I have not been the biggest fan of TGUS, but this episode won me over.
I finally felt like the hosts had a passion for driving and not just for competing to see who gets to deliver the funny scripted lines.
I predicted from the beginning that Rut would end up driving the Veyron, but as soon as I heard about the VIP, my mind knew it had to be Tanner. Whether it's for insurance purposes or peace of mind, I don't care, but it does get old having Tanner be the only one who ever gets to drive anything fun. Overall, I just feel he's TOO well verse with fast cars to provide a good commentary or reaction. Part of the joy of TGUK is that despite their expertise, you get the sense that they are just 3 normal guys, so when you put them in a fast car, you can live vicariously through their reactions. Tanner, being a pro, is like a machine when he drives fast. "It's so stable, it's so stable," might be true, but it hardly helps us normal schlubs appreciate the car. Now put Rut in the car at top speed and the stream of expletives mixed with a giant grin should give the rest of us some point of reference for what it's really like...especially because it's so hard to show how fast 200+ mph really is.
My only other complaint is that too many of the "twists" are done through VO (Voice Over) when they'd be better done by letting the hosts interact. For instance: when Rut was done with the rat challenge, Tanner's VO indicated that he and Adam decided to forfeit. A better option would have been to have Rut ask them who's next and both say they forfeit, or saying they decide he's won to allow for his reaction to show when he realizes he's the only one who's going to have to go through that hell.
So, more interaction, less VO, (It should really only be used as an inner monologue or to give the audience "secret information") and more of the other hosts getting to drive fun cars.
...also, more of Rut being Rut. His 5 foot park job had me rolling.
Overall, I give it an 8.234221 and hope they can continue to massage this format as well as they've done, the show is really starting to come into its own.
^-^Foxy~>
