Season 14 slid off track

I am sitting here waiting for the Bolivia thing, that could be the saving grace for this season.
According to the first opinions coming in, it was epic. Looking forward to watching it!

I just hope this thread will remain on the level it has been at and will escape any "See, that is you idiots told!!!one!!1!" posts after 14x06.
 
I just hope this thread will remain on the level it has been at and will escape any "See, that is you idiots told!!!one!!1!" posts after 14x06.

Hopefully most understand that one episode does not a season make.

Doubly-so as I believe the "crap reel episode" is supposed to come up next.
 
Season 14 leapt back onto the track, even if only for one ep! :D
 
Hopefully most understand that one episode does not a season make.

Doubly-so as I believe the "crap reel episode" is supposed to come up next.

I totally agree, as I said in an earlier post, I really would not mind if the whole thing took a year off from the series and just did a few 3-4 specials, that would give everyone a chance to rest and think through the ideas they come up with.
 
This is the first time in ages I've been really looking forward to downloading TG. The last time was the Vietnam Special.

Clearly, when the TG boys make an epic film, it is superb. Jezza, Hamster and May seem to let their real emotions show a little more, and the bods behind the camera put an amazing amount of craftsmanship into these films. TG's regular show is obviously taking a lot out of the team and it comes across as tired, but their fatigue seems to be set aside when it comes to making a special such as South America, Vietnam or Botswana.

One obvious thread that has emerged from the criticism of Series 14 is that a lot of people (myself included) reckon that TG needs a break. I'll change my opinion slightly: what TG needs is to take a break from its regular format for about 18 months, but perhaps make 2-3 uber specials in the vein of Botswana, Vietnam, South America etc. Hell, I'd happily forgo regular TG for 2 years if it means getting 2 or 3 utterly brilliant specials over the same time period.

Australia is an obvious candidate as a venue for such a program, as are Canada, India and North Africa. Other less obvious places to make such a film could be Eastern Russia, the least dangerous of the 'Stans' (e.g. Kazakhstan), China, Eastern Europe, the Middle East etc. Possibly even something in the safer bits of countries with a bit of a dangerous rep, such as Iran or Pakistan.

If TG really want to move away from being a car program to an entertainment program with cars as props, this format works best when it involves exotic locations, rubbish cars and genuine camaraderie with the boys.

Just my $0.02.
 
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Since it's Christmas weekend let's say that we've just been served a magnificently delicious stuffed organic turkey cooked by a Michelin starred chef after weeks of second rate frozen shit burgers from Iceland*, so that's a relief for now but I hope I won't have to eat from Iceland next week, again.:cry:

*the supermarket, not the country. :p
 
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Since it's Christmas weekend let's say that we've just been served a magnificently delicious stuffed organic turkey cooked by a Michelin starred chef after weeks of second rate frozen shit burgers

Sounds like there will be plenty of leftovers to freeze and enjoy again, and again, and again.
 
I'm 15 minutes into the Bolivia special .. I have a smile on my face for two reasons, 1 I'm drinking the 2 the other this reminds me of an older episode.

i still wouldn't give them a pass because of one episdoe. They still need to do proper car reviews EVERY episode.
 
I have just finished watching the SA special and I have to say, that it indeed was epic. In the shadow of otherwise mediocre season 14, a gem has arisen. It seems, that the 3 guys act differently in other countries and don't play their stupid predefined roles so much therewith making every special episode not just watchable, but actually enjoyable and altogether great.
 
Australia is an obvious candidate as a venue for such a program, as are Canada, India and North Africa. Other less obvious places to make such a film could be Eastern Russia, the least dangerous of the 'Stans' (e.g. Kazakhstan), China, Eastern Europe, the Middle East etc. Possibly even something in the safer bits of countries with a bit of a dangerous rep, such as Iran or Pakistan.

I have enjoyed series 14 so far, it is almost as good as series 12. Series 13 was slow. I have yet to see the Bolivian episode.

They could not get into much trouble in Australia and they have lots of room for dicking about. Melbourne to Adelaide to Alice Springs to Darwin would be epic, then back via Broome, Geraldton, Perth, Eucla, Nullabor, Coober Pedy, Broken Hill, Birdsville, Brisbane, Townsville, Cairns then to the Tiwi Islands. That could take up a whole series.

They need to meet the Mythbusters, that would be Astronomically EPIC.
 
I have a feeling that the 'shit' episode to come might appease some of the more virulent car fanatics who just want the show back as it was when Jezza had a white man's afro. It's quite hard to do big budget effects when you... well, don't have a big budget. I'll be interested to hear what the more vocal criticisers have to say about it.

It's a pity the blog has degenerated into, "You're an idiot," "No, you're an idiot," but there you go. And this time it's not even The Monk's fault, although he's as bombastic and overbearing as ever. Ah well, c'est la vie.
 
This is the first time in ages I've been really looking forward to downloading TG. The last time was the Vietnam Special.

Clearly, when the TG boys make an epic film, it is superb. Jezza, Hamster and May seem to let their real emotions show a little more, and the bods behind the camera put an amazing amount of craftsmanship into these films. TG's regular show is obviously taking a lot out of the team and it comes across as tired, but their fatigue seems to be set aside when it comes to making a special such as South America, Vietnam or Botswana.

One obvious thread that has emerged from the criticism of Series 14 is that a lot of people (myself included) reckon that TG needs a break. I'll change my opinion slightly: what TG needs is to take a break from its regular format for about 18 months, but perhaps make 2-3 uber specials in the vein of Botswana, Vietnam, South America etc. Hell, I'd happily forgo regular TG for 2 years if it means getting 2 or 3 utterly brilliant specials over the same time period.

Australia is an obvious candidate as a venue for such a program, as are Canada, India and North Africa. Other less obvious places to make such a film could be Eastern Russia, the least dangerous of the 'Stans' (e.g. Kazakhstan), China, Eastern Europe, the Middle East etc. Possibly even something in the safer bits of countries with a bit of a dangerous rep, such as Iran or Pakistan.

If TG really want to move away from being a car program to an entertainment program with cars as props, this format works best when it involves exotic locations, rubbish cars and genuine camaraderie with the boys.

Just my $0.02.

It's a little bit like Clarkson's Motorworld of the mid nineties. I've only seen the Australian episode of that but I've read the book which is pretty epic. Clarkson goes to locations such as Italy, Cuba, India, America (twice), Vietnam, etc. Motorworld was about finding out about how the car is used and valued every day by different cultures. How cars mean different things to different people around the world.

It's almost like they're going for the same thing with the big specials except it's how car and country/landscape interract. The country's inhabitants take a back seat and it becomes about how three mates can drive three shitboxes across such inhospitable terrain, developing bonds with their respective cars.
 
I have a feeling that the 'shit' episode to come

The shit episode has been and gone (14x05). ;)

Ahh ... you mean 'shit' in inverted commas. Sounds like that would probably better than most of Series 14 combined (notwithstanding the Bolivia special and the Lancia film).
 
I have a feeling that the 'shit' episode to come might appease some of the more virulent car fanatics who just want the show back as it was when Jezza had a white man's afro. It's quite hard to do big budget effects when you... well, don't have a big budget. I'll be interested to hear what the more vocal criticisers have to say about it.

.....potential problem with that, the main car review in episode 7 is described in the preview as "one of the most expensive road tests in Top Gear history".

Of course, they might be lying. :lol:
 
The shit episode has been and gone (14x05). ;)

Ahh ... you mean 'shit' in inverted commas. Sounds like that would probably better than most of Series 14 combined (notwithstanding the Bolivia special and the Lancia film).

Oh I see what you did there... :p There was lots of series 14 I liked but I have a feeling that I don't have the energy for the arguments that would follow so I'll leave it.
 
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