[01x02] November 25th, 2016

[01x02] November 25th, 2016

  • Total voters
    170
Meh.
 
S01E01: 9/10
S01E02: 7/10

The dead celebrity bit is already getting old. So are the comments from "the american" test driver. I suppose they felt they had to contrast The Stig not talking at all with someone who talks way too much.

The tent/studio bits were as good as they could be. For better or worse, there appears to be less of the purposeful "let's put the cute girls in the front" than there was in TG.

The Jordan film had it amusing parts, but it was way too long. Parts of it did work as a "Call of Duty" / action film satire.

A bit more "car stuff" would have been welcome. Like if they had an M-B, BMW, and/or Jag in addition to the Audi and raced them to see which got the "queen" to the embassy first. I admit to laughing out loud after James shot "her majesty" in the head.
 
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I thoroughly enjoyed this episode. The Vulcan segment was pure car pornography. Excellent camera work and damn does it look good at speed on a track. More of this! 'The American' is still not funny at all. Neither is the celebrity 'guest'. Those are the only two negative marks for me. The Spinning segment was very well shot and gave a good taste of the local motoring scene. The replica racer was also a good addition but I wish they would have given him a better interview. The Jordan film was hilarious even if overly-scripted. It was a CHM parody of Edge of Tomorrow, a film which I loved too. We all know Clarkson is a big war movie fan so it was great being able to see him play out the fantasy. And Hammond's face before he got shot through the window. :lol:
 
I enjoyed it simply because I had nothing else to watch today.

It was fine, but it could be so much better.

They went on for quite a bit about the most stolen cars that I was expecting that to end up being the theme/challenge of the show and was disappointed it ended up being the Jordan thing (which was 100% scripted obviously, and stunt doubles probably used for almost all the dangerous stuff. Even Jeremy when he's out the window asking to be killed and they finally shoot it's a dummy in the window)

I'm hoping the show settles in and gets better. They need to do some challenges and get out into the culture of the places they're setting up their tent. It feels like they're either doing a talk-show with an audience and cracking jokes or cutting to a pre-recorded 100% scripted action flick segment. I like when we get glimpses of them just being casual and themselves with each other out on the road doing some challenge.
 
S01E01: 7/10
S01E02: 8/10

"Do you want me to tickle you??" lol

I spied James May lip-reading Hammond's lines in the studio segments.
Every funny thing was scripted, unfortunately.

Otherwise, I enjoyed this episode more than E01
 
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5/10.

I don't think I have ever rated a Top Gear episode that low.
 
Episode 2 was 6/10. I feel like this episode was devoid of a true car review. The Vulcan review was okay but, I wish they would talk about the car more and put it on a better track. Point of reference watch the old review of the Pagani Zonda R done on the old top gear. (And yes I know I am comparing the old show but, it needs to be done.)
 
I can see with satisfaction that the moaning and complaining has returned despite the new format, which means they're back to old form :)
 
There was a lot I enjoyed in episode 2, but, the big centre piece film in Jordan was just too much for us; over long, not THAT funny, and despite Clarkson's quip about the piece needing a 'motoring element', it was just too far removed from being a car show at that point. Even at the worst of the old series silliness- the Hover van or the India special, etc- I can still sit and rewatch that stuff; I wouldn't be bothered to watch GT again so far.

The American HAS to go; as does the celeb thing.

It all looks incredible- the filming in Jordan and the Vulcan pieces was breathtaking- but the actual written content needs to be stronger. I'm wondering if the huge budget/production values now are actually slightly exposing the occasional thinness of the ideas. We'll see.
 
Not even Clarkson is calling it a car show anymore... so why do people insist it is?

 
Jesus Christ this was painful to watch. Campers, EV.....and this. First time I ever gave a 1 in rating.

Also "First car to ever achieve 1HP per KG" - Christian von Koenigsegg and the One:1 would like a word...
 
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If that was painful for you to watch, you must have voted Series 23 of Top Gear at -200 :p
 
I give it a solid seven. First off, the Vulcan, holy shit! The Veyron replacement, double holy shit! The Stig replacement the American. No no no for the love of all that's holy just fucking no! That's one joke that got stale fast. Speaking of which, while I quite enjoyed the Jordan segment and thought there were some hilarious bits, shooting each other, shooting the Queen, making a general pigs arse out of the exercise like they always do, I feel it suffered from the same problem as some segments from the first show, repetition gags in place of solid humor. For example, watching James get sniped so many times in exactly the same way started to grate on my nerves. There comes a point where it stopped being funny and just stared being irritating. It also badly felt like it was only left in to pad the show out to its expected time. In future I think the show could benefit greatly from a sterner hand in the editing studio. ... And last but not least, I feel bad about saying this last bit as I'm a big fan of Hammond, May and Clarkson, respect the amount of sheer effort that bringing us this globe trotting show must take, and am tickled pink the new show is up and running, however if they are going to script in so much comedy material, maybe they should think of hiring someone who is actually good at it. Jimmy Carr's a big fan of the show, maybe think about asking him for some advice.
 
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I don't know much about South Africa, but wasn't the audience a bit...white?

Everything goes on too long, even things that aren't meant to be funny. It's like they have more time to fill than ideas.

During the break I thought that I really don't like some of Clarkson's views, but they're still entertaining. The military fetish stuff however I started to skip through.
 
For no apparent reason I preferred this to the first episode. Studio stuff was much better and the Jordan film was actually quite amusing

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RdKetchup said:
5/10.

I don't think I have ever rated a Top Gear episode that low.
Click to expand...

As that is no Top Gear episode this is completely fine for me ;)
 
MacGuffin said:
I can see with satisfaction that the moaning and complaining has returned despite the new format, which means they're back to old form :)
Click to expand...

As far as I know this is a rating and reviewing thread and everyone is free to express their opinions? I get it that you liked the episode but why do you feel it necessary to defend the show from people who don't share your opinion? And I don't mean just the message I quoted, but the several others included.

As someone already conveniently expressed, for me the episode was a "meh". Some good parts, but mostly forgettable.
 
I only wish that people wouldn't carry their personal issues into this thread.

It seems to me that some welcome the opportunity to "repay" the forum for the abyssmal critics that S23 of Chris Evans' Top Gear recieved. At least when I criticize something, I wrap it into reasons, trying to explain why and do not simply klick on 1 in the poll and write nothing or only "meh" or "that was shit". I can't respect that, sorry.

Of course that is just my humble, subjective observation ;)
 
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