Still seems to be no cast yet

[bafranksbro]

I found an article with many quote from Craig Plestis about this show and many of the quotes seem to indicate they still are looking for a cast that will bring across the same kind of thing we see from UK's Top Gear.

An imported car show

Plestis is still planning ahead, and on Jan. 15, NBC announced it was developing an American version of the BBC Two reality show "Top Gear," which launches a new season in the U.S. on BBC America on Feb. 25.

"Top Gear" is a freewheeling combination of "The Fast and the Furious"-style driving and "Jackass"-type stunts, with a liberal dose of "Monty Python"-esque humor.

It's that witty, absurdist, uniquely British sense of fun — along with a cheeky willingness to criticize any and all carmakers — that may be the hardest thing to translate from the original.

"It's going to have an American voice and an American tone," Plestis said. "That's all part of casting it correctly. That's why we're starting off with a pilot. This is a smart show, and by the way, it's a sexy show as well. Those cars are just beautiful.

"The time has come for a show like this on American TV, especially broadcast TV. There's nothing like it, and that's what attracts myself and Ben (Silverman) and all of us here at NBC to the show."

All classes of vehicles

"Top Gear" is also known for not being just for car snobs. While the hosts are happy to slide into the butter-soft leather sets of a high-end sports car, they also check out ordinary sedans, coupes, vans, minivans and crossovers (albeit unfamiliar, right-hand-drive British models). One of the show's regular segments features celebrities piloting a "reasonably priced car" around a test track.

"You're going to see the top-end cars," Plestis said, "as well as the fun challenges with the everyday American cars.

"Literally, when we've been talking to Paul Telegdy, who's the head over here for BBC America Worldwide, he would pull up (every day) in another gigantic car that they're test driving, that they flew over from Germany or from some other place in the world, because all the car companies want to be part of this brand."

So, American fans of "Top Gear" will finally be able to see the hosts getting all worked up — positively or negatively — over makes and models they could actually buy down at the local auto mall.

"I love that little bit of wonkiness that happens with the show," Plestis said. "It's not a vanilla show. They get into the car culture. Their enthusiasm is infectious. It's funny. It's entertaining. It flies by. And, if we do our job correctly with the casting, hands down, it will work."

NBC has not yet given a projected airdate for its "Top Gear."

http://www.venturacountystar.com/new...t-of-scripted/

[Viper007Bond]

And, if we do our job correctly with the casting, hands down, it will work.

The most important part of that article. Here's to hoping they manage to pull it off.

[Momentum57]

I wonder if they wont try to use what Discovery did for its pilot. Guess they must have got the casting wrong on that. I remember reading it and thinking oh got its going to be a bunch of pretty boy reality tv stars(if there is such a thing) and whore it up.

[bafranksbro]

Holy Cow, just about passed out when I saw the front page. I had to go wake up my brother to show him.

[Aston Martin]

"The Fast and the Furious"-style driving.

F*** off.



Look who it is! Old Coyotes 'R' Us!

[Programme]

Plestis is still planning ahead, and on Jan. 15, NBC announced it was developing an American version of the BBC Two reality show "Top Gear," which launches a new season in the U.S. on BBC America on Feb. 25.

Oh dear.

I hope that label came from an ignorant journalist rather than the NBC. There are a heap of scripted programmes that have a stronger footing in reality than Top Gear, which is part of what makes Top Gear great - it's a bit silly and an escape from reality.

[smib]

I'm getting more and more optimistic about this.

[MattD1zzl3]

Told you so

They're doing this properly, the article clearly states this show will be a departure from normal american broadcast TV, probably due to the fact that clarkson himself is telling them what to do, sort of as an adviser.

There had better be a stig though. And none of that fat stig nonsense.

[chitownjeff]

I just hope they don't put a couple of ex-NA$CAR people on there (ala Rusty Wallace) and think that it will work.

[mad]

a journalist from car and driver who has a hard on for every GM car, a rapper that never had anything less than 24 inch rims on his escalade, and an ex-nascar driver that still longs for leaf springs. i predict it like that

[epp_b]

Ouch, that would be torture. I'd watch it purely for the comedic value of awful it would be.

[avidvideo]

I just hope they don't put a couple of ex-NA$CAR people on there (ala Rusty Wallace) and think that it will work.

As much as I love NASCAR and respect Rusty Wallace as a driver, I hope you're right. Ever hear Rusty covering races for ESPN? He's terrible.

[YF19pilot]

a journalist from car and driver who has a hard on for every GM car, a rapper that never had anything less than 24 inch rims on his escalade, and an ex-nascar driver that still longs for leaf springs. i predict it like that

I think this would be comedy gold. Just for the 1st and only episode that ends with the NASCAR driver and rapper getting into a fight and the other guy having to get the cameras turned off. Only to be followed by weeks of 2nd page news stories in which they 'apologize' but claim they won the fight.

In reality, I hope it works.

[Elmo187]

I just hope they don't put a couple of ex-NA$CAR people on there (ala Rusty Wallace) and think that it will work.

Rusty Wallace is kind of busy at the moment with owning a team and getting ready to commentate NASCAR races. he also has a son working his way up in the ranks of the Nationwide Series. so yeah, it'd be kind of hard to host a TV show.

[bafranksbro]

Rusty Wallace is kind of busy at the moment with owning a team and getting ready to commentate NASCAR races. he also has a son working his way up in the ranks of the Nationwide Series. so yeah, it'd be kind of hard to host a TV show.

Not exactly right, he lost his booth commentating job because he was so bad and Dale Jarrett is replacing. But yeah his son certainly needs help considering how bad he is at driving a car, he crashed in the garage area during testing for crying out loud.

[Ish]

He crashed in the garage area?! That's fantastic. I remember watching a race or two and seeing his son crash, and Rusty said "Oh, and there's Steven Wallace up there crashed. Uh, looking at the replay, yeah, that wasn't such a bright move on his part."

[Viper007Bond]

Oh dear.

I hope that label came from an ignorant journalist rather than the NBC. There are a heap of scripted programmes that have a stronger footing in reality than Top Gear, which is part of what makes Top Gear great - it's a bit silly and an escape from reality.

You gotta remember that we have a writer's strike going on over here. It has to be deemed a reality show as there will be no writers involved with the show.

[BlaRo]

There's 400 million people in America, I doubt it's hard enough to find 3 ordinary blokes with nothing more than great chemistry and a shared enthusiasm for all things petrol.

[bafranksbro]

He crashed in the garage area?! That's fantastic. I remember watching a race or two and seeing his son crash, and Rusty said "Oh, and there's Steven Wallace up there crashed. Uh, looking at the replay, yeah, that wasn't such a bright move on his part."

Yep it's really funny. See.

[Lupin_IV]

He was testing the structural integrity of the fence.