[04x02] September 6th, 2011

[04x02] September 6th, 2011


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This deserves a serious answer

Thanks.

The Ford Falcon is on its last generation. It's due to be replaced with the American Taurus. I've heard that the latest generation of Taurus is not complete crap. It will still be a sad day to see the last Falcon roll off the production line.

It's not complete crap, but its certainly not a great car which I understand the Falcon to be. I didn't know the decision had been made on the world platform for Ford. Last I heard, the decision wasn't going to be made between the Falcon and Taurus platforms until 2016. That's too bad. I'd bet part of the problem is the new fuel economy standards here, which is a big reason why the Viper is being discontinued.

If it makes you feel better, the current crap-ass Chevrolet Impala/Buick Park Avenue/Cadillac XTS is going to be discontinued and replaced by the next-generation Holden Commodore platform, so we're coming out more or less even. And Holden also developed the platform the Camaro is based on. You Aussies may have come out ahead.
 
I thought that last year's season ended quite abruptly with only a few episodes aired and the remainder put on the shelf at channel 9.

Is there a possibility that what is being screened now are last year's leftovers? It would explain why what we're seeing now is so similar to season 3.

Does anyone know for sure the truth of the matter?
 
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Is there a possibility that what is being screened now are last year's leftovers?

There was only one un-aired episode from last season. I don't think it even made the DVD.

Ewen said it might get tacked on the end of this season - though that was much earlier this year, at the first or second studio filming, and they didn't even know when this season was going to be shown.
 
"Shane Pizzati?"

"Shane Pizzati?"

Anyone else notice that the production team screwed up with the name captions and gave Steve the name of "Shane Pizzati" (about a minute and 46 into the show)?
 
I think we've seen the line where the crew becomes lame duck and no longer cares. In the interests of supporting Pizzati, I am changing my (love) handle to 'shanebeachboy1970'.

Oh, wait! That was wrong! Try this instead: shanepizzati1970.

Damn! This typing thing is harder than it looks...
 
Does TG:AUS work better for me because I'm Canadian....

Its strange that in 42 minutes TG:US feels compressed yet in this episode it didn't feel like that. It still felt 'dumbed' down and a little low brow but I get that this is also part of what makes it fun. VW + Audi (lets face it no versus here it was a semi comp dual review) still managed to work and balance. Smart Car actually did work at some odd level for me and I am also a cyclist. V8 bit didn't work for TG:UK and doesn't work for TG:AUS thus I'm tempted to believe I just don't get it.

What is odd to me is that TG:AUS feels the most 'foreign' to my Canadian eyes.
 
Definately. The majority of the hatred of TGA in Australia comes from the "cultural cringe" rather than from an objective assessment of the show.
 
But if we're completely objective about it, the opinions of we non-Aussies matter least since it wasn't really meant for our markets. I know I wouldn't have seen it without the benefit of Pirate Bay. So the 'cultural cringe' is obvious and justifiable to you and not really even noticed by us apparently. Huh! Something to think about.

By the same token, when I watch TGUS I don't really feel a 'cultural cringe'. At least not during this current series. It does bug me when I see a segment that TGUK has done (there hasn't been so much of that this series either). I'd ask how the Aussies see it, but I don't want to derail the thread.
 
Definately. The majority of the hatred of TGA in Australia comes from the "cultural cringe" rather than from an objective assessment of the show.

I don't think that's entirely accurate. It isn't a case of a fine production, on par with the UK version, unfairly dismissed. Most of the show has indeed been a shoddy imitation of TGUK with the boys playing bogan characters. The hate might be unfair, but disappointment is justified.

Whereas TGUK often proudly features British motoring pride, WWII success, and boffins in sheds, TGAU hasn't demonstrated "proud Australian values" such as mateship and ingenuity.
The Australian audience isn't identifying with the boofhead/Jackass behaviour that is trying to make TGAU blokey like those ads with dubious use of "man cave" and "man hide".

No real recognition of Australian motorsport, like Bathurst 1000, V8 Supercars, Targa Tasmania, or events such as the Variety Bash. Steve's dragster segment shows they are capable of making a motorsport specific topic interesting.

Nor cameos/features on 'relatively obscure by mainstream standards' Australians like Jack Brabham, Alan Jones, Mick Doohan, Wayne Gardener, Mark Webber. Although to be fair, episode 5 was to feature a Peter Brock tribute, with Dick Johnson lapping Brock's 1978 Torana A9X around Mount Panorama.

Speaking of Bathurst, with the Amarok waiting at the Court House within cooee of the Mountain, it seemed a missed opportunity not to introduce the R8 down Conrod Straight.

And while it seemed to be coming good (although why they just didn't start off with episode 3 first...) perhaps shelving/axing it was the best thing Nine did. Aussies love getting behind an underdog.
... and then if it succeeds, we can bitch and moan - Aussies love cutting tall-poppies down to size!
 
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I never said that disappointment wasn't justified. I was talking about the the rabid hatred that some have exhibited here. Anybody who expected TGA to be as good as TGUK was bound to be disappointed I guess.

BTW, did you steal and modify my signature pic?!?
 
I was talking about the the rabid hatred that some have exhibited here.

OK, I just disagree that the majority of anti-TGAU sentiment is actually a result of 'cultural cringe' (that is, ashamed to be Aussie/thinking the Aussie effort couldn't possibly be as good as the UK version) rather than just telling their honest opinion of TGAU's effort. Cultural-cringe is not giving the local talent a fair go, which I think TGAU has had, and it failed to live up to its own hype.

Perhaps more accurately it has been a case of putting a tall-poppy in it's place - Nine and TGAU came bounding out of the box blaring TGAU was bloody brilliant, on par with the UK version, and the audience vehemently disagreed telling it to "pull its head in".

TGUK earnt its respect, TGAU just rode on the coat-tails and assumed everyone would be impressed with its antics. The true "Aussie" way would have been a more humble approach.

BTW, did you steal and modify my signature pic?!?

While I didn't touch your sig, I thought it ripe for parody. If it endangers your sponsorship deal, I'll remove it.
 
To clarify my personal position.

Crap compounded with cringe.
 
Give it a break....

Content was crap, but they guys were starting to gel well IMO.

As for Yanks not seeing anything funny, WELL the WORLD does not understand American humor, so GSY.

It is made for Australian's... NOT America.

I thought the American show was lame....what the typical country guy, a New Yorker dick head, and a race boy that looks like a shirt lifter.

BUT...After after 3 eps, I have grown to really like the show and like the presenters.

Production is way better than Oz show, a given.
 
If you had any knowledge at all about the process. You would realise that Freehand is at the mercy of of a network that makes the final editorial decision. Keep your comments to something you know about!
 
If you had any knowledge at all about the process. You would realise that Freehand is at the mercy of of a network that makes the final editorial decision. Keep your comments to something you know about!

Thanks for joining us Rob. Is your comment directed specifically at IcedVovo and his Freehand quip, or at everyone in this thread?

Some of us here did experience part of the process and hard work when we participated at the studio for those long hours of recordings, again and again. No-one wanted Top Gear Australia to work more than us.

But the 'blame' doesn't rest solely on 'the network'. And no-one here is criticising the hard work that went into making the show, just critiquing the delivered result.

As Top Gear themselves would say, ambitious but rubbish ;)
 
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If you had any knowledge at all about the process. You would realise that Freehand is at the mercy of of a network that makes the final editorial decision. Keep your comments to something you know about!

Kappow!

I do have knowledge of the process, and you'll find that my comments from day-one have reflected that background, if you'd like to go back and read them.

Executive Summary.

Not enough time was spent on the stories before the cameras were taken out. A lot of content was obviously shot under the "work out the details once we all get on location" mantra. Or the "Don't worry, apparently the director has an idea of what he wants" mantra.

Show me an actual script and I'll prove my point.

This is the responsibility of the production company. The content was doomed before a single frame was shot - by Freehand.

The network just tightened the noose.

As a demo of my 'Idea trumps Production Values' matra, here's the 2008 NY Tropfest winner. Shot entirely on a cellphone.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrDxe9gK8Gk
 
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