Some say... The American Top Gear needs work

Anyone else watch? It was very hard to keep the original out of my head. I kept making comparisions that were not flattering to the U.S. version. Had to keep reminding myself that the original sucked when it first started too. A couple of the Cobra maneuvers were kinda cool looking though... I'll watch a couple more in hopes that it can get better. If not... meh... Still got the original! :rockin:

What were you doing contemplating watching THAT when Brewmasters was on on the discovery channel? What kinda brewer are you???

Actually my GF wanted to watch it, I turned her on to the original and she's hooked. We don't care about the cars so much as the personalities of the hosts.

We started with the openning of the show, then jumped to brewmasters for the opening of that then flipped an caught the cobra segment. It was her who said trun it back to the beer show.

It's pretty hard to mess with perfection, and (I know they say it worked with the office) but Americanizing hit BBC shows, I don't think is the way to go. And in terms of Top Gear, it really IS the interplay between Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond. I think if one of those guys were different on the BBC show it would just be another car show. So personally I don't think having 3 different guys altogether, and American will work...At least for fans of the Original.

I can't speak for someone who has never seen the Brit show. I guess if your first exposure to the show is a Cobra being chased by a combat chopper, then you'd think it was pretty cool too...I guess.

Do they have an American Stig? Is it Stig's American Cousin?


I guess they do...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbi...eaves-fans-unimpressed.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

This one said it has a complete lack of comedy.

http://www.anglotopia.net/brit-tv/top-gear-usa-the-verdict-it-could-have-been-worse/

But yeah, really, why weren't you watching Brewmasters with Sam Caligone?????

Revvy said:

But yeah, really, why weren't you watching Brewmasters with Sam Caligone?????

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Did watch it, they showed Top Gear a 2nd time after Brewmasters.

I didn't really love either of them, but I plan to continue watching and see where they go. Both seemed way too scripted for these types of shows. I also think Sam Calagione is kind of a prick, I have met him a couple times and that is my opinion. That said, he has done impressive things with DFH, but again, I don't like most of their beers.

Revvy said:

But yeah, really, why weren't you watching Brewmasters with Sam Caligone?????

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I watched Brewmasters and DVR'd Top Gear... And yeah, the American version doesn't have anything on the original. So far... I'll give it a few episodes. I've got 30+ episodes of the original saved on my DVR so I can go back and have a laugh now and then. I keep watching the one with Ken Block taking Captain Slow for a ride. Priceless...

i've seen the entire first season of the "new" top gear, as well as the rest of them. They first season didnt go that well, they even changed hosts after it(may isn't an original cast member). Greatness doesn't start from the first episode. Tanner Foust seemed like a good host, and the lambo segment looked good. I think it has potential, i'm keeping my hopes up.

Revvy said:

We don't care about the cars so much as the personalities of the hosts.

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Same for me.. I think thats the problem with the american one.. its all about the cars with no chemistry between the hosts. Its hard to be as cool as Jeremy.

It seemed a little hokey to me, "Oh no the apache is after me." But, I didnt watch the whole thing.

and, come-on... dont call your test driver The Stig (there can only ever be one The Stig).

U.S. version is a car show trying to be amusing. UK version is a well written funny show about cars. MUCH better! Car shows are a dime a dozen; good comedy ain't easy. Hey, I've been in the car biz for years and obviously love the exotics (The Atom, the F1 lap with Stig, and the original Veyron test come to mind.) but crossing the South in $1,000 American cars was priceless! (1st example that came to mind.) So far, I don't see the U.S. version recorking lightning in a bottle.
And, from a strictly car test point of view, seriously, they think that "The Way" to determine which Lambo is better is a mile drag?!

wasnt a big fan only because the UK version ive watched for 13+ years now and im just used to the hosts. But ill keep watching... and Jeremy, Richard and James would have dragged race the 3 lambos at once for a mile!

We just turned it on to catch the repeat that we shut off to watch Brewmasters last week. And my mind just blanked out or something, like you do in class when you are totally bored, and are just trying to bide time til the bell rings? It was an intense feeling to realize I did that. I just can't seem to connect with them.

red96jeep said:

i've seen the entire first season of the "new" top gear, as well as the rest of them. They first season didnt go that well, they even changed hosts after it(may isn't an original cast member). Greatness doesn't start from the first episode. Tanner Foust seemed like a good host, and the lambo segment looked good. I think it has potential, i'm keeping my hopes up.

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This needs to be repeated.

The first episode of Top Gear US was just about as good as the first episode of new Top Gear UK. All of the people who claim that new TGUK is orders of magnitude better are either selectively remembering their favorite bits, or have not watched the early seasons. In the early episodes there is a 10-20 minute segment where a guy does nothing but talk about deals on cars that you can't even buy in the US. I guess some people are excited to hear about a great deal that could have been had during a one week time frame in the UK 10 years ago, but that just isn't for me.

RogerMcAllen said:

This needs to be repeated.

The first episode of Top Gear US was just about as good as the first episode of new Top Gear UK. All of the people who claim that new TGUK is orders of magnitude better are either selectively remembering their favorite bits, or have not watched the early seasons. In the early episodes there is a 10-20 minute segment where a guy does nothing but talk about deals on cars that you can't even buy in the US. I guess some people are excited to hear about a great deal that could have been had during a one week time frame in the UK 10 years ago, but that just isn't for me.

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.... except that TGUK has had how many years to get the formula right? TGUSA should have a very short learning curve.

It should be very obvious to every TV exec watching that show what the formula behind TG is - cool people, who are funny and play off each other well, doing cool things. It's the same basic formula that makes Mythbusters work, it's what made American Chopper work for a while, it's the same formula that makes dramatic shows like Deadliest Catch work.

You can't really force it, the chemistry between the hosts has to be there and has to come across as genuine - the hosts need to be people that not only would you like to have a beer with, but that you imagine they go out for beers themselves quite regularly.

the_bird said:

the hosts need to be people that not only would you like to have a beer with, but that you imagine they go out for beers themselves quite regularly.

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Or in the case of the REAL TG guys, slam into each other at high speeds in Buses. (That episode was on this morning.)

The show does need work.

First, the filming is absolutely horrible. It looks like they grabbed a bunch of old cell phones and went from there. Some of the non-moving shots are good but most are shaky and boring, especially the in-car shots.

Second, the commentary sucks. They are just scripting a show that is based off of the free flowing and fun commentary. Without changing this up the show will fail.

Third, they just created a garbage product. I feel bad even referring to it as a sibling of the original. Some have said that we are too hard on this new show and the UK version is too hard to compare to. But, the producers should have seen that beforehand and worked a lot harder to make something that was at least acceptable.

I thought tonight's episode (3rd) was the best so far. I laughed quite a few times, and I'm happy to see the hosts a little looser. Its not a copy of the UK version, but entertaining in its own right. Looking forward to more.

the third episode was pretty good. much much better than the first. I haven't seen the second one so I can't comment on that. the Challenge was pretty funny and the hosts interacted with each other much better than in the first. There are still a lot of rough edges that need to be smoothed out but I think it's definitely got potential.

will it ever be as good as the UK top gear? probably not. But just because you don't have a Ferrari doesn't mean you don't love your Corvette.

Hmm, I was going to watch this and completely forgot. Ah well, sounds like I haven't been missing too much so far. Maybe I'll catch an episode and TRY to not compare it too much to the original.

I still can't do it. I can't get past the first commercial break. As soon as the first segment ends, I shake my head and flip away. Usually down to BBC America to see if there are epispodes of the good version on.

Yeah, the US Top Gear is full of fail and it has everything to do with the hosts. Absolutely no chemistry between those 3. It's like three random guys trying to pull off their best UK TG impression.....yuck.

HickoryMike said:

Yeah, the US Top Gear is full of fail and it has everything to do with the hosts. Absolutely no chemistry between those 3. It's like three random guys trying to pull off their best UK TG impression.....yuck.

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I like the show, but I thought exactly the same thing. It just flow as well as the original 3.

i would advise everyone to go watch the first 3 episodes of TGUK from either season 1 or season 2. TGUS blows those episodes away. No questions asked.

I watched/watch TGUK whenever I could catch it (thank you internet). I was excited to watch TGUS, and although the first two episodes weren't amazing, I'm willing to give it a little more time to develop. The Viper vs. Apache thing was a bit hokey, but what about Skyline GTR vs. Japanese public transit? not a favorite of mine from TGUK, and that was pretty recent.
Also, ever watch a TGUK when they evaluate American cars? it's always "Well the car was loads of fun to drive, I mean really fun, the most fun of the cars in this group actually, but it just doesn't stack up against car X" even though "car X" was twice the price or more, and only edged out the American car by a nose length? yeah.... thats one thing I didn't/don't like about TGUK. For some reason, they just don't like American cars, save for the Ford GT, which they proceeded to complain about it's fuel economy after the review... Hmm I'm going to buy a mid-engine, limited production super-car and worry about the fuel economy...