Top Gear...Anyone?!?! - Page 5 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

d_phaneuf · 11-14-2010, 12:48 PM

The design is definitely theirs

I think James probly does some of the building as well, I doubt Jeremy or Richard do

They are more about the driving experience with cars than the mechanics of them

Hack&Lube · 11-22-2010, 01:03 AM

I just watched Top Gear USA.

Oh man, I was cringing at how horrible it was. The beauty of the original Top Gear is the chemistry of the hosts, not how flashy all the cars and HD camera work is. The hosts are 3 ordinary guys but they all quite different in terms of personalities, appearance, eccentricities, and they all are always teasing and making fun of each other.

This show is just plain generic and bland. The worst hosts I can imagine are hosting the show. They are stiff, not a single one of them has any personality, and they are all cookie-cutter cut-outs of the same young guy pretty much. There is no differentiation and it's just awful. They are all harmless and opinionless and full of fake smiles and just a bunch of young dudes doing the generic TV host thing.

This show needs it's controversial, highly opinionated Clarkson-esque journalist/comedian that still commands respect but is also incredibly funny and baffoonish with the proper car pedigree (maybe a guy like Jay Leno). Then you need the elder-stateman (like James May's character) and then you have the youngish guy with nice teeth. Not 3 youngish guys with nice teeth like this show has.

http://jalopnik.com/5694780/first-drive-top-gear-usa

This article seem to indicate their wooden chemistry and the fun improves though in eps 2 and 3 so hopefully it will.

Ironhorse · 11-22-2010, 09:28 AM

I looked for this in Shaw's lineup (including History channel), and couldn't find it anywhere...

afc wimbledon · 11-22-2010, 11:58 AM

Top Gears christmas special this year will be a trip to Bethlehem via Iraq and Jordan.

Hack&Lube · 11-22-2010, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

I looked for this in Shaw's lineup (including History channel), and couldn't find it anywhere...

That's because we get History Channel Canada, the real History Channel's mildly ######ed cousin.

3 Justin 3 · 11-22-2010, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afc wimbledon

Top Gears christmas special this year will be a trip to Bethlehem via Iraq and Jordan.

Then how can there be a new series? They'd surely be dead after a trip like that with Clarkson aboard.

Hanni · 11-22-2010, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3 Justin 3

Then how can there be a new series? They'd surely be dead after a trip like that with Clarkson aboard.

Could you imagine if they wrote on each other's cars like they did in the southern U.S. road trip, they would all be dead for sure.

3 Justin 3 · 11-22-2010, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I just watched Top Gear USA.

Oh man, I was cringing at how horrible it was. The beauty of the original Top Gear is the chemistry of the hosts, not how flashy all the cars and HD camera work is. The hosts are 3 ordinary guys but they all quite different in terms of personalities, appearance, eccentricities, and they all are always teasing and making fun of each other.

This show is just plain generic and bland. The worst hosts I can imagine are hosting the show. They are stiff, not a single one of them has any personality, and they are all cookie-cutter cut-outs of the same young guy pretty much. There is no differentiation and it's just awful. They are all harmless and opinionless and full of fake smiles and just a bunch of young dudes doing the generic TV host thing.

This show needs it's controversial, highly opinionated Clarkson-esque journalist/comedian that still commands respect but is also incredibly funny and baffoonish with the proper car pedigree (maybe a guy like Jay Leno). Then you need the elder-stateman (like James May's character) and then you have the youngish guy with nice teeth. Not 3 youngish guys with nice teeth like this show has.

http://jalopnik.com/5694780/first-drive-top-gear-usa

This article seem to indicate their wooden chemistry and the fun improves though in eps 2 and 3 so hopefully it will.

To be fair, the first series of UK Top Gear was horrible and no one watched it. Even the next few series weren't as that good.

3 Justin 3 · 11-23-2010, 02:15 AM

After watching the first episode I'd say it was better than I expected. The camera work is as good as ever and the segments were fun.

The chemistry between the host was pretty bad, I'll agree, almost atrocious. But if it improves I think it'll be a decent show.

I am disappointed they have "Big star, small car" still, which is just a waste of time IMO especially considering the ep's are only 42 minutes long.

If Tanner Faust didn't act like a tool, I think he'd make a good "primary host". Rather than acting fake, he needs to act like an ass, like Jeremy.

We'll see how it ends up after the first 10 episodes.

If Top Gear Australia can get 3 seasons, I don't see why Top Gear US can't.

I hope things turn out good for this show as 2 Top Gears is better than 1 Top Gear, it all depends on if the hosts actually hang out together off camera.

Table 5 · 11-23-2010, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3 Justin 3

The camera work is as good as ever.

Really? Because I thought moments like the in-car shots of Faust in the Viper with the extreme camera shake were pretty amateur looking. They couldn't even get a proper stabilizer?

The lack of music also made it seem like a bit of a dud (although I assume that's to the US's crazy expensive licensing laws).

Overall, they seem like nice guys....just not very interesting to watch and listen to. Adam Farrera seemed to be the one who was most comfortable with himself and had some good moments....but for the most part all 3 guys seemed to try REALLY hard, and it came across as desperate. It felt like riding a horse....a horse that didn't want to be ridden.

chid · 11-23-2010, 08:08 AM

These guys on Top Gear USA are ridiculous, I couldn't even watch it. Firstly, the UK version - the guys have driven TONS of cars, they have some context. These doofus' were just awkward to watch, the contrived dialogue between them, the intro to their stig, and what the heck was with them cringing during that drag race!?

MrMastodonFarm · 11-23-2010, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

This show needs it's controversial, highly opinionated Clarkson-esque journalist/comedian that still commands respect but is also incredibly funny and baffoonish with the proper car pedigree (maybe a guy like Jay Leno)..

Controversial, highly opinionated, journalist? None of those things describe Jay Leno.

Besides that I do agree, the hosts make Top Gear, and unless the American version finds hosts people like and can relate to, it will fail.

d_phaneuf · 11-23-2010, 10:10 AM

ya I didn't like it at all

it was basically 3 random guys doing a show, with Jeremy, Richard, and James you can tell they are legitimately friends and it's just entertaining to watch them interact. The fact that it's a show about cars just adds to that

TylerSVT · 11-23-2010, 10:14 AM

Top gear wouldnt be Top gear without Jeremy Clarkson. Seriously he makes the show. Everyone else can be replaced except him IMO.

Barnes · 11-23-2010, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

Controversial, highly opinionated, journalist? None of those things describe Jay Leno.

Besides that I do agree, the hosts make Top Gear, and unless the American version finds hosts people like and can relate to, it will fail.

Incredibly funny comedian should not be used to describe him either unless you are from the eighties.

MrMastodonFarm · 11-23-2010, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TylerSVT

Top gear wouldnt be Top gear without Jeremy Clarkson. Seriously he makes the show. Everyone else can be replaced except him IMO.

While Clarkson is obviously important to the success of the show, he couldn't be who he is without the give and take he has with Hammond and May. They three hosts really do make a fantastic team, I think if you try to replace May or Hammond it wouldn't work.

d_phaneuf · 11-23-2010, 11:32 AM

ya I think Jeremy is more important than the rest, but to even replace James or Richard with someone else would completely change they dynamic they have and I don't know if it would work

some stuff would, but I think the trips and challenges would be a lot different

arsenal · 11-23-2010, 11:45 AM

They need to get back to being 3 mates who love cars and want to share that love through the tv show. Like May stated in the 60 minute segment, it recently has felt as though they are being written to play the characters whom they already are.

Hopefully the special and the new series will be better. Series 15 started to feel like proper top gear again.

All the presenters are just as important as Clarkson. If you watch some of the videos that Clarkson does outside of Top Gear, it doesn't have the feel.

Nuje · 11-23-2010, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arsenal

They need to get back to being 3 mates who love cars and want to share that love through the tv show. Like May stated in the 60 minute segment, it recently has felt as though they are being written to play the characters whom they already are.

Hopefully the special and the new series will be better. Series 15 started to feel like proper top gear again.

All the presenters are just as important as Clarkson. If you watch some of the videos that Clarkson does outside of Top Gear, it doesn't have the feel.

Or just watch series one, and see that it isn't the same with Jason Dawe. Even though the show truly hit gold with series 4 imo, the addition of James May made it instantly much better...I mean even his introduction "and since this is a new series, we've decided to try a new presenter. His name is James May, and by evidence of what you're about to see, he's a blithering idiot!" then May intros the segment and says "of course you'd have to be an idiot to spend that money on a used Bentley...here's mine"

3 Justin 3 · 11-23-2010, 08:47 PM

Ferrara is ok as a presenter, Faust is wooden as all hell but at least he has car knowledge. I don't know who the hell this Rutledge character is though.

December can't come soon enough, wouldn't be Christmas without Top Gear.

I hope I get a pork sword for Christmas!