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GeorgeL
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Joined: January 16, 2006
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 Posted: Sat Dec 04, 2010 1:28 pm Post subject: |
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Finally watched the second episode. I don't see much of an independent spark yet. The producer claims that he spent over a year looking for the perfect team of hosts, but I sure don't see it.
Same lame rehash of UK bits, minus a lot of the humor:
Evo versus skiers = Audi versus skiers
Blind man drifting = Grannies doing donuts.
Blind man handbrake parking = Grannies handbrake parking
One really stupid thing about redoing the UK show's best bits is that any core of the US show's fan base (who create the all-important word-of-mouth advertising to bring in more fans) will have already seen these bits, courtesy of the Internet. Now we compare not only each bit, but he performance of the host which will invariably come up lacking because the host is still green.
A US host actually did said something bad about a car, but it's unlikely that History Channel worries about losing their Aston Martin adverts. The "star" was allowed to call the small car "a piece of junk" which might be somewhat hopeful for editorial honesty.
Some newspaper reviews from the UK:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-13349...ds-newsxml
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1331970/US-Top-Gear-Stig-leaves-fans-unimpressed.html |
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fastback1971
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| Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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Ive watched the first three shows, and I dont think it will make a second year. They kinda act like they all hate each other. The best part was the Cadillac flying through the air, and getting bent in half. That I would like to do. But the ripoffs from the original are annoying. An American version should have more American influence.
To be fair, the US version is owned by the history channel, and the BBC show is the most watched, highest budgeted show on BBC. Its never going to be a fair comparison. Might have even been planned that way.
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Fish
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Location: OB. It's beside the point.
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| Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 5:12 pm Post subject: |
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| VeeDubDoug wrote: | | At least the dog at the end of the last show I watched knows whats up. He pissed all over their emblem on the floor. |
That was the best part I've seen so far. Haven't seen episode # 3 yet.
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Lobotomy
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Location: Traverse City, MI
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| Posted: Thu Dec 09, 2010 8:54 pm Post subject: |
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I watched the second episode. Cringed the ENTIRE time. It was goddamn horrible.
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air_cooled75
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| Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 9:44 am Post subject: |
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it is really actually painful to watch. ive watched the 1st and 2nd and saw some of the 3rd and do not plan on watching any more episodes. im afraid if a do watch it again it will just help the ratings making them consider bringing the show back for a second series...
ill stick with the original British one that we all seem to love
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Jeckler
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| Posted: Sat Dec 11, 2010 5:20 pm Post subject: |
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Pretty cool that Ty Burrell is a VW fan. He was talking about a '65 Bug he recently bought and the seller grilling him on what he was going to do with it, making sure it was going to a good home. Plus I like him on Modern Family.
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LeviMan2001
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Joined: April 11, 2009
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GeorgeL
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Joined: January 16, 2006
Posts: 6714
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| Posted: Sun Dec 12, 2010 6:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Jeckler wrote: | | Pretty cool that Ty Burrell is a VW fan. He was talking about a '65 Bug he recently bought and the seller grilling him on what he was going to do with it, making sure it was going to a good home. Plus I like him on Modern Family. |
I don't know him from Adam, but at least they interviewed someone who had a bit of passion for cars other than those straight from the lot.
The $1000 car challenge was another rip from UKTG, but at least they made it a bit American with the "moonshine" theme. I'm a bit disappointed that they stuck with the fiction that the jars actually contained 'shine. Aside from the obvious fire issue, anyone who has taken a whiff of the real thing would realize that the fumes released from broken jars would have made the cars uninhabitable. Another issue was that the three hosts supposedly weren't told the theme of the challenge before they acquired their cars. Still, it is the kind of silly fun expected from TG.
Are they improving? Marginally. They still need to develop some character so we can tell the difference between them (right now I see them as "the guy with the beard" and "one of the two guys without beards"). Chemistry between them is still non-existent and the studio audience is still suffering from "what the heck is this?" syndrome. They should have shown them a UK Top Gear to show them how to act... |
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midman914
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Location: Sacramento
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| Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 7:08 pm Post subject: |
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| I wish Adam Carolla was one of the hosts. I think he would bring the same comedic pessimism/sarcasm to the table that Jeremy does. He would definately liven up this dull show. Maybe they should move this show over to Speed channel. It would fit right in with their dull schedule. And finally, how come they can't seem to come up with a motor head show that appeals to me. I mean everything I am interested costs a fortune so I can't be far off the mainstream, but programing always falls short im my book. The best motor head based show, in my opinion, that america has done would have to be the Motorcycle Mania episodes. Jesse really got me motivated and excited with those programs. That's what I am lookin for in a show, but not with the typical Ford/Chevy stuff all the time. Been there done that. How about some vintage British, German, Japanese and Italian builds for change. |
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GeorgeL
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| Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 10:55 pm Post subject: |
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Episode 4...
Some good things finally happening. The host actually criticized the Mercedes gullwing he was testing, and Mercedes is a sponsor! Are they developing some UKTG-style backbone? The evaluation was actually done at a level somewhat above 8th grade language as well. I could have done without the HALO jumper bit, but that sort of thing seems to be a TG staple.
The Ford pickup bit was also pretty well done and it was rather fun to watch the Stig wrestle that load around the track.
The paintball bit was not my cup of tea, but there were bits in the UK show that were equally lame.
Star in car... they finally got someone who could drive pretty well.
It's improving. The question is whether they can get good enough to keep an audience in six more episodes. |
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bomberbaja
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Joined: January 18, 2010
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Location: Tri-Cities WA
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| Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2010 11:37 pm Post subject: |
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| Jeckler wrote: | | Pretty cool that Ty Burrell is a VW fan. He was talking about a '65 Bug he recently bought and the seller grilling him on what he was going to do with it, making sure it was going to a good home. Plus I like him on Modern Family. |
he said it's his daily driver too. |
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HarleyQuinn
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Location: Bartlesville, Oklahoma
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| Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 9:59 am Post subject: |
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Watched that Ty Burrell epi. I was kinda giddy cause Phil Dunphey is one of the funniest characters on TV right now. Loved how he talked about not being able to do anything but drive cause you have to be busy with all the levers and contraptions. 
So true.
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GeorgeL
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| Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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| HarleyQuinn wrote: | Watched that Ty Burrell epi. I was kinda giddy cause Phil Dunphey is one of the funniest characters on TV right now. Loved how he talked about not being able to do anything but drive cause you have to be busy with all the levers and contraptions.
So true. |
I don't quite understand that. My bus and bug are no more difficult to drive than a modern car, unless you think of the stick shift as archaic. He was talking as though he's driving a Model T with a spark lever and a hand crank!
My daughter is about to start the practical part of her driving instruction. When she gets through with the slushboxes at the driving school she'll be behind the wheel of our bug to learn to drive stick. A bug has to be the easiest car to teach stick with and she has to learn to drive a stick because all of the family's cars are sticks! |
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HarleyQuinn
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| Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 2:43 pm Post subject: |
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It was funny how he depicted it, but honestly most younger people would feel like that. Umm, no cup holders hello?  I admit it does feel like more "work" than my cushy van that I had.
I think everyone should have to learn on a stick. I learned on a 1976 Fiat 128 myself and I am sooo glad I did. Drives me nuts when someone can't drive one. My MIL can't which blows my mind for her age group and last month I taught my 28 yo brother in law how to drive one. My boys will be 11 in March and I'm sure they will be as tall as I am by then so I'm thinking it will be about time for some back road teaching.
| GeorgeL wrote: | | HarleyQuinn wrote: | Watched that Ty Burrell epi. I was kinda giddy cause Phil Dunphey is one of the funniest characters on TV right now. Loved how he talked about not being able to do anything but drive cause you have to be busy with all the levers and contraptions.
So true. |
I don't quite understand that. My bus and bug are no more difficult to drive than a modern car, unless you think of the stick shift as archaic. He was talking as though he's driving a Model T with a spark lever and a hand crank!
My daughter is about to start the practical part of her driving instruction. When she gets through with the slushboxes at the driving school she'll be behind the wheel of our bug to learn to drive stick. A bug has to be the easiest car to teach stick with and she has to learn to drive a stick because all of the family's cars are sticks! |
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cory464
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| Posted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 4:29 pm Post subject: |
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| i'm a die hard top gear fan. if you watch season one of the uk version, it sucked. james may didn't arrive until season two. they ditched some unknown fat guy and put May on, hopefully the US will copy that as well. i had to shut off the first episode it was so awful. it is sad how much they had to explain about the concept of the show (you'll never see his face, he just drives cars) yeah we get it. funny, i don't give a crap who the US stig is. by episode 4 though, it seems like the guys have lightened up and are starting to get into the gig. my view is this is our only shot. if they can't pull it off we will never get a decent car show in the US. name one other car related show of any significance. so i'll keep watching. if nothing else it reminds me of how good the UK version is. lets not forget, they did prove that the best car to cross Africa in is a beetle. the best top gear episode however is the vietnam tour. |
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GeorgeL
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Joined: January 16, 2006
Posts: 6714
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| Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 2:13 pm Post subject: |
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| cory464 wrote: | | i'm a die hard top gear fan. if you watch season one of the uk version, it sucked. james may didn't arrive until season two. they ditched some unknown fat guy and put May on, hopefully the US will copy that as well. i had to shut off the first episode it was so awful. it is sad how much they had to explain about the concept of the show (you'll never see his face, he just drives cars) yeah we get it. funny, i don't give a crap who the US stig is. by episode 4 though, it seems like the guys have lightened up and are starting to get into the gig. my view is this is our only shot. if they can't pull it off we will never get a decent car show in the US. name one other car related show of any significance. so i'll keep watching. if nothing else it reminds me of how good the UK version is. lets not forget, they did prove that the best car to cross Africa in is a beetle. the best top gear episode however is the vietnam tour. |
It's all going to boil down to the main equation of all the cable channels: whether they can make a show that gets a decent audience for very little $$$. TGUS is competing with ultra-inexpensive shows like "Dirty Jobs" that draw a good audience with no fixed facility and a production crew you can count on your fingers.
If they can survive this season and acquire a reasonable audience there is a chance that they might be picked up by a bigger network with more bucks to spend and an eye on UKTG's ratings. A lot of that depends upon the hosts developing some chemistry and appeal with their audience. |
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rovnrev
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| Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 3:43 pm Post subject: |
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| bomberbaja wrote: | | Jeckler wrote: | | Pretty cool that Ty Burrell is a VW fan. He was talking about a '65 Bug he recently bought and the seller grilling him on what he was going to do with it, making sure it was going to a good home. Plus I like him on Modern Family. |
he said it's his daily driver too. |
that made me happy.
i loved the Hennesy Raptor bit out here in Eloy
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John Moxon 
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| Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 1:36 am Post subject: |
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Well all you Beetle fans aren't going to be happy with the 2 part BBC Christmas Show. The first part screened last night and featured a US road trip with plenty of laugh out loud moments.
They also showed a trailer for part 2, to be screened on Boxing Day (26th Dec) and it featured the destruction of a...you know what. 
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TheRustySuper
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| Posted: Wed Dec 22, 2010 10:13 am Post subject: |
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| John Moxon wrote: | Well all you Beetle fans aren't going to be happy with the 2 part BBC Christmas Show. The first part screened last night and featured a US road trip with plenty of laugh out loud moments.
They also showed a trailer for part 2, to be screened on Boxing Day (26th Dec) and it featured the destruction of a...you know what. |
Ah well, I wondered when they would destroy a Beetle, we all know they hate them and I'm just surprised they haven't done it before. It was only a matter of time.
So I finally watched a full episode of American Top Gear, with the GM cheap car special. Um...it was pretty much exactly the same as the UK TG British Leyland cheap car challenge. Handbrake parking on a hill, colander full of eggs over the presenter's heads while driving down a rough road, and then filling up the cars with water and driving down the test track. And the hosts aren't that great. But I will say this, the show has potential, they just need to get their own ideas and stop ripping stuff off of what UK TG has already done.
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luckyvw13
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