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

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


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I think if you don't like moaning and complaining the internet is not the place for you.:lol:

Precisely.

The internet, go online, watch and listen to some people moaning. Finish that, wash hands, then do some complaining.

Wait, you didn't mean that kind of moaning did you?

Anyway rather liked this comment I found at the official TG website in the post show discussion comments:

Here?s a Top Gear Top Tip. When you go on one of these trips, don?t pack the funny. It?s too big, too heavy and it really doesn?t travel well. Just do the trip and find some funny on the way. It?s always fresher funny and of much better quality as well as being locally produced so it?s eco-friendly too!
 
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I thought Vietnam was the worst of the specials...until this came along
I did have quite a big laughs at some of the jokes, but seriously? Running every old joke again just isn't cool anymore
and the very theme of running a trade delegation...If you have been watching TG for long you know it's gonna be loads of stupid and fail that tries to be funny but no one in this forum's gonna be amused.
Yeah there are sparkles of greatness in some of the parts, but they came too few in the film. Most of the 90 minutes are shadowed by the normal silliness so I'd give it a 5. Although so much work and hype was put into the film I still think it's better if it's just 30 minutes long
 
It had a couple of nice moments, especially "straight six" cricket at the end but overall, it was mediocre. Shame about that Mini, seeing it run around India has made me want one even more. As someone said before, the best moments were the ones that weren't scripted. Stuff like Jeremy's remark about a Monaco to Portofino Christmas special (that I would watch) or maybe even the hill climb.

It's not brilliant and there were too many scripted moments but it kept me entertained. I'd give it a 6/10

Side note: They could have had much better cars for 7 grand, they even showed us what you could get for 7 grand last series.
 
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I liked it. Not the best, but not bad.With all the craziness going on in the world it is going to be harder for those three to be entertaining.
 
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 ).

well, you're very easily entertained when genesis makes you laugh so hard you're having nosebleeds. and since you're from slovenia you're probably drunk all the time so that helps :D
being drunk is the problem of the top gear crew as well. they film drunk, it looks good to them as it does to you so when they're done filming and back in england the editor has the hideous job of making it all seen funny to a sober audience. we're all disappointed at the team because the show used to be much better. in many ways even the american show tops it and it's sad. we'd all be happier (including you) if the show was as good as it can be.
 
Oh, sure. This episode was definitely one of those "stress relievers" for me.

I'm just hoping that Series 18 as a whole doesn't end up like this special. Episode 6 of Series 17 was a big high point for me.
 
2/10.

I fast forwarded significant bits of it, specifically the on-the-train and party segments.

I don't know much of India, but I do know that it has astonishingly beautiful landscapes and that the roads there are, especially to European viewers, really adventurous to drive on. Sadly, those aspects didn't come across in the programme at all.
 
Not sure if they are trying new direction....but it certainly didnt work well for me...

If they could just :
1) Provide only a a budget of 1K instead of 7K so they could buy rubbish car.
2) Remove those challenges and turn it into a road-trip instead.
3) More action & less talking.
 
I enjoyed it as entertainment, wasn't expecting much car things, its India, they have the nano, how much could you expect?

Had heard many stories of the smells and bad drivers, that looked confirmed.
 
Oh, sure. This episode was definitely one of those "stress relievers" for me.

This. Entertainment. TV. Show. IDGAF about scripting and rehashing. Even if this particular special cannot be regarded as highly as Bolivia, Vietnam, Polar...it's still good to watch.
 
Is there going to be a 1080 version? I guess I'm a bit spoiled and have been enjoying the 1080 versions.

(I apologize if this has been covered before in here.)
 
Well, it definitely isn't the best special that we've had but I don't think it was all that bad. Sure some parts were very scripted but I still laughed regularly and whole heartedly. I respect everyone elses' opinions and can understand their point of views however in mine I think that they just didn't set out on a proper goal. If they would have had something else as the goal they wouldn't have been doing these random things that make us think wtf. I found the editing to be a bit choppy aswell with them focusing on small areas and quickly skipping over the big ones. However all this aside it is, essentially a Top Gear special and I was entertained.

I'd give it a 6.5/7

Loved the 'Eat English Muff', even if it was scripted
 
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Not sure if they are trying new direction....but it certainly didnt work well for me...

If they could just :
1) Provide only a a budget of 1K instead of 7K so they could buy rubbish car.
2) Remove those challenges and turn it into a road-trip instead.
3) More action & less talking.

The idea behind this rather large amount of money was to "represend Great Britain" with decent cars instead of old bangers that break down all the time. However, the hole idea behind their trip wasn't working for me at all, it just seemed silly and of course it had to include lots of "funny" stuff along the way that of course would go wrong in various not very intelligent ways. There were only two bits that surprised me (somewhat): first the train banner torn in half, and secondly Richard's Mini tearing its own front off (I was expecting them to crash into James' car instead).
Perhaps the guys were tired of their own formula of getting three cheap cars and getting from A to B like they did in so many other specials. But that's exactly what I wanted to see, not some stupid garden party or decorating a train.
 
I just don't understand what were they thinking.

Recipe for a great top gear special
1. amazing camerawork (the crew proven 10000 times they can do it)
2. amazing landscapes (India has them)
3. cars and travelling (not trains and cooking about just like one of regular tg episodes)

They missed all three points and the show turned out crap.

I'm good with scripted segments, they are in every episode and in every special, I'm not asking to avoid scripted parts completely but that was just too much.
In specials is even worse, take for instance the Volkswagen scirocco spot and now take the food delivery thing of yesterday...

well, I've nothing to add.
 
I put on the television to watch Top Gear and all I found was an overly long, badly scripted Christmas time-filler. It was almost as though the trio dusted off their world famous personas, ready to churn out another BBC money spinner.

I don't know how the same people that made the excellent Vietnam special made this. Given the quality of what was televised, I dread to think of what they had to cut out...

Can someone please bring back the Top Gear that I used to love and re-watch? No more Top Gear Christmas Pantomine. :(.
 
Switched it off half-way. Think that sums it up. 2/10 because India.
 
I thoroughly enjoyed this special. Had so many laugh out loud moments. Brings a tear to my eye. Am really glad TG is back!
 
Is there going to be a 1080 version? I guess I'm a bit spoiled and have been enjoying the 1080 versions.

(I apologize if this has been covered before in here.)

They usually are available about three days after the airing.

My thoughts about the not-so-special special?
Meh. They can do better. I think they are getting to their "Top Gear" job with Call Of Duty or Police Academy approach - same script, another environment. All of the hopes after Series 17 that they are going to be a proper car-show again - shattered.
The cake was a lie.
Sorry, William, but your princess is in another castle!
Boys, I am disappoint.
 
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I've watched it a second time now, and although I was one of the few that did enjoy it, I liked it even more upon second viewing. So I wonder if some of you that didn't like it much should give it another try.

I am about to give it a third try now. And I feel it just feels much better. Others should also give it a try once. As an entertainment show it does justice. Start comparing this to Vietnam and Bolivia specials, it feels downright dreary.

My only grudge is that the boys failed to show India in its true colors. As colorful as this country looks, the whole show made it look quite bland. Blame the Anglo-Indian business crap for this!

Mumbai always was messy. Jaipur-they organised a hill-climb challenge on some deserted place-if you have google, check out what other things this city is famous for. Delhi, they organized a properly dis-organized party (even if this bit is scripted, have to say it was very badly done). Shimla/Leh-they didn't bother to name these places even once...

And the Himalayas, there are so many facts about the roads they drove on but none of them were ever revealed by the presenters. Khardung La is the highest motor-able road in the world for one, no mention of this.

Only saving grace was the Straight-6 Ashes Series. Genuine at best. :)


Do not blame the production team for this special. I know, India is too big to be covered for under 90 minutes. It could have been a lot crispier, nonetheless.


It was more of a Top Gear drama than the India Special. They couldn't balance both in equal ratios, as they did on all of the previous occasions...
 
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i liked it overall, i thought it was good just not as good as the south american special.
 
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