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The Top Gear Megathread! Mark II
- Thread starter CortexRock
- Start date
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Whoa, no updates in a while, did I miss something? Or did everyone get bored with the way the show is going these days? 
Here in New Zealand we've just started getting the "Top Gear Australia" show and it's not very good (the presenters are either idiots or simply trying to hard to copy the UK presenters).
Then again, a "Top Gear New Zealand" would be even worse - we've already had a clone show that was awful.
Thankfully a new season of the proper UK show starts again in February.
Then again, a "Top Gear New Zealand" would be even worse - we've already had a clone show that was awful.
Thankfully a new season of the proper UK show starts again in February.
Whoa, no updates in a while, did I miss something? Or did everyone get bored with the way the show is going these days?
The Bolivia special was OK. Seemed very setup (more-so than the usual very setup TG fare). There has been talk of there being no more TG. I think that might be a good idea to be honest. It's getting stale.
Whoa, no updates in a while, did I miss something? Or did everyone get bored with the way the show is going these days?
It does seem they're running out of ideas.
The car-art episode and the Lancia-love were the most boring ever. Usually the theme-thingy during the normal shows are quite short. Now, these theme-thingy's take over the normal episodes entirely.
The South America special couldn't even fit inside the usual 60 mins. Must admit, it was gr8 fun to watch though.
Let's see where coming Sunday's is going... wouldn't surprise me that JC will be back to BMW-bashing with the X6 (IIRC he finds the X6 absolutely foul)
I wonder though if TopGear might have a bit too much cash these days...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/show/next_episode.shtml:
I love Top Gear, who doesn't but in the last few years I think the new format has kind of taken over them. I love the specials, especially Vietnam and the American (tv gold), but yes they all seem setup now. Although I must say..the latest one in Bolivia seemed quite natural. I dunno I just have this feeling that that massive cliff edge bit where Clarkson was nearly coming off..was not planned.
I dont think it will ever end either....why would they?
It's the most watched TV show on the planet, only way it will finish is oif the presenters leave. And who would wanna watch it without those three?
I dont think it will ever end either....why would they?
It's the most watched TV show on the planet, only way it will finish is oif the presenters leave. And who would wanna watch it without those three?
After chatting with some of my mates, we all agree it's getting a bit stale. Maybe it would be good if it did go away for a little while and come back with some fresh ideas. I mean, come on, you could almost predict which 4x4s they were going to 'choose' for the Bolivia special.
I also still love Top Gear.
Man, it is the only TV show I actually plan my Sunday night around!
I also have all the episodes downloaded, and converted for my TV... season 14 in 720p HD too
Top Gear is the best show ever. Even when Jason Dawe did the insider dealing cr@p, the show was utterly brilliant. James May made it even better.
White Stig seems more catchy than black Stiggy was, so IMHO the show's format has been perfect since season 3.
But, maybe they have got too much cash, and that the Top Gear team somehow feels they have to live up to the huge budget.
Man, it is the only TV show I actually plan my Sunday night around!
I also have all the episodes downloaded, and converted for my TV... season 14 in 720p HD too
Top Gear is the best show ever. Even when Jason Dawe did the insider dealing cr@p, the show was utterly brilliant. James May made it even better.
White Stig seems more catchy than black Stiggy was, so IMHO the show's format has been perfect since season 3.
But, maybe they have got too much cash, and that the Top Gear team somehow feels they have to live up to the huge budget.
I have to agree on the staged nature of the show. Some bits (like Hammond flipping out about insects, the snake in the truck etc etc) are just so cheesy. Sometimes it works and is funny - but I feel like the full-length specials are a bit too over-the-top at times. Clarkson seems to be more and more full of himself, and Hammond and even James May are becoming more Clarkson-like.
Although this episode DID have me shopping old Range Rovers online.
I liked bits of the Lancia part but the museum thing was pretty stupid.
I'm not so sure I can agree with that.
Although, I do like some of the earlier seasons because they are more about cars and less about silly, over-the-top themes and challenges.
Hmmm..... right.....
Again, not a very impressive episode. Easy X6 bashing (expected), fast but unbelievably overpriced Lexus, another VXR, and 10 mins about road signs.
TBO.... the worst episode.
Top Gear is a fast programme. Not only about fast cars, but the films were fast and exciting.
Now, for the first time, I actually post something on MacRumors during a Top Gear episode..
Oh well, maybe the awards are fun.
Again, not a very impressive episode. Easy X6 bashing (expected), fast but unbelievably overpriced Lexus, another VXR, and 10 mins about road signs.
TBO.... the worst episode.
Top Gear is a fast programme. Not only about fast cars, but the films were fast and exciting.
Now, for the first time, I actually post something on MacRumors during a Top Gear episode..
Oh well, maybe the awards are fun.
Now, for the first time, I actually post something on MacRumors during a Top Gear episode..
Oh well, maybe the awards are fun.
That'll never happen with me. I'm on the other side of the pond, so I still need to watch it, which I might not get around to for a few days.
I thought the Bolivia special was brilliant
Over all though, TG does seemed to have reached a bit of a tipping point. What can they do now?
Over all though, TG does seemed to have reached a bit of a tipping point. What can they do now?
Agreed. TG will always look good with its high production values, but it has long since ceased to be anything more than a spectacle. And eventually the spectacle will get old.
Fizzoid said:
Wow, you got that right....pretty boring episode. Can't believe that Lexus LFA is so expensive...you could buy several Corvette Z06s for that money and still have cash left over for a luxury sedan.
The second series is better, but now that Nine has bought the production and broadcast rights from SBS, there is fear the third series will be terrible.
As for Top Gear UK, Series 13 and 14 have not overly impressed me. The Bolivia Special was decent, and the final episode on Sunday was the second best, but all-in-all, Series 14 will be joining Series 13 as one I don't think I will be re-watching on a regular basis.
For those in the USA who don't torrent the UK broadcasts, Series 13 starts on BBC America on the 25th of January.
Personally I hate the edited, cut up versions of Top Gear on BBCAmerica.
They replace really great music with cheesy music. Also they cut it up to add in the 15 minutes of commercials.
I have even spent the time to download the 1080 versions. They fill up my whole screen of my 24" Imac
Agreed.
I have yet to actually see the HD version yet, I don't have a Mac that can handle HD.
I caught one of these BBC America rehashes of TG when I was in CA not long ago, it was horrible!
Fortunately the iTunes downloads of Series 7, 11 and 12 are not edited for content, though they still have to make music changes where the BBC does not have international broadcast rights for the song. I am hoping this will also be the case for the Series 11 and 12 DVD box sets being released. If so, I will be buying them.
I did buy the DVD box set of Series 10 even though it is the edited BBCA version, but I passed on the iTunes downloads for S10 because they were also the BBCA edited version.
I did buy the DVD box set of Series 10 even though it is the edited BBCA version, but I passed on the iTunes downloads for S10 because they were also the BBCA edited version.
Does anyone know if they're going to be releasing the latest series on Blu Ray since it aired in HD?
I bought the Polar Special on Blu Ray when I was in London, and the quality is amazing.
If they do, hopefully it will be region free like the Polar Special was.
I bought the Polar Special on Blu Ray when I was in London, and the quality is amazing.
If they do, hopefully it will be region free like the Polar Special was.
I really want to give BBC America credit for bringing these over to the States, but the program is so hacked up it's unwatchable if you've seen the originals. I don't want the show to be edited or Americanized.