Veyron race fake?

[dMa]

Yes I know I know, a good portion of top gear is indeed staged, but they point go out of their way to say that the races are real and not "hollywood"

The Veryon race was a bit much though, with May's airplane and going around Nice and all that. Well Andy Wilman's article pointed out the following

Most exciting for me is that we've finally come up with another big race - you know, car versus something or other.

The last time we did one was a couple of years ago, with the plane against the Veyron, and in hindsight we lost the plot in that one - too pompous, too overblown and preposterous, too much work on the scripting to make it funny. This one is back to basics, more hardcore, mega car, mega opponent, with a solid premise. And a clue for the geeks: we did it in Japan.

I love top gear for its entertainment value and the bits of real info that get through are just a sweet little bonus, but with this, it throws the validity of quite a bit more of what topgear does. Any thoughts?

[Final Daihatsu]

D'you think it's 100% unscripted? Do you think Jeremy stopped at the side of the motorway to retract the rear spoiler spontaneously? And anyway, even though the caravan fire was obviously scripted, it was still funny. Please please please, don't over-analyse Top Gear. It's supposed to be a simple laugh, no need to think about it a lot.

[dMa]

This is not an over-analyzation by any means. The show is not unscripted, clarkson openly admits to writing it up. I'm just saying that despite its unbelievable entertainment values, that the races are (possibly) largely bullshit.

They take these races seriously and they use the results of these races as weapons against public transport and other things.
Top gear has a very strong public following and people do believe the "facts" presented on the show. If these results are indeed fake, it is probably a bit worse for topgear than staging a burning caravan...

That is my take on it, I know a portion of the show is fake but I dont watch it purely for entertainment either. Maybe I am wrong.

[Polly]

Been there, done that.

[Buba]

And I present to you: No Boss with his patented "O RLY?" or "Captain Obvious" jpeg...

[Quadrax]

Originally Posted by dMa

Maybe I am wrong.

Yes you are.

[Viper007Bond]

If you thought Top Gear was unscripted / unplanned, then you were sadly mistaken.

But that's not to say it all is. They just tend to have a general overall plan and then sometimes reshoot stuff to get it on camera or make it funny. The outcomes of races though are never planned AFAIK.

[vikiradTG2007]

The ending was probably slightly scripted (in the edit department), to make it look even closer than it was. For the Aston race, they did the same thing, although the production notes say that Jezza arrived quite some time before Hamster and May. Here, it's been edited to seem, at one point, as if they were on the same floor of the building.

[Momo63]

Well, of course some of it was scripted - for example:
Richard is "reading" a book about a plane crash with a faked up cover. That obviously was planned

That doesn't mean the whole thinkg was fake does it?

[vikiradTG2007]

Originally Posted by Momo63

Well, of course some of it was scripted - for example:
Richard is "reading" a book about a plane crash with a faked up cover. That obviously was planned

That doesn't mean the whole thinkg was fake does it?

Of course not. That was just to emphasise his apprehension about riding in a "toaster with wings" with May at the controls.

[teeb]

Originally Posted by dMa

I love top gear for its entertainment value and the bits of real info that get through are just a sweet little bonus, but with this, it throws the validity of quite a bit more of what topgear does. Any thoughts?

Yes...that "working too hard on the scripting" may just mean the script (as in what the TG3 say)?

Yes, it was planned in advance that May/Ham would have to get the Eurostar and so on. But that links in to what they were saying to each other in the script - not allowed to fly over mountains, not allowed to fly at night...

I don't believe the actual ending was staged though.

On a side note, we know fine well from interviews and other tv shows that the tg3 can improvise perfectly well...why not let them? Could always edit it out...

[MattD1zzl3]

I love seeing threads where a member finally finds out top gear is scripted. Its like seeing a child discover santa claus or the easter bunny aren't real

[smib]

While I agree that this thread is just about useless, none of you seem to be getting his point at all. He knows the show is scripted, he knows that things are edited to make them as entertaining as possible, he is just looking for opinions as to whether the outcomes of the races are planned ahead. I happen to think that they are.

[GraemeH]

Why do people keep posting this shit as if we didn't already notice at the time? You aren't uncovering some great conspiracy, you're just slow and under the delusion you've noticed something most people haven't.

O MAI GOD U GAISE! I JUST NOTICED A BIT I THINK WASN'T REAL!

We.Know. Go away.

[Vector]

It's the same sort of thing for where Hammond/May never seem to win any of the bizzare challenges, vs rocket powered skateboards or whatever. And it's always by only a few seconds.

[Quadrax]

Originally Posted by smib

While I agree that this thread is just about useless, none of you seem to be getting his point at all. He knows the show is scripted, he knows that things are edited to make them as entertaining as possible, he is just looking for opinions as to whether the outcomes of the races are planned ahead.

I felt his point was quite clear.

He says that he believes the races are fake yet top gear presents them as being 100% real. He suggests this deceptive act ruins the credibility of top gear and they are not to be trusted. He believes in some sort of conspiracy by top gear to fake results so as to push their agenda's on the gullible public.

[dMa]

Originally Posted by MattD1zzl3

I love seeing threads where a member finally finds out top gear is scripted. Its like seeing a child discover santa claus or the easter bunny aren't real

It has nothing to do with "finally understanding topgear is scripted". I have followed these forums closely for a very long time and know of all the instances. This discussion is not about some irrelevant gag where they burn down some caravan or a car wash, but about the validity of the races which is far more central to top gear and the agenda they push on their viewer.

[dMa]

Originally Posted by smib

While I agree that this thread is just about useless, none of you seem to be getting his point at all. He knows the show is scripted, he knows that things are edited to make them as entertaining as possible, he is just looking for opinions as to whether the outcomes of the races are planned ahead. I happen to think that they are.

right!

[No Boss]

Originally Posted by dMa

Yes I know I know, a good portion of top gear is indeed staged, but they point go out of their way to say that the races are real and not "hollywood"

The Veryon race was a bit much though, with May's airplane and going around Nice and all that. Well Andy Wilman's article pointed out the following

I love top gear for its entertainment value and the bits of real info that get through are just a sweet little bonus, but with this, it throws the validity of quite a bit more of what topgear does. Any thoughts?

Originally Posted by Buba

And I present to you: No Boss with his patented "O RLY?" or "Captain Obvious" jpeg...

You got it:

[teeb]

Originally Posted by dMa

It has nothing to do with "finally understanding topgear is scripted". I have followed these forums closely for a very long time and know of all the instances. This discussion is not about some irrelevant gag where they burn down some caravan or a car wash, but about the validity of the races which is far more central to top gear and the agenda they push on their viewer.

This is actually a good question.

Clarkson himself wrote about this, about how the Big Races really did happen and they went back and refilmed bits afterwards.

Problem is we've only their word to take them on. So, knowing they don't always show the whole story in some of their more throwaway films, do you choose to believe them on the Big Races?

Shrug. I choose to believe them, mainly because I'm fairly sure when they plan the races they choose slightly-awkward routes for public transport that involve hours of faff for May/Ham (If the 612/Plane race had started at Heathrow or even Guildford instead of the studio it's safe to say the car wouldn't've won).