[02x04] August 14th, 2011

[02x04] August 14th, 2011


  • Total voters
    98
Don't know how many times it has to be said. Have you actually read anything anyone else has ever written about the series here?

Say what? What has anyone (most everyone) else said? :)

Look, its simple: despite the naysayers, TGUS has had consistent ratings growth (which we can assume to be mostly among people who haven't heard of/seen Top Gear) so more and more people seem to like it. The naysayers are quickly becoming the minority here.
 
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Overall entertaining episode, though I'm bored with trucks at the moment.
 
I usually don't like the cocking about episodes, but this is not bad.
 
Fun fact, that generation Bronco has an optional 31" tire from the factory and the K5 Blazer was 28" tire. :D

I would have called the Blazer as a 29" tire, the Option 2 Tire package was 235/75/15, and nominally that is 28.87".

However, many left the dealer with 31" tires on them. For example my 1980 K5 was delivered to the dealer with 235/75/15's Tire Option 2, but by the time the original owner picked it up and drove it off the lot it had 31 x 10.50 x 15's. When I got it in 1986 it still had the 31's and the sales sheet and window sticker listing the 31", but I tried several different sizes, including 32" and 33". After I put a 2.5" lift in it the 33" worked about the best.

T!
 
I didn't like it. Out of the last 5 TGUS shows aired, 4 of them were about challenges involving trucks, (season 2 episode 1 they actually tried to use cars as trucks) and it's getting really old and boring. The most disappointing episode this season.
 
the cars and challenges cater well to the American audience

I have to disagree with that. It seems like they're trying to cater to the NASCAR crowd but I have a feeling most of their audience are not the types of people who watch NASCAR, but the types who watch instead Discovery, History (obviously) and other stations. The kind of people who don't buy Mustangs because they are Mustangs, but the kind of people who are restoring/tinkering on cars or doing autocross on the weekends and appreciate real road racing.

But I might be wrong. The direction of this second season seems so out of touch to me.
 
I have a feeling most of their audience are not the types of people who watch NASCAR, but the types who watch instead Discovery, History (obviously) and other stations.

And who the heck is that exactly? On History alone, you've got shows about folks who drive rigs on frozen rivers, who buy used stuff for a profit, who believe in aliens and conspiracies involving Templars, and sometimes they even watch a little history! I think History Channel is much more than history buffs. So much so that my father no longer watches History Channel for history documentaries. Now its either Military Channel or History International.

And I'm not sure that the NASCAR crowd cares all that much about truck challenges in the desert, but maybe I'm wrong.
 
And who the heck is that exactly? On History alone, you've got shows about folks who drive rigs on frozen rivers, who buy used stuff for a profit, who believe in aliens and conspiracies involving Templars, and sometimes they even watch a little history! I think History Channel is much more than history buffs. So much so that my father no longer watches History Channel for history documentaries. Now its either Military Channel or History International.

And I'm not sure that the NASCAR crowd cares all that much about truck challenges in the desert, but maybe I'm wrong.

First point, how is that not history? Define history.

Second, im sorry but you ARE wrong
 
First point, how is that not history? Define history.

history (plural histories):
1) The aggregate of past events.
History repeats itself if we don?t learn from its mistakes.
Holes in your pant pockets turn your coins into history.
2) The branch of knowledge that studies the past; the assessment of notable events.
He teaches history at the university.
History will not look kindly on these tyrants.
He dreams of an invention that will make history.
3) A record or narrative description of past events.
4) (medicine) The list of past and continuing medical conditions of an individual or family.
A personal medical history is required for the insurance policy.
He has a history of cancer in his family.
5) (computing) A record of previous user events.
I visited a great site yesterday but forgot the URL; oh! ... luckily I didn't clear my history.

There's your definition Pony! I notice you didn't highlight the IRT point; very selective of you. Are those other things history? Pawn Stars and Pickers? Sometimes, but they give only a bare bones bit of knowledge with no context to make it meaningful. Mostly we watch to see what idiocy Chumlee is up to, or to feel stupid that the Pickers found a nice old relic moldering in someone's barn and they'll make a nice profit on it and didn't Grandpa have something like that in HIS barn that we threw out? As for the aliens and conspiracies, NO they are not history. Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code Unveiled (or whatever) and shows like it are shoddy scholarship based on a BOOK OF FICTION for Christ's sake! So no, not history.


Second, im sorry but you ARE wrong

Then I'm wrong. But I notice you have no data to support this. I would have taken the time to do something like look for where NASCAR tracks were (there are tracks in Las Vegas, Phoenix and Ft Worth) as something to support my claim. But no, you're right, it's simply better to declare one's righteousness from on high, like a saint to the sinners. I'm glad you were here to show me the error of my ways.
 
Damn, you took that way out of context. Relax.

"who buy used stuff for profit" can be seen as "find old stuff from the past covered in dust and tell us about it then buy it to sell"

"who believe in aliens" Look up egypts past. There are plenty of theories about aliens and ancient egypt

Templars, well, thats simple.

The nascar thing is easy, Trucks = Rednecks. they love thier trucks and they dont care where they are. Trucks are a common mans vehicle, i know they have overdone it but was it not fun to watch anyways? everyone knows someone with an old truck. But i agree to a point.
 
Still, I'm amazed the Bronco was still able to hold its own against the others, despite being a front-wheel-drive vehicle.

Last time I checked, Bronco's are rear wheel drive with a transfer case to make it 4X4. Of course I may have missed something in the episode.
 
Good Show, Very entertaining.
Looks like the hosts are actually having fun.
They are moving out of TGUK's shadow and developing an American flare now.
 
Damn, you took that way out of context. Relax.

I'm relaxed, but if you want to contend that I'm wrong, do so with facts. I felt that the point that jsausly was making was that TGUS was catering to NASCAR fans and that NASCAR fans do not frequent the History Channel. My point was that History (and its viewership) is not so much about history as it is about 'reality television', and is therefore attractive to a wide audience (hence why Pawn Stars and IRT are among the highest rated cable shows) and this would include NASCAR fans. To me that was the context. What was it for you?

"who buy used stuff for profit" can be seen as "find old stuff from the past covered in dust and tell us about it then buy it to sell"

I talked about this very specifically; re-read my point.

"who believe in aliens" Look up egypts past. There are plenty of theories about aliens and ancient egypt

Yeah, but this is History Channel, not Stargate SG1 on Syfy. These 'theories' (not even the correct term used there) have no facts to support them.

Templars, well, thats simple.

Apparently so; so simple you didn't bother to clarify. Here's my two cents: Dan Brown writes a (crappy) book about a conspiracy theory involving Jesus, Mary, sex, the Holy Grail, the Renaissance Masters, and eventually the Founding Fathers and added a dash of selective Templar history; it becomes popular to a generation who grew up watching X-Files and lived through Watergate and Iran-Contra (so conspiracies must abound, right?); and therefore History Channel decides to devote hours of programming to the phenomenon. It's business, not history.

The nascar thing is easy, Trucks = Rednecks. they love thier trucks and they dont care where they are. Trucks are a common mans vehicle, i know they have overdone it but was it not fun to watch anyways? everyone knows someone with an old truck. But i agree to a point.

I'm not sure that Trucks = Rednecks; I originate from the suburbs, and SUVs abound. As you say, they are a common man's vehicle, the best-selling vehicles in America actually. And my point was that NASCAR fans are not necessarily Rednecks. Jeremy Clarkson said that NASCAR was the most popular form of motorsport in the world; that would mean either a hell of a lot of rednecks, or that NASCAR fans are more diverse than you would expect.

They proved it could be FWD.

I proved it too, with an old '74 Plymouth Trailduster (rear u-joints went out, nearly pogoed my truck). Just put it in four wheel high speed, and its goes just fine.
 
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i havnt been deep into this because im working. im just trying to make my point without spending the day doing it. As far as the Knights Templar, if thats what your referring to, is still very real.

As far as the trucks thing here is a quick find. Just searched Best selling vehicles + decade

best selling vehicles in the US. Look at #1, #2 and #6

Here are some NASCAR Fan Demographics. Look at the income area and tell me who fits into that.

i would find something for the egypt point but i just dont wanna fuck with the photobucket thing at the moment. maybe when i get home ill hit that point.

Simple google searches got this info...

As far as History Channel, i get your point but it really depends on how you look at the programming. besides, during the day it alot of traditional history stuff.
 
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i havnt been deep into this because im working. im just trying to make my point without spending the day doing it. As far as the Knights Templar, if thats what your referring to, is still very real.

As far as the trucks thing here is a quick find. Just searched Best selling vehicles + decade

best selling vehicles in the US. Look at #1, #2 and #6

Here are some NASCAR Fan Demographics. Look at the income area and tell me who fits into that.

i would find something for the egypt point but i just dont wanna fuck with the photobucket thing at the moment. maybe when i get home ill hit that point.

Simple google searches got this info...

As far as History Channel, i get your point but it really depends on how you look at the programming. besides, during the day it alot of traditional history stuff.

Thanks. Not sure why you're showing me this though. And I understand that you're at work (had to go for a bit myself today) and didn't take the time to read my posts thoroughly but I really wish you had, because I myself pointed out that trucks are the best -selling vehicles in America. And your demographics data indicates that NASCAR fans are right at the median of US income, which would seem to support my point that NASCAR fans are not necessarily all rednecks, especially with that income. The Knights Templar? I never said it wasn't 'real', just that Dan Brown wrote a crappy conspiracy theory novel about it wherein they kept the 'secret of Jesus' alive, and this has turned into a huge torrent of quasi-scholarship that the History Channel chooses to display because its business, not true history, same with the stupid Nazis/Egyptians/UFOs conspiracy(s), AND WHY THE HELL ARE STILL GOING ON ABOUT THIS ANYWAY?!

History Channel is first and foremost a business, a basic cable channel that wants to get the most viewers it can so it can collect the most revenues it can from advertisers. To do this, it has gotten away from 'dull' history documentaries in favor of reality programming and faddish pseudo-scholarship. I understand that, and I'm fine with it. As long as I can watch actual history documentaries on its sister networks (Military History and History International) let them play all day marathons of Ancient Aliens (as they did today, from 7am CT to 10 pm tonight). I just want us to stop with this foolish nonsense that History is a channel dedicated to history.

BTW, here is a link that shows the viewers of History are "upscale, predominantly male viewer(s), in the 25-54 demographics", (http://www.aetninternational.com/build_history.jsp) which means they have essentially the same demographics as NASCAR fans, and this supports my point from #67 above. Now please, please, please stop talking about History's programming! Most of the time you've ended up arguing the same point as me, and it's just silly!
 
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I thought it was a good show and I think they are getting much better at producing it. The thing about Trucks, well since the show is supposed to be how Americans views automobiles then the pick-up is very much a part of it. If you want technical details about vehicles I would suggest any show but TG. Top Gear is not really a program to bring people up to date with the automotive technologies and products or even be informative it is what we call a comedy and is purely for entertainment purposes only.
They are getting better and better and more independent from Top Gear UK.
 
As long as I can watch actual history documentaries on its sister networks (Military History and History International) let them play all day marathons of Ancient Aliens (as they did today, from 7am CT to 10 pm tonight).

I actually had that on earlier. Mainly for background noise since I couldn't be assed to get up and change the channel (and nothing else was on anyways)
 
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