NBC passes on TG USA

A few thoughts:

1) I'm not totally optimistic that a Top Gear America will work, regardless of where it's aired or who hosts it. For the record, the only host for TGA that made any sense to me was Corolla and I can't stand the guy.

2) With that said, NBC would've screwed it up. I bet BBC Worldwide chose to go somewhere else for this very reason.

3) if they take the show to USA, it would be a great fit. But USA and NBC are owned by the same company (NBC Universial), so would the BBC go that route? I doubt it.

4) Speed Channel? No thanks. I don't want TGA catering to rednecks. Plus they're owned by Fox, which is owned by News Corp, who owns rival networks to the BBC in the UK (Sky I believe). I don't think the BBC wants to work with a "rival."

5) HBO? Maybe that would work since you could turn things loose a bit more, but I think it would be somewhat out of place there. Unless you make it the show you air when Bill Maher isn't doing his show.

6) BBC America? This is the obvious best fit, but for those of us who might try to compare TGA with the original; it will be a disaster because there's no way to compare the two.

What I'm saying is that there's no good answer to where to put TGA that would make sense and still keep the show true to what it's supposed to be. Hopefully, I'm wrong and it does succeed and gets a ton of viewers. I just don't see it happening.
 
Rokovak said:
Total US households with a television: 114.5 million as of Aug. 2008
Total HBO/Cinemax viewers in US: 40 million of as Dec. 2007

Over a third of the market doesn't seem like a small segment to me. Put the show on HBO and Cinemax and boom - Home Box Office has more than 40 million households covered. That's plenty of audience exposure for the show to gain some footing.
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Reread the statistics you put there. 114.5 M houses with 40 M viewers. Essentially, every house in America has a TV, but only (sort of guessing at numbers here) 12-15% of Americans have HBO. That's significantly less than a third.

NBC obviously wasn't considering actually producing TG US any time soon, and methinks that's why BBC pulled out. If BBC outright didn't trust NBC to keep the show's integrity they never would have given it to them in the first place.

I'm slightly confused about everyone saying that the show cost oodles and oodles of money. Unlike a prime time drama, or what have you, there isn't a large cast that all get payed ridiculous sums like a million dollars an episode, there's just the 3 presenters, so it's already way cheaper than most shows. And the only films that really cost money are the big trips and whenever they rent out a shopping mall for the night. The cars are loaners, and (most) roads are free to drive on, so why is everyone saying it costs gajillions of dollars to produce? Fuel isn't that expensive. The TG crew is just top knotch at what they do, great camera operators and great editors, but those are things that all shows have to pay for anyways so it's not an extra cost, and it's not like they have any expensive special effects... although Americans are the world's greatest capitalists so the guests are probably going to cost more moolah than what TGUK pays for guests.
 
Ramseus said:
Reread the statistics you put there. 114.5 M houses with 40 M viewers. Essentially, every house in America has a TV, but only (sort of guessing at numbers here) 12-15% of Americans have HBO. That's significantly less than a third.
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If you pick up a subscription, every television in your household has access to those channels (unless tvs are individually configured to block them which is an exception anyway). Once you subscribe, your household is now one of the 40 million subscribers (apparently the word "viewers" is misleading). America has 114.5 million households with a television and 40 million of those households subscribe to HBO/Cinemax.

Nope, still more than one third. I can see how the wording of my earlier post could throw some people off, but I'm happy to clarify.
 
Why can't we just get the real Top Gear on BBC America?

Hell, the real TG on HBO, doesn't matter. Why does it have to be a whole new version?
 
Rokovak said:
If you pick up a subscription, every television in your household has access to those channels (unless tvs are individually configured to block them which is an exception anyway). Once you subscribe, your household is now one of the 40 million subscribers (apparently the word "viewers" is misleading). America has 114.5 million households with a television and 40 million of those households subscribe to HBO/Cinemax.

Nope, still more than one third. I can see how the wording of my earlier post could throw some people off, but I'm happy to clarify.
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It's all good then. Ambiguity and what not. Heh, I could've just looked it up, yeah 40 million subscribers.
 
I do hope TG USA will be on HBO so the hosts can really let loose, but it would not be a far cry to think BBC might put TG USA on either:

1. BBC America: Kind of a no brainer here but we have not seen the Beeb put made-for-US original content on this channel. That being said it does make sense and would instantly have an audience, but I would hope they keep airing TG UK if the US version is aired on BBC America.

2. Fox: I don't know if anyone has noticed, but Fox is THE place for many shows that started in the UK that have been brought across for us here in the US. Fox has Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, just to name a few and it is also available in HD and they could definitely afford the show. I think it is a strong possibility that Top Gear US might go to Fox.

I read in an earlier post the agreed cast might not come over to the new network, do you all think Wilman and company would get in another team? I really really hope not as it would delay production.

So here's hoping for TG USA soon!
 
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I am so glad to hear NBC is out of the picture. I got a sick feeling every time I thought of the show on that channel. I just never believed it would stand a chance on NBC no matter how well it was made.

I am hoping for showtime or HBO. Full hour with no commercials.

Plus, they have the budgets to be able to spend what is needed.

The audience would be smaller than NBC possibly, but look at the other shows that came from those channels. While it would not be completely original, I think it would be enough so to make them want it.
 
Add me to the list of those relieved that NBC, their sponsors, and their censors won't be hosing TG USA.

That's not to say it still won't be a short lived dog of a show, but it'll be a little less crappy for the few weeks it lasts.
 
Wow this has clusterfuck written all over it. Basic cable will pick this up probably, and then it'll be relegated to obscurity. Honestly, I'm not sure what to this about this.
 
Maybe if they try to wreck a whole bunch of cars like the Aussie's are doing they'll at least get some free press. Albeit bad press. Funny how you can't translate one person's wit to another or create chemistry when there is none.

Americans are just relieved gas prices have gone down, but those with half a clue are waiting for the inevitable price escalation as the economy recovers, assuming it does. Driving cars fast and crazy is a hard sell to that crowd.
 
side note this show won;t work As the US spec cars tend to be boring unlike the on UK top gear it will fail unless it becomes a hicked red neck show and we have things like the power block for that I think top gear should just get the UK show back on the Air here!
 
aceofspades said:
side note this show won;t work As the US spec cars tend to be boring unlike the on UK top gear it will fail unless it becomes a hicked red neck show and we have things like the power block for that I think top gear should just get the UK show back on the Air here!
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Hey, I rather liked the Powerblock!!!! Trucks! was one of my favorites :)
I just don't think that commercially, this show won't be marketable. And to be quite honest, I had rather they not show it at all because most of us would probably be comparing it to the original like our Aussie friends are.
 
Jon'sIS said:
And to be quite honest, I had rather they not show it at all because most of us would probably be comparing it to the original like our Aussie friends are.
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I agree. But I'll watch any car show, even the boring ones. I'm looking forward to the US version of TopGear. I just hope they don't try to imitate the Brits too much. I would prefer to see (besides a different name), different intros, animations, and presenting style. The Aussie version is too much of a carbon copy of the UK version. The presenters all act like the show has been on the air for a long time, like they're all best friends, and they all make fun of each other all the time.

If you go back and watch the first season of TopGear, Jeremy and Richard weren't always making fun of each other. And when James May joined the cast in series 2, it was the same way again. They all voiced their opinions and would occasionally make a joke at one anothers expense, but that was about it. The first cheap car challenges were taken a bit more seriously. They never crashed into each other or tried to sabotage each other. They would just laugh when they failed.

It wasn't until the UK version got older that the presenters became better friends and treated each other like they do now. Constantly antagonizing and insulting each other like they're all brothers or something. The US version should just let the presenters be themselves and not force them into some fake friendship and script a bunch of lame jokes for them to say to each other.
 
I just talked to a friend who was at one of the taping and he says from what he saw the shows bad!
 
Just following on...I really think BBC Worldwide took TopGear back from NBC because NBC lost their motivation to do the show. In a weirdly backassward way, I think the morons in charge at NBC picked up TopGear in the hopes of finding an outlet for Jay Leno as his contract was ending and he did not want to leave the Tonight Show. As we know, Leno is a huge fan of the original TG and repeatedly said he had no interest in a cheap remake that would degrade the original. Once Leno refused to be part of NBC's folly the show had no interest for the management and they shelved it indefinitely. So...hopefully this shift to cable will give Wilman and co more creative control over the show (even allowing for recasting) and the show will have a shot at being good. Now if Leno can get the lads to stop by his new variety show for a bit of fun in the garage I will definitely watch, otherwise NBC ought to fire all their management and replace them with chimps...we might get better shows.

As for the relative budget constraints of a show like this and going to basic cable, I think too much is being made of it. First off, three hosts (and a stig) is not pricey talent, especially if the episode count is low, unlike broadcast seasons of 22-25 episodes. Second, the cost of the cars should be low as the manufacturers should loan most of the cars to TG. Third the overall production costs should be controllable based on limiting the use of special effects and stunts. Finally, I will assume that the show will stick to Wilman's Top Gear annual episode limit which perfectly coincides with the production limits used on basic cable (TNT, TBS and USA tend to use 13 episodes a year as a total for their "original" shows). This works out well for another reason as TNT and USA split their seasons between summer and winter much the way BBC gives us two series of TG each year and it allows for showing plenty of repeats to help build the audience.
 
I thought NBC was already managed by chimps.

If Ted Turner still owned TBS, I think that would be ok.

I am still hoping for showtime or HBO.
 
It has to go on HBO, pretty much every thing that airs on HBO get awards (entourage, trueblood, sopranos, all of their sport shows, and mini series) so you know it will be good, Also the BBC has a good healty relationship with HBO. also it will be in HD. and if you dont get HBO that is what finalgear is for.

p.s showtime sucks
 
^ weeds + dexter = win

HBO only has Curb where as entourage, trueblood, and the sopranos all are way too homo erotic

that said it would be a good fit 3 guys going WOW!
 
what do you mean by homo erotic?

none of them are gay.
in entourage all the do is bang chicks
in the sopranos they kill people and bang chicks
and in true blood their is one gay character, so what?

p.s. the sopranos was the best show on television ever party because it is so so very real, as i know because i am closely associated with those types though i am not a part of it. and entourage is the second best show ever.
 
xmurrx said:
what do you mean by homo erotic?

none of them are gay.
in entourage all the do is bang chicks
in the sopranos they kill people and bang chicks
and in true blood their is one gay character, so what?

p.s. the sopranos was the best show on television ever party because it is so so very real, as i know because i am closely associated with those types though i am not a part of it. and entourage is the second best show ever.
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Sopranos seasons 1-3 were good. During the last two, I was bored out of my mind, and what the fuck was up with the series finale.... it just... fizzled.

If you were as "closely associated with those types" as you say you are, you wouldn't be saying it.

I do think HBO would be a great home for Top Gear. They have the money. They can provide the full hour uninterrupted by commercials (which also means they don't have to worry about pissing off advertisers). They shoot pretty much everything in HD, and best of all they can say/do pretty much anything they want without having to be worried about the FCC.
 
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