[20x05] July 28th, 2013

[20x05] July 28th, 2013


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When I saw the preview I wasn't really expecting much but it turned out really really well.

That classic Porsche bit was amazing and gave me the "I must have this thing!" fever and I'm not even a fan of Porsches, also James looked rather well in that thing. The lambo part was nice, news was good, SIARPC was really cool. Even the faffing about worked for me. Yes it was silly and stupid but for once, unlike most other times, the intentional "we're rubbish and do dumb stuff" was actually funny.

9/10, and for me who's normally quite grumpy that's a really good score, well done!
 
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When they started the caravan crossover review and kept going back to "the Tip", I was banging my head on the desk as I unfavorably compared it to the "Find a 'pearl' among a collection of cars from the Pacific Rim" segment in S5|E9, I could not help but think how, like the 911, while TG looks the same year after year, it had changed - and not always for the better.

Then they went rallying and I was all better. :lol:

Overall, I consider myself pleasantly surprised. In addition to the crossover review, I enjoyed both James' and Richard's reviews.
 
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1. New Porsche. Not interested, same old same old. There must be interesting cars to review.
2. Special Porsche. Great car. Now drive it on the road. Track is boring.
3. Guest.
4. Caravans. Written by interns or something. Did I miss the funny bit? Yes they brake when you hit a tree. And no, they can't corner. Seen that with all touring car race bits.

I must be getting grumpy.
 
Bit bemused about how this week's cocking about is being more positively viewed than last week's.

I need to re-watch tomorrow. It was a solid episode, two good review bits and whilst the caravan stuff occasionally got a bit off focus for my liking, it was another demonstration on how TG comedy is supposed to be.
 
9/10. Pretty good. Loved the caravan segment, throwing the stig into the tip :lmao:
 
1. Porsche & Singer 911s -- 7/10. Loses some points because neither of them did a Stig lap.
2. News -- nah.
3. Lambo - 9/10. Amazing looks, don't care that it doesn't qualify for the board, it's not often that they show Stig spinning out on any car.
4. SIARPC -- N/A -- sorry, not into Aerosmith.
5. Crossover / caravan hijinks. 6/10. The recycling commentary was a bit of a bad sign, but the caravan race in the end did make up for it.

Conclusion: I'd go with a 7.5.
 
Three words: ITS.....ABOUT.....TIME!!!

Best episode of the series by a landslide! Everything was interesting and fun. Love the Porsches, but just like the F12, no Stig laps! News quite good. As amazing as the Sesto Elemento is, I would have preferred to see that Aventador Roadster more. Steven Tyler was entertaining, I would have liked to see the moment when he lunched the engine in the Astra. The Caravan test was back to good, old fashioned, Top Gear fun. Not always brilliant, but I now understand what the tip is a lot better. I am also glad they are as tired of hearing about the friggin Royal Baby as I am.

My only gripe was that it took 5 tries to get a great show. Here's hoping the last one will be just as good!
 
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Surprisingly refreshing episode, and to me, the goofing off parts of the episode seemed to be a lot more genuine, you could tell that the hosts were having fun with their assignments. The Porsche segments too were quite nice, though I am a bit biased as I much prefer sports cars that one actualy has a chance of seeing rather than hyper cars that will spend their days in private museums and garages.
 
Finally, they reviewed the 991 911. Good review, but it was made great, I repeat, great, by the second half with the Singer. Not because I'm one of these luddite Porschefiles, but because in that half of the review, James himself cranks it up to 11 (and did I hear Stone Roses in the background?). Top Top Gear.

"The joke" in the news, was absolutely terrific. I love you, Jezza. The rest of the news was among the best they've done in years, as well.

Richard in the Aventador convertible. In Italy. My my, well done. Wha? Now the Sexto, er, sorry... Sesto Elemento? Another 5 star review in the same episode? What the frack is going on here? Richard, shed your scripted idiot persona and get back to doing great car reviews like this one.

I loathe Steven Tyler and I loathe Aerosmith, so when I heard he was to be the guest, my heart sank. Honestly, he was pleasant, and entertaining (if not very fast on the track). Another one in the plus column for this episode.

The soft-roader test. I like how it began, as it reminded me of the classic "pacific rim" car challenge from waaaay back. I like how it was goofy, irreverent, and fun. I like how Jezza and James looked like they were having fun. Yes, I was hoping (dreaming, actually) for a bit more actual car-content, and the film itself could have been edited a bit more, but that's nitpicking, really. It was a novel concept wrapped around a classic bit of TG tomfoolery. I'm not sorry to say I liked it. And "The Girl From Ipanema" :lol:

Best episode of the series thus far. 9/10.

- - - Updated - - -

James and Jeremy are great together when they do a joint
Now THAT would make for a good segment!
 
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Finally! I've been waiting for an episode like this for what feels like forever! PLEASE Just more of this!!!
 
Bit bemused about how this week's cocking about is being more positively viewed than last week's.

Less obvious staging, fewer stooges. Contrived, of course, to wreck caravans and crack the same old jokes, but the road stuff was less scripted, both on the track and offroad. Perhaps the Stig is sufficiently good of a driver to roll the second caravan and leave himself off the ground, and perhaps the wheel on the first caravan was loosened to come off on the lap, but even if so, that's subtle. And it made a decent basic point about crossovers. (The British Caravan Club apparently prefers the Golf and Jetta as tow cars, for what it's worth.)

Liked the non-cockabout films: bit of a continuation from last week's Mercs, with the "same but different" for the 911s (and the news), and "car of the future" for the Lambo. Especially liked having Hammond on the track and May drifting the Porsche. SIARPC was meh, but that's always luck of the draw.
 
Porsche...okayish
Lambo...okayish...but no...only Hammond can make these segments boring & annoying
Guest...boring
Rest...Rubbish

If this was "the gem" of the series....Good Night and Good Luck. Won't be watching
 
5/10. It was a better more solid episode compared to the shitfest the last 4 episodes have been at least.

The Porsche review was cool. Wish there was more of the Singer. I love that thing. There is a good video of Carolla on his podcast about the Singer 911, much much more indepth. The level of engineering is amazing which was sadly (but not unexpectedly) glossed over in James' film. Of course and predictably Clarkson has to do the whole "911s are just beatles" shtick. Cant take a statement like that seriously from a fucking Mercedes Benz fanboi....

News was boring so nothing new here.

Lambo bit was good. Solid but good. As a Lambo freak its always nice to see what they're up to, though the 1 seater concept is going toooooo far for me.

SIARPC was alright. Man, driving a car with the steering wheel on the WRONG side of the car, operating the shifter with the WRONG hand must really be confusing if you're used to the *proper* left hand drive position. Tyler has a VenomGT which is manual only so I suppose he knows how to handle manual trans. But he also said he's never been on a race track before so maybe he's still just another rock star who chose a cool looking car and thats it. Dont know about his car history much. Still, gotta give the man credit for choosing a Venom over an easy to drive posh Veyron.

The caravan bit I mostly skipped.

Like I said, 5/10 at best.
 
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I quite liked the 911 film, I mean would I be correct in saying that was the first time James May did a proper track test? I mean, sure in the past he's been at the test track but it usually ends up with him going "Oh I'm a bit rubbish at driving, har har let's watch the stig or tiff drive for me"
The lamborgini review was just a little bit less then the 911 for me but I'm not overly interested in the sesto elemento, well a little more interested then before the review but not by much and the caravan bit was really good.
I really experienced some good old fashioned entertainment from this episode.
 
People from the UK, what is "The Tip"? is it just some recycling center with a weird name or what? I really didn't understand that gag.
 
People from the UK, what is "The Tip"? is it just some recycling center with a weird name or what? I really didn't understand that gag.

Yeah, but usually it's in the same place as landfill where the bin lorries tip out all the rubbish - "rubbish tip" = "tip".
 
in the middle of "the news" on this episode...I just have to say, that woman in the orange right behind Jeremy is beautiful! great smile on her.
 
Bit bemused about how this week's cocking about is being more positively viewed than last week's.

I need to re-watch tomorrow. It was a solid episode, two good review bits and whilst the caravan stuff occasionally got a bit off focus for my liking, it was another demonstration on how TG comedy is supposed to be.

That's very easily explained: Generally they're trying to be funny by being bad beyond a point that's even remotely believable, this time they tried to be funny by.... being funny.

The "squeaky squeaky" repetition made that happen because it's a classical formula for making funny stuff work; repetition. By that time the whole thing actually was entertaining and then the silly fact that they ended up at a "gentlemen's parking" and went banger racing with their caravans, which if left on their own would be terrible, worked and was forgiven.
 
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