[15x05] July 25th, 2010

[bozo_z_clown]

Top Gear proves again (for the first time in a while) that it's great TV. What's the opposite of "jumping the shark"?

 

[Polish]

You must be a troll.


The best episode of Top Gear ever. I will say that without a doubt. If the show ended with that episode, I would not be disappointed.


Does anyone have any info to the film Clarkson was talking about right after the Senna segment?

I've spoken with google and it has said this:

There is a film in production at the moment about the life of Ayrton Senna, which is due to come out in cinemas in the Autumn.

I was the first journalist to see it and I?ve now seen it twice, the most recent occasion with Martin Brundle, Senna?s rival from British F3 days, shortly before the Silverstone weekend. He liked it as much as I did.

It is an absolutely fantastic film and I?m sure that not only are F1 fans going to be blown away by it, but it will cross-over into the mainstream with many non F1 fans, especially women, drawn to the poignant human interest story at the heart of it.

The film is being made by Working Title, the leading British movie company who made most of the classic British films of recent years like Bridget Jones, Notting Hill and Pride and Prejudice.

Directed by BAFTA winner Asif Kapadia, this is a different kind of film, a feature length documentary. It uses original archive footage and footage from FOM as well as family movies. The material knits together very well and there are no talking heads telling the story, only actual footage with some voice-only interviews. It is a film about Senna in Senna?s own words to a large extent.

The project has the backing and co-operation of the Senna family, Bernie Ecclestone as well as key figures in the story like Ron Dennis and Frank Williams.

?Neither the Senna family nor Bernie Ecclestone have ever sanctioned such a project for the cinema before and we have made the film with unprecedented access to FOM and the family archive,? said writer Manish Pandey.

I?ll try to get a JA on F1 event together later this year for fans to view the film and talk with the film-makers.

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2010/07/senna-movie-treat-in-store-for-f1-fans-this-autumn/

Very Exciting!

 

[coloradoSTi]

simply the best non-crazy-race-in-3-rubbish-cars ever.

my eyes got a little moist just watching James break the record - i was actually scared shitless and cheering at the same time.

And then, seeing Lewis driving that car... it happened again.

the camera work on the whole episode... i'm sorry, but even Kubrick would have been impressed by this episode... the camera work during Lewis' drive, even the b-roll on the snow race.. was... as good as the Evo/Lambo film. Maybe better.

Fscking Willman, Clarkson, Hammond, and May - the whole office... my God.. i'm going to watch it again and be late to work just to be sure that i actually saw what i did.

There are not enough superlatives for that episode.

Honestly, if they stopped today, no note could have been higher.

 

[mpicco]

I wasn't even done watching the SIARPC when I came to the forums to give this a 10.
Everything was brilliant. It was a crescendo of goodness.
Starting with an interesting race, despite not liking much off road racing. I settled back cos I thought he was gonna use the regular Tuareg and then bam, Dakar Tuareg and fun times. I wanted to drive it going sideways in the ice. Terrific fun.

The news were funny. Short skirts... mmmm The bourkha flying up, red G string and stockings... In the theatre with the cab driver!
Charles.Peugeot.405@citroen.co.uk ... when James starts laughing and can't talk anymore, it's completely contagious. Mid engine Porsche, always relevant.

Goose bumps, hairs standing and even eyes watering seeing Captain Slow in that Bugatti, and then jaw dropping after seeing the official 431 kmph, that's mindblowing. I knew the Veyron was faster than the Aero if it was ever stripped out and enhanced but not by that margin. The lap was a blitz and new record, phenomenal. It's going to stay there for a while.

SIARPC was very enjoyable. I know Tom Cruise is kind of crazy but he always seemed like a nice guy to me. Growing up my favourite movie was Top Gun, I have it memorized line by line, so he was sort of my hero. Cameron Diaz curses a lot and I think Jeremy was actually having a crisis. The laps were awesome, and Tom was a lunatic on those final corners, so much fun. Watching their laps and how unclean they were specially towards the end, I think its safe to say that CeeapostropheD will give out times very close to 1:40.

And then... one of the best tributes I've ever seen, to one of the best drivers the world's ever seen. Definitely the best modern Formula 1 driver and a great person. I was too young to remember him, I wasn't into motor racing yet, but I've learned to respect him from thing's I've seen and read, one of my favourite drivers ever and I've never seen him race live.
The footage was amazing, the commentary felt honest and heart felt, respectful.
It was fun to watch Lewis reverting to a little kid, the moment he set his eyes on the car. Those fat tyres, wide body, blunt look and knowing there was a turbocharged beast under the engine cover... terrifyingly exciting.

I finished watching this episode thinking about what Senna once said... "If you think I'm good, wait till you see my nephew!"
Bruno is now trying to work his way through the ranks of F1, but I can't stop wondering what if his uncle had survived and taken him under his wing, taught him everything he knew, pulled a full strings and get him a decent seat.

RIP Ayrton, and thanks Top Gear for reminding some of us and introducing many others to this genius.

 

[Thedanielrecord]

Really really good episode. I don't care much for F1, or racing as a whole, however, the whole segment on Senna, despite knowing nothing about him made me care. I got it, I mean, that says it all, right? To go from ignorance to understanding and attachment in 20 minutes. That's an incredible piece of television.

 

[Hondafrk]

Absolutely brilliant. The whole EP just felt "real", and real is a good thing. I'm not referring to the whole "real vs scripted' argument, it just felt like everyone was having a good time doing what they were doing and that nothing else really mattered in that moment. That's really why I love Top Gear so much; for one hour you can leave all your problems behind and be genuinely entertained (in one form or another ) and feel better afterwards.

I honestly didn't know a lot about Senna beforehand. Anytime I heard his name before watching this, the NSX came to my mind since, from what I know, he helped in the design of it & it's one of my favorite cars. Was wondering if the NSX would be mentioned in the documentary but I realized while watching it that the NSX really didn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

Beautiful stuff, I thoroughly enjoyed everything. Wish I could shake Clarkson's hand and thank him for the Senna special.

 

[Serious]

Episode for me draws comparisions to jeremy's review of the original f430.... "complaints..... oh...well the electric window switch is a bit of a stretch."


Best top gear episode in years... This is one of the classics I will watch for years and years, this episode was a heavy hitter.

I can't wait for that senna movie.

 

[Top Geek]

By far and away, this was the best episode of the season, and, frankly, the best I've seen since I can remember.

Andy, are you listening? Because this episode is the template on which to base all future episodes: all about cars, some entertaining and funny bits (bits, not segments) and truly awe-inspiring in every way.

This is the kind of episode that keeps me up and night because I can't stop thinking of its immense inspiration.

 

[dophoto]

Now that is Top Gear Ep. Holy smoke truly EPIC, BEST ep in a looooooolng time.

hammond film: great, that Dakar car would be a dream to drive.
May film: again, what a car!
SIRPC: Really well done, surprisingly good guests.
clarkson film: Now i finished watching it 3mins ago, and im still speechless. I so wish i was born back in the day just to witness his driving, and that era of cars.

I would love to drive every car in that episode, i would die a happy man to just to have the privilege to drive one of those.

 

[Top Geek]

Oh, yeah, and... I have a new-found respect for Cameron Diaz... because, DANG, she can drive!

 

[scpunk11]

7/10,
It was a decent episode, obviously the best part of the episode was the Senna Tribute. Senna has always been my favorite F1 driver, and that was very well put together. If it had been 2 hours long I'd still love it. That was one of the best clips that I have seen on top gear in a long time. That was some great journalism. I look forward to the 1hr film that Jezza mentioned at the end.
The SIARPC section was meh. I could care less about Cameron Diaz, and i kind really dislike Cruise. Cruises finish was cool, but I really prefer the guests who give a good interview. That seemed so forced.

The James/Veyron Supersports run was again really excellent camera work, very similar to the other Veyron speed run but I quite enjoyed it.
The race was decent, way better then the SIARPC, but nothing mindblowing.

 

[ediesbra]

Just watched, 10 out of 10 for me, I thought for most of us it would be too. Toureg film was good, Ayrton Senna part was friggin awesome and I hate F1 (R.I.P. Ayrton), The SIARPC with Cameron and Tom was a bucket load better than I thought it was going to be, and the Veyron! oooooooooooo god I'm feeling dizzy.

The SIARPC section was meh. I could care less about Cameron Diaz, and i kind really dislike Cruise. Cruises finish was cool, but I really prefer the guests who give a good interview. That seemed so forced.

You mean "I Couldn't care less" they mean different things.... think about it.

The James/Veyron Supersports run was again really excellent camera work, very similar to the other Veyron speed run but I quite enjoyed it.
The race was decent, way better then the SIARPC, but nothing mindblowing.

Nothing mind blowing he says That was Perfect, if you gave it anything less than 10 then you are completely insane and you should not watch Top Gear any more because it isn't going to get any better than that, I think that's been said already but I've said it again.

 

[Mercury]

One of the very few episodes I've rated 10. Everything about it was utter magic and I'm sooooo happy TG can still be this good. The beginning was probably the weakest link but as weak links go, this was a bloody tough one, it was fun to watch.

The news were great and the Veyron film was just magnificent, SIARPC was fantastic and I knew Tom would be quick I just didn't expect him to be nearly race driver quick, that was a bloody crackin' lap with late breaking great throttle control and car control, I don't know if that time will ever be broken. As for Cameron's lap, she was much better than I expected...she drives a Prius for crying out loud.

Then came the Senna film. Nothing needs to be said.

I loved this episode as much as I loved 7x03 and 10x09 and those are the 2 best TG episodes IMHO.

 

[outtanames]

I think it's the most "complete" episode in a long time.

 

[MrDomino]

I loved this episode as much as I loved 7x03 and 10x09 and those are the 2 best TG episodes IMHO.

I think 7x03 was the best episode by far. I mean, this episode was good but not epic considering that if you cut out the Ayrton Senna segment then it would have just been a regular episode. Also, Tom Cruise just seems awkward sometimes.

Maybe I just have a special place in my heart for their supercar journey since it was one of the first episodes I ever saw.

Also, it's kind of weird if James driving the Veyron made you cry. I can understand the Senna thing because I imagine a few of you remember him racing and then the tragedy at Imola but an old bloke driving a car down a straight? I thought people here didn't like Nascar?

 

[j8mie]

This was a much better show, and easily the best of this series or the last.

No "cocking about" in sight by the presenters, just a silly race, chat about cars in the news segment, Captain slow maxing out a very fast car, a couple of interesting stars (who could both drive) and a nice film about a motor racing icon.

If the rest of the series is that good, it really looks like TG is on it's way back..............but a I doubt it

 

[Chupacabras]

This is why Top Gear is the best show on TV. Ever.

 

[bal00]

The Bugatti Veyron bit bothered me a lot because Top Gear continues to omit the Shelby Supercar from the show. I know it's American and all, but it really should have been pitted against the Veyron to see which won. Shelby claims to have the fastest car in the world.

Well, why haven't we seen any reviews of the car in C&D, R&T or MT? Do you think it's because these mags have no interest in testing a 1200 hp supercar? Or is it because Shelby is not expecting stellar reviews and doesn't let them drive it? I know what my money would be on.

 

[wasapamati]

I'll go all Spinal Tap and give this episode an 11. For starters, Top Gear is a major, major show. The SIARPC should always be at the level of Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz in my opinion. Being the major show they are, Top Gear should be pulling in guests of this caliber for every episode. Both Cruise and Diaz were very entertaining and of course Cruise's lap should almost warrant renaming Gambon.

VW vs. snowmobiles race - it's been done before on Top Gear but it doesn't make it any less cool. Especially considering it's now in HD. Fun segment, great photography.

Bugatti - again, it's been done before but still....it's Captain Slow maxing the fastest car on the planet and again it's in HD this time. Epic. And then it laps the track, which I actually wasn't expecting for them to have it at the track. Sweeeeet.

Senna - probably one of the best bits Top Gear and Clarkson have ever done.

Awesome.

 

[Mike Bull]

The Senna film was stunning stuff- shows what they can still do when they're not arseing about with caravans etc.