[14x04] December 6th, 2009

[rps]

As they have said eventually they are going to return to being a car program, once the buzz and hype about top gear dies down they can go back to being a program for car fans and still know they will get a few million viewers a week.

When did they say this??

Jeremy wrote that ("or near enough as to make no difference") in his TopGear column: http://www.topgear.com/uk/jeremy-clarkson/2007-05-clarkson-on-top-gear-content

Oops: It was not in the column. That column was about their dilemma about what to do next. The one I was remembering was later (by Jeremy?) when they decided to keep it about cars, because chasing the mass audience would probably fail anyway and then they would lose both set of spectators.

 

[Dr_Grip]

Yes, either they used compressed air, but I think they more likely pulled it with a steel cable like its done with crash tests... Anyway there was nobody sitting in the car and this wasn't CGI (believe me, i work in this business)...

The tunnel bit I don't know either and I don't care a lot to be honest, but I think it was Jeremy himself, since it wasn't more dangerous than the airport race because the tunnel diameter was very small...

I'm with you on that - the Tunnel stunt was a stunt driver (maybe even Jeremy doing his own stunts ), the jump was some kind of analogue sfx wizadry.

 

[ozgirl]

Jeremy wrote that ("or near enough as to make no difference") in his TopGear column: http://www.topgear.com/uk/jeremy-clarkson/2007-05-clarkson-on-top-gear-content

Oops: It was not in the column. That column was about their dilemma about what to do next. The one I was remembering was later (by Jeremy?) when they decided to keep it about cars, because chasing the mass audience would probably fail anyway and then they would lose both set of spectators.

Thanks for the read anyway
To me though, it feels like they have chased the mass audience, but they'll never lose me anyway, I'm that devoted

 

[shellygrrl]

Jeremy wrote that ("or near enough as to make no difference") in his TopGear column: http://www.topgear.com/uk/jeremy-clarkson/2007-05-clarkson-on-top-gear-content

Oops: It was not in the column. That column was about their dilemma about what to do next. The one I was remembering was later (by Jeremy?) when they decided to keep it about cars, because chasing the mass audience would probably fail anyway and then they would lose both set of spectators.

You're aware the column you linked to is from 2007, written between Series 9 and 10, right?

Then Andy wrote a blog at the start of S10 where he said that, for 10, they were going back to cars.

 

[vmussalo]

I'm with you on that - the Tunnel stunt was a stunt driver (maybe even Jeremy doing his own stunts ), the jump was some kind of analogue sfx wizadry.

For the jump I'd vote for the same equipment they used to launch the stripped out Jag from the aircraft carrier and they used it also when playing car darts.

 

[Cosmic Jazz]

Still better than watching x-factor

 

[BlaRo]

Still better than watching x-factor

Well, I'd rather watch my own feces dissolve in the toilet than watch X-Factor, so that's not saying much.

 

[ozgirl]

Well, I'd rather watch my own feces dissolve in the toilet than watch X-Factor, so that's not saying much.

You're not Dr Gillian McKeith by any chance are you? :lol:

 

[acabinian]

Ok, good challenge ... also i want to agree that Jason was terrible and it was a good thing they replaced him by James, but still season 1 had its highlights to be honest, not as much as other seasons but still very watchable...

Back to your challenge:
There are 2 episodes that come to my mind pretty fast, which i wish they never produced! And that is episode 11x00 the Ground Force Sports Relief Special and the Top Gear Of The Pops Comic Relief Special of 2007.

Back to season 1. To be fair it was their first season of the new series and I also think it was the "worst" complete season compared to the other seasons up to season 13... But here are some nice bits from season 1:
- some studio bits: like jezza showing and revving the zonda in the studio
- zonda vs murcialago review
- vanquish vs ferrari 575 with damon hill
- s-class vs A8 review
- maybach review
- peugeot rc
- jason visiting a school and showing some supercars to kids
- A6 vs E-class
- golf mk4 vs golf mk1 review
- radical vs plane challenge
- proper SUV offroad test in episode 1x10
- and lets not forget they had some proper cool wall in that season, without the overly comedic (less focused on cars) cool wall u get nowadays ... when it even airs

To be honest, if this season continues like episode 14x04 than i will vote season 14 as the worst ever season compared to the others... But I still hope something is coming for the next episodes that make me change my mind. But I can already say that this season is not gonna be one of my favorites.

Granted, the two specials (11x00 and 09x07 for TGOTP - didn't it air after series 9?) were one-offs and very, very different than what the guys are used to. So, I'll give them a pass for them.

Also, I shouldn't have been as harsh as I was on Series 1. The moments you mention were quite good, and as the show was getting off the ground, they wouldn't be as good quality as later series.

 

[Plissken]

If you had asked any British ice hockey fan who the player they would most like to see run over, they would have picked Brendan McMorrow of the Belfast Giants. So to see it on TG was very, very amusing.

A legend. A character. This is him in Nottingham, giving as good as he gets.

[youtube]5TuiNTxGmhc[/youtube]

 

[Ruddeger]

The tunnel bit I don't know either and I don't care a lot to be honest, but I think it was Jeremy himself, since it wasn't more dangerous than the airport race because the tunnel diameter was very small...

If it was Jeremy we would've see the in-car camera footage of him doing it,which we didn't.We saw footage of him in the car when he was driving in the tunnel but we didn't see footage of him doing the roll over.

 

[Flat Four Fanatic]

I thought it was entertaining, but seemed a bit forced on the Renault section. Overall good except for some nit-picky things. The German press release for the Audi A-whatever had me falling out of my chair laughing. What this series needs is some cheep car madness!

 

[autone]

The Twingo review was great. The 4x4 review however, reeks of bias. Where is the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S? That will whip it on and off road. So will a Lexus LX570.

The airport race was amusing as was the village peoples appearance.

They should also have shown how mr Ritchie tossed 4 cars in to the gutter as well.

 

[scoops]

it's amaizing how many people who signed up a couple of years ago and not said much have decided to chime in this series....

lots of lurkers

 

[Mauren]

Lurker here who doesn't post much, but I have to chime in here and say I'm really getting disappointed in Top Gear nowadays, barley find it worth it to download each new episode.

I've seen just about every Top Gear episode and everything in these last few episodes (and really, last few seasons, but this season is taking it quite far) has been frustratingly predictable and much too obviously scripted and fake. Before anyone says "blah blah blah, well duh, everything on TV is fake," well, Top Gear has done stuff in the past that was much more incredible than what they are doing now, and it wasn't scripted. First example that comes to mind was the 24 hour race they did with the BMW. Everything was brutally real like the compassion the guys showed to each other (Jeremy to Richard after he crashed into that other car) and the fatigue they suffered from racing 24/7 and trying to fix the car.

I can see how people who just started watching Top Gear (say since season 11/12ish) are finding all the episodes hilarious and epic, but I can't see how anyone who's seen most of Top Gear could find any of this new and refreshing or even funny.

Also tired of the guys always picking on May, as, from seeing the other the host show's hes done (Big Ideas, Edge of Space, Toy Stories), he has so much more to offer than just being the guy who the other two always pick on and make fun of and imply he's gay.

I gave it a 3/10

Blimey, it's not hard to spot the Top Gear fanboys around here when they make comments like "Worst Episode Ever! 5/10". :lol:

Personally, I get the feeling that someone on the Top Gear crew is desperately trying to re-ignite the spirit that was in the earlier seasons, but it seems that they're just going about it all wrong. As this episode proves, simply rehashing the same ideas every season gets a bit tired and predictable.

As for the Twingo bit, well firstly, nothing was CGI, I can assure you of that. And secondly, as for destroying the car, who cares? Renault probably pumped out another 200 Twingos while the show was on, so it was quite literally a drop in the ocean. I just wish they'd stitched it together without going down the whole 'Mr Needham' route, as this draws unneccessary comparisons to the excellent Fiesta review (which had originality on it's side) and mostly because they were given a car to destroy.

Now, it's no secret that Top Gear's budget has been drastically cut back, but if i'm honest, i'm not sure that's really a problem. In fact, one of my favorite Top Gear bits recently wasn't even broadcast. It was the final 15 or so minutes from Richards 'Top Gear Uncovered' DVD. Fast cars, great scenery and a presenter who was more interested in being passionate about the cars he was driving, than 'cocking about'. And, to be fair, some people might get a little bored of straight out car reviews, but all i'm looking for is balance. Heck, if Top Gear wanted to really spice things up, they'd start reviewing bad cars again. Nothing funnier than a bit of british rapacious wit...

great posts

 

[edkwon]

I don't really know why ppl were making such a big deal about Guy Ritchie being dull? I thought it was cool he was so down to earth and frankly normal bloke. And folks, he's a director, not an actor, you've probably seen Stephen Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, or other famous directors in front of the camera. How many of them have larger-than-life personalities in front of the camera? That's why they direct, not act...

 

[Militant-Grunt]

I was hoping for a ML63 / X5M / Cayenne Turbo S comparo, would be more appropriate =/.

 

[Cucciolotto]

I don't really know why ppl were making such a big deal about Guy Ritchie being dull? I thought it was cool he was so down to earth and frankly normal bloke. And folks, he's a director, not an actor, you've probably seen Stephen Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, or other famous directors in front of the camera. How many of them have larger-than-life personalities in front of the camera? That's why they direct, not act...

If you allow me (Warning! Nothing to do with TG! ), Ritchie made me laugh when he went something like that: "I wanted to keep my movie as english as possible."
Then we got to see the trailer: lead actor is american (don't care how "good" his acent is) plus explosions fights and falls galore..... yep, that looks like a very english movie that, very Sherlock Holmesish, not an ounce of Hollywood in there!

 

[Wyvern]

Now, it's no secret that Top Gear's budget has been drastically cut back, but if i'm honest, i'm not sure that's really a problem. In fact, one of my favorite Top Gear bits recently wasn't even broadcast. It was the final 15 or so minutes from Richards 'Top Gear Uncovered' DVD. Fast cars, great scenery and a presenter who was more interested in being passionate about the cars he was driving, than 'cocking about'. And, to be fair, some people might get a little bored of straight out car reviews, but all i'm looking for is balance. Heck, if Top Gear wanted to really spice things up, they'd start reviewing bad cars again. Nothing funnier than a bit of british rapacious wit...

It's funny you should say that, because I posted almost exactly the same thing on Transmission the other night (I promise I hadn't read your post). I said:

I do wonder whether at least some of the recent changes are budget led.

This has been brought home even more to me this evening because I?ve been watching Hammond?s DVD special, something my nephews asked for for Christmas, and as my sister understandably likes to make sure what the boys watch is appropriate it would have been irresponsible for me to just hand it over without checking the content? (OK, I admit it, it wasn?t exactly a hardship). There?s a great deal of silliness, and a lot of things blowing up and crashing, but a couple of segments particularly stand out ? one that ?demonstrates? how to do a track test and another about passion.

In both of these films, but especially the latter, more information about the cars involved is imparted than in pretty much any recent road test on TV. What also helps is that the quality of the script seems to be better. More time seems to have been spent in developing these segments, ensuring that they arrive on the screen fully formed. And time, as the cliche goes, is money. The latter of these, which (without giving away too much for those who haven?t seen it and wish to) focuses on the passion for driving is a location road test of three cars and it works brilliantly. It has elements of comparison, of history and still maintains a sense of humour, but keeps the humour in context. Without making it look like the money has been carelessly thrown around, the budget shows.

The thing is, the DVD would have been shot earlier in the year, when the guys weren't spread in a million different directions. Because this is a commercial product, it would have had its own budget, but the whole thing has clearly had a bit more time and care taken over it. It just shows they still have the magic, but somehow it just isn't getting to the screen at the moment. It was quite spellbinding - and given that, although I think he seems like a decent enough chap, Richard's the presenter I get least excited about watching, that's saying something.

Andy has said in the past that every penny of the show's filming budget shows on the screen. He's right.

 

[Mr. Nice]

I forgot to mention that I loved the Full Metal Jacket reference in the tunnel!