The South America episode was tremendously awesome. Not sure which of the specials is my favorite: America, Africa, Vietnam, or South America, they're all so good.
This season has been quite terrible though, I'll agree with Hack&Lube on that front. But there has been huge budget cuts and they only had 3 months to completely finish the series, so I'll let them off the hook, and it is still better than most tv.
Hopefully they'll have some more $ and get a bit more time to make the next series.
The South America episode was tremendously awesome. Not sure which of the specials is my favorite: America, Africa, Vietnam, or South America, they're all so good.
This season has been quite terrible though, I'll agree with Hack&Lube on that front. But there has been huge budget cuts and they only had 3 months to completely finish the series, so I'll let them off the hook, and it is still better than most tv.
They work once a week on Wednesday filming the studio segments and usually the big episodes are pre-filmed in the summer when it's on a longer hiatus and yet they still have big breaks. I wish Top Gear would be on the air more often. When it Clarkson says: "and that's the end of the series", I tear my hair out because I have nothing else to watch for the next few months. There's nothing else on TV that even remotely grabs my interest. Maybe I should start watching Fifth Gear again although that show is like Top Gear at it's very worst or maybe Top Gear Australia or Top Gear Russia (if there were subs).
It's too bad Top Gear American never made it. That show would have had potential but even Jay Leno never believed in it.
I was pretty impressed they went up to 17,000+ feet this episode, if you goto the Everest thread, there are people at that altitude...but they probably had oxygen. I'm sure the film crew had oxygen with them as well just in case. Taking Viagra to counteract altitude sickness was hilarious. I also loved the caramelized cocaine.
I couldn't believe how close Clarkson got to that crumbling cliff
even the big sand dune at the end was pretty sketchy.....
Those were both staged and shown to be more dramatic than they were. There's no way their insurance would let them do that. The white Toyota was driven by staff. Did you notice how that was the only modern/expensive SUV you saw in the entire country? It's probably a rental. I wouldn't be surprised if both cars had stunt drivers in them for most of the cliff shot.
How convenient that the cameras were all setup to catch both events from multiple angles already, including multiple close-ups of falling rocks.
Most things on Top Gear are pre-planned/staged/written to look spontaneous but they aren't. Nothing wrong with that though. Most obvious is when Hammond left the Land Cruiser in neutral. Still a great show. When they panned that capital city my jaw just dropped because I couldn't believe a place like that existed on earth.
They work once a week on Wednesday filming the studio segments and usually the big episodes are pre-filmed in the summer when it's on a longer hiatus and yet they still have big breaks. I wish Top Gear would be on the air more often. When it Clarkson says: "and that's the end of the series", I tear my hair out because I have nothing else to watch for the next few months. There's nothing else on TV that even remotely grabs my interest. Maybe I should start watching Fifth Gear again although that show is like Top Gear at it's very worst or maybe Top Gear Australia or Top Gear Russia (if there were subs).
It's too bad Top Gear American never made it. That show would have had potential but even Jay Leno never believed in it.
I was pretty impressed they went up to 17,000+ feet this episode, if you goto the Everest thread, there are people at that altitude...but they probably had oxygen. I'm sure the film crew had oxygen with them as well just in case. Taking Viagra to counteract altitude sickness was hilarious. I also loved the caramelized cocaine.
In Peru it's pretty easy to find places above 15,000ft. Some people do suffer altitude sickness, but all I noticed (arriving there after 2 weeks at sea level) was you get tired really fast climbing stairs/hills etc. You aclimitize to that pretty quick too. I went mountainbiking 4 days after arriving there and the hill climbs felt like they do here.
Most things on Top Gear are pre-planned/staged/written to look spontaneous but they aren't.
Do you reckon this was pre-planned/staged?
Yeah, yeah I get your point though.
I don't believe that this season is as bad as some of you are making it out to be either. Top Gear is better than everything else on TV imo, budget cuts or not.
That sucks, in 15 series, they've only had 3 with only 6 episodes.
Maybe I should start watching 5th Gear to make up for it.
Have you watched Fifth Gear before? It's actually a pretty good show. I find that Fifth Gear is a more informative show that talks about normal people car subjects. Top Gear is pretty much "Look at this expensive car! Let's see how fast and sideways it goes!!!!". You should really check it out. I think for this series they got rid of a few trouble makers. Tiff is a good time!
That is my problem with Top Gear right now. They only do 6 episodes this series and they'll be good no doubt, but why can't they do like 8 or 9 episodes and put more car reviews in? Spread out the zany stuff and put a proper review in as well.
I like all series' of Top Gear, but the old episodes like in season 4,5,6 were all really good too even though they had less of the fooling around.
They'll never go back to that, but oh well.
They also said they were looking at doing 14 episodes every year, so if that statement stays true, it looks like the winter series (16) will have 8 episodes.
That is my problem with Top Gear right now. They only do 6 episodes this series and they'll be good no doubt, but why can't they do like 8 or 9 episodes and put more car reviews in? Spread out the zany stuff and put a proper review in as well.
I like all series' of Top Gear, but the old episodes like in season 4,5,6 were all really good too even though they had less of the fooling around.
They'll never go back to that, but oh well.
They also said they were looking at doing 14 episodes every year, so if that statement stays true, it looks like the winter series (16) will have 8 episodes.
It's because they are all getting very very old and Jeremy and James and Richard are like the 3 most important media personalities in all of England and all of them have multiple TV shows, radio shows, presenting gigs, etc. they do all the time and it's like they don't have time for Top Gear anymore.
Also, the BBC slashed the budget across the board for all their series by 10% this year and 3% each following year.
It's because they are all getting very very old and Jeremy and James and Richard are like the 3 most important media personalities in all of England and all of them have multiple TV shows, radio shows, presenting gigs, etc. they do all the time and it's like they don't have time for Top Gear anymore.
Also, the BBC slashed the budget across the board for all their series by 10% this year and 3% each following year.
Yeah, Jeremy just turned 50, James is 47 I believe and Richard must be around 44. James did his Toy program (which is excellent), he has his wine program with OZ, he has done a bunch of other programs which involved going to space, Jeremy is always releasing a new Car movie every year, Richard does radio shows, and others.
Have you watched Fifth Gear before? It's actually a pretty good show. I find that Fifth Gear is a more informative show that talks about normal people car subjects. Top Gear is pretty much "Look at this expensive car! Let's see how fast and sideways it goes!!!!". You should really check it out. I think for this series they got rid of a few trouble makers. Tiff is a good time!
5th gear may be better for people who are actually looking to buy a Peugeot or Alfa or any number of cars we can't get over here, but its so BORING in comparison.
