Anyone catch the New TopGear? [Archive]

View Full Version : Anyone catch the New TopGear?

justasquid

11-22-2010, 04:30 AM

It was kind of bitter sweet. I love the fact that there is another American tv show geared towards cars. But if this is replacing the British version, it didn't fill the shoes of the Brits at all. Its definately missing something.... well to be honest... its missing a lot of something.

I think they should have just started a whole new series and named it something different.

thoughts?

HarleyR

11-22-2010, 04:05 PM

I didnt catch it but I noticed Rutlege Wood is a host.... I couldnt stand that fool on Speed Channel during NASCAR broadcasts.... Im not going to go out of my way to see him on Top Gear

srh3trinity

11-22-2010, 04:12 PM

It was ok, but I agreee, didn't wow me like the British series.

Damn True

11-22-2010, 04:13 PM

I didnt catch it but I noticed Rutlege Wood is a host.... I couldnt stand that fool on Speed Channel during NASCAR broadcasts.... Im not going to go out of my way to see him on Top Gear

To be fair, I shared your opinion of him on Speed. In this case, he was markedly better than Faust and in fact one of the better parts of the show.

Rhino

11-22-2010, 04:40 PM

To be fair, I shared your opinion of him on Speed. In this case, he was markedly better than Faust and in fact one of the better parts of the show.

agreed. I feel he'll be one of the stronger hosts.

U_SAY_GO

11-22-2010, 05:52 PM

Tanner seemed like the only one that wasn't reading straight off the cue cards. I think one of the things that makes the British show so good is it's lack of staging and prompting....just some genuine sports car enthusiasts doing what they love.

I do think Tanner is a little over celebrated based on his professional driving accomplishments BUT I do think he a real car enthusiast and does know what he's talking about. Comparing him to Paul Tracy is a joke....not that I am a Tracy fan but the guy does have a good driving resume.

The american sports car community really needs this show to be a success, but they didn't get out of the hole well. I, for one, am holding out hope that it will get better for everyone's sake.

jocko124

11-22-2010, 05:58 PM

2 words....it sucked! They do not seem 2 have any chemistry, so it comes across as 3 dudes reading off cue cards.

ArtosDracon

11-22-2010, 11:30 PM

To be fair, go back and watch season 1 or two of Brittish top gear. It was definitely still casual, but there was no chemistry right away and the show was pretty bland, but they did pick up very quickly once they got the line-up and format squared away. That being said, I did not and do not intend on watching american top gear any time soon.

rrunner68

11-23-2010, 05:51 AM

The hosts don't have the casualness that the Brits do. This show needs to feel a little less preplanned. We'll see how they do.

Happyfunballs

11-23-2010, 06:40 AM

I dvr'd it. Sounds like I shouldn't have. :lmao

rrunner68

11-23-2010, 11:44 AM

I dvr'd it. Sounds like I shouldn't have. :lmao

its worth the watch. Its cars doing cool stuff.

justasquid

11-23-2010, 12:29 PM

glad I'm not the only one who felt it was missing something.

I think they are going to have to make it their own show and not borrow so much from the British verson. They basically did the same type of stuff. In fact, it reminded too much of the previous Top Gear, especially with the car trying to get away from the helicopter was far too much like Jeremy trying to get away from the Tank The great thing about the original was it was ... well.... original. When you watched the previous TG, it was hard to know for sure what its going to be about. Sure, it was about cars, but it was definately one of those shows that you really don't know why its so good, or what to expect. those are the shows that are hard to follow, and to be honest, I don't for the life of me understand why an American version was made in the first place.

They really should have just made a new show, not tried to remake something that there nothing wrong with. Its kind of like finding a favorite restaurant, then going back a month later only to find out they changed the food with cheaper ingrediants. Its called the same on the menu, cost the same, but the taste is gone.

I doubt I will continue to watch. I'll just keep my dvr set to record the British verson for episodes I've missed.

novaderrik

11-23-2010, 03:04 PM

give it time.. i think it will get better as time goes on and they figure out how it's supposed to go- and once they get sick of trying to memorize lines or read from cue cards and just be themselves. download and watch the first couple of seasons of the Brit TG and tell me with a straight face that it was any better than this version..
i hate the character Ruttlege plays on the NASCAR coverage- it's so over the top like he's playing a clown or something- but he seemed more like a "real" Ruttlege Wood on this show. he seemed like he was having the most fun and ws the most comfortable of the 3, altho the in car shots of Adam Ferrara doing that 180mph blast in the Lambo looked like he was having a lot of fun, too.
the previews for the upcoming episode looked pretty good and Jalopnik says that the upcoming eps get better and better.

Ishmael

11-23-2010, 05:44 PM

I don't care what anyone says. I loved that. Hide and seek with a helicopter. That's awesome.

BOBBYA312

11-28-2010, 06:15 AM

Looked like they already had a version on AMC channel- "Walking Dead"

funcars

11-28-2010, 08:09 AM

It was terrible. My family and I love the real top gear, but we turned off the new US one.

andrewb70

11-28-2010, 08:46 AM

What's TV?

Andrew

DartorDemon

11-28-2010, 10:53 AM

Looked like they already had a version on AMC channel- "Walking Dead"

lol, you know, the walking dead episode with the challenger was more interesting than the viper test on the US top gear.

smhigh

11-28-2010, 11:48 AM

Old worn out cobra chopper chasing a Ford Cobra through town...... Booooooooooooring!

DarkBuddha

11-28-2010, 08:19 PM

I got so bored during the first segment that I ended up watching a Lifetime movie with my wife.

79-TA

11-28-2010, 08:23 PM

If they're just going to copy the format of the default Top Gear, they're going to need to improve a lot. The videography and editing all has a long way to go. I don't feel the need to comment on presenters themselves.

They really should find some way to be a bit more unique or different. If they just keep copying the Brits, it'll be far too apparent that they're subpar.

MuscleRodz

11-28-2010, 08:52 PM

It is not as good as the BBC version, but better than some of the other copy cat crap on tv right now. I know a saw 4 different shows this weekend following the Pawn Stars format and they all sucked

Rhino

11-28-2010, 09:04 PM

Tonight's episode was was OK, not what I was expecting. The 180 parking job by Brian was awesome. I still can't get past Tanner. IMO he's the one dragging the show down.

I can't wait for next week's episode. It's a more traditional 3 car top gear challenge. In the UK version they're usually over the top and great TV.

Damn True

11-28-2010, 11:28 PM

Episode two - better.

Aston Martin segment was well shot.
Evo bit has been done on UKTG but the driving in the snow bits were impressive.
The blind guy drifting was pretty darn good.

Tanner Faust is still stiffer than Al Gore on camera. The other two are better....but only marginally. Hopefully that will improve as well.

For those of you who are suggesting that they should have tried to do something completely different from Top Gear for this show.....think about that for a second.

First of all, we have "car shows" that are different from TGUK. Motorweek. Wanna see more of that? Maybe "Car Crazy" with that creepy buggar that owns some car wax company? Car & Driver TV? Where they like everything for fear of pi$$ing off an advertiser? Consumer Reports had a show once as well. I loved their review of the 2004 Camry. Just brilliant stuff. Perhaps, "My Classic Car" and it's bizzare study in facial hair? How about 60min of Stacey David and his goofy mullet guffawing about how awesome this F-250 is while bouncing around in the same mudhole 4 times? Unique Whips maybe? Ya want that? Because that is what American television producers think a "car show" is.

The brilliance of TGUK is that it isn't a "car show". It is a brilliantly photographed comedy about three guys doing absurd things and they just happen to be doing them in cars. It would be funny if it was "Top China Cabinet" because of how well it's produced and who is on the show. TG is the most popular car show in the world and is one of the most popular television shows in the world...period.

Is USTG as good? Of course not, and it probably never will be. But as bad as it is right now it's better than all of the garbage we've previously had available to us.

zbugger

11-28-2010, 11:58 PM

..I still can't get past Tanner. IMO he's the one dragging the show down....

I disagree. Adam Ferrara is an absolute monotone bore. How he can be boring on screen like this, but a pretty damn funny guy on stage doing stand up is beyond me. But who am I kidding? They all need a little better personality on the show. I can see it getting better though. Top Gear UK wasn't a hit when it started.

absintheisfun

11-29-2010, 04:22 AM

The second was better. Actually, I think that Tanner is the best host. He isn't really trying to be anything other than what he is--a simple car guy.
I still want to smack Adam, but Rutledge kind of made me laugh this go round.

And really, anyone who can teach a blind guy who never drove a stick in his life to drift is tops in my book!

Rhino

11-29-2010, 06:46 AM

It's definitely Tanner's personality that hits me the wrong way. The dude can drive... even though it's mostly "ice skating."
To me it always seems like he's a little too arrogant. Maybe it is just because everything's new and the guys don't have much chemistry. I've watched Tanner on previous shows and it seemed like he came across more honest.

I still hold out that things will get much better as they get more comfortable in their surroundings.

mc84_zz4

11-29-2010, 06:52 AM

Jarcaines

11-29-2010, 08:25 AM

Give it some time. It will probably never be the British version, but it doesn't have to be. Look at The Office, when it first came out it looked kinda pathetic compared to the old British one, but once there was a bit of character development and they started to gel with one another, it took off on it's own direction and turned into one of the best shows on television. Give these guys a break, it will take a bit for chemistry to develop, meanwhile, cool cars and stupid stunts!!!!

Damn True

11-29-2010, 08:34 AM

Just one more show I'll skip.
I thought the celebrity Suzuki hot lap comparo was probably the lamest segment I have seen on TV yet.
Why not try ANY other car, (how about a muscle car) a Ford Focus, at least it has some rally pedigree,
but not copy the euro show version, with some crappy econo box.

You can't put a movie studio or TV network's cash cow into something legitimately fast or even a little bit fast that they might wad up an hurt themselves. The idea of the segment is to put them into something benign and to have a laugh at the supposed "beautiful people" exposing their regularness (not a word I know). Putting them in a slow car equalizes any actual skill any of them might have. Case in point, Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz are both in the top-5 on the TGUK "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car"...in their case a Kia "Cee'd".

srh3trinity

11-29-2010, 08:40 AM

It was better last night. I think that a little more personality was shown by the hosts, but there is still some way to go. I agree that the reason TGUK is so brilliant is that it is a good show with dynamic personalities that just happens to be about cars. It is not a "car show" in the purest since. They will lampoon a 400K supercar for not having a cupholder and they rip on each other too. That cast has chemistry, but it has taken some time to develop.

mc84_zz4

11-29-2010, 08:54 AM

I should have chosen my words more carefully.. (econo box)..
I get it; I have seen the brit show countless times, they would usually run their generic 'rental' type car, not a 'cute' ute.
At least the brit version you could see them pushing the poor car, the cute ute ruined it for me.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

justasquid

11-29-2010, 09:16 AM

Last night did seem a bit better. But at some point, they are going to have to stop copying the orignal version and come up with their own stuff. So far, their stunts have all been copies of what has already been done on the British version, and very poorly done in comparision. Also, the calling the Brits out, is pretty low blow. Sure, the British show did it to the American automakers, and Im sure its going to be part of the show as retaliation. Just a bit early since their show doesn't hold a candle to the British version.

I still strongly beleive they should have just made a new show and started their own thing. The way they are copying what has already been done, just doesn't work for me.

Maybe if I never saw the British version and witnessed what they were trying to follow and improve upon, I would like it more.

novaderrik

11-29-2010, 11:17 AM

You can't put a movie studio or TV network's cash cow into something legitimately fast or even a little bit fast that they might wad up an hurt themselves. The idea of the segment is to put them into something benign and to have a laugh at the supposed "beautiful people" exposing their regularness (not a word I know). Putting them in a slow car equalizes any actual skill any of them might have. Case in point, Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz are both in the top-5 on the TGUK "Star in a Reasonably Priced Car"...in their case a Kia "Cee'd".

it's pronounced "Cee-apostrophe-d"...

i'm waiting for the first time one of the TGUS hosts has to give an honest impression of a Mercedes- i'm sure the review will be 100% honest, since Mercedes would only buy up all the commercial time they do during the show so they could get honest reviews of their cars..
so far, they've shown the flaws in Vipers, Lambos, and Astins- but they haven't touched a Mercedes yet.

Damn True

11-29-2010, 11:23 AM

it's pronounced "Cee-apostrophe-d"...

i'm waiting for the first time one of the TGUS hosts has to give an honest impression of a Mercedes- i'm sure the review will be 100% honest, since Mercedes would only buy up all the commercial time they do during the show so they could get honest reviews of their cars..
so far, they've shown the flaws in Vipers, Lambos, and Astins- but they haven't touched a Mercedes yet.

Interesting point and I'll certainly be looking for that. Can't help but imagine given Merc's experience with TGUK that they kinda know the deal so to speak. TGUK is historically pretty kind to Mercedes....but they make really freakin good cars so it's not a stretch. They do call a spade a spade when it comes to their reticence to manual transmissions, weight and such. They are critical of Merc's faults, but they don't have many of them so it works out ok.

79-TA

11-29-2010, 11:51 AM

For those of you who are suggesting that they should have tried to do something completely different from Top Gear for this show.....think about that for a second.

First of all, we have "car shows" that are different from TGUK. Motorweek. Wanna see more of that? Maybe "Car Crazy" with that creepy buggar that owns some car wax company? Car & Driver TV? Where they like everything for fear of pi$$ing off an advertiser? Consumer Reports had a show once as well. I loved their review of the 2004 Camry. Just brilliant stuff. Perhaps, "My Classic Car" and it's bizzare study in facial hair? How about 60min of Stacey David and his goofy mullet guffawing about how awesome this F-250 is while bouncing around in the same mudhole 4 times? Unique Whips maybe? Ya want that? Because that is what American television producers think a "car show" is.

The brilliance of TGUK is that it isn't a "car show". It is a brilliantly photographed comedy about three guys doing absurd things and they just happen to be doing them in cars. It would be funny if it was "Top China Cabinet" because of how well it's produced and who is on the show. TG is the most popular car show in the world and is one of the most popular television shows in the world...period.

Is USTG as good? Of course not, and it probably never will be. But as bad as it is right now it's better than all of the garbage we've previously had available to us.

That's all well and good but they copied the UK format exactly. EXACTLY. Maybe they could have done something in a slightly different order. Following the general format was expected . . . it's still called Top Gear after all. Seeming enslaved to following the UK format down to the letter is just cringeworthy.

Listening to the hosts make lame pre-test track stig jokes is unbearable. Listening to Tanner praise the Evo for its ability to slide down a hill is unbearable. Listening to Ferrera say, "big star, small car" is unbearable. Listening to Tanner going out of his way to explain the stig's role is unbearable (but hey, that's unique at least right?)

The show would be best described as badge engineered. I don't mean that in the good 1st gen Camaro and Firebird sort of way, or the interesting Solstice and Sky sort of way. No, I mean that in the let's hope this Daewoo sells better with a bow tie on it sort of way.

Damn True

11-29-2010, 01:04 PM

That's all well and good but they copied the UK format exactly. EXACTLY. Maybe they could have done something in a slightly different order. Following the general format was expected . . . it's still called Top Gear after all. Seeming enslaved to following the UK format down to the letter is just cringeworthy.

Listening to the hosts make lame pre-test track stig jokes is unbearable. Listening to Tanner praise the Evo for its ability to slide down a hill is unbearable. Listening to Ferrera say, "big star, small car" is unbearable. Listening to Tanner going out of his way to explain the stig's role is unbearable (but hey, that's unique at least right?)

The show would be best described as badge engineered. I don't mean that in the good 1st gen Camaro and Firebird sort of way, or the interesting Solstice and Sky sort of way. No, I mean that in the let's hope this Daewoo sells better with a bow tie on it sort of way.

Of course they copied it. It works...really well. You do realize that the producers/writers of TGUK are among the consulting producers/writers for TGUS right? And that essentially the BBC sold a "franchise" to the US production company?

The production/post-production and editing is not yet up to snuff, but there is visible improvement between episode 1 & 2. The cast improved as well. The whole series that we are in the midst of was filmed in a month so I have a feeling that it will progress quickly. It'll never be as good as TGUK because they don't have the BBC budget and they don't have Clarkson, Hammond and May. But it is far and away better than anything else that is or was on US television.

rrunner68

11-30-2010, 08:23 AM

novaderrik

11-30-2010, 10:51 AM

driving school? why? as they are now, they can give a more accurate perspective of what the average person would experience in those cars.. and besides, just being the hosts of the show and having access to the test track should be better than any driving school ever could be- what with having Tanner-oops, i mean The Stig- there to show them how to drive..

Rhino

11-30-2010, 11:42 AM

Damn True

11-30-2010, 11:45 AM

Speaking of the Stig... they really need to do something with that. The whole thing really doesn't work for me without the storied superhuman abilities or alien origin. Anyone who hadn't seen the UK version would wonder what's so special about him.

Some say that his right leg is hydraulic and that he only knows two facts about ducks...and they are both wrong.

Jim Nilsen

11-30-2010, 04:49 PM

Second episode was much better. As much as "drifting" is a joke, Tanner really showed some skill by not wrapping that EVO around a tree. So he earned some kudos in my book. It is painfully obvious to me that the other two host, while they can appreciate a car, seriously need to go to a couple driving schools.

I saw him going down that slope and was wondering if he was going to hit a tree? that was some amazing driving not to mention how the car even did it? The guy can drive!

I thought the biggest thing that needs to get better is the whole filming and studio group. It seemed to sound and look like it was being done in a high school auditorium, but I see it getting better and that is not why I watch.