[08x07] July 23rd, 2006

[swek]

Discuss the Ep here if you've seen it.

Like always, no download or torrent talk.

[McSpeed]

Man, did I adore this episode! Especially the part in which I-... err, I mean.. The Stig raced across the public roads in that Super Seven. Can't wait to see this one again somehow 8) Fortunately, a Dutch channel broadcasts the previous episode every friday ^^ I know what I'll be doing next friday then.

[Grim...]

"Do you have a Nectar card?"

"..."

[Plissken]

It was him standing in the queue that creased me up.

[SickGuy]

The stig has a bladder haha

[Hugh Peters]

I used to find all this messing around pretty funny, but now most of it is just too obvious. It's like they are trying too hard sometimes.

Overall though, I really enjoyed the ep. The weakest story being the Caterham one. The building part with James and Clarkson was good, but the actual race element to it was weak and lacking in any drama.

Much better than last weeks panto.

[Cobol74]

I enjoyed the ep alot, some of the banter was really good, James has come on light years with the one liners and gives Jeremy as good as he gets now. I am amazed that they could build the Caterham at all given the chaos.

[Hugh Peters]

Originally Posted by Cobol74

I enjoyed the ep alot, some of the banter was really good, James has come on light years with the one liners and gives Jeremy as good as he gets now. I am amazed that they could build the Caterham at all given the chaos.

I'm pretty sure they didn't actually build it themselves.

[ahpadt]

Very nice episode indeed. I want to build my own Caterham aswell now.

[Overheat]

23th?

anyway, awesome ep - the lambo was REALLY drool-worthy and the final segment was just fantastic

Also, Coogan is great

[swek]

^ Don't confuse me Overheat. I slept when we talked about calendar days in school.
(Plese don't let it be one of those BE vs. AE things)

Anyway, good episode although I must say that I'm kind of sick about the challenges. I'd enjoy a show filled with road tests for a change.

[Wizegui]

Yah i do wish they will start reviewing more cars and stop this reality show type of stuff. Great episode none the less

[hungus]

I wonder if I can get my Lambo with cup holders that keep my drink cold.

[NAIDANAC A]

WOOOHOOOO awsome episode and I didn't even fall asleep. I would have loved to see the Stig randomly at a gas station or something.

[Phix]

This episode was a huge disappointment.

The beginning with the MPVs was dull. It should have been more of a review of the S-Max alone with the followup cars in the studio like they did with a lot of other cars before it.

The Caterham building part... perhaps the one thing I was looking forward to this entire series was teh biggest let done. To begin with in the season preview it had said it'd be Jeremy, James, and Richard vs. their wives and girlfriend respectively in a Caterham Build showdown. It most certainly wasn't. The whole build seemed more of a 'Ok, these blokes will do most of the work and we'll tell you guys to do like 3 jobs out of the entire build'... the best part was definitely just the Stig segments in the gas stations etc. etc.

The only good part was definitely the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder test. It was what made the previous series of Top Gear so fun to watch... just some crazy power-sliding with facts and Clarkson's sometimes inane (or this time agreeable) opinions thrown in.

You know... I really used to enjoy the challenges. I still rate the Porsche challenge the top of my list. Before it really did seem like 3 guys cocking about as they would say. Now... it's just so... scripted. I know there has always been a script but according to that Times Online report it was much more a guideline which was occansionally glanced at. Now it seems like they're absolutely glued to it. :/

[hungus]

Originally Posted by Wizegui

Yah i do wish they will start reviewing more cars and stop this reality show type of stuff. Great episode none the less

Me too, wheres the great race, remember the three-way with the Zonda, GT, F430. That was brilliant

[Wizegui]

To be honest the Catheram part wasnt that good. Jeremy spent too much time trying to shove everything together rather than read the manual. It seems like they have to have a challenge every episode nowadays and less road tests. The C-Max and B Class was abit dull and lacked of information imo.

edit - James didn't say "Oh Cock"

[epp_b]

Overall, I'll say it was better than the last episode.

The minivan (what they call "people carriers" or "MPVs") segment was alright - short, simple, and entertaining. I really liked how they had so much trouble getting the rear seats to fold out in the Vauxhall That was definitely spontanious.

The Lamborghini segment was great for the most part (a little too much "YES!!! MORE OF THIS!!!" and "IT'S MAD BUT WHO CARES?!" ... a bit overused there, IMO). And what of the contradiction? When Jeremy first reviewed the Garllardo (hard-top), he said it wasn't the glorified Audi TT he was expecting....this time he said exactly that it was. Hmm...this inconsistency puts me off a bit and makes it seem like his "on-screen" personality is becoming a forced and exaggerated version of his seemingly-usual "blunt, in-your-face, my-opinion-is-right" self.

Those building-jumpers -- or whatever they're called -- were really cool! I enjoyed that part for sure.

The Caterham 7 -- OK. Do you really think that they would have that much trouble building a car that's technically already half put-together? Especially James, being the technically and mechanically knowledgeable person that he appears to be. Did they even do it on their own? (How much help do you think they had from the rest of the TG crew?)

Oh, and one quick conversation they had while they were building the car...

JC: start pumping (talking about the brake pedal)
Hammond: *cross-eyed and waving his head around*
JS: is it hard?
Hammond: Oh, yeah, it's...it's hard

Ouch

----

Slightly off-topic: whatever happened to the cool-wall? It hasn't been in the last two episodes!

I wonder if I can get my Lambo with cup holders that keep my drink cold.

*snicker*

I used to find all this messing around pretty funny, but now most of it is just too obvious. It's like they are trying too hard sometimes.

Agreed. 100%

[2Billion]

I don't quite get the whining about challenges. They're funny, they're fun to watch, and since last year was a lean one for interesting metal, they're a whole lot better than resorting to testing, say, a Chrysler Crossfire convertible in Iceland.

On a lighter note, Steve Coogan sure is a sweaty little bugger isn't he?

[epp_b]

You know... I really used to enjoy the challenges. I still rate the Porsche challenge the top of my list. Before it really did seem like 3 guys cocking about as they would say. Now... it's just so... scripted. I know there has always been a script but according to that Times Online report it was much more a guideline which was occansionally glanced at. Now it seems like they're absolutely glued to it. :/

All good points, and I agree. They need to go back to guidelines instead of scripts and settle down with all the challenges. One or two challenges every now and then was good, but it's just too much now. I just counted, and six of the eight episodes this season (that's 75% of them!) have been/will be largely or almost wholely devoted to some wacky challange. Previously, that ratio was about reversed, and it was better than way because, now, it almost seems that it's no longer an unscripted car show with some comedy on the side; but that it's a scripted comedy that happens to deal with cars.

I wonder if the BBC is under some kind of legal pressure and is forcing more restiricted scripting as a result...maybe Clarkson ticked off some rich lawers?