[01x05] December 19th, 2010

[01x05] December 19th, 2010

  • 10

    Votes: 10 5.1%

  • 9

    Votes: 38 19.2%

  • 8

    Votes: 67 33.8%

  • 7

    Votes: 41 20.7%

  • 6

    Votes: 15 7.6%

  • 5

    Votes: 9 4.5%

  • 4

    Votes: 4 2.0%

  • 3

    Votes: 8 4.0%

  • 2

    Votes: 2 1.0%

  • 1

    Votes: 4 2.0%
  • Total voters
    198
I gave this episode a solid 8. 9 is outstanding and a 10 doesn't exist.

I loved the rehash of the BL bit, and don't mind at all that they copied it. It was nice to compare these US boats to the BL cars anyway. And, as I've said before, there is nothing wrong with copying the UK bits. The History Channel needs millions of viewers who have never seen TGUK to make the show succeed, and they don't know it's a rehash.

The other reason I loved it was because I've owned two of the cars in the challenge, and both of them have been among my favorite cars that I've owned. I had a '94 Chevy Caprice wagon (twin to the Roadmaster only without the wood trim), and I've had two '69 Cutlass's (one a ht couple, the other a convertible). I'm glad they used a slightly later model Cutlass...it would have broken my heart to see them ruin a '69.
 
Disclaimer: This is an opinion, I'm not putting down on anyone here. I don't particularly like the majority of the people who presume to call themselves "critics", because I see them largely (not all of them) as leeches who have no creativity for music, film, food etc of their own and make a living crapping on the hard work of others.

I love Top Gear (UK). I have seen literally every episode, thanks to the magic of the internet. I think that you can see the hosts coming together more with each time they work together, look back at some of the older UK Top Gear when May, Hammond and Clarkson were getting to know each other and you'll see a lot of the things that people say bothers them in these new US episodes with the hosts just not quite gelling together.

What was missing from this episode, for me, was some car modification. They picked the cars and tested them. That's great fun, but why not instead of talking about the changes you would make to the cars over the radio to each other, make a few of them! I realize putting a $12,000 LS7 crate engine in a Fiero isn't viable for a 1hr show, but many other smaller mods are. I would have loved to see the guys try to turn the visions of their cars in their heads into a small part of reality.

The show copies every other aspect of the UK Top Gear formula, why not that one?
With those cars the possibilities of small and creative mods were endless. Rutledge sounded excited that his car would tow a lot for a car, maybe his vision could have been for the ultimate vacation car that will tow the trailer and do (real lol) burnouts. He could have gone with a better rear end so he can do that real burnout and tow more effectively? Maybe he wanted to have the rear seats to be electrically operated? Adam liked the 350 in his Buick, he could have added a few go fast parts. Tanner loves to drift, a better suspension in the Fiero perhaps?

So!! If you're listening Top Gear, and we hope you are! NEXT SEASON! How about a little more old fashioned American ingenuity and creativity and a touch less following the format?

Can't wait for next week and next year for the new UK episodes.

Be safe in the holidays everyone!
 
Not bad, actually, along with the Moonshine cheap cars the best of this series. But as it's a US version of the British leyland episode of the original TG, i'll only give it a 7/10. Keep it like this, guys!

PS: The news were crap, to be honest. They need to improve that asap...
 
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That sketch at the end just SCREAMED Chip Foose, I know he dropped by for one of the episodes.

A new Roadmaster would be simple, de-luxury the CTS-V Wagon slap some port holes on it, change the lights, add some fake wood and BOOM! 15 million sales a year.
 
I thought this episode was another solid installment. Copying the BL challenge from series 10 of TGUK bothered me a little, especially because it seems that the GM cars were not quite as terribly made- and thus not quite as funny- as the BL cars. (i also had watched that episode again a few days prior) I was also bothered that they didnt seem to fill the cars all the way to the ceiling with water. Otherwise i felt like the hosts were really starting to gel, and while it wasnt all perfect (rutlege stumbling over his words in "the news") it was a marked improvement in group chemistry. I was also a little bothered by the lack of a power review in this episode.

I'm really torn over top gear US. The potential is there for some serious hilarity, but i feel like the still need more time and a few better challenges. They really need to have a better cheap car challenge to really show their stripes: lets see them each get 5000 of their own money to spend on their "best car of the 1980s" and have them do a series of 80s-based challenges. The moonshine episode was fun, but 1000 bucks US just doesnt get you a good enough car these days
 
Along with 1x03 (Moonshine Challenge) the best EP of this series so far
The GM segment was - although copied from TG-UK 10x07 (British Leyland) - very entertaining; also the hosts seemed more natural
Additional, for the imo first time there were some decent lap-comments in/for BSSC

Downsides (sorted by ranking, most important first):
-the news respectively in-studio shots in general (often quite awkward)
-audience is very artificial/awkward
-no car-review or stig whatsoever (although not possible within the given timelimit)

All in all: 7-8 from me

now if they do a proper announcements of the stig and become more natural in the studio...
 
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this is a great episode. i think having old GM vehicles take on the same challenges BL did on the original Top Gear show how good these car once were...not sure about the Pontiac though?
 
I enjoyed it almost as much as the moonshine episode two weeks ago. Despite it just being a rehash of the British Leyland episode in TGUK. Nice to see their chemistry growing. I gave it a strong 7
 
Sik Pony said:
you know what? i was thinking that alot during this eppisode. an "epic" trip would do so much. im sure they are waiting ill they know if this will work before they spend that kind of money. thats a huge operation to put that together. would be very big for the show
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I hoping the Alaskan episode will be that 'epic' trip
 
The generic studio music used throughout is god awful. Half way through and I had enough. Cars sucked hard too.
 
Okay me I was not that impressed and found it sort of dry. I however did appreciate the un-scripted humor and could see that the hosts are starting to blend better. I also could not help but noticed the failed attempt at filling the cars completely up with water. But then I am not sure the cars could actually handle much more water since they were beyond bottoming out. I also will give them credit for have cold sticky pop splashed all over them and broken eggs dripping on their heads. That shows good showmanship. I have not given up yet on TG US and hope to see more improvements as they go along and perhaps start coming up with their own ideas.
 
I was entertained through out the whole episode, who cares if it's a remake of an already done idea. The GM concept wagon looked great also, TGUS has a future if they can keep it up.
 
The show is growing on me and I want to see more. Yes the studio portion isn't blending in well but its also obviously pre-recorded and the splice doesn't feel natural. I think this has more to do with it being the first season and this changes the way the show is produced and put together. I'm getting a better feel for all three hosts and Tanner is starting to grow on me more and more. Wood and Adam naturally 'click' with my personality but it seems like my picks in cars is far closer to Tanner and more and more I'm seeing his place in the show. Of the spin off Top Gears I'm seeing the most potential in the US version even with the tough compromises the 46 minute format forces on them.

The Daily Shows approach of having an abridged interview in the show and an extended version online works well. TG:UK has started doing the same with cuts of challenges that don't necessarily fit well with the program or that break the shows flow yet add more for the fans. I'd like to see TG:US take a similar approach use an abridged interview in the television release and maybe do the same with the news. I think some of the challenges could be fun in a slightly longer version online. More of the in car banter more more more now now now

Positive List...
- relationships appears to be developing naturally
- good selections of vehicles
- presenters aren't acting a part they are trying to be themselves
- website has additional content that shows some heart
- camera work is moving forward with each episode and is looking much better
- audio issues in the first episode (levels were all over the place) are getting much better

Negative List
- Music has to be worked on, more of it, more for it
- the first season studio needs to be reworked, make it a show for the people in the filming studio make them special bring in some warm up comedians. I know this is related to production choices surrounding first season so its forgivable but its the weakest point right now.


Specific to episode 1x05....

Why do I constantly find myself agreeing with Tanners picks. I'd like to have seen a lap time with a Stig or a beat a Stig time in the SX4. The interview with Tony Hawk was working but it needed ten more minutes and the show doesn't have the time for it. I'm suggesting the Daily show method...

Great job overall
 
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8/10.

The thing that surprised me was that they actually found a U.S. location where so much of the MIRA challenges could be adapted.

Note: adapted, not duplicated. The UK slope was 33 1/3 degrees, far more than the 20-odd percent here. And note that they didn't duct-tape the doors as they did with the BL cars.

One thing did happen that startled me: I actually started thinking of Rutledge as Rutledge, not as a Clarkson/Hammond/May analogue. That's a big step in the right direction.

And you know what? I think a UK vs. US "Battle of the Masters" special would be in order for next season. What say ye?
 
I voted this week's ep. an 8... one point above all the others because this is the first episode I didn't fall asleep watching (no joke).
Although, this one felt like a rerun. Hopefully next season the freshman jitters will be gone and they'll start making their own ideas.
 
javierel22 said:
PS: The news were crap, to be honest. They need to improve that asap...
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This. I expect Top Gear Us to find its own voice for each element and this will take some time, but they really have a long way to go for this one.

PBritain said:
That sketch at the end just SCREAMED Chip Foose, I know he dropped by for one of the episodes.
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Pretty sure it wasn't his name on the sketch, though i couldn't see it clearly enough to read it. Looked nice enough, but reminded me of that Dodge Magnum thingy.

DittoMuch said:
Why do I constantly find myself agreeing with Tanners picks. I'd like to have seen a lap time with a Stig or a beat a Stig time in the SX4.
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A Fiero? Really? I had a friend in high school with one and it was utter garbage. Tanner may be a professional, but I'm beginning to doubt his car knowledge. I wish they had shown a segment with the Stig, but they probably did one and cut it for time. Like Clarkson has said, once they trim all the fat they start lopping off limbs in the editing room, and it's not the first time they've cut out the Stig.

I'll give it a 7/10 but I have to take a point off because the audience continues to be 'rubbish'. 6.
 
I enjoyed the episode. A solid 8/10 I think, although I didn't enjoy seeing the poor Olds get smashed up. :( The rest of the episode was alright, except the news really truly sucked. In my mind, the news should be about car news. It should not be a setup for a couple poorly written jokes. It would be nice if they each went online and found some car related stuff to talk about and film the news more naturally and then cut out anything that didn't work well, like TGUK does.

Also, to everyone that keeps talking about how this was a copy of past TGUK episodes. That's kind of the point, you do realize that, right? If TopGear America was going to be all original, with original ideas, then why even call it TopGear? Why pay the BBC? The whole point is that they're making an American version of TopGear, so of course they're going to take advantage of it. They're going to look at all the good ideas TGUK came up with and take from them. It only makes sense, since they're paying for it anyway. The only hope being that TGUS survives and develops it's own identity, but that won't happen this season. Give it some time.
 
Yeah, the crashing of the Olds was hard to watch, but knowing that it was going to be trashed (they had to cut holes in the roof for the water and snorkel) made it a bit easier to stomach. Funny... for a show (all Top Gear, really) that adores cars, I don't see many of the cheap/used cars finding their way back to life after the boys are through with them (Oliver being the obvious exception).
 
7/10 for me. Probably the best episode so far in the season.

I think the editing could have been a bit tighter on the film to free up some 10 minutes for a car review and a slightly longer news segment. Rutledge 's voice is still grating, but when he's with the other hosts and free of any script he's much more tolerable. I thought they Americanized the original TGUK film concept nicely. It was fun to watch and had a lot of nice moments.

I counted two recognizable songs in the show instead of the generic, elevator crap. The budget must have gone up! I really hope they find some way to afford better music in the future.

The news segment was too short and the editing to fit it into the available time was still too klunky. In the TGUK news segment they usually talk to camera when presenting a specific piece of news. I think the TGUS news segment might benefit from something similar. Present the news item to camera, then they can talk to each other about what it means. But introducing news to another host instead of to camera feels awkward.

I'd like to see the studio redesigned a bit to put people into the background or they need to edit in-studio segments to show more of the crowd. One thing that's nice about TGUK is you see the people and you know they're talking to them and not just to camera with a laugh track in the background.

If I were Adam I'd have destroyed Tanner's car after the Fiero crashed into it. The Cutlass looked great in '71. The Fiero is a Ken doll. Rutledge... I wonder if he (or the writers) is trying too hard to be camp. And if we are going to wheel out a wagon for Rutledge, pick something a little older with a bit more character. You can keep the wood paneling, but make it a late 70s/early 80s wagon. American design in the 1990s was just... depressing.
 
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