[19x02] February 3rd, 2013

[Revelator]

I also didn't like Jeremy calling Richard a "rampant racist". I thought it crossed a line. I don't care if it was in jest. That sort of thing is Serious Business, IMO.

What line? Are people going to start calling Hammond a racist because Clarkson said so? Hammond's remarks were nasty to start with, and Jeremy's comic exaggeration helped defuse them by comically make Hammond look worse than he actually is, and reminding us that he actually isn't a rampant racist, just someone who made some very bad Mexican stereotype jokes. By exaggerating how awful Hammond was, the show did the right thing.

Oh, and for some reason I loved the way May said "buenos dias." It probably has something to do with his bizarro-world attempt at a Mexican accent.

 

[bleAf]

Better than the previous episode. I liked the road trip and felt it was better than their previous US road trip. The real downside is that they went to Vegas again when there are many other different and interesting places for a road trip which also have 'driving roads'.

 

[mav21386]

This episode helps firm my growing opinion that Top Gear is rubbish.

Not that it was a particularly bad episode. I liked the way Hammond came out swinging with his "panel gap" and retro nonsense" comebacks at the start of the road trip. The rest of the trip was just eye candy (apart from the musical road ... how neat is that, that someone took the time to do it?). I also liked the guest. Someone who I know of and not some temporary Gen Y celeb from X Factor.

The show is now all style and no substance. Many of the positive comments hear are about the cinematography. Who cares? If I want nice pictures, I just need to look at my Windows desktop.

They really seem to have run out of ideas (good ideas). Another USA road trip in boring, esoteric cars. Why didn't they go to somewhere interesting and novel? No 7 star accommodation??

If they went back to being an informative car show they would have a whole world wide auto industry to provide a never ending stream of material. Instead they have gone the "creative" route and have now got terminal writer's block. Really, after 10 or 11 months off air, the best road trip idea they have is to go back to America ..... again?

I got bored at about 45 minutes and stopped watching. 4/10

I love it when they decide to go somewhere in America. It is an absolutely huge f'n country, after all.

 

[8bit]

You don't know who Mick Fleetwood is? God, do I feel old.

You could see it in the expressions of the young (ish) audience behind him - they all looked like they didn't have a clue who a) he was, and b) who/what Fleetwood Mac is/was. Pretty sad, really.

Then again, I have never even heard a single track by Amy McDonald (Ep3), who is supposedly a millionaire, who buys Audi R8's and Nissan GT-R's left and right.

 

[MadCarburetor]

I actually thought this was a pretty good episode. The road trip film was not the most memorable but still quite enjoyable overall, the only cringe-worthy scripted fail moment was the result of the "donut contest".

The guest was the best part of the episode for me. I love Fleetwood Mac, and Rumours is one of my all-time favourite albums so Mick Fleetwood talking about the band and his Austin 7 was awesome.

 

[absurdword]

Loved this episode! Mick Fleetwood was awesome, it was great hearing about the band and Rumours on TG. The race was pretty good as well, I thought. First time Hammond/May beat the car? Kinda about time, lol. Jame's pulling out a folding bicycle was unexpected, too bad he lost to Hammond.

I gave it an 8/10.

 

[shellygrrl]

What line? Are people going to start calling Hammond a racist because Clarkson said so? Hammond's remarks were nasty to start with, and Jeremy's comic exaggeration helped defuse them by comically make Hammond look worse than he actually is, and reminding us that he actually isn't a rampant racist, just someone who made some very bad Mexican stereotype jokes. By exaggerating how awful Hammond was, the show did the right thing.

Bullshit. Also: You missed my point.

I recognize it was said in jest. I also don't think people would start calling Richard "racist" because Jeremy did.

However, in my view, accusations of racism are Serious Business, no matter how far into your cheek your tongue is. There are some things, IMO, you don't joke about. I didn't, and don't, find it funny. Also, let's remember both Jeremy and James were active participants in that conversation. The right thing to do, IMO, would've been to send all three of them to Mexico to review the Mastretta. Together.

(Also, it wasn't racism anyway because Mexican is a nationality, not a race. If anything it was xenophobia.)