Topgear American History Channel

[Tucson_02Silverado]

The American version of TopGear premiered Sunday 11/21 on the History Channel.

 

I watched the premiere episode.

 

So far there is no originality, opening segment was already done by the original TopGear.

 

What hurt more to watch was the complete lack of passion for the "automobile" of the 3 hosts. All I got from them during the Lamborghini segment was '...it sucks to be you watching, we're driving these...' no fluidity of emotional expression like a Jeremy Clarkson.

 

While I didn't expect nor really wanted this show to be clone of the original, having seen the original for many years, I at least expected a passion and chemistry of the hosts that is the essence of Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May TopGear.

[jro909]

haven't saw the history channel one yet, the british one was hit and miss with me...i liked the mpg race they did they the 3 diesel from i think germany to the uk on one tank of fuel

[Wingnut]

I was surprised at it. Liked it more than I thought I would.

 

As for the chemistry in the presentation. That will come with time. The first shows with Jeremy, James, and Richard were pretty awkward too.

[Tucson_02Silverado]

True, a lot of first shows requiring a partnership is awkward to watch at first.

 

I'll still give it a try for the first season.

[KMGZ400]

I was surprised at it. Liked it more than I thought I would.

 

As for the chemistry in the presentation. That will come with time. The first shows with Jeremy, James, and Richard were pretty awkward too.

 

 

hahaha that is true, they were awkward in the first episodes.

 

i didnt really like it, didnt actually make me laugh like the brits do. guess ill have to give it time

[BigBlueLB756]

Lame, bland, copy-cat Stig, boring. I'll watch it again.

[truckofwinandawesome]

haven't saw the history channel one yet, the british one was hit and miss with me...i liked the mpg race they did they the 3 diesel from i think germany to the uk on one tank of fuel

 

you must be talking about the Race to Blackpool from Basil, Switzerland. every time I see that segment, I'm STILL amazed that Jezza's Jag made it even AFTER he abused it!

[Wingnut]

OLIVERRRRRR!

 

That's my favorite episode.

[StinkyCheese]

I was surprised at it. Liked it more than I thought I would.

 

As for the chemistry in the presentation. That will come with time. The first shows with Jeremy, James, and Richard were pretty awkward too.

 

 

i've watched most of season 1 and 2 and they are NOTHING like what is being made now. I think if i had started watching top gear back then I'd probably have quit. Now however I seem to laugh my butt off with most of the episodes i catch. I'll eventually work my way though the seasons all the way up to season 15 or whatever they are on now

 

 

 

On that note I didn't like the American version, I found everything to be forced and had too much of a scripted feel to it. Maybe I'm just use to all the pranks and the back and forth from the BBC version but either way it doesn't get my vote yet. I think top gear Australia is the only spin off that has made it so far. If I remember correctly there was already an attempt at an American top gear and that failed. I believe the other failed one was Russian

[P71_CrownVic]

Ok...having watched the show I have a few thoughts.

 

1. I think the perfect analogy for the two Top Gears is TG UK is polished, refined, and mature...not so much in the content, but in the delivery. Very high production values, a good script, etc. TG US came across as something the children of the TG UK presenters would put together.

 

2. Tanner is the best of the three. He came across as very personable and someone who's opinion you could trust. The other two are just that...the other two. I didn't feel the connection between the three that I do when watching TG UK. Well...I'll take that back...when they all went around in the Suzuki I felt it...but other than that...not so much.

 

3. The production budget must have been very small. Lots of in-car camera shake and an overall feeling of "2nd rate".

 

4. I H-A-T-E the in-show ads that The History Channel had running...bugged the hell outta me.

 

5. Throughout the whole episode, there was never that sense of drama that one gets when watching TG UK. When I watch a TG UK review, I am glued to it...nothing can break my concentration...but with this show, I had to keep telling myself to pay attention.

 

-------------------------

 

Now...taken on it's own, as in, not compared to TG UK, it was a great show, and I think it will do well.

 

But when compared to the UK version, it was a major letdown. Everything that makes the UK version great, was not there.

 

Overall I give the Episode a C.

 

When compared to the UK version, it gets a D.

When taken on it's own, It gets a B.

 

And...just for S & Gs...take a look at the very first episode of the modern Top Gear from 2002:

 

 

Now look at the latest episode of 2010:

 

 

Top Gear as we know it (the un-cut UK version...not the garbage you see on BBCA or iTunes) has come a long way.........but having seen the first UK episode of 2002...and the US premier...I still see a passion for cars in the UK version that is absent from the US version.

[Stevens03]

I love the original, but not the new one. I'll give it a shot for a while, but there's no chemistry between the 3 hosts either. Nothing like the comedy of the original.

 

Not thrilled yet.

[RyanbabZ71]

I enjoyed it, but I enjoy most of the auto shows out there.

[Wingnut]

I enjoyed it, but I enjoy most of the auto shows out there.

 

That's me. I'm simply not that picky when the pickins are thin

[Snow White]

DISGRACE, horrible, cancel the show, it is a COMPLETE FAIL, the most complete fail ever. I watched the whole thing from DVR and realized that I would've been better off watching Real Housewives.... that bad.

 

PLEASE I BEG YOU, LEAVE THE UK VERSION ON BBCA... God Save The Queen AND TERMINATE THE USA VERSION OF THIS SHOW.

 

F A I L

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The old episodes on that used to come on BBC, they're all on youtube now, are FAR superior to that last boring show.