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This is Top Gear, they probably filmed it at 5pm on a Friday. 3am in the morning it can't be the same?
[19x06] March 3rd, 2013 [Africa Special, Part 1]
- Thread starter Viper007Bond
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This is Top Gear, they probably filmed it at 5pm on a Friday. 3am in the morning it can't be the same?
GeoffR
New Member
Registered today (after reading these forums for a long time) as a result of this episode. After a very patchy series...THIS is how you do a special. Loved it. Very little in the way of deliberate stupidity, great chemistry between them as they deal with fairly difficult situations, amazing scenery (with thanks to Pakman for the 1080i transport stream...looked incredible, I can't believe how good UK HDTV looks compared to the crap we get here). No India Special moronics, just a simply-told road trip story through inspiring places. A good roadtrip film should make you want to get out into the world and explore far-flung places. This did that in spades.
Absolutely the best episode of Top Gear I have seen in a very, very long time. A lot of the time this series I though they were bored and out of ideas, or simply repeating themselves. At least one episode this series I rated as low as 4/10, and I was getting a bit depressed with it all. Not this time. 9/10 from me, with the hope that part two at least matches it, or maybe even manages a perfect 10. Great work TG, just goes to show you can still turn it on when you want to.
PS - Count me as another viewer delighted that the Impreza didn't catch fire after 'that' shot.
Absolutely the best episode of Top Gear I have seen in a very, very long time. A lot of the time this series I though they were bored and out of ideas, or simply repeating themselves. At least one episode this series I rated as low as 4/10, and I was getting a bit depressed with it all. Not this time. 9/10 from me, with the hope that part two at least matches it, or maybe even manages a perfect 10. Great work TG, just goes to show you can still turn it on when you want to.
PS - Count me as another viewer delighted that the Impreza didn't catch fire after 'that' shot.
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The irony of your username! Hah!
ViimeinenVaihde
New Member
Ah, right. The earliest sedans are available really cheap, but the estate only came around several years later and thus their prices have yet to go that low.
An X-Type estate wouldn't be that good for this challenge, I think the estate body only became available after they dropped the viscous coupling from the transfer case. The early AWD sedans, like mine, are nigh unstoppable while the 2004+ ones have an open differential in the middle and can get stuck if even one wheel of the four loses traction. Most later models have electronic traction control to apply ABS to the slipping wheels, but it's still inferior to the viscous coupling.
Not to be splitting hairs here, but if you can find a BMW 528i, a Volvo 850R and a Subaru Impreza WRX in budget ... it shouldn't be a problem to find a Golf estate syncro with the 90hp engine or an older model Passat syncro ... or any other estate car from that period with a smaller engine but with AWD. You do have a point about the X-Type.. which may be a bit too new of a model. But there should be plenty of alternatives from the mid/late 90s that would've fit the bill a lot better.
But again: What's the fun in having them all drive around in cars that aren't going to cause any problems?
S.
The Spie
Well-Known Member
That's actually too bad. Clarkson liked those, and if one had been in budget, he'd have bought one to fly the flag in the old colonies.
Because Viper analogue*. And given that this is a Forester, because lesbians.
* - Yes, I know about the engine size in a Viper. You try fitting one of those beastly V10s in a Scooby.
IceBone
Blue Wheel Hipster
There was a reference ot it in the first african special too, but they didn't play it.
DLyds
New Member
Not quite spectacular, but a great episode and such a relief after the really terrible India special.
When I read the description before watching and saw "Africa in 3 Estate Cars", I was convinced James would drive something big and French. Since there really isn't a recent equivalent of an old Pug 504/505 it probably would have been a big Citroen - C5 estate maybe? It would have had decent ground clearance and a soft ride (especially a hydropneumatic Citroen), fairly basic mechanical parts, and James would have been under the bonnet tinkering with something on a regular basis. Plenty of choice under ?1500.
Really looking forward to part 2 - even my wife (not a TG fan lately - she's tired of all the nob drawings!) asked if I had the next episode yet.
A very solid 8.
When I read the description before watching and saw "Africa in 3 Estate Cars", I was convinced James would drive something big and French. Since there really isn't a recent equivalent of an old Pug 504/505 it probably would have been a big Citroen - C5 estate maybe? It would have had decent ground clearance and a soft ride (especially a hydropneumatic Citroen), fairly basic mechanical parts, and James would have been under the bonnet tinkering with something on a regular basis. Plenty of choice under ?1500.
Really looking forward to part 2 - even my wife (not a TG fan lately - she's tired of all the nob drawings!) asked if I had the next episode yet.
A very solid 8.
Whitevanwoman
Active Member
I think it varies. I believe that the presenters do chose at least the type of vehicle they want and then the researchers go and buy them. In Porter's 'Ambitious but Rubbish' book the cars for Botswana were bought off the African Autotrader and the presenters certainly chose their wheels for that one and knew what each had bought. For Bolivia it appears that the guys didn't know what each other had bought and the first time any of them saw their purchases was at the point that the cars rounded the bend in the river on the raft. For India they decided what type of cars they wanted - and James has to be steered away from wanting a Mini as well by the producers. It is as Porter says that it is a good job that the 3 of them naturally veer in different directions, but obviously some pushing is required at times. It would be nice to think that they don't know what each other has bought but this is highly unlikely (except in Bolivia) and their ignorance is a necessary TV construct to introduce the cars.
Jeremy broke a promise in this episode.
"I'm never ever ever going to complain about the quality of a hotel room again, so long as I don't actually have to build it".
Great episode this, although watching the Polar special whence that quote comes shows the magic has been somewhat lost. Don't think they have another Vietnam in them for example. Am very happy to watch and watch again though!
"I'm never ever ever going to complain about the quality of a hotel room again, so long as I don't actually have to build it".
Great episode this, although watching the Polar special whence that quote comes shows the magic has been somewhat lost. Don't think they have another Vietnam in them for example. Am very happy to watch and watch again though!
GaryC
Well-Known Member
Or even worse (better?), each getting a Subaru Forester Outback. Because it's good for offroad, estate, and they all love it.
Kiskaloo
Well-Known Member
Never saw "Carry on?" so can't comment there. And, if anything, I felt this special was trying to "go nuclear" in the pursuit of laughs and that diminished it a bit to my eyes.
The Vietnam Special is my top one is because I felt they really bonded as a team by the end. I did not feel I was watching three blokes out on a lark, but instead three close friends sharing a true adventure. And while it may have been scripted up the yahoo for all I know, it never felt it. Richard and James looked like they were truly enjoying themselves and Jeremy looked like he was truly miserable. The emotions and the reactions seemed truly genuine and spontaneous. And god what a beautiful country with truly awe-inspiring sites and weather.
While better than a number of past specials, Part One of this special felt more like three blokes out on a lark to me. *shrug*
And yes, the North Pole Special does deserve significant kudos. If Vietnam is my "10", then the North Pole and Botswana are solid "9's".
The Fishman
Active Member
Proper road trips are what they do best! I do think it was appropriate to play Toto by Africa!
The Spie
Well-Known Member
You're not allowed to comment on the appropriateness of Toto's "Africa" unless you were born when it came out. I was a junior in high school. It flooded our radios that year. I still can't stand hearing it.
DanRoM
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Just watched it. I won't rate it as it's just the first half, but I thought it was good. Not brillant, but rather good. I did expect more epic scenery though, them being in Africa and all that.
I too was delighted that the Impreza or at least something in the back didn't catch fire when Hammonad "had to" leave the oven on unattended. But most of all, I'm impressed by the Subaru's towing ability - especially considering that it too was on tyres totally unfit for that sort of road. Holy shit, I thought he'd rip off a tow hook at the rate he was going.
Now waiting for part 2.
I too was delighted that the Impreza or at least something in the back didn't catch fire when Hammonad "had to" leave the oven on unattended. But most of all, I'm impressed by the Subaru's towing ability - especially considering that it too was on tyres totally unfit for that sort of road. Holy shit, I thought he'd rip off a tow hook at the rate he was going.
Now waiting for part 2.
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Very glad the Suby didn't catch fire when Jeremy called everyone over to look at the maps. The close up of the pan had me worried. I actually paused it and walked away, preparing to get very angry about it, but it didn't happen.
It was slow to get going, but I enjoyed it. The drowning of the back up car was clearly scripted, but at least for once it wasn't the boys doing...
I also like how they showed/mentioned a bit more of the support crew and filming team. Trying to make out that it's all them, out there alone, is a bit far fetched, and the crews really don't get the props they deserve, but I thought that was done well. Didn't take away from the idea that they were out as 3 mates on an adventure, but made it a bit more realistic.
It was slow to get going, but I enjoyed it. The drowning of the back up car was clearly scripted, but at least for once it wasn't the boys doing...
I also like how they showed/mentioned a bit more of the support crew and filming team. Trying to make out that it's all them, out there alone, is a bit far fetched, and the crews really don't get the props they deserve, but I thought that was done well. Didn't take away from the idea that they were out as 3 mates on an adventure, but made it a bit more realistic.