[14x04] December 6th, 2009

[14x04] December 6th, 2009

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Changing tack a little and getting away from knocking the episode and the direction of the show in general (neither of which I am happy with but I realise I am one voice among millions) what's the verdict on the Twingo in the tunnel? Assuming it wasn't Clarkson actually driving was it done for real or was it CGI? Before you make up your minds remember that the makers of the original Italian Job attempted it and nearly carried it off but for slime on the tunnel walls causing the Minis to lose grip at critical moments.
 
Mineworksfine said:
Dude, you ARE Mr Needham!!!
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I am so not Mr Needham. How can you even say that?!?

skylock said:
How old are you? Seriously?
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I'm 25!!!! What do you think my age was?!?

Gibby said:
I think your mad. Do you really think that Mr. Needham is not real? Of course not. Mr. Needham is actually Tiff Needell's alias.
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I think what you just said is pointless. Firstly, Tiff doesn't do boring tests (although not as ridiculous as shown on TG, I admit) and why do you really think he would waste his time sending a letter to Top Gear, just because he's on Fifth Gear?!?

It's obvious that none of you seem to agree or even care what I just said.
 
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tgbuddy said:
It's obvious that none of you seem to agree or even care what I just said.
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Guys, gotta give him credit - he gets there eventually. :D
 
Mineworksfine said:
what's the verdict on the Twingo in the tunnel? Assuming it wasn't Clarkson actually driving was it done for real or was it CGI?
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I reckon it was real. I stepped through the footage and you can't see any artefacts (on the SD version, anyway), the side tunnel lights that were present in the lead up shots weren't in the actual loop shop (obviously done elsewhere) plus the loop itself was really quite average... whoever was behind the wheel (unlikely to be Clarkson, but who knows) barely pulled the manoeuvre off, the car came quite close to rolling, the sparks generated were realistic.

Put it this way, if someone did CGI it, they did a very good job of it.
 
Didn't care much for the airport racing. The SUV review is ok, we already knew what he'll say. But cars like that are for people with too much money, they won't care about fuel economy or practicality. The Twingo Sport review is great. I'm suprised they actually destroyed the car at the end tho.
 
I have no idea why people are hating on this episode.
I thought it was a good comeback after the last 2 episodes.
Jezza was on form!
Allthough there could have been more James May, I enjoyed most segments this time, except the SIARPC.

I'll score it at 8/10!
 
wikkedsnaab said:
(...)plus the loop itself was really quite average... whoever was behind the wheel (unlikely to be Clarkson, but who knows) barely pulled the manoeuvre off, the car came quite close to rolling, the sparks generated were realistic.

Put it this way, if someone did CGI it, they did a very good job of it.
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I tend to agree - if it had been CGI, I would have expected the artist to make it look near-perfect, whereas the whole thing looked a bit precarious, especially at the top of the loop.

Hmm... Of course, it's also possible to generate it that way on purpose, so suspicious viewers say, "it can't be CGI, it almost looked like it was going to roll..." :lol:
 
I don't know why exactly, but for me this was the best show so far in this series.

The racing-feature felt recycled, well, it *was* recycled. Old idea/concept, old storyline, old dialogue (RH's lines about "I told them: no body contact" and the "touring-car-legend: XYZ"-introduction) but hey: they did it with new vehicles. Wow, that's original! Still: Was fun to watch, even though it felt like watching a remake of your favourite movie: You know what's going to happen all the time and afterward you feel that the original was way better.

The SUV-bit was easily the best part of the show IMO. Love JC's line about snuff movies. :D Plus it seemed that they haven't forgotten how to do proper TG-films about *gasp* cars. Loved the fact that they followed it up in the studio with that insane Overfinch with the bottomless champagne-fridge (I want one!) and didn't forget to put the two cars round the track.

Guy Ritchie: I like his movies, but he didn't come across as *that* interesting. But to me, the SIARPC-bit usually is a little bit like a dialogue-scene in a porn-movie: I tend to fast forward through it.

The Twingo review: Hmmm.. I do love that little car and I got pretty close to buying one, so I'm glad they tested it. I didn't like the fact that they had to copy their idea with the Fiesta - didn't much care for that type of "test" back then either. They lost me when they started banging it up for no good reason... you don't do that to the "hero" of your piece IMO. Oh, and why no laptime for the Twingo? Would've been much more interesting as a comparison to the 500 Abarth, although I'm pretty sure that the nature of the TG-track would've meant that the Abarth would've won. On a side note: Renault seem to be very generous with their cars when it comes to TG: IIRC they crashed a brand new M?gane back in Season 2. But back then, it really served a purpose, since they demonstrated its safety with this crash.


So to sum up: I don't really know why, but to me this felt almost like a return to old form. I fear however, reading the write-up for the next show, that 04 is as good as season 14 is going to get...:unsure:

07/10
 
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asy1mpo said:
Dont know if I am just tired or it cant compare to episode 2 but this episode (4) and last week I found a good chunk boring.

Tonight I liked the underside down car in the tunnel, the dual screen was impressive and had its few good moments here and there.

The SIARPC was boring. Didnt seem to spend long talking to him - which is good - but showed he maybe didnt have much to say (and was just there to promote his (no doubt rubbish) movie).
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well that depends, im a big fan of rock n rolla, snatch, lock stock et al.... all bloody good films produced by this man.

i like the fact that you'd probably never realise you just walked past him in the street. he looks like a brickie......and he drives a van! awesome.

great ep i though, just the right amount of silly + serious. ross kemp in the boot was genius and the going upside down in the tunnel nearly didnt work out! new RR is amazing, especially the special edition with the gun draw and replenishing drinks cabinet

i also got uncontrollable laughter at JC's ferry-psychology bit in the twingo (i.e. when u go for the ferry ur either too earlier, in which case youre gunning it for the earlier ship, or too late and gunning it for the one your booked on!)

just the way he rocked up to the kiosk and kinda threw his ticket out of the barely opened window at the woman and then burned off with out a care that it appeared to hit her in the face and land on the ground. had me in stitches!
 
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I like Top Gear, this was an episode of Top Gear therefore I liked this episode.

However... I think the problem I've got with this series so far is probably the same reason some of you are enjoying this series so far - there's to much focus on the cars.

I've watched Top Gear since its reincarnation in 2002 but didn't really start to get into it properly - in an obsessive way - until series 8 when they started to move away from cars.

In fact it was about then that they started to attract a mass (+5 million audience) and have remained there ever since.

I'm not much of a car fan, in fact I can't even drive - BUT - I am a fan of JC, JM and RH's humour and the way they interact with each other and that shows best in the cocking about and races.

I think the special on the run up to Christmas will make the series.
 
I thought this episode wasn't brilliant, but it was watchable. Everything in it was nice, just not surprising enough to blow my mind. I don't really care how pointless the SUV comparison was, or that the Renault test had a bit of a similarity to the Fiesta.

Gave it a 7.
 
I liked Hammond going "this is heathrow airport" ... it was a nice reminder at the right time for people who take every word said on TG or everything that happens for real and suddenly fall out of all clouds when they figure out that it can?t be. I don?t care too much about scripted or not as long as it works ... but for those who can?t seem to tell TV-world from real-world apart, Hammond set the tone right for the entire episode. The Airport-racing itself was fun to watch ... but not really something that I will re-watch. It?s a bit like a disposable joke that is funny only once ...
The News were worse than ever ... there is no other word for it. I don?t know what exactly they did different now from season 9 or 10 (4,5,6 etc) when the News were the best part of the show in a lot of episodes ... but IMHO they should go back to how they did the News a couple of years ago ...
The Stupid-offroaders for people with too much money ... worked and made some good points as well. But also hardly anything I?d watch again ...
Guy Richie ... :rolleyes: I really like his movies and therefore respect the man a lot. But I had to Fast Forward at some Point because I couldn?t take him anymore.
The twingo-bit saved the episode for me. Not that it was as good as the Fiesta-bit ... but good no less. Especially the comparisson with the Arbath500 went well.
 
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kurthest said:
I have no idea why people are hating on this episode.
I thought it was a good comeback after the last 2 episodes.
Jezza was on form!
Allthough there could have been more James May, I enjoyed most segments this time, except the SIARPC.

I'll score it at 8/10!
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Don't worry just the usual suspects :rolleyes:
 
tgbuddy said:
I am so not Mr Needham. How can you even say that?!?



I'm 25!!!! What do you think my age was?!?



I think what you just said is pointless. Firstly, Tiff doesn't do boring tests (although not as ridiculous as shown on TG, I admit) and why do you really think he would waste his time sending a letter to Top Gear, just because he's on Fifth Gear?!?

It's obvious that none of you seem to agree or even care what I just said.
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That earlier post you made was pure comedy. Of course no one cared what you said then. :lol:

Sadly it seems to me that you were all serious with your criticism of "Mr Needham".

Poor you :(
 
Very good, so far the season has brightened up from the meagre first ones.

I wasn't annoyed by the destruction of the Twingo(s), because those do come off the production line every five seconds.

But who the hell is Ross Kemp? :lol:
 
shellygrrl said:
4x05 (sports coupes) or 5x01 (muscle cars)? Because I watched 4x05 a bit earlier myself. (Also: Fixed.)



Different strokes for different folks.

I'd give it a 7/10 as well. I think Twingo in the tunnel was one of the best parts. That said, I also agree it needed more James. (Hopefully in a fortnight!)



Let's put it this way: I wouldn't call a fella who has been here a hell of a lot longer than you, and who has contributed a hell of a lot more to these boards than you, and is very much a TG fan (MWF just doesn't like the way it's going at the moment) a spammer.
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LOL! I think you're forgetting that I'm awesome. :? I contribute nothing but incredible amazingness wherever I set foot.:cool::cool:

If MWF doesn't like the current format of the show (which has been this way for some time now) then why doesn't he just fuck off leave? :mad:

I think the majority of TRUE current Top Gear fans would rather see people pointing out good aspects of the show each week rather then the tired slatings offered of by MWF and others. Of course some will not like how TG is nowadays, and of course they should piss off to the 5th gear forum if they care so much about seriousness. :driving:

MWF and TG offenders - :nazibanned:
 
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public said:
Very good, so far the season has brightened up from the meagre first ones.

I wasn't annoyed by the destruction of the Twingo(s), because those do come off the production line every five seconds.

But who the hell is Ross Kemp? :lol:
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He played Grant Mitchell on Eastenders, mocked himself wonderfully on Extras, and has been to dangerous places all for the benefit of us couch potatoes.:)

He is now a star on TG as well :mrgreen:
 
The discussion of the destroyed Twingo is pointless because Renault ok'd it. End of.
 
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