[14x04] December 6th, 2009

[14x04] December 6th, 2009


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What I liked about the airport race, and all the BTCC races on TG, is that you see vehicles that were never, ever intended to be raced or even to go over 10mph, being thrashed about. It's an absurd visual that makes my inner-child giggle. I could never get enough of the bendy-bus sideways action. You do it in a race format to give the film a basic premise to form around, but the film is really about watching vehicles do absurd things they were never made for, and on that I think the film worked. And I would not be against seeing the BTCC drivers back for a future film.

I love seeing the Touring Car guys on the show thrashing cars and other vehicles around. Meanwhile, I think you nailed why I like all the racing segments they've done (this one included). I still say the F1 board ought to be expanded to include all racing drivers. Then they can get the Touring Car guys to have a go in the Liana! :)

Jimmy was supposed to test the Insignia VXR this episode.

James tested it for this series. Wilman didn't say it would be in this episode. It will be in either the next episode or in the season finale.
 
I gave it a 7/10. The airport race was just stupid, no point to it. Why fluff it up? Why not just say we're wanting to do a demolition derby in some airport vehicles. It dragged on way too long.

Thought the X5, Range Rover and Q7 review was good, not as good as they used to be but a lot better than recent reviews.

The SIARPC, Guy Ritchie was good too, i don't usually watch this segment but this one like Eric Bana's was refreshing.

The Renault segment was ok, could have been better but still it showed the car's capabilities in a fun way.

Much better TG, keep it up.
 
Top Gear people are crazy.
Another brilliant episode:
aircraft tug- my favorite machine on the runway- low, compact, like a Lamborghini...except it isn't one
Village People
UsainBolt splashing John Prescott
Jeremy chasing TG crew with horror movie soundtrack
video screen on Range Rover
It?s impossible to drive a mosquito and cruel to even try
blind Jack,the milkman
Ross Kemp in the trunk-absolute genius, made the whole segment
car through tunnel
Twingo missing the ferry- just like that scene in Starsky & Hutch where Starsky overshot the yacht in the Gran Torino and hit the water; hilarious, I'm still laughing

PS: I wish Top Gear would test the Renault Clio RS200Cup,in Kawasaki green; I think it is the best affordable car in existence.

PPS:the x5m is faster in the wet than Porsche Carrera S! wow,that is ridiculous!
 
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I love seeing the Touring Car guys on the show thrashing cars and other vehicles around. Meanwhile, I think you nailed why I like all the racing segments they've done (this one included). I still say the F1 board ought to be expanded to include all racing drivers. Then they can get the Touring Car guys to have a go in the Liana! :)

You just gave me an idea...if/when they decided to retire the Lacetti, what they should do is take all the Lacettis they own and give them to the Touring Car drivers for a final demolition derby few laps of the track.
 
YES! They should totally do that.
 
by the way, who, when watching the Renault segment, didnt expect to see the Fiat? i turned to my roomate about 2 seconds into it and said " he must be setting up for the Fiat 500". so, predictable? yes. funny? HELL YES! i almost expected the Fiat to lose the drag race, but, then i remembered its just a little Ferrari in drag.
 
Blimey, it's not hard to spot the Top Gear fanboys around here when they make comments like "Worst Episode Ever! 5/10". :lol: :rolleyes:

Personally, I get the feeling that someone on the Top Gear crew is desperately trying to re-ignite the spirit that was in the earlier seasons, but it seems that they're just going about it all wrong. As this episode proves, simply rehashing the same ideas every season gets a bit tired and predictable.

As for the Twingo bit, well firstly, nothing was CGI, I can assure you of that. And secondly, as for destroying the car, who cares? Renault probably pumped out another 200 Twingos while the show was on, so it was quite literally a drop in the ocean. I just wish they'd stitched it together without going down the whole 'Mr Needham' route, as this draws unneccessary comparisons to the excellent Fiesta review (which had originality on it's side) and mostly because they were given a car to destroy.

Now, it's no secret that Top Gear's budget has been drastically cut back, but if i'm honest, i'm not sure that's really a problem. In fact, one of my favorite Top Gear bits recently wasn't even broadcast. It was the final 15 or so minutes from Richards 'Top Gear Uncovered' DVD. Fast cars, great scenery and a presenter who was more interested in being passionate about the cars he was driving, than 'cocking about'. And, to be fair, some people might get a little bored of straight out car reviews, but all i'm looking for is balance. Heck, if Top Gear wanted to really spice things up, they'd start reviewing bad cars again. Nothing funnier than a bit of british rapacious wit...
 
Jimmy was supposed to test the Insignia VXR this episode.

On behalf of James, please don't call him Jimmy. I'm pretty sure he'd have you murdered by midgets if you said that to his face.
 
Very good episode. The only questionable segment would be the airport bit, but, it was still very entertaining.

9/10, I liked this one, alot.
 
6/10
The best part was the very last part of the Twingo test with the race to catch the ferry. I wish we had new hot hatches in the US.
 
eh, this episode just seemed like all filler for me after last week. anyone else think Top Gear has officially jumped the shark?...
 
eh, this episode just seemed like all filler for me after last week. anyone else think Top Gear has officially jumped the shark?...

Nah, the first three eps of the season were excellent. One average ep mid-season isn't so bad.
 
14x04 left me cold. I'm struggling to give it 6/10, and at least 2 of those points are for Ross Kemp. I gotta say, he looks nothing like he did when he was in Spandau Ballet.

The airport film was mildly amusing if obviously rigged to let Hammond win. The Twingo bit was obviously Sensible Fiesta Review 2: Electric Boogaloo. Why do they even bother with the news any more? It's all blindingly obvious willy jokes now.

I've actually thought about Series 14 thus far, and I think I know what the issue is. Top Gear, in its current incarnation, has been with us for 7 years now. Clarkson, Hammond and May have a way about them that engages the audience - even those of us half way around the world - in such a way that it feels like we're in the company of friends that do stuff that friends do: hang out, shoot the shit, have the occasional good natured punch-up, play stupid jokes on each other etc.

As often happens in friendships, the first 2-3 years go really well. We can't wait to hang out together, our interests are quite similar ... which is often a catalyst for a friendship to begin in the first place. It seems now that our friendships have moved on. Those of us who have been watching TG from the start are feeling less and less engaged, whereas new friends have been made by TG. The new friends seem to be attracted to TG's new interests: cars used as wacky props, celebrities plugging their latest poxy book or film, and too many dick jokes.

If that's what floats your boat, then more power to you. My tastes are a little simpler than that: I like watching three good mates having a genuinely good time with cars, and I love it when mates share their genuine passion for cars in animated ways. It seems like now that it's about the exaggerated animation with cars being an afterthought.

My opinion on TG is that it's beginning to feel like a friend that I'm drifting apart from. These days, I feel as though I'm downloading and watching TG out of duty rather than because I really want to see it.

So, just like dozens of friends that have come and gone, I'm happy to catch up with them for a bit of a chat, and I still enjoy their company. It's just that I no longer enjoy their company like I used to, when I couldn't get enough of them. Who knows ... maybe the old friendship will spark again in future. For now, I see myself becoming more of an acquaintance than a friend of TG.
 
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James tested it for this series. Wilman didn't say it would be in this episode. It will be in either the next episode or in the season finale.

The repeat in the tv guide says this.

On behalf of James, please don't call him Jimmy. I'm pretty sure he'd have you murdered by midgets if you said that to his face.

Is that a wager? :p
 
Blimey, it's not hard to spot the Top Gear fanboys around here when they make comments like "Worst Episode Ever! 5/10". :lol: :rolleyes:

This is why when I read those kind of comments, I also laugh, roll my eyes and move on. Come on, if you really think that this is the worst episode of TG EVER, then why do you give it anything other than a 1? Complete idiocy, IMO.

BTW, I challenge anyone here to find even worse episodes than the entire 1st series of the new TG. Just had a go at viewing those eps, and I've never seen such rubbish in my life :tvhorror:. Jason Dawe was frankly terrible; glad they got rid of him for James.

Anyway, 14x04...definitely rehashed material but entertaining. Skipped Guy Ritchie, not my cup of tea. Liked the Renault review the most, including the sewer tunnel stunt and driving into the sea. I give this ep a 7/10.
 
I'm 25!!!! What do you think my age was?!?


Honestly? 12 or 13, maybe 14 or 15. I am shocked at 25 after reading your post.
 
The discussion of the destroyed Twingo is pointless because Renault ok'd it. End of.

Think about it: the car is worth, what ?11,000-?12,000 retail, so it probably cost Renault maybe ?6,000 or ?7,000 to manufacture. For that, you get nearly 15 minutes of coverage on Planet Earth's pre-eminent car show with a worldwide viewing audience of 350-million-plus, with the world's best known (if not best liked) motoring journalist driving the bejesus out of it and saying how wonderful and fun it is.

You can't buy advertising like that. Renault wouldn't have blinked if TG asked for a dozen to destroy.

EDIT: Plus they got Ross Kemp's endorsement too. Genius. I'm sure everyone at Renault Marketing is enjoying a hot oil rubdown to congratulate themselves on being so darn clever.
 
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I enjoyed the ep, and wasn't waiting Ross Kemp at all :)
 
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