felt she was just distant and moody-sad and oblivious to the fact she was on such a hit show, and May tried his best to cheer her up a bit with vandalising the men at work sign, and then a bit of vigorous driving. But all that got him was a scene from "why not to take your mom for a drive".
All in all, that was the best "normal" episode of the season. I really like the way they made one film each. I wish they always did that, it's just so nice when TG films have substance, and not just a lot of color and noise. All that was missing from this ep is a studio bit of a few minutes, and a replacement film for the road signs bit, because that idea really tanked and would've deserved to end up on the cutting room floor.
8/10
All that "out of material" stuff sounded really made up but I actually believe them for many reasons:
1) budget receives cuts while they spend more and more on individual episodes,
2) crew is burnt out so it may be true that they're really running out of fresh stuff to do, and as usual, they refuse to do stuff that once was a tradition for TG, and
3) the studio bits were apparently filmed way back so they couldn't do intros for stuff they could have shot very recently.
IMO to fill that void at the latter half of the show they could've done the cool wall, viewer mail, concept car in the studio, or really just about anything instead of mindless blathering and cocking about, if they weren't so damn stubborn and fixed on never doing traditional studio bits again. What a shame, that.
Anyway.. where was I. I think May's review on the Insignia was a bit short 'cause there really wasn't any more than that to say. It's just a Vauxhall sedan. What more is there to say? It's got some performance stuff going on about it but he went through all that, and quite thoroughly too. He was quite clear on what he thought of it: just a cheap, fast Vauxhall that's sort of been developed into a more mature direction. I doubt a road test of a 335i, for example, would be any more elaborate than this.
The bit with the road signs is sort of separate IMO. Only thing that was missing was a brief studio bit in between. I disliked most of the segment, which is surprising, coz I normally enjoy May being nerdy for a change. It was all down to the road sign artist who was clearly bored, which made her boring, and a pain to watch. She clearly didn't enjoy appearing on TV, culminating in the scene where she said to James in some words, "all I got from creating a nationwide selection of road signs is to be interviewed by annoying motoring journalists when I'd have better things to do". Like knitting, or stroking her cat, probably. Really, I felt she was just distant and moody-sad and oblivious to the fact she was on such a hit show, and May tried his best to cheer her up a bit with vandalising the men at work sign, and then a bit of vigorous driving. But all that got him was a scene from "why not to take your mom for a drive".
All in all, that was the best "normal" episode of the season. I really like the way they made one film each. I wish they always did that, it's just so nice when TG films have substance, and not just a lot of color and noise. All that was missing from this ep is a studio bit of a few minutes, and a replacement film for the road signs bit, because that idea really tanked and would've deserved to end up on the cutting room floor.
8/10
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ozgirl
Well-Known Member
Gave it 8 maybe that should have been a 7, but for the standard of S14 it was an 8.
LFA: Enjoyed Hamster's enthusiasm, like many others I felt the effects were a bit overpowering, but then I'm too old for manga etc!
X6: Even though I knew Jezza had filmed the o/s shots at various points earlier in the year I still had a giggle.
SIARPC Morris Minor Musical Instrument FTW And (for those who complain about it) he wasn't there plugging anything!
EDIT: Have just seen the ad for his new album, I stand corrected!
VXR: Everybody knows how I feel about James, but this is the only one of his reviews where I've found my attention wandering, maybe because I'm a Ford gal?
News: A bit more car based, and made interesting for me by seeing someone I know in the audience! Lucky cow!
As others have said some of the mucking about in the studio seemed less forced, but some parts, eg Hammond's "crash" (oh God not those 2 words together again!) were pretty obvious.
TG Awards: Sorry, the Balboni is not the car of the year for me. I know the GTR was released pre-2009 in Japan & the US, but for the rest of the world it was 2009, so for me it's the car of the year. Even the Murcielago LP 670 4 SV was better for me than the Balboni.
Totally agree Veyron for Car of the Decade, my second favourite car after the DB9, but it's pretty close!
Again, like others, would much rather they had done the Cool Wall, but they're now so far behind they probably can't ever catch up :lol:
Also - if they did the Cool Wall, my beloved DB9 would lose its cherished spot in the fridge, because Hamster's just gone and bloody bought one
It was a nice end to the series, thanks boys, good luck with TG Live, have a rest and see you (hopefully after a good rest) later!
LFA: Enjoyed Hamster's enthusiasm, like many others I felt the effects were a bit overpowering, but then I'm too old for manga etc!
X6: Even though I knew Jezza had filmed the o/s shots at various points earlier in the year I still had a giggle.
SIARPC Morris Minor Musical Instrument FTW
And (for those who complain about it) he wasn't there plugging anything!EDIT: Have just seen the ad for his new album, I stand corrected!
VXR: Everybody knows how I feel about James,
but this is the only one of his reviews where I've found my attention wandering, maybe because I'm a Ford gal? News: A bit more car based, and made interesting for me by seeing someone I know in the audience! Lucky cow!
As others have said some of the mucking about in the studio seemed less forced, but some parts, eg Hammond's "crash" (oh God not those 2 words together again!) were pretty obvious.
TG Awards: Sorry, the Balboni is not the car of the year for me. I know the GTR was released pre-2009 in Japan & the US, but for the rest of the world it was 2009, so for me it's the car of the year. Even the Murcielago LP 670 4 SV was better for me than the Balboni.
Totally agree Veyron for Car of the Decade, my second favourite car after the DB9, but it's pretty close!
Again, like others, would much rather they had done the Cool Wall, but they're now so far behind they probably can't ever catch up :lol:
Also - if they did the Cool Wall, my beloved DB9 would lose its cherished spot in the fridge, because Hamster's just gone and bloody bought one
It was a nice end to the series, thanks boys, good luck with TG Live, have a rest and see you (hopefully after a good rest) later!
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Mental Gear
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Damn that LFA bit got some brilliant filming and editing, comic Hammond on the black 'n white side Fantastic.
All in all a very solid episode, the boys spread out their weirdness and happiness.
9/10
Fantastic.All in all a very solid episode, the boys spread out their weirdness and happiness.
9/10
TeraByte911
New Member
Episode: 9/10. Fantastic, good to see Top Gear returning to its roots a little (even if it is a financially-motivated return). Hope to see more of it in 2010. The real 2010, not the fake one in the episode.
As a side note, most ashamedly, I didn't notice the "stunning and very classy looking brunette over Jeremy's left shoulder during SIARPC" until I read about her in this thread and decided to re-watch. I guess with Top Gear now in HD, it's worth paying more attention to the audience.
As a side note, most ashamedly, I didn't notice the "stunning and very classy looking brunette over Jeremy's left shoulder during SIARPC" until I read about her in this thread and decided to re-watch. I guess with Top Gear now in HD, it's worth paying more attention to the audience.
scoops
Active Member
yes, but what i've learned watching the audience..... I'll never see them again, and knowing they are so far away.... you're better off watching the presenters and not teasing yourself with audience members
Old TG feelings coming back. In the words of James: "Keep it simple". Keep every episode like this.
Skipped SIARPC cos the guest was dreadful, May's guest was quite boring and the awards was complete and utter bollocks, but I still gave it a 9 since I enjoyed the sight of 'simple' Top Gear so much and sadly, I know we won't see much of it in the future.
Skipped SIARPC cos the guest was dreadful, May's guest was quite boring and the awards was complete and utter bollocks, but I still gave it a 9 since I enjoyed the sight of 'simple' Top Gear so much and sadly, I know we won't see much of it in the future.
essentialatom
Well-Known Member
Well said. In fairness, had I thought about it more than I did, and actually pictured them flying Jezza around the world for ten seconds a shot in various countries, I'd have questioned it too, but I didn't think about it. I happily rescind that criticism