[17x07] December 28th, 2011 [India Special]

[17x07] December 28th, 2011 [India Special]


  • Total voters
    602
What I really love about Top Gear is the cheap car challenges, and what got me hooked in the first place (it was the Cheap Porche Challenge, FWIW) is the man/machine bond, when the guys genuinely love their old bangers even though they're rubbish, and *want* them to succeed.

In this one, I don't feel we really got that. Jeremy's 'I love this car' speech seemed to come out of nowhere, because up until that point we hadn't really seen a lot of their developing relationship with their cars the way we have in other long trips.

I think there's a relate-to-ability that comes into it as well. Struggling to achieve the near-impossible with inadequate tools because you've got a budget of nought is something a lot of people can relate to. I'll never drive an old Merc over the Botswana salt plains, but I've nursed a dying 25 year old Pulsar home over dirt roads dodging roos, so I can sympathise. Getting a sweet motor that cost more than the one I'm driving around and ruining it for the LOLs? Not so much.
 
This one probably felt the most scripted so far. It's usually not a problem with me, but they should really learn to keep it withing boundaries, and like someone above mentioned, let the humor flow naturally. These guys never fail to make me laugh, so why try to do it for them?

And the ending state of the XJS broke my heart.
 
Just finished watching it on my V+ (cable HD PVR for the uninitiated) and haven't read any of the other posts yet so not swayed.

My comment to the missus at the end was how disappointing the two BBC Christmas specials I had looked forward watching were - firstly Dr. Who (which I viewed the night before and wished I hadn't bothered) and now TG (which wasn't quite as much of a let down, but still....).

The premise of the trip was tenuous and the whole thing was just formulaic - winch accident (Middle East), driving a dangerous road (South America), the banners gag was just the doors on the 24 hour racer diesel BMW again but bigger (and more dangerous - had Hammond lost his arm with that stunt I think I would have had no sympathy for him), and the tyres that were too large for the arches was just embarrassing (we like to think they get it comically wrong rather than idiotically wrong, but this proved otherwise). Mild redemption in that at least the 'breaking the aircon' routine had a twist.

One bit got me chuckling though was the clearly unscripted dialogue round the camp fire about the 'Monaco to Portofino' Christmas special - Hammond booking into a Formule 1 in a Renault 4 tickled me (yet unfortunately I felt the majority of people watching probably didn't get the joke...)

The defence that it is an 'entertainment program' doesn't apply as an entertainment program has to stay fresh, and most of this was a stale as the piss on the railway lines.

2/10.
 
Last edited:
Hahahahaha!

Wow! What a bunch of Grinches!!!

I thought it was the perfect panacea to all the Christmas bullshit. It was the first time I've had to sit down for a month and it was bloody awesome.

I don't know about everyone else here, but I actually got to pick the circumstances of the 'event'. So maybe that makes a difference.

My Top Gear special was a Aussie summer evening. Bowl of King Prawns. White wine. Verandah. LCD TV. Recliner. And a freshly minted Top Gear India Special.

I loved it. It swept me away. Yes I know a lot of it was contrived. But lot wasn't. And it was all entertaining.

Bravo boys. I want your job. In the meantime I'll settle for you filming your job and I'll watch it with a beer or a white in hand.

Thanks for making my holidays.

9/10
 
And even copious amounts of beer and some sleep haven't managed to rid me of the memory of that stupid garden party. I shudder every time it comes to mind.

Go outside, take a deep breath and hit yourself hard.

What the actual fuck people, we're going to do this again?? Moaning and whinging and crying over a TV SHOW!? Acting like it's the end of the world? Shouting shit over the internet?

I gave it 8/10. Yes, some bits were crud and not fresh. But I got to watch a Mini, a Jag and a Roller driving and having fun through India. And I had a good laugh when Jeremy first turned Genesis on. Great connection to the Middle East Special ( and which IDIOT above me said that that was shit, needs checking his brain as well ).

Seriously people, go and have a rethink about your lives. If they are so pathethic that you feel the need to brew shitstorms over what is still the best thing on TV to watch, then you need help.

Now, let the red blobs fly. Spread the Christmas joy.
 
Kid, calm down.

Some of us didn't like it, we said so and explained why.

This is a forum, a place of discussion, of the sharing of ideas and opinions about a mutual interest. The nearest thing this particular thread has to a "shitstorm" as you so delicately put it is you calling people idiots and telling us we all need to get a life. The irony of which appears to be lost on you.
 
And I had a good laugh when Jeremy first turned Genesis on. Great connection to the Middle East Special.
Oh dear - I didn't spot that - more re-hash, but that just annoys me more, because at least the Genesis reference in the Middle East special was clever.

There's a certain irony that Hammond made reference to the Police Academy sequels in the Mazda MX-5 v Greyhound segment all those years ago because I think that's exactly what's happening to TG now (and the dwindling appeal seems to be targeted at the same low-brow knuckle dragger audience)...
 
I'm quite disappointed as well...
I expected the best and I got something which wasn't.

Too scripted, too much ''old gags'' which are not funny any more, too predictable, and, ffs stop the Mexican bullsh**...

Still, was funny at some points, but is not the same as the old ones.

6/10
 
Last edited:
Kid, calm down.

Some of us didn't like it, we said so and explained why.

This is a forum, a place of discussion, of the sharing of ideas and opinions about a mutual interest. The nearest thing this particular thread has to a "shitstorm" as you so delicately put it is you calling people idiots and telling us we all need to get a life. The irony of which appears to be lost on you.

I'm not having any of that, because it's the always the same complaining, always the same moaning. About a TV show. TV, remember. I'm standing by my words. If it's so hateful and rehashed and unfunny, then be my guest and --- off.
 
It's the audience that keeps the program going m8, and if the majority ain't happy then there'll be no more of this stuff for you to watch.

There's a crapstorm going on in the BBC at the moment (not a place to go into the details) and TG needs to excel to ride it. India special wasn't excellent.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MWF
I'm not having any of that, because it's the always the same complaining, always the same moaning. About a TV show. TV, remember. I'm standing by my words. If it's so hateful and rehashed and unfunny, then be my guest and --- off.

So in other words unless we are blinkered, doe-eyed fanbois who just want to fawn at the feet of the Holy Trinity and their entourage we should keep our opinions to ourselves?

To put things into context, I and many others agreed that the last season of Top Gear represented, in the main, a real return to form after some really dire efforts. The first one of the run in particular contained all the elements that go together to make up a classic episode of TG with each member of the team doing what they do best and bar a couple of hitches along the way they seemed really to have got back into their stride. That and previous specials meant many of us had high hopes for an epic road trip through a vibrant and exciting country. None of which we got, which left me and those of similar opinions rather disappointed.

Having been to TG Live recently for the first time I can vouch for the fact that they can pull off stuff that is scripted if it is well rehearsed but none of them are actors and when they try to pull the same kind of stuff in the field where they don't have the luxury of rehearsal it simply doesn't work. Nor does reheating leftovers.

And if you don't like the moaning and complaining then be my guest and go away.
 
Last edited:
Oh, and as a matter of courtesy (and no cheating with Google) be honest with me - did you get the Formule 1 joke?

Nup, missed it. Thanks beer. :)

On another note...

"Naaaaan, Naan Naan, Naan Naan Naan Naan, Naan Naan Naan Naan, Hey Jude...."
 
(Ref: Train Karaoke) A bit self-indulgent by Wilman there - at least we all now know what his chosen Karaoke song is.....

If you've ever been on a train journey through one of these types of countries you'll understand that 18 hours is a frikkin eternity on a train. All scripts and rehashing aside they would've been making all this shit up just to survive the journey.

Nice to see Andy bogging in. God help him if he had to drive the Allegro the entire journey. Looked kinda comfy though. In reality I guess he would have been swapping from vehicle to vehicle like you do on these sorts of shoots.

Looked like a hoot of a shoot. Loved the 6 pot cricket.
 
Anyone else think that James' Rolls looked like an XXL indian taxi?
It had roughly the same colourscheme :)

Had fun watching it, had a few genuine laughs, but as far as a special goes, it didn't "feel" special, like this could have easily been 3 separate items in a season-episode...
 
I gave it an 8.. Agreed it wasn't the very best of the Specials. I could have lived without the garden party stuff. Enjoyed the little Mexican references. Liked James' revenge a lot. The hillclimb I enjoyed. Yes, the banner was silly and predictable but I still laughed. I watched it with two other family members and we all laughed quite a lot. So even if it wasn't the tip top of Top Gear it's still a damnsite better than most offerings on telly these days.

For the record. I gave the show itself a 6 and an extra 2 for the eyecandy of the newly trimmed down and toned Hammond. Hey, if there were girls on the thing looking good you blokes would give bonus points too.

Overnight viewing figures are out. The show got 5 million and won it's time slot. 4.4 million plus .6million on HD sumulcast. That will grow after iPlayer and repeat numbers are added. A surprising number didn't know it was on Wednesday and will pick it up later.
 
Last edited:
Top