TGA not returning for 2011

Status
Not open for further replies.

schottgun93

Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2010
Messages
37
Location
Sydney, Australia
Car(s)
Subaru Liberty Heritage 2.5i
Every week, "TV Week" magazine editor Pete Timbs appears on the "Kyle and Jackie O Show" on 2dayFM (Sydney) giving news about everything happening in the world of television including ratings, new shows, and canned shows.

On 30/11/2010, Pete Timbs reported that Top Gear Australia will not be returning in 2011 for a regular series, but rather for the occasional special. The reason for this is that ratings proved that no one can replace the UK TG team, and this was a very expensive show for Channel 9 to produce with little ratings on the return.

So this was a short-lived series, much like the previous attempts by SBS. Kind of unfortunate really, because it was potentially a good show.
 
That's it channel 9... don't bother to stick with the show and give it a chance to build ratings. Actually I am not sure why I care, I won't miss the three blokes and their disjointed show interlaced with an uncomfortable amount of advertisements.

You'd think the world would be better place if we had more Top Gear to watch, but this show proved that theory wrong :D
 
If the specials can be confirmed, and they're going to be 90 minutes, this is the best thing that could have happened to TGAUS. I'd rather have three 90-minute specials per year than 13 60-minute episodes. We saw with the Ashes what they can do with a 90-minute slot. Now they'd have room for Epic Races, large-scale Cheap Car Challenges (imagine a Botswana-type episode in the Outback), maybe bring over the Americans to do a Ford versus Ford/Holden versus GM battle. Or maybe they could do the ultimate: Ford Versus Holden, Once and For All.

The prospect of seeing stuff like this excites me a lot more than SIARPU and the accomanying dire interview, not to mention Shane Warne.
 
Rubbish. Channel 9 purposely set them up to fail and didn't want to stick with them. Well at least we have 3 series to watch and enjoy. I wonder if TGUS will even last 3 series.
 
Every week, "TV Week" magazine editor Pete Timbs appears on the "Kyle and Jackie O Show" on 2dayFM (Sydney) giving news about everything happening in the world of television including ratings, new shows, and canned shows.

On 30/11/2010, Pete Timbs reported that Top Gear Australia will not be returning in 2011 for a regular series, but rather for the occasional special. The reason for this is that ratings proved that no one can replace the UK TG team, and this was a very expensive show for Channel 9 to produce with little ratings on the return.

So this was a short-lived series, much like the previous attempts by SBS. Kind of unfortunate really, because it was potentially a good show.

got a link or something?
 
When they first announced there was going to be an Australian version of Top Gear ... and they were going to audition unknowns .. I was so excited. I really hoped they would find some interesting an unique characters and I foolishly believed that Wilman etc would not lead them astray. Since it has come be though, it has been an immense disappointment. So now, my reaction to this news is ... meh. I found the audition vids that made it on to youtube more entertaining than the finished product.
 
I wonder if TGUS will even last 3 series.

I reckon it might, and purely because of the different film and television production culture over there.

They revere their writers in the US in the same way we revere our directors over here.

So, they'll end up with great stories, but maybe not quite as well executed.
Whereas we ended up with no real stories, just pretty pictures.

It'll be a kick in the nads for Freehand if it does succeed.

:)

I'll say this, Top Gear US will be available on DVD before a single episode of Top Gear Australia.
 
I wonder if TGUS will even last 3 series.

i don't know really... America doesn't really have a great car industry, and the one they do have is constantly getting smaller as more and more companies go broke, and are forced to sell off-shore. I know that most americans will disagree with me, but let's face it - america makes absolutely horrid cars. The entire dodge range, the entire chrysler range (except maybe the 300c), the entire jeep range, the hummer, and most of the chevy range - all horrid looking, and almost identical anyway.

So their own industry only has enough content to fill maybe 5 episodes. Then what? They go back to testing Euro or Jap cars - just like the UK show, so there's no difference, and no point.

I think that's what happened with TGA. They can only drive so many commodores and falcons before we start copying the UK.
 
America doesn't really have a great car industry, and the one they do have is constantly getting smaller as more and more companies go broke, and are forced to sell off-shore.

Uh, we have three big car companies, and it's been that way since the last of the smaller producers went bust during the 1950s. Only one is foreign-owned, and has been more than once (I remember the DaimlerChrysler period). The other two comprise your entire car industry in AUS.

I know that most americans will disagree with me, but let's face it - america makes absolutely horrid cars.

They're good enough for what we use them for.

The entire dodge range, the entire chrysler range (except maybe the 300c), the entire jeep range,

All of which are produced by the same company: Chrysler, a division of Fiat.

the hummer,

Is supposed to be horrid-looking. The H1 was a civilian conversion of a military vehicle. As a US Army veteran, trust me, nothing military is supposed to look good.

and most of the chevy range - all horrid looking, and almost identical anyway.

And I'm sure that your Holdens look absolutely magnificent...oh, wait, they're Chevys.

So their own industry only has enough content to fill maybe 5 episodes. Then what? They go back to testing Euro or Jap cars - just like the UK show, so there's no difference, and no point.

Most of the Jap cars sold here are actually made here.

I think that's what happened with TGA. They can only drive so many commodores and falcons before we start copying the UK.

You mean the Holden Commodore, which is, essentially, a Buick? And the Ford Falcon? You were copying the UK before you started, buddy.
 
haha yes, i knew an american would speak up.

look, to be perfectly honest, i dislike australian cars. the commodore (and the cruze from 2011) are the only local-deisgn and local-built GM cars in aus, and even so i don't like them. there's nothing exclusive about them since the commodore is australia's number 1 selling car. the falcon and territory are the only local-design and local-build ford cars in aus, and again, same problem. every taxi, police car, and government fleet car is a falcon, so they are just boring cars, and the territory is a pseudo-4wd that no one can afford to feed with fuel constantly. the upcoming diesel one should be better.

i try and steer clear of aus-builds because they just disappoint me. infact, i'm now driving a vw polo which i would much prefer than any australian (or american) car.

i also feel we're getting off-topic here.

the point i was trying to make in the last post was that there are very few cars that the TGUS team have exclusive (geographically) access to, that the UK team couldn't drive locally - same story goes for the TGA team, hence why they have this problem.

globalisation, yo. this is the result...so to speak.
 
And I'm sure that your Holdens look absolutely magnificent...oh, wait, they're Chevys.

You mean the Holden Commodore, which is, essentially, a Buick? And the Ford Falcon? You were copying the UK before you started, buddy.

Yeah... no. The Commodore is an Australian designed, Australian built car. The only thing on common with Buick was the 3800 V6 back in the '90s and early '00s. Falcon is the same deal, being a locally designed and made model since 1960. If you guys going to claim that localised versions of Top Gear won't work because of lack of local industry, you might as well say TGUK won't work either. The British hasn't had a large auto industry since British Leyland, and we all know what junk they made...

On topic: No surprise. Nine just wanted to run the show into the ground. Thanks for ruining a great car show Nine, the mob of cunts you are...
 
Last edited:
What "MASH" has become for channel 7, what "The Simpsons" has become for channel 10, "Top Gear" will become for channel 9.

Endlessly repeated.

As they buy the rights to show old series, every episode will be hyped for a week or more with the tag line, "First time on Nine!"

As they show new series, each episode will be hyped with the tag, "All new!" I suspect that episodes of the new series will be on a two week schedule, with repeats of old episodes in between, to pad things out. I'll bet good money that they show the series out of order too.

Whenever there is a lull in their programming, or a hole in their schedule, expect them to edit segments from several different episodes together, to create a 'themed' show, much like the Top Gear "Challenge" DVDs you can already buy.

Expect any episode, or segment, that has a Holden featured to be on very high rotation. (Monaro vs 300C vs Jaguar, Bathurst and Maloo films, and any others I've forgoten.) Just to keep the Bogons happy.

We already get the cut down international version. Expect Nine to make more cuts to each episode, to fit more ads in and not run over their scheduling block.

They fucked the Australian version, deliberately, maliciously, for the sole purpose of killing it off to make room for more repeats of the UK version.

They are going to fuck the fans, 'cause they've got an iconic brand they now control, to sell advertising on.

Me? I refuse to watch any episode, or segment of Top Gear UK that is broadcast on channel Nine ever. I'm voting with my wallet. Buying Top Gear DVDs and merchandise. Supporting the Top Gear brand in such a way that channel Nine, or the companies that bought advertising or sponsorship of Top Gear, will never see a cent of my money. I know it won't do a bit of good, or help the Aussie version in any way, but I'll feel better about myself.
 
Me? I refuse to watch any episode, or segment of Top Gear UK that is broadcast on channel Nine ever. I'm voting with my wallet. Buying Top Gear DVDs and merchandise. Supporting the Top Gear brand in such a way that channel Nine, or the companies that bought advertising or sponsorship of Top Gear, will never see a cent of my money. I know it won't do a bit of good, or help the Aussie version in any way, but I'll feel better about myself.

That would work if 9 was a foxtel channel... But with freeview, they never get a cent of your money anyway, unless of course you advertise during airtime.

Also, having the ads in the first place - I own a TiVo (like Fox iQ for freeview). I haven't had to watch an ad on tv in about 3 years.
 
This is really disappointing, because I thought they finally had presenters with some chemistry. I really enjoyed what there was of this season. Stupid Channel 9. :(
 
this is fudge. Stupid to think TGOz would be a hit as big as TGUK off the bat. I liked the show they should of let it build. 3 shows isn't enough to get word out mouth about!

TGUK has been going since the 1980s where it was a niche show, Then when the new TGUK format came out after a long break they had the old TGUK audience (i.e. male carphiles) eagerly waiting for it. Then they slowly devolved and appealed to general audience over what 3/4 seasons?
 
TopGear Australia was mentioned among Nine's shows for next year at its 2011 Sales Launch today, but they may have been talking about specials.
 
i don't know really... America doesn't really have a great car industry, and the one they do have is constantly getting smaller as more and more companies go broke, and are forced to sell off-shore. I know that most americans will disagree with me, but let's face it - america makes absolutely horrid cars. The entire dodge range, the entire chrysler range (except maybe the 300c), the entire jeep range, the hummer, and most of the chevy range - all horrid looking, and almost identical anyway.

What would you think of, you know, NOT turning any thread you post in into an "american cars are rubbish" trollfest?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top