NBC passes on TG USA

NBC can afford the high production costs but I doubt the cable channels mentioned could stomach it.

NBC would just butcher TGA.
 
That would be a good fit. From my limited experience with it, SPEED is actually a good channel if you ignore the NASCAR stuff. I wish they split it into two.

:blink:

Wrecked, Unique Whips and 20 different versions of Pinks make it a good channel?

Speed needs to curl up and die.

I would rather see it come to BBC:America with different hosts or FX, but somewhere that they encourage inane behavior. Discovery is too conservative and HBO, Showtime, Starz or Cinemax limits your viewship too much.
 
NBC can afford the high production costs but I doubt the cable channels mentioned could stomach it.

NBC would just butcher TGA.

Very interesting point, I had never thought of the reduced budget of most of the cable channels, it would almost certainly have to be a premium channel like HBO or something like that, which makes me sad, because I don't currently get any premium channels.
 
HBO and the BBC have a history of working together. They made the show "Rome" together which was excellent if anyone hasn't seen it. I think it could be another good opportunity for them to work together.
 
:blink:

Wrecked, Unique Whips and 20 different versions of Pinks make it a good channel?

Speed needs to curl up and die.

I would rather see it come to BBC:America with different hosts or FX, but somewhere that they encourage inane behavior. Discovery is too conservative and HBO, Showtime, Starz or Cinemax limits your viewship too much.

Heh, I must admit my watching is limited to their ALMS and 24 hours of Le Mans coverage (which is pretty good despite the interruptions). Though I now agree with the HBO suggestion. The big budget channels have the cash and leeway which SPEED, TLC, et co lack.
 
Discovery is too conservative? This is a channel that airs shows like "watch people break into other people's homes" and "watch people blow up cement mixers" and "watch people wade through pure shit" (all of which are awesome, by the way), and has a week dedicated to sharks (and, more awesomely, shark attacks).

HBO would be pretty ideal, yeah, but it's a "premium channel" as someone pointed out. It won't be too bad for what's arguably a "niche show" in America... but most of us that would watch it don't get HBO but do get cable.
 
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Good thing Al Gore gave us the Internets!
Agreed, and all praise Gore, King of the Moon... but I don't think "piracy" is a big selling point. :lol:
 
This is certainly good news to me, it lowers the channels expectations, but it doesn't lower ours to expect good TG no matter what :)
 
It won't be on SPEED (which rebroadcasts NASCAR on old channels). I doubt it'll be FOX/FX ether.

If NBC picked it up, but it's heading for cable, then it'll go to NBC's partner cable channel called TNT ("We Know Drama").

I do agree, though, that Discovery Channel (and it's holdings including Science Channel, Military Channel, Animal Planet, etc) could land it. Discovery and the BBC have a good relationship, and maybe with SBS depending on who holds the Aussie based "Beyond Tomorrow."
 
What kind of audience figures does Showtime get?

This is, after all, the channel that shows Penn & Teller: Bullshit! - and Penn can get away with saying pretty much anything short of burning an American flag. Although, given that I've only seen up to half way through series 3, he might have done that as well and I haven't seen it...

So I can't think they'll have too much of a problem with the Top Gear America hosts shooting their mouths off.
 
I love pinks, if drag racing isnt your thing than i guess you wouldnt, but its nice.

And their f1 coverage, in my opinion, if the best in the english-speaking world. At least they dont say "hamilton" every three seconds. or have a 18 hour pre-race show.
 
I don't really care where it shows up, I just want it to show up!
 
Discovery is too conservative? This is a channel that airs shows like "watch people break into other people's homes" and "watch people blow up cement mixers" and "watch people wade through pure shit" (all of which are awesome, by the way), and has a week dedicated to sharks (and, more awesomely, shark attacks).

Blowing stuff up and having three guys blast potential advertisers are two totally different things.

And your example of Dirty Jobs, they use that show to sell Ford trucks. Imagine if the show behind Dirty Jobs comes out and says Ford trucks are pure excrement.

MattD1zzl3 said:
I love pinks, if drag racing isnt your thing than i guess you wouldnt, but its nice.

Hey, I'm no fan of drag racing but I get that people dig it. But exactly how many different version fo Pinks does the world need?
 
I think the best possible thing that could happen would be for TGA to be picked up by Showtime/HBO. They can throw quite a bit of money at their shows and also have the added benefit of not having to worry about offending advertisers.

Discovery/Speed/Normal cable would be alright but not as good (in my mind) as a "premium" cable network. I also think HBO/Showtime would do well to release TGA on iTunes, and sell DVD sets at the end of the season (like they do w/ Sopranos etc.)

Showtime also has some shows available to watch instantly on Netflix, which would be a great option, IMHO, for Top Gear America.

Do we know for sure if they are replacing the hosts?
 
Wanted to comment on this bit of news. On one hand, I think it may be good that it is not heading to NBC, which could possibly end in a quick death. On the other, existing on the outer rim of cable networks is not good for exposure really. The point of this whole mess is to bring in new viewers. I just don't know where this would best fit.

Would not want to see it on Comedy Central, FX, TLC, or SPEED. These to me are horrid cesspools and all I could see happening at the best is a short lifespan with nobody watching. If on lower tier cable, Discovery would be my only choice. It has the best exposure of the cable networks, has room for some comedy (Mythbusters) and could still be a credible, informative show. With CC, FX, or SPEED I just see it degenerating into fart jokes and boobs.

In terms of upper tier "Digital" channel selection, BBC America might work, but the exposure here is tiny, don't think many would watch it. Those that would watch Top Gear already, and the aim of this endeavor is to bring in a new audience. Sci would be nice, but there is no room for comedy, and not many people watch it. Don't know many upper tier cable channels that would work with bringing in a new audience.

As pay channels go, HBO would be nice, the short season framework fits well with the rest, and they could do what they want. Not so great for exposure though. Also, while swearing and all is in the original (by american standards), it doesn't make the show, so this should not be a driving force to put this on something like HBO.

Not sure what direction this will be headed now, or if it will even launch at all, but I only see two possibilities for success - Discovery or HBO. Nothing else will work in my opinion. I would have liked it to be on NBC, as it would be instant-exposure, but maybe we should test it out somewhere else first, make sure its actually good, before putting it up for network access.

Crossing my fingers for Discovery or HBO.
 
Spike TV..? The problem as someone mentioned is budget, who's got the cash and is willing to take the risk on giving this show what it needs.
Please just get it on air, or the internet I feel like the need to let the guys run with it and see what happens.

Hopefully Adam will know something and comment today.
 
Here are my predictions:

Lets say the show is "Good":

Best Case Scenario: Put on NBC/Discovery/HBO, millions of viewers, millions of people liking Top Gear.

Worst Case Scenario: Put on TLC/SPEED/FX, no one watches it, Good series goes unwatched, no one cares.


Lets say the show is "Bad":

Best Case Scenario: Put on TLC/SPEED/FX, meh viewers, canceled quickly.

Worst Case Scenario: Put on NBC/Discovery/HBO, millions of viewers, millions of people hating "Top Gear".

Most likely will fall in between, but that is probably part of the deciding factor as to where this will end up.
 
With BBC Worldwide being the actual production company making the show, not NBC or any other channel/network, I'd say that Speed would be a good home for Top Gear USA. It might just force some of their other shows to improve their quality levels. Speed also has the coin to afford the show.

The Discovery family of channels also has the budgetary means to afford the show, but it simply does not fit within the conceptual paradigm of the main channel and would end up on TLC, where nobody would watch it, making the money spent a waste.

HBO and other pay channels may want Top Gear USA but I'd be a little bit surprised if it ended up on any channel you don't get within the first 2 or 3 tiers of cable service in most markets.

As much as I despise Speed Channel, I believe it to be the best and most likely choice for Top Gear USA... just don't expect them to show it on Sundays. It will be a midweek show, out of the way of the Nascar peripheral programming that makes up the bulk of the channel's lineup.
 
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