[12x05] November 30th, 2008

[12x05] November 30th, 2008


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Another 9 from me.

Was quite surprised at the Lexus, the buses were mental, the Cool Wall was brilliant - "You don't choose your wife because she's easy to wipe down" and the shoes thing :lmao: - probably my favourite bit of the show. Loved the Daytona right up until they had it in the studio with its eyes open then it looked a bit :blink: and poor James - he should've taken the cushion he bought for the Aston...

did anyone on here go to the filming...? What did Jeremy have in that box beside his chair during the news...?
 
this episode was perfect. It reminded me back at the old episodes of the previous seasons.. Crazy challenges like the aston martin db9 and the eurotrain etc. Lorries crashing each other. Just perfect!


Indeed, loved the shoe part! I saw those flashy shoes, and i was was thinking! WOW!! camera goes up!! aah james! :D
Loved how james, nutts were getting cracked, everytime the boat made a jump! Just a great episode! 10/10
 
I really liked this episode. The loved the review to start with. While it was short, I felt that it was the perfect length. The concept of comparing the Japanese start to insane four door saloons was very interesting, as well as showcasing how good BMW is at making a performance road car compared the the best of the rest.

The news was another example of something that was a perfect length, short enough that I wanted more. I felt though that it hit all the right buttons, and like the car review making it longer would have spoiled it.

The Bus Race was fantastic. It was foolish, but was nice in that it did not feel super scripted like many of the other TG events intended for laughs. I loved the whole concept of it, it was something different that it changed your view of buses forever. And seeing a sideways bendy bus was pretty funny. In the end the logical bus won, but in a way that was both dramatic, funny and insightful. I felt this segment was the best Top Gear segment of this style yet by miles.

The S.I.A.R.C. is something I never watch and find boring so I cannot comment on it.

The cool wall was nice to see and something I felt that not at all too long.

The last segment was great, again something that TG has not really done too much of. That is address the classic cars, rather then going after all the damn shinny new supercars. In this instance this race was so refreshing because it felt so much more classy, and realistic. That the car was slower then all the other insane supercars, and that it was done in a way that reflected this. The boat was a very neat expansion upon the Zonda the review far earlier in the seasons of Top Gear. At the end of the race, which was shorter, and most importantly not broken up I felt an instant classic.

This episode brought back the Top Gear I love, I know its hard to keep the level up on a show that is so good. However, I feel that this brought back the more in a show, less scripted feel that I liked in the earlier seasons of Top Gear. So far, I feel that this season is really needed to feel less scripted and it has been doing that, but this episode for me really hit the mark.
 
A good solid old school TG. The Lexus vs BMW was good solid basic stuff - nowt special but fine.
News was great - from the cutting it seems like there was some stuff they couldn't broadcast , lets hope it turns up on topgear.com ;)
Kevin McCloud, what a revelation! I've always liked his no nonsense approach on Grand Designs and thought he seemed like a nice bloke but a petrolhead? Who knew? That was a very impressive lap.
The buses race/test was great fun. I liked the idea of trying to make it appear serious. The double decker going round the corner at increasingly crazy angles was hilarious.
Good to see the Cool Wall back but, as hinted at by Wyvern back on page 1, I had heard a lot of it already at Top Gear Live. Many of the jokes were exactly the same! They were good jokes but not so funny the second time around. Redeemed for me by the audience banter.
Finally the Daytona vs power boat. I don't care that it had no purpose. It was a fab race - beautifully filmed (as usual) and in a retro style at points. That is one gorgeous car...and it was very amusing to watch James get a battering.

I gave it 9
 
did anyone on here go to the filming...? What did Jeremy have in that box beside his chair during the news...?

i noticed the box as well and was wondering what was in there and i thought that it was something he would bring up. perhaps it's something we'll have to wait for when the uncut news comes out and then probably gets recycled into next weeks Top Gear News segment.
 
Well, Well, Well...
A nice episode mostly... the bus race was suprisingly dull, but apart from that... i liked the camera paning from the on-screen TG Logo into the studio after the opening titles, that was pretty cool... Not so cool was seeing the whole camera crew as a reflection around 3:00 in the Lexus review. But enough of the nitpicking. I would have never guessed that Jezza is into old-school metal (as he referenced Iron Maiden's 22 Acacia Ave during the news), i just loved the Daytona race (and how Richard gently picks up his microphone's transmitter and clips it back to his belt when going to talk to the cops), especially the 70's, "The Persuaders!"-titles style splitscreens.
Doing a Persuaders!-themed classic sportscar test would be a nice idea, as i think about it...

And morse code stig is back! ;)
 
You take that back! :-x The Daytona is a fricking classic, you obviously can't compare it to today's cars. It's a timeless piece, like an old great film.

As for the episode, it was brilliant, almost the best one this series. I really don't see anything to complain about, this is Top Gear at its best.

Bus racing? Who doesn't watching buses get demolished around a track by crazy Touring Car drivers? You must be mental or senile to not find that even remotely entertaining.

Loved the return of the Cool Wall, although the bit with the American blonde was kind of stereotypical (if not unsurprising from Jez). FYI, we're not all dumb sacks over here. <_<

they'd spent quite a bit on "modifying" the buses so it can comply with the healthy and safety (if there are any) for bus racings... they'd fitted roll cage and bucket seat and I don't know whatever else they've done...

PS. can anyone can tell me the part when Jeremy was talking about the Mi.To, that what if it was designed in ......... and built in ....... part. I didn't get that joke...
 
PS. can anyone can tell me the part when Jeremy was talking about the Mi.To, that what if it was designed in ......... and built in ....... part. I didn't get that joke...


Designed in TWickenham and built in ATterstone

I think it was...
 
7/10 this morning, gonna watch it againib a minute though, probably and 8 is more true..

Like most people I did miss Jeremy in Italy, imagine him talking to the cops there.. ouch.
Buses was (again like most people) nice to see these great big things flying at speed around a track, a bit too much old Hammond (brainiac comes to mind) and the other drivers don't really do it, we got the three musketeers so anything with just one is a bit empty now.
I'd rather have seen a lot more of Italy and them in a pizzeria taking the pizz (dress james up in goochi etc) but..

A few really great bits, James really hurt and he was close to giving up surely,
US girl.. hope she's still a fan :) Jezza says what he thinks eh.. If you go to the hanger I'd suggest you try to not catch his eye or you'll get a comment :)

To be honest there were a few long in the tooth bits too though, a bit more of one thing and a little less of another might have made me give it a 9 or 10.

Still the best thing in entertainment, fifth gear doesn't come close.
 
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lots of snappy comments in the studio pieces and some of the segments... well funny

cool wall.... say no more

kevin mcloud... awesome

bus racing... the epitomy of awesome, i watched figure of 8 bus racing when on holiday in florida, that was just as awesome. powersliding a bus FTW!

the boat race.... i know exactly what caning along in the sea feels like, even when it doesnt look particularly rough!! punishing stuff. only difference was i was sat on the edge of a rib, holding a rope in one hand and a foot hooked in a foot loop and the driver was going full chat.... compression of the spine, many times, FTW!
 
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I can't help but think though: why does Jay Kay's time get rounded down, yet this bloke's time is rounded up? If anything Jay Kay's should be changed to .83 or whatever the hell it was and they should put this guy's on as .87 or whatever.

Mathematically, you should always round down if the decimal is lower than 5, and up if it is 5 or higher. So, 0.81 would remain 0.8; 0.84 too would be 0.8; 0.85 or higher becomes 0.9. Sorry.
 
8/10

Liked it quite a bit. The ISF is one ugly car.
 
Well, Well, Well...
I would have never guessed that Jezza is into old-school metal (as he referenced Iron Maiden's 22 Acacia Ave during the news)

Nah, 22 Acacia Avenue is a generic address, supposed to denote normalcy. A bit like "Main Street" or "57 Mount Pleasant Street".

I enjoyed the episode, but nothing really stood out. I get the love for the Daytona, but in that blue and looking like an SD1... not for me.

Everytime that boat went over a wave I was wincing in anticipation of the huge smash to follow.

Buses were OK, if a little predictable. Sliding the bus was pretty awesome though, and I'm sure they were trying it on with the bendy bus too.
 
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8/10 this time. Good episode, but I can't really put my finger on what was lacking in it. But, then again, I'm tired now and that might have affected my opinion.
 
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A few really great bits, James really hurt and he was close to giving up surely,
US girl.. hope she's still a fan :) Jezza says what he thinks eh.. If you go to the hanger I'd suggest you try to not catch his eye or you'll get a comment :)

catching Clarkson's eye is probably like sitting in the first row of a comedian's stand up show or worse yet being in the first row of seaworld. no matter what you do, your going to get wet.
 
"Stiggie still listening to Morse, no idea what it's saying, but I'm sure the internet will tell us!"

Right you are, Mr Clarkson.

Number one: TOO MANY GEARS
:lol:

Great episode, 9/10. For a kickoff, I was happy to see the new M3 in the show once again, since I'm a bit of a BMW fan myself :) But I wasn't really impressed by the ISF if it really was designed to compete with the M3, and especially if they've really said they've made an "M3-killer". I mean, they gave it noticeably bigger engine, so you'd image that they would have made sure it's properly faster, at least on a straight line. I don't think it's a bad looking car, but those exhaust tips were just... stupid.

The studio parts were really nice, and the bus test was funny as well. The riviera race clearly wasn't meant to be one of those epic races they have, and it seemed a bit pointless to me. I also don't get the Daytona since it's quite ugly and I haven't driven one, but the film was beautifully made and it was nice to watch.
 
Very good ep, but not outstanding. I'll give 9 (8 + 1 for range rover movie :D ).

Sad they didn't get Daytona Spider, that is ultimate playboy's car.
 
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