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[14x02] November 22nd, 2009

[14x02] November 22nd, 2009

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Okay, using my new "Revised Top Gear Episode Rating Criteria", I give this episode a 6 (down from a 9 under the old "Junky Got His Fix" rating criteria):

Because it is not as good as 12x01 (my personal overall favorite episode), it cannot be a 10 and therefore starts at a 9.

Because the "How Hard Can It Be?" challenge was not as good as the Convertible People Carrier or Reliant Robin challenge, it loses one point. Because it is also not as good as any other "HHCIB?" challenge prior to Series 13, it loses another point.

Because the SIARPC was not as enjoyable as Stephen Fry or Michael Gambon, it loses a point. However, because it was still a solid guest, it does not lose a second point.

Because it did not have a segment of The Cool Wall or some other "special" (like a V8 blender or a "flying car"), it loses a point. It did, however, introduce a new Stig model, so it receives one point.

I'm feeling generous so I will not deduct a point from the R8 V10 vs. ZR1 review, even though I've seen better and it was delayed a series.
 
Yes indeed, where the heck is the Cool Wall? It's one of the bright (read: UNSCRIPTED) parts of TG!
 
I was rather torn watching this episode... Couldn't help but think that someone stuck some leaded diesel to the humor department this series (in contrast to the super premium quality that is season 13)

The electric car started with some promise -- I enjoyed how it is built (although Jeremy's "innovative" room sequences were just... plain awkward). What lost it for me was they paraded Geoff around town and (naturally) got in everyone's way again. This joke was funny for the limo segment back in season 9 but now the joke is rather tired and uninspiring, especially when they try to milk it over and over again in Oxford and then again in the outskirt of Oxford and then again on the highway (thanks to Jame's sense of direction) and then again at the countryside.

And then of course, they must "accidentally" push the car down the hill and pretend not to notice, just like how they didn't notice when a giant 18-wheeler came crashing to the Dancia last episode. Of course this sort of thing happened in past Top Gear as well but at least it was subtle and surprising. (Such as the "OLIVERRRRRR" moment in Africa, Hammond's "boyhood hero", the pranks done to James' 17-year-old car and the entire Scirocco segment)

The R8 vs. Corvette review was the only enjoyable clip in this episode and it was only half-decent. Kudos for the video editing and none for a lack of proper shootout between the two cars. A good all-rounded (entertaining AND informative) review would be the Jaguar XKR vs. Aston V8 vantage film.

Michael Sheen was a delight.

The final segment of the electric car challenge almost had me skip the rest of the episode. The reverse films are innovative and mildly funny and the Autocar review was well done as well, but the slope test and the windtunnel bit looked painfully scripted and again, quite uninspired.

6/10. Wish I could rate 8/10 like I used to do during Season 13.

I like the cocking abouts in TG -- I really do. Just don't milk it over and over again.
 
I've just noticed, that they've missed something quite big in their e-car film:
I'm wondering, what that pendulum test have done to the G-Wiz. Never mind the Fiesta, I bet the G-Wiz would have flown off a lot more spectacularly.
 
Mike Nassour said:
Yes indeed, where the heck is the Cool Wall? It's one of the bright (read: UNSCRIPTED) parts of TG!
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You think the Cool Wall is unscripted? :blink: Really?? :blink::blink:

They know EXACTLY what cars they're going to discuss. They know EXACTLY what where each car goes before they start filming. They knew well ahead of time that they're going to put Hammond on the riser and then make him stay up there for his lead into Clarkson's Aston Martin review. It's all in the script!

They do allow themselves the flexibility to go off-script if it's called for, but that's equally true of every segment in the show.
 
Good epi. Best in a while. Challenge was challenging. I could do with a part 2... building on what they learned to actually try making it decent. They should have kept the TVR shell. The shootout was good adrenaline fun. One of these days Chev will do what needs to be done with the Corvette. I'd go for the R8 in the blink-of-an-eye. Nice to have TG back and looking good.
 
I have no issue with the show being scripted as such, because when you've got a hanger stuffed full of people the last thing you need is 3 guys bumbling around trying to think of what to say. The difficulty is when they start to 'act' like idiots, because if you've watched the show for as long as I have, you'll know that all three of them are quite savvy and intelligent.

If Top Gear wants to convince me they're a pack of twits who don't know what they're doing, then park a Ferrari behind a lorry or leave the handbrake off a Veyron while it's on a hill. Then there will be no doubt...
 
i hate to say this as i'm someone who counts the days between each top gear series... but that automag review of the hammerhead eagle something something was more entertaining.....

i found the Mira segment with the slow mo and reversed camera entertaining. The supercar comparison seemed an obvious winner for which was the faster car, and unfortunatly, i just find the R8 increadably boring, so to dedicate that long of a segment to that car is a waste to me. I'm impressed however that the corvette was faster around the track then the SLR and that's even with a slightly damp track, i'd love to see what it could do on dry good conditions.

News was lackluster, and there wasn't much news....

SIARPC ummmmm.... well he was fast.... that's something

overall, if they cut out the first half of the electric car and inserted another car review, the episode would have been 100x better.

if i were to rate it comparing it to other top gear episodes..... 4 maybe 5

if i were to rate it against other T.V. in general, 7 maybe 8, but it definatly wasn't their best work, and probably felt like one of their most heavily scripted episodes ever.
 
Just a 4 from me this episode.

Geoff was dumb.:? but the video safety testing re-creation was lol worthy

R8V10 vs ZR1 was pretty good


No mention of the Dacia Sandero made me sad. They killed the bit in Ep#1.:mad:

The background chick in the green was hot!
 
Some people are impossible to please.

4G92Lancer said:
Wow, I?m genuinely shocked that so many people found this episode funny. I can only imagine you're either new to Top Gear or new to comedy...
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Yes, God forbid I have a differing opinion. This "Top Gear" thing is too complex and highbrow for my enjoyment; I'm going to go back to masturbating to Jeff Dunham specials because I don't know what kommedy is. :rolleyes:

mitchell.scott said:
Jeremy never does consumer comparison. Compared to other $100k cars, the Corvette is NOT sophisticated. At all. I can see what he's saying. It is a rather vulgar car, it's loud, rude, and uncontrollable. That's not a proper sports car.

THAT being said, the Corvette and R8 really aren't comparable. They both do SOMEWHAT similar things, but go about completely different ways of getting there. It's like the old episode with the Mustang vs Exige. Yes, you could compare them, but why would you.
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Not true. There's a difference between (seemingly) unsophisticated technology made sophisticated, and sophisticated technology used for the hell of it.

Did you see how the R8 was loose in the hands of the Stig? The ZR1 looked far more composed than that, despite the lack of 2 powered wheels and addition of even more power. Jeremy can perpetuate automotive stereotypes for the sake of entertainment, but the Stig is far more unbiased than that. And while I hate Nurburgring circle-jerking as much as everybody else, the times set by ALMS champion Jan Magnussen speak for themselves as well.

mitchell.scott said:
My guess is R8 buyers know they want a R8, and Corvette buyers know they want a Corvette and won't even consider the other vehicles in the category. That's what happens when you get above a certain price point; you know what you want, and you go and get it.
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x2. Once you get into rarefied sports car territory, you don't think in terms of practicality and cubic inches of trunk space; you go with what you lust after. For me, I think both cars are kickass and awesome, which means please don't ask me to choose! :cry:
 
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I don't think I can now say "Look out !" in the standard fashion anymore after seeing this episode.

I totally misunderstood who the SITRPC was with my post in the Pre-episode thread, but being Australian I don't think I am falling short of anyones expectation here in being wrong on something.

Top marks for the funky camerawork on the track test, but is that a good thing - highlighting the camerawork - when talking about the 'best bit' of a car test?
Kinda makes you feel for the Germans, they make something - like a 'supacar' - perfect, & people who drive it walk away ... bored with it.
Same sorta thing happens with the Japanese, perfection is not always the right answer.

Happy the electirc car thing was a group effort instead of each going off on their own. It's like watching your children play together, so much more endearing.
 
this episode was weird for me, the R8 vs Corvette, news and SIARPC were great. But, I didn't particularly enjoy Geoff that much, although I liked some of the ideas such as cooperation with Autocar, putting in generator instead of pure battery power. I would have toned down the gag parts of the film (rolling down the hill, MIRA slowmotion, etc). I just felt they deliberately made a mess of it to make it funny. Or in other words, they should have let James build the whole thing :).

Also, I felt that Audi's laptime was a bit unfair as it was considerably more damp than for the Corvette.
 
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JoeBlo1 said:
That was the worst Top Gear segment in years. It exemplified the silliness that Top Gear has become. They really need to tone down the insanity and get back to proper reviews. But everything else was good so it balanced out my 7/10 rating. It's not the first time someone has complained about the ZR1's brutal character. I'm surprised it's only two seconds faster than the Z06 but two seconds slower than the heavier, less powerful GT-R.
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It's an entertainment show.
 
I don't like the fact that they reused the "And he was turned down for I'm a celebrity, because he is." line for The Stig. Not to mention, they didn't give lines for the Veggie Stig.

I did like the electric car bits, the news was good, especially the kid and the Manor GP bit. I did like it, the shootout was good fun. "Sports Mode On!" is very weird aswell. God, that'd irritate me if I owned one.

I liked it, some of it felt very scripted, like Geoff being pushed down the hill.

I didn't like the reused shots of the MIRA Test Facility either.

But, I did still enjoy it, and those crash tests gave me a good laugh.

8/10 for entertainment.

Compared to TG Greats, 5/10.
 
siappointing episode, unfortunately. You can feel the world-class skills are still there, but they are somewhat blurred by... don't know... boredom?

Corvette Vs. Audi was great, the news was enjoyable, but not great, SIRPC was ok and the autocar review was fun, but... geoff... oh my... what a disappointment. The idea was great, and some part too, like the generator (a clever use for a real technological project being developed), the backwards filming and the test, but it was almost spoiled by too much joking about. for example, James May's painted face was funny, and so was jeremy trying to paint Richard's face and failing, but then don't push it too far on Jeremy's face...

If the car is rubbish, just do the actual test (well, not the crash one, clearly), and if a comparison with the g-wiz has to be done, then let it be for real, even if the Hammerhead-i-whatever loses. Or let's do a race against the g-wiz in real world... that would have been funny.

And please, don't pretend the car slipped off the hill without anyone noticing.

And destroy Jeremy's mood room.
 
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warren said:
You think the Cool Wall is unscripted? :blink: Really?? :blink::blink:

They know EXACTLY what cars they're going to discuss. They know EXACTLY what where each car goes before they start filming. They knew well ahead of time that they're going to put Hammond on the riser and then make him stay up there for his lead into Clarkson's Aston Martin review. It's all in the script!

They do allow themselves the flexibility to go off-script if it's called for, but that's equally true of every segment in the show.
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Oh hell, I know. I work in TV production here in the States. It just seems like it's a bit more....conversational.
 
Have you noticed that jeremy and james especially seem to be a bit bored and tired of the whole thing recently? It's very apparent on clarkson's dvd duel. And james seems to have been getting progressively worse since he's had his own things going on.
 
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