Top Gear - Correction and Love

[rwinslow]

Just wanted to post a correction about the Smart car crash. That was actually done by Fifth Gear, the Channel 5 equivalent of Top Gear.

Anyway, onto the love. I've been watching Top Gear for the past few years now and consider it the best show on TV (other than TRS). I can't sing its praises enough and words can't describe the camaraderie between the presenters. It must be seen to be believed.

BUT, here's where I want to help you guys. http://www.finalgear.com/ is an online community dedicated to Top Gear and Final Gear. Producers and other people who make Top Gear have posted on the forums to ask opinions, provide some interesting news tidbits, and to even make some requests (like when Jeremy Clarkson came stateside, the producer asked if anyone was available to help out with a few things). They have an index of episodes and provide links to another site for torrents of the show. I don't encourage piracy, but this venue seems to have been endorsed by the producers and is the only way for people outside of the UK without BBC2 to see it.

Check out some of the race episodes like the one where Clarkson races a Bugatti Veyron against May and Hammond in a plane (All of the races pit a car against public transportation options). The trip around the US is great too from season 9 (I think).

I'd love to hear what you guys think, so please post in this thread or put it in the TV section in the next episode!

[nickwalton]

Yeah, 5th gear is like the ugly cousin of Top Gear (presenters on 5th gear actually use to be on top gear before bbc2 dropped top gear and bbc5 picked it up), you check it out because Top Gear isn't around and you need a fix.

anyway... I highly recommend watching all the episodes (find them via finalgear dot com), but some of the ones I would recommend first are:

S03E05 - Destruction of Toyota Hilux (80s Tacoma)
S03E06 - Part two of the destruction
S04E01 - Race from the studio to Monte Carlo. Public Transit vs Private
S05E08 - Another Race - Ferrari vs Planes Trains and Buses
S06E06 - Race - London to Oslo Norway
S09E03 - Road trip - Miami to New Orleans
S10E04 - A series of challenges while driving across Africa


Perhaps what makes these episodes more enjoyable is that after watching for 5 years (2 seasons a year) is that the viewers begin to care about the presenters. Which in turn makes the jokes all that more funny, and the show all that much better. (Similar to TRS)

[smeerkaas]

I've been watching Top Gear since the early 80's. Back then it was an actual serious car review programme. Now it's more of a parade of expensive cars and crazy escapades. I agree: it's the best show on TV. However, 5th gear is a very good second. The last few series it has become somewhat more flashy. And the big difference: (allmost) all the hosts can drive properly! Tiff is an ex Formula 1 driver, Jason is a professional stuntdriver, and Vicky was a race instructor at the tender age of 17. And the all compete regularly in actual race events. Like LeMans. And Tom is just cool.

If you like cars, and a boys night out kind of humor, you don't want to miss either one of the shows.

The Top Gear Test Track records, as driven by The Stig, and the opinions of the hosts have become the benchmark by which potential buyers, and manufacturers alike, stack up the different cars. Even big companies are pretty scared to get a bad review. It really hurts sales worldwide.

Yes. It really is that big of a deal.

[isamurai]

I find it kind of funny that the non-car enthusiasts are getting into this show now that it's become less car-oriented. Fans were quite upset a few seasons ago because it basically turned into the three hosts fucking around and it's great television and enjoyable don't get my wrong, but they departed from the petrolheadyness of it...They opened it up to the fans for input and are reshaping the show accordingly.

Either way, one of my favorite shows EVAR...and SCREW FIFTH GEAR.

[martinr]

I find it kind of funny that the non-car enthusiasts are getting into this show now that it's become less car-oriented. Fans were quite upset a few seasons ago because it basically turned into the three hosts fucking around and it's great television and enjoyable don't get my wrong, but they departed from the petrolheadyness of it...They opened it up to the fans for input and are reshaping the show accordingly.

Yeah, I was one of those angry car fans. :P It's not that I don't like the messing around, it's funny and all, but gets old after a while. I think 2-3 of those things per season would be fine, but not where you have more "challanges" then actual stuff about cars.

In fact, I find that people who aren't that much into cars, like the car reviews as well. :P

BTW, you can look forward to Top Gear in the next TRS TV section:

http://twitter.com/alexalbrecht/statuses/817011213

[gonzooo]

I'm not that much into cars. In fact, I have no interest in driving them at all, though I'm interested in the mechanics of them, as well as the more modern cars with more tech in them.

"Top Gear" is crazy good, though, and I guess it's because of every reason already stated in this thread. I'm guessing they could make pretty much anything fun, those guys.