[14x06] December 27th, 2009 [South America Special]

[Kiskaloo]

I'm actually a bit scared to say this cause I think I will have the shit beaten out of me, but ...

... does anyone else feel like these challenges are slowly getting kind of repetitive? Not that I would have minded them undertaking this enormous task (after all I gave it a 10/10), but I think if they were to do the same thing at another place, it might get a specific sense of boredom to it. I mean it would still be epic: the scenery, the danger and everything. But I think that within this very epicness, it's more or less the same as before.

I rate Vietnam so high because they didn't do it in cars. It exposed them to a new dynamic and I think both the misery and the exhilaration helped bond them as a threesome.

I don't think the Polar Special nor the "Factual Muscle Car" Road Trip suffered for using new, advanced machines. And I liked Top Gear Australia's "Outback Adventure" with the Q7, LX570 and Range Rover Sport.

Alas, since TGA has already done such a thing, I suppose the boys, should they choose Australia, will need to be in clapped out Holdens and Fords. I expect Jeremy will choose a VK Commodore (V8 powered, of course), Richard would probably go for a Ford XE Falcon, and I expect James would choose the Holden Apollo because it's actually a Camry and therefore reliable.

So perhaps they can cross the Canadian Arctic or Siberia in a 2010 Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged (Jeremy), 2010 200-Series Land Cruisers (Richard) and god knows what James would drive. I'd say a Volkswagen Touareg, except it's German.

 

[Icedvovo]

I personally felt for those guys driving past 16,000 feet. I was amazed they still were not at the summit.

Not to be a poopypants here, but we really only saw the altimeter going over 16,000 feet, we can't be sure about the men. Although, I'm not sure how else they'd fudge it to be honest. Unless a local 'second unit' took it with them.

Curiously according to wiki "The vast majority of helicopters cannot fly above around 8000 ft." so that would account for the lack of fancy heli shots.

 

[Icedvovo]

Alas, since TGA has already done such a thing, I suppose the boys, should they choose Australia, will need to be in clapped out Holdens and Fords. I expect Jeremy will choose a VK Commodore (V8 powered, of course), Richard would probably go for a Ford XE Falcon, and I expect James would choose the Holden Apollo because it's actually a Camry and therefore reliable.

I was just thinking the same thing and came to a very similar conclusion. They had to pick a locally built car and drive across the Simpson.

Jezz - "I've bought - a Monaro!" from 1984
Hammond - EA yellow taxi with 800k and vinyl seats.
May - Camry/Apollo

Even the crew could go local - with an OKA 4WD!

 

[DanRoM]

Not to be a poopypants here, but we really only saw the altimeter going over 16,000 feet, we can't be sure about the men. Although, I'm not sure how else they'd fudge it to be honest. Unless a local 'second unit' took it with them.

I can assure you you can easily tweak those Garmin GPS units to show any altitude you like. Just "calibrate" the altimeter manually with wrong values.

 

[aaurora]

Every now and then, an episode comes along that has you perched on the egde of your seat watching it.

It has you wishing it would never end.

It shows you what Top Gear is all about.

THIS was that episode.

Well done James, Jeremy, Richard, Andy and crew. I am blown away by this episode and to me, it immediately is up there on my "Best Episodes" list, which includes such awesomeness as Africa, the Pole and Vietnam.

Thank you all.

 

[Brian]

This was their vaunted return to form?

Same jokes
Only genuine bits to me being James complaining how being run into wasn't funny three series prior and Richard's reaction to the insects.

Flagrantly staged and utterly pointless trashing of Richard's car at the end:
What, was it too predicable in episodes past when all their vehicles make it?

No drama whatsoever at high altitude
This was the peripeteia of the episode? Boo hoo, they're wasted hulks of humans with the gall to mock American fitness every other episode. It must have been horrible for them up there, they were clearly struggling (thanks, in all probability, to a lifetime of smoking and complete disregard for personal care as show by the state of their stomachs earlier in the episode) and yet the camera crew had zero issues running up hills even higher than the boys and composing these surprisingly stable shots. Don't pretend that you're in the same dire straights you were cutting your way through an ice field in the arctic just because your viewers are too dense to realize how safe you really are.


Those three issues are just scratching the surface. This had absolutely nothing on the Vietnam, Polar, Africa, American, or even Winter specials. I genuinely loved the first episode of this season, and enjoyed some of the segments in intermediate episodes, but this was over-hyped in the extreme.

I'll attribute the frankly absurd number of "B3ST EPIZODEE EVARRRR!!! ELEVENTY BILLION/10!!!! " comments prevalent in this thread to everyone having read Andy's recent blog entry regarding how this was going to be the boys at their finest, then simply making it so in their own minds. Wake up people. 4.

 

[Desertship]

This was their vaunted return to form?

No drama whatsoever at high altitude
This was the peripeteia of the episode? Boo hoo, they're wasted hulks of humans with the gall to mock American fitness every other episode. It must have been horrible for them up there, they were clearly struggling (thanks, in all probability, to a lifetime of smoking and complete disregard for personal care as show by the state of their stomachs earlier in the episode) and yet the camera crew had zero issues running up hills even higher than the boys and composing these surprisingly stable shots. Don't pretend that you're in the same dire straights you were cutting your way through an ice field in the arctic just because your viewers are too dense to realize how safe you really are.

I'd like you to see on this altitude.... Didn't occur it too you that the crew had proper cars, active dumped cameras and maybee even oxigen? They had clearly less to worry about as the guy with there rubish cars...

 

[Brian]

I'd like you to see on this altitude.... Didn't occur it too you that the crew had proper cars, active dumped cameras and maybee even oxigen? They had clearly less to worry about as the guy with there rubish cars...

I can run a 5 minute mile at 10k feet. People summit Everest every year with no supplemental oxygen. I can believe the crew may have had it easier, but clearly the drama was blown wildly out of proportion. When the boys are in deep trouble they turn the cameras off (or at least intend to. see: Polar special).

 

[FerrariEnzo]

This was their vaunted return to form?

Same jokes
Only genuine bits to me being James complaining how being run into wasn't funny three series prior and Richard's reaction to the insects.

Flagrantly staged and utterly pointless trashing of Richard's car at the end:
What, was it too predicable in episodes past when all their vehicles make it?

No drama whatsoever at high altitude
This was the peripeteia of the episode? Boo hoo, they're wasted hulks of humans with the gall to mock American fitness every other episode. It must have been horrible for them up there, they were clearly struggling (thanks, in all probability, to a lifetime of smoking and complete disregard for personal care as show by the state of their stomachs earlier in the episode) and yet the camera crew had zero issues running up hills even higher than the boys and composing these surprisingly stable shots. Don't pretend that you're in the same dire straights you were cutting your way through an ice field in the arctic just because your viewers are too dense to realize how safe you really are.


Those three issues are just scratching the surface. This had absolutely nothing on the Vietnam, Polar, Africa, American, or even Winter specials. I genuinely loved the first episode of this season, and enjoyed some of the segments in intermediate episodes, but this was over-hyped in the extreme.

I'll attribute the frankly absurd number of "B3ST EPIZODEE EVARRRR!!! ELEVENTY BILLION/10!!!! " comments prevalent in this thread to everyone having read Andy's recent blog entry regarding how this was going to be the boys at their finest, then simply making it so in their own minds. Wake up people. 4.

Well said. Couldn't agree more with you.

 

[DAJames]

What a brilliant episode. Easily my favorite ever. Filled with just the right amount of hilarious, exotic and suspenseful moments that Top Gear should be about.

 

[Brian]

This is the kind of thing that smacks of a show that no longer respects the intelligence of its audience. If the drama doesn't happen organically on one of these trips, don't create it and then lie (America special, where the State Department investigation confirmed there was no attack) or hide behind artistic license (this episode). You can easily have the show be just as moving by focusing on the camaraderie and wonder of the trio (see: Vietnam) as they're thrust ill-prepared into these unique corners of the planet.

 

[Mark355]

I'll attribute the frankly absurd number of "B3ST EPIZODEE EVARRRR!!! ELEVENTY BILLION/10!!!! " comments prevalent in this thread to everyone having read Andy's recent blog entry regarding how this was going to be the boys at their finest, then simply making it so in their own minds. Wake up people. 4.

 

[shellygrrl]

I'll attribute the frankly absurd number of "B3ST EPIZODEE EVARRRR!!! ELEVENTY BILLION/10!!!! " comments prevalent in this thread to everyone having read Andy's recent blog entry regarding how this was going to be the boys at their finest, then simply making it so in their own minds. Wake up people. 4.

Excuse me?!

You didn't like the episode. Fine.

Others didn't like it, either. Okay.

But many of us did enjoy it and rated it highly; and the reason had sweet fuck-all to do with anything Andy said (he also said he liked the electric car film, which many of us thought was utter shite). It had everything to with the fact that, to many of us who did enjoy it (who also have not enjoyed the bulk of S14), it was a very welcome return to form, everything the show should be.

I'm not telling you to lighten the hell up or whatever because you didn't like it. So don't tell those of us who thoroughly enjoyed it to "wake up" because we don't agree with your POV. It's condescending and patronizing, not to mention insulting.

@cassio: Check the main TG section of the boards, or the FTPs, if you want to hear the entire thing (minus music).

 

[jmsprovan]

Holy Fuck, have some of you guys never heard of Suspension of Disbelief?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suspension_of_disbelief

Suspension of disbelief is also supposed to be essential for the enjoyment of many movies and TV shows involving complex stunts, special effects, and seemingly "unrealistic" plots, characterizations, etc. The theory professes to explain why a subset of action movie fans are willing to accept the idea that the good guy can get away with shooting guns in public places, or never running out of ammunition, or that cars will explode with a well-placed shot to the gas tank.

Top Gear becomes a whole lot more enjoyable When you don't pick every scene apart with a fine-toothed comb.

 

[Dr_Grip]

Not to be a poopypants here, but we really only saw the altimeter going over 16,000 feet, we can't be sure about the men. Although, I'm not sure how else they'd fudge it to be honest. Unless a local 'second unit' took it with them.

I can assure you you can easily tweak those Garmin GPS units to show any altitude you like. Just "calibrate" the altimeter manually with wrong values.

I can believe the crew may have had it easier, but clearly the drama was blown wildly out of proportion. When the boys are in deep trouble they turn the cameras off (or at least intend to. see: Polar special).

If the drama doesn't happen organically on one of these trips, don't create it and then lie (America special, where the State Department investigation confirmed there was no attack) or hide behind artistic license (this episode).

It's like the moon landing! They never left the studio!

 

[jmsprovan]

They never left the studio!

Hammond's crash was fake too!

 

[Dr_Grip]

Hammond's crash was fake too!

You mean the one where he received brain injury and defeated death when his jet-powered dragster crashed at 300mph?

 

[jmsprovan]

You mean the one where he received brain injury and defeated death when his jet-powered dragster crashed at 300mph?

Yeah it was all done in a studio, they beat up a hobo and sent him to hospital with a Hammond Mask on to continue the rouse.

 

[That American Girl]

I can run a 5 minute mile at 10k feet. People summit Everest every year with no supplemental oxygen. I can believe the crew may have had it easier, but clearly the drama was blown wildly out of proportion. When the boys are in deep trouble they turn the cameras off (or at least intend to. see: Polar special).

Most people can't run like that. You're lucky you can.

Yes, a few people do climb Everest without oxygen. Many of them die too. Even with oxygen.

Of course the camera crew has it easier. That's kinda the whole point that the guys struggle with what they do.

And since we don't see all 24 hours of every day, who's to say the cameras weren't turned off at some point because the guys asked them to?


I'm sure if their lifes were really in imminent danger..say the truck actually started to slip over the edge...or one of the guys passed out due to oxygen deprivation...or was in a car that began to sink rapidly...

That there would be a fully capable crew ready to jump in and save them. The BBC isn't stupid.

 

[Brian]

Most people can't run like that. You're lucky you can.

Yes, a few people do climb Everest without oxygen. Many of them die too. Even with oxygen.

Of course the camera crew has it easier. That's kinda the whole point that the guys struggle with what they do.

And since we don't see all 24 hours of every day, who's to say the cameras weren't turned off at some point because the guys asked them to?


I'm sure if their lifes were really in imminent danger..say the truck actually started to slip over the edge...or one of the guys passed out due to oxygen deprivation...or was in a car that began to sink rapidly...

That there would be a fully capable crew ready to jump in and save them. The BBC isn't stupid.

Perhaps the danger was just more palpable in the Arctic special. I was all about the suspension of disbelief, not questioning the repetition or predictability of the show, just enjoying it for what it is: entertainment, etc... right up until this episode. It simply was built up to be a return to the glory days, and to me at least, it wasn't.

I'd argue it's also a good thing there's been an overwhelming positive response to this episode, as that should help keep it going long enough that they make another episode that really resonates with me