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

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


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One curious thing to speculate about - they were still working on the final edit mid-afternoon on Christmas Eve. It does force me to speculate whether the point James made about "you've been crashing into me for the last three series and it just isn't funny any more" would have been in there had so many people not been expressing their views about the predictable tone lately.

that was something i noticed and it felt like they were addressing the scripted nature and in particular the fans who had been annoyed at the season so far.
i would like to think that James' gem here is the result of the fans because it felt so much like they were saying that they were listening to you all and were addressing it. even as stupid as my comment sounds.
 
Fantastic, thought it was great.

Only one very small let down was...
When Hammonds car rolled down the dune. Although I am guessing its because its wheelbase was so short and so jacked up the chance of it rolling was too great to actully drive it down.

Anyways, I shall probably leave a more in-depth comment later but for now this is a definate 10/10.

Yes, I don't think they were prepared to let him drive it down, so devised the incident so he didn't have to. They did it all slightly wrong anyway but the Toyota had no chance
 
Epic episode :) a solid 10 from me.
Enjoyed it from the start 'till the end, this is what Top Gear is all about :)
Also noticed the crew was driving Land Cruiser V8's (while they set up camp for the first time)
 
I couldn't give a 10 because Vietnam still holds top spot for me ( cos I've been there, including their tailor :))., and because of the LandCruiser down the hill. But it would be actually a 9.98. Fucking legendary!
Thank you Jeremy, Richard James and Andy, best Chrissie pressie you could have given us. :thumbsup: :bow:

PS: If James needs help down his trousers, I am medically qualified....:p
 
Yes, I don't think they were prepared to let him drive it down, so devised the incident so he didn't have to. They did it all slightly wrong anyway but the Toyota had no chance

while this sounds like a stupid idea because i really don't want to take anything away from what was a great and classic episode of Top Gear, given how many times the car had broken down and how much of a problem child it had been, i wonder if they couldn't have simply 'arranged' for it to just simply die and unable to start again. they would have lost the scripted moment and not run the risk of adding more fuel to the fire.
 
I enjoyed seeing the boys back together again and having fun.
The only bits that had my eyes rolling was when they put a snake in Richards car then set it on fire then rolled it down a hill.
 
I couldn't give a 10 because Vietnam still holds top spot for me ( cos I've been there, including their tailor :))., and because of the LandCruiser down the hill. But it would be actually a 9.98. Fucking legendary!
Thank you Jeremy, Richard James and Andy, best Chrissie pressie you could have given us. :thumbsup: :bow:

PS: If James needs help down his trousers, I am medically qualified....:p


Aren't you a vet? :blink:

On second though...that would probably work ok. Who knows what kind of animal James has in his trousers ;)

...I'm not even drunk yet :?
 
Wow, a 10 from MWF? :blink:

I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE 720P RIP!!!!! :w00t:

Yes indeed. I recognise quality when I see it as well as shit when I see it.

I rate TG within its own canon, and don't compare it to other TV. Last week barely scraped a 4 and the week before a 3. I reserve 1 and 2 for future occasions when I may feel they should call it a day. Tonight was up there with the very best episodes and as I said in my original comment left me feeling how I feel TG should leave me feeling.

I want a lump in my throat, a tear in my eye, to be breathless, overwhelmed with awesome and insanely jealous of the obvious camaraderie that exists between those three and the fact they get paid to do that. The art expo film left me feeling happy I do what I do for a living. Tonight made me feel the exact opposite.
 
I can sum this episode up in six words:

I wish I presented Top Gear.

Because the things they get to do are the sort of stuff we dream of in our childhood. We all love adventure: all of us have an inner thrillseeker inside of us, a side of us that wants to take victory with a firm grasp and rub it in the face of peril and heartache. If Top Gear is nothing else, it should be about that buzzword: adventure. And frankly, I'd be happy if that's all it is because that's when the show is at their best.

This episode had everything: it had laughs, danger, pain, anguish, relief, victory, failure, camaraderie and Jeremy being threatened with a machete. At the end of it all, it moved you. It is, by definition: epic.

Answers.com definition of epic said:
2. Surpassing the usual or ordinary, particularly in scope or size: "A vast musical panorama . . . it requires an epic musical understanding to do it justice"

More than that, it had the presenters coming across once again as transparent and as people we can all relate to, something which felt a little bit forced in recent episodes. We really did live with them as they lived through all their turmoils and triumphs, and we really did get a sense of how genuine it all was.

One of the best bits of TV this year, I think. :thumbsup:
 
Definitely epic.
Hopefully they do a uncut version with commentary. Although, maybe more challenges would have be good, but you can't really do much when you're crossing South America, that's a huge task on its own.
Maybe for the next Special, they should take new cars to test them? :p
 
reading all these just giving me the 'can hardly wait to see the boys in the jungle' feeling. sad thing though almost noone is seeding.
 
James May - "It's my Belt of Many Things."

I think I had one of those back in my Dungeons & Dragons days... :p
 
James May - "It's my Belt of Many Things."

I think I had one of those back in my Dungeons & Dragons days... :p

i was expecting some kind of Batman utility belt comment, but then thats just me being a comic nerd.
 
i was expecting some kind of Batman utility belt comment, but then thats just me being a comic nerd.

So was James - that pratfall on the plank was comedy gold!
 
I absolutely loved this episode, absolutely, marrage and everything, love. I adored the cinematography, the cocking about, the jungle, Hammond's insect phobia, the death road... but - and I appreciate that you're all going to think I'm a lunatic - what I really loved was the gay. It was a real blokey road trip and I know you guys are going to disagree but I think the best TG episodes have an element of homoeroticism - the Lancia feature for example, "Now you're just stroking me," - and this was just the icing on the big gay cake. Plus there was semi-naked!Jeremy and that for me was worth the licence fee alone, and no I'm no joking.

The only thing that slightly marred it for me was the whole rolling down the dune thing at the end. I expected it, it wasn't funny, I cringed slightly. Other than that, I thought it was fantastic; lube, condoms, Viagra and everything.

I suspect the next episode might be accidentally good given the creativity a lack of funds is going to endorse *fingers crossed*
 
10/10

I almost felt like I'd been spoiled when watching this episode, I often found myself thinking 'that sounded a bit scripted', 'that looked fake', - trying to spot faults in what was really an absolutely incredibly exciting, funny, and well filmed TV program. I can't expect perfection, but this was about as close to it as Top Gear gets.

Also, Jeremy listening to Will Young made me chuckle.

Not a very good series, but it ended on a high and I think there is more brilliance to come just yet.
 
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