Top Gear USA devolving into typical low-class reality TV...

Alkusoittow

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By season 3 & 4, Top Gear US was shaping up to be a great show with it's own format (no SIARPC, one long segment per episode, etc). I've been happy watching it, but this season shows that History Channel's producers are leaning in on Top Gear to format themselves like their other obviously fake "reality" shows (Repo whatever, Pawn whatever, Picker-of-whatever, etc). These shows continue to pervade every channel that once had any decent programming (Discovery, Science, TLC, et al). It is painful to watch any of those shows as the drama is so plainly fabricated and overhyped....

I pray that Top Gear USA will stop with the pseudo-drama and get back to a good show on cars.

For example, last week's episode featured the hosts modding a short school bus. They somehow manage to "modify" a Dodge 2500 into a Chevy overnight, and at the same time claim that it's the same bus.......... SERIOUSLY?!?! I guess if you were of the average intelligence of a Duck Dynasty crew member, you wouldn't notice, but as it's a car show, there's a good possibility that someone might notice.

If they want to script things so much, they should just produce a drama show about 3 buffoons who pull pranks and make it a 60-minute sit-com, not another crap "reality" show.

If things continue as is, I'm afraid I might have to stop watching as it is literally painful to watch the obvious fabrications (in addition to insulting the intelligence of the entire watching audience). Anyone get this feeling? Or am I being too nit-picky?
 
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You are not alone with this feeling. A lot of the time I hate the used car challenges because they may choose a rare car and ruin it for the sake of fun.

Actually the school buses were both Chevys. The first bus they drove around was a Vandura which is an early mid 90s model, while the Express is an early 2000s. I noticed the switch too and I was disturbed at it due to this show being a car show. My guess as to the switch is the producers already had modified the Express, but needed another school bus to drive around in. Plus looking at the Vandura it seemed like it wasn't in the best of shape.

However, what bothers me most is Tanner seems to always win and gets rewarded to drive the supercars. Yes he is a great driver, but at least give the other two something to review. Maybe give Rut a chance to review something like the new Hyundai Genesis sedan. I enjoyed the desert off roader episode a couple weeks ago, but 80s car episode had me cringing because of the Buick Grand National and Toyota MR-2. Those cars are getting rarer.
 
I have a feeling the bus switch was down to time constraints rather than anything else. All three of them have other jobs outside of TG, unlike the UK hosts.

I don't like seeing cars being trashed. (They trashed a Saab in season 3 or four and made me want to cry.) I'm also not a fan of the three of them telling me how dangerous things are.
 
While all three have other commitments outside of TG, I think only Tanner really keeps a busy schedule. TG is a major boon to all 3, but especially Adam and Rutledge (observe their twitter feeds, facebook pages, etc for evidence of what they really focus on). I don't think the swap was done for time constraints... I think it was just shoddy writing that was supposed to mimic the mods that TG UK has done that has made it so successful (amphibious vehicles, creating the eco-friendly car, campervan, etc). I get where they were going, but why lie about it??? Why blatantly lie? Why not say, "Here's a bad-a** short bus that started like this other POS short bus, but now is a monster, and was created by _____." That would have been just as cool, and would have been honest all at the same time.
 
Makes no difference, I stopped watching after Season 1 or 2 (and barely watched those at that). I can't really remember. The only good segment I ever remember seeing was Tanner's drive through the huge metro city (was it LA?) in a 911.

The show was DOA with Adam and Rutledge as Tanner's cohosts.

TGUK is equal parts car magazine, comedy show, drama show, news show, celebrity panel, beautiful scenery, supercar show and ludicrous stupidity. It's the balance that makes it.

TGUS is just nothing but stupidity.
 
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The snow plow episode of TG:UK was possibly their lowest point. At least the US attempt was watchable.
 
You don't have time to watch the shows but you have time to come on here and complain. hmmmm. TGUS has a lot different to offer then UK and has become quit good IMO.

Makes no difference, I stopped watching after Season 1 or 2 (and barely watched those at that). I can't really remember. The only good segment I ever remember seeing was Tanner's drive through the huge metro city (was it LA?) in a 911.

The show was DOA with Adam and Rutledge as Tanner's cohosts.

TGUK is equal parts car magazine, comedy show, drama show, news show, celebrity panel, beautiful scenery, supercar show and ludicrous stupidity. It's the balance that makes it.

TGUS is just nothing but stupidity.
 
Eh? The UK Three are quite busy outside the TV show, and even busy outside the Top Gear brand.

I meant that the while filming, the UK hosts can devote their time to just that, unlike the US three who have to juggle other commitments at the same time. I believe that the US filming runs to about 6 days per episode, where as the UK one is longer than that. I worded it poorly though, sorry.
 
I believe that the US filming runs to about 6 days per episode [...].
That's a typical shooting schedule for any scripted weekly one-hour show made in the US.
 
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