Top Gear Russia

I don't usually post here, but I wanted to add my 2 cents. I thought it was OK. It was better than Top Gear Australia. They have room for improvement, but not awful for a pilot.
 
Just a question, was that the sound of a gallardo dubbed on the porsche ?????
 
Can someone tell me, please, why do you think TGR is better than TGA?

For me it was because I actually laughed at TGR. I was cringing behind the sofa on TGA and I am not even Australian.

I also thought they had interesting challenges for the first episode. I thought driving each others cars was a great idea.

It wasn't great, but so much better than I was expecting. Thumbs up.
 
Can someone tell me, please, why do you think TGR is better than TGA?
from another thread:
Although I liked TG Russia better, I'll surely keep watching TG Australia. It's just that they had a better basis than the Russians but still came off worse (in my opinion) that left me baffled. The Australians had great cars on, I quite liked the presenters, and they had pretty much all the bases covered. But what totally destroyed the show for me, and left me with thinking that the Russian version was actually better, was that their reviews only very rarely were anything useful.

Take Warrens review of the Maybach for example. I like they guy, I really do. But what was the point of that? He was being driven around in it for 3 minutes, ranted about the headphone, and then presented the conclusion that an S-Class is a much better car. Now, he may be right with the verdict factually, that I don't deny. But the way he got there was horrid. There was no structure in that whatsoever. And despite having a few funny and interesting bits on, it never got better throughout the series, independently of the car and the presenter.

So my verdict of TGA is a bitter one: they had everything they needed, but they missed an important bit throughout the series: composition. TGR feels much lower on budget and has a very different flavor. Yet, somehow I thought that even the very first episode had more substance than TGA. And that's why I prefer the Russian version.
 
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I thought the Russian version had a better chemistry than the Australian version. I don't speak Russian, (and I relied on the subtitles) but I do know another Slavic language, and I guess I got the undertone better than just from the subtitles. I also liked the track better, (the one for the Stig anyway.) Also, I thought the Russians didn't seem to take it so seriously, and were more relaxed.
 
Thanks to Lyon4ik, we know where the track is now. I think that the dark bit on that patch of green in the middle is the tree that can often be seen in the background when they do laps. The loaction where they made their barbecue probably is the square bright patch below the lowest left green.

Still, I was not able to work out the track layout from the videos of the laps. You guys have a shot:

https://pic.armedcats.net/t/th/the_interceptor/2009/03/03/tgr_track_undefined.jpg
 
Things I like about TGR:
1. The presenters have some character. They don't appear to be reading lines off the screen in front of them, they're natural and relaxed, and joke a lot. The Fomenko guy is a Porsche fan, and although he seems biased, at least he has enough passion for cars to be biased. It really seems as if they actually care about what they're talking about. TGA presenters are just dolls who read lines with no connection/chemistry whatsoever.
2. Audience and female cast. Most of the girls in the studio are very pretty. Lots of eye-candy.
3. The challenges. You could actually see Fomenko recklessly speeding in the city streets WHILE there's traffic and people walking around. This could only be done in countries with no laws like Russia. Looks like there'll be fun.
4. The humor. It's Russian, but it's there. The program is made for Russian audience, so they don't try to please the world, just themselves. And it works for them. A lot of stuff said is really silly, and there's lots of careless word play. It's funny, I actually chuckled.
5. The pace. It's good. The scenes short/long enough, are complete and are just right. Everything lasts as much as it should, and there's just enough information provided to keep viewers entertained.
6. The feel. It doesn't feel corporate, if you know what I mean (nudge, TGA). It feels homey in a Russian way. It has warm atmosphere, and I like it.

Things I don't like:
1. Presenters obviously are not car experts. All admitted they were musicians. They reviews are going to be rubbish. But you know what, I don't care. Just say what you feel and make it sound funny, and that's all I ask. I can draw my own serious conclusions.
2. The cars they get for review... I'm not sure if Russia has enough good cars and roads to test them on.

Other than that, there's nothing to complain about. It's cheap, it's fun, and it's Russian. :)
 
When i was in st petersburg, i saw a couple of bentleys, audi S8, BMW X6 (ouch) ferraris/porsches. and it was during winter. so i don't doubt they have a few good cars ;)
 
When i was in st petersburg, i saw a couple of bentleys, audi S8, BMW X6 (ouch) ferraris/porsches. and it was during winter. so i don't doubt they have a few good cars ;)

There actually quite a lot of nice cars there.
http://exoticspotter.com/listingVehicle.php?loc=russia&searchl=Search&make=all&model=all

And then some people have more money than brains.
http://img24.imageshack.**/img24/8566/bt000171626870.jpg
http://img24.imageshack.**/img24/8537/bt000171626861.jpg

One of those Cayennes is a Gemballa, the other is a TechART. The Maybach is a 62.
 
calling those nice may be a bit of a stretch, at least it is for me. words like disgusting, ghastly spring to mind
 
Things I like about TGR:
1. The presenters have some character. They don't appear to be reading lines off the screen in front of them, they're natural and relaxed, and joke a lot.

Are you serious? They ARE sticked to the script. While talking they make pauses and wait for the other. All the jokes are scripted.

The Fomenko guy is a Porsche fan, and although he seems biased, at least he has enough passion for cars to be biased. It really seems as if they actually care about what they're talking about. TGA presenters are just dolls who read lines with no connection/chemistry whatsoever.

I didn't see TGA, but WHERE CAN YOU SEE THE CHEMISTRY IN TGR? And the same for passion for cars?

3. The challenges. You could actually see Fomenko recklessly speeding in the city streets WHILE there's traffic and people walking around. This could only be done in countries with no laws like Russia. Looks like there'll be fun.

Believe me, there's no fun at all for us. :(

4. The humor. It's Russian, but it's there.

Well, it's not. It's not humor nor russian. It's very silly jokes for not so intelligent people who likes TV-soap and Russian Radio (the station where Fomenko had a programme).

The program is made for Russian audience,

Well, again just for the part of it, and not the best one.

so they don't try to please the world, just themselves. And it works for them.

Actually not. Well, it works for the ones who don't care about cars and know nothing about Top Gear UK. But for the ones who love Top Gear it's a crap. Every car related russian forum is full of emotions now. And the most popular question is "why the hell they did this shit?"

Things I don't like:
1. Presenters obviously are not car experts.

Well, actually Petrovsky (the quiet hairy one) is the car expert :) But the actual scenery of the show don't need his expertise.
Fomenko is known as amateur GT-racer for the Russian Age racing team. But nobody know how good he is.
And Kuchera... well, he' not about cars at all.

All admitted they were musicians.

It was a kind of joke :)

They reviews are going to be rubbish.

Well, i'm not sure yet. We still have a chance to have Petrovsky as a reviewer - and he's a good enough one.

But you know what, I don't care. Just say what you feel and make it sound funny, and that's all I ask. I can draw my own serious conclusions.

Absolutely agreed. And that's the point this show lacks completely :(

2. The cars they get for review... I'm not sure if Russia has enough good cars and roads to test them on.

The cars - yes, you can see every super car (even the rarest ones) in Russia - there are very rich people who likes expensive toys. But roads are the old problem here. Anyway you can always find a good road for the test - if you really want to.
 
Are you serious? They ARE sticked to the script. While talking they make pauses and wait for the other. All the jokes are scripted.
Heavily scripted indeed. An don't forget Fomenko's fake laugh and other emotions.
 
Heavily scripted indeed. An don't forget Fomenko's fake laugh and other emotions.

Even when scripted Fomenko can't construct a coherent sentence, as you have undoubtedly noticed :)

Literal translation of his monologue at the beginning of the last week's car vs. boat race:
"Yes, I have to tell you, of course... that our famous attempt to prove... that automobile is still needed by anyone at all... in our modern world... ... In the old days, of course, it's understandable... he-he.. obviously, in the old days, some 15 years ago... cars on the street, practically no-one... not a single Porsche".

What the fuck was that, honestly.
 
"That was Top Gear, I have to remark" :lol: :lol:
 
MXM said:
What the fuck was that, honestly.
Well... in fact people do speak like that, and that's called natural when we're not sure what and how excatly we want to say it. But he's bloody pretending to be natural and therefore looks pathetic.
 
Mo_i dve kopeiki.....

The show is so similar in format and even the wise cracks to the original British one that it displays just how scripted it really is...... Just like with the Australian version I wish that they were more original and different.

It is funny to hear them criticize cars since Russians aren't very good at (or just can't be bothered) building vehicles without gun turrets and/or missiles strapped to them. They either rip off the Cressida, buy some blueprints to an old Fiat or when left to their own devices come up with this:
white_zaz_DOTS.jpg


That and the main presenter looks like a bad caricature of a nightclub performer in a Russian restaurant on Briton Beach.
 
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