ENJOYED IT. 8.5/10, though will round up, as 8/10 is too low IMHO. They launched right into it, and I really didn't have time to breathe until the end. (Well, perhaps a bit during the F1SIARPC and SIARPC segments...)
Wasn't particularly "special" overall, BUT it felt the way a Top Gear ep should feel. The film/combined review by the boys was bang on in Part I; not too silly, with some fantastic moments:
* "Manual...semi-automatic...oh, these are the weapons!" - JM
* Hammond = Mr. Grumbletrousers
* Clarkson repeatedly shushing James to hear the Maser (then having his crisis)
* "I have to say, I like the look of it now...it's behind that building." - Clarkson on the Porsche
Chauffeuring was a funny touch. Drag racing and powersliding at the end = lovely, but you just know they're going to forget about the church to the chagrin of the bride/groom/guests. Jeremy blackening his pants = heh. He lucked out with his passengers. However, TG playing up James' character a little too much, I could have done without. Spontaneous funniness IS possible and more satisfying, as the show's shown us in the past...
* "Where is he...? Or, you're already in." - May
* "If I've got whiffy pits, I apologise..." - Clarkson
* "James May can drive somebody to the edge of reason after three minutes." - Clarkson
* "You can remember this day every time you have a dump." - Clarkson
** NEWS **
Very car-newsworthy (4 people run over at Goodwood, Zonda-R around the N?rburgring, Ken Block...) and serious-ish (ie. no one ate any maps). Nice and bantery. And, the rolling Reliant joke continues... *waits for the grumbling/laughs* What was with those toys on the hosts' table?
* Nobody's watching...why don't you get naked? - Clarkson to cute girls
* "You ARE a pussy. A big, irritating one." = Hammond on Clarkson
** F1SIARPC **
Nice, easy interview. Super guy. And, he beats Stig's lap time!
** TEST TRACK REVIEWS **
(Hammond has owned a banjo...?) Redneck setting, heh. Cinematography, as always, was ace. As was that closing music track. (NB: Hammond, shorter hair not only suits you better, but is also easier to maintain. Maybe consider a cut...?)
Am glad they lap the cars round the track at the same time; that's nearing 2:00 more to devote to this week's film. So...will the vuvuzelas return for next week's show? Bets?
** SIARPC **
REALLY good idea to have Grint on; pulls in a different bit of an audience, one would think. He was engaging...and fast! Heh @ "So you weren't nursing a semi?" (Is Scorcese the one who's announced he's aiming to make Grint the "next DiCaprio-post-Titantic"?) I know many don't like this part of the show, but remember, utilitarianism rules in TV; Wilman & Co. has more than just you, me and Random Viewer X to satisfy.
Overall, very happy. But to each, his own!