"Top Gear" TV show

[cpzilliacus]

Anyone watch the U.S. version of this, which airs on the History Channel on cable?

Or the UK version (which airs on BBC America in the U.S.)?

Your thoughts?

The U.S. version of Top Gear just aired a review of cars being marketed by U.S. auto manufacturers to replace the (now-discontinued) Ford Crown Victoria sedan for police car use.  It was actually pretty interesting, but the show made one significant omission.  The car being touted by GM as the new police car is the "Chevrolet" Caprice PPV.  Why the quotes?  Because while it is from General Motors, it is not built in North America - it is a left-hand-drive version of the Holden Caprice, built in Adelaide, South Australia.  Now there is nothing wrong with GM selling a car built Down Under in North America (as long as the steering wheel is on the correct side of the car), but it would have been so much neater if they had retained the Holden badge. No, you cannot buy a Chevy/Holden Caprice PPV unless you are a government agency. GM fleet site here.

At least GM is not trying to sell cars in North America that were assembled in Red China.

The Mopar cop car offering is the Dodge Charger.

Ford is selling a police version of the Ford Taurus.

The show is online here.

[US71]

I've been catching random episodes on YouTube (Jay Leno, David Tennant, Rowan Atkinson, Matt Smith)

[roadman]

First saw the UK version a couple of years ago.  It's now one of my favorite shows (desipte the fact that BBC America cuts out portions of the US broadcasts to leave room for commercials).

The US version (History Channel) has had some good moments, but generally pales by comparison.  For one thing, they have this awful habit (like most other History Channel series) of wasting two to three minutes reprising what previously happened when they come out of commercial break.

For those of you who've never see the UK show, I recommend you check out "Top Gear Top Forty", which is available on most "on-demand" services.  I generally avoid "greatest hits" type specials, as they're often cliched, but I thoroughly enjoyed "Top Forty."

[english si]

I watch it. I tried to watch the American one, but as I have little actual interest in cars it was tedious.

We have this channel "Dave", which is part of a set of channels that basically functions like BBC America in the UK - commercial arm of BBC showing reruns of shows (and some of their own). Dave during the day has at least 5 Top Gear episodes (it used to be more). Currently watching the 'Limo' task, where they make their own limos to the inevitable disastrous consequences.

[Sanctimoniously]

  Now there is nothing wrong with GM selling a car built Down Under in North America (as long as the steering wheel is on the correct side of the car), but it would have been so much neater if they had retained the Holden badge.

Holden would be somewhat redundant in the US because of the existence of Chevrolet, and the prior existence of Pontiac. Sure, it would be cool, but Holdens are Holdens because that's the only GM division that exists in Australia. (Also, the new-generation Commodore is coming to these shores as a for-civilian-consumption Chevrolet SS sedan.)

But on topic, Top Gear is easily one of my favorite programs. I think my favorite challenges are the British Leyland challenge, the Britcar 24-hour race, the cheap supercars challenge, and the Alfa Romeo challenge. The US version is decent, but the hosts don't have the almost-curmudgeonly quality of Clarkson, Hammond, and May.

[roadman]

[

But on topic, Top Gear is easily one of my favorite programs. I think my favorite challenges are the British Leyland challenge, the Britcar 24-hour race, the cheap supercars challenge, and the Alfa Romeo challenge.

Agree with you on all those.  However, IMO the funniest Top Gear challenge I've seen yet was the DIY recreational vehicle challenge.  If you haven't seen it, it's #3 in the "Top Gear Top Forty" specials.

[JREwing78]

Netflix has all of the UK episodes. It didn't start hitting its prime until the sixth series or so. Watch their first visit to America (Series 9, Episode 3) for a hilarious trip through the deep South where they almost die. Or, far closer to it than they bargained for.

Top Gear USA is coming along nicely, and the first episode of the new season was a hoot. My wife really, REALLY hates Rutledge Wood though.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Watched the US version once, hated it.  My brothers and I could do a better version than this.
Watch the UK version regularly, love it.

[national highway 1]

Or the UK version (which airs on BBC America in the U.S.)?

Your thoughts?

Here in Australia the British Top Gear was originally shown on SBS (Special Broadcasting Service; for international multicultural news and documentaries) on Monday nights at 8:30 with repeats of past series shown in between current and following seasons. In late 2009, it switched over the the Nine Network and moved to Tuesdays, intially 8:30pm then moved progressively later to 9:30. A local spin-off, Top Gear Australia was broadcast on SBS in 2008, then moved to Channel 9 in September 2010. The Australian version was later axed in September 2011 due to poor ratings and lame humor.

[NYYPhil777]

Watched the US version once, hated it.  My brothers and I could do a better version than this.
Watch the UK version regularly, love it.

I was just going to post the same thing... oh well.
In other words, I agree with your post.

[Stratuscaster]

The US Top Gear seems forced. It's awkward to watch.

The UK Top Gear is quite amusing, and I enjoy it quite a bit.

[cpzilliacus]

First saw the UK version a couple of years ago.  It's now one of my favorite shows (desipte the fact that BBC America cuts out portions of the US broadcasts to leave room for commercials).

It's a shame that the UK version of Top Gear wasn't picked-up by PBS (probably too politically incorrect for them) or maybe even better, Home Box Office - for the U.S. TV audience.

The US version (History Channel) has had some good moments, but generally pales by comparison.  For one thing, they have this awful habit (like most other History Channel series) of wasting two to three minutes reprising what previously happened when they come out of commercial break.

I strongly agree. 

For those of you who've never see the UK show, I recommend you check out "Top Gear Top Forty", which is available on most "on-demand" services.  I generally avoid "greatest hits" type specials, as they're often cliched, but I thoroughly enjoyed "Top Forty."

I will have to look for that (we have Verizon FiOS at home). 

[cpzilliacus]

Watched the US version once, hated it.  My brothers and I could do a better version than this.
Watch the UK version regularly, love it.

In defense of the U.S. version, it's not always great, but maybe it will develop into a better show over time? 

[cpzilliacus]

Watch their first visit to America (Series 9, Episode 3) for a hilarious trip through the deep South where they almost die.

That episode was covered in some detail in a CBS News "60 Minutes" profile of the BBC's Top Gear - it was pretty funny, even in abbreviated and excerpted form.

Top Gear USA is coming along nicely, and the first episode of the new season was a hoot. My wife really, REALLY hates Rutledge Wood though.

I have not given up hope for it.   

[roadman]

In defense of the U.S. version, it's not always great, but maybe it will develop into a better show over time? 

I wouldn't hold out much hope for that to happen.  I've found that most History Channel series I've watched (Ice Road Truckers and Pawn Stars among them) started out really good, but tend to quickly decline in both content and quality over time.  For one thing, the actual show lengths per episode have been getting shorter and shorter with every season.  Throw in the idiotic time wasters (the forced dramatic pauses in some Pawn Stars dialogue are among the worst), and sometimes the shows can be difficult to watch.  The "on-demand" versions of these programs used to be good, but now even "on-demand" has an increased number of commercials and fillers as well.  And the latest Pawn Stars episodes even superimpose ads over the fillers.

[cpzilliacus]

In defense of the U.S. version, it's not always great, but maybe it will develop into a better show over time? 

I wouldn't hold out much hope for that to happen.  I've found that most History Channel series I've watched (Ice Road Truckers and Pawn Stars among them) started out really good, but tend to quickly decline in both content and quality over time.  For one thing, the actual show lengths per episode have been getting shorter and shorter with every season.  Throw in the idiotic time wasters (the forced dramatic pauses in some Pawn Stars dialogue are among the worst), and sometimes the shows can be difficult to watch.  The "on-demand" versions of these programs used to be good, but now even "on-demand" has an increased number of commercials and fillers as well.  And the latest Pawn Stars episodes even superimpose ads over the fillers.

I capture Pawn Stars on the DVR for all of those reasons.  Fast forwarding over the commercials makes them tolerable.

[6a]

Top Gear UK is one of my favorite shows.  My wife insists I am James May and we do have quite a bit in common, personality-wise.  It would be really hard for me to pick a favorite episode but the trip to the north magnetic pole was a hoot.  As for the US version, I keep telling myself the first couple seasons of TGUK were not anywhere near what you see today, and hopefully the guys will settle into a groove.

[signalman]

I capture Pawn Stars on the DVR for all of those reasons.  Fast forwarding over the commercials makes them tolerable.

I DVR almost all the shows that I watch so I can fast forward through commercials.  Also, if I get disrupted for something, I can just stop it and go back to it later.  If the show is real crap, I can always hit delete too.

[Brandon]

Watched the US version once, hated it.  My brothers and I could do a better version than this.
Watch the UK version regularly, love it.

In defense of the U.S. version, it's not always great, but maybe it will develop into a better show over time? 

It's getting better with time, IMHO.  I think it just needs to grow a bit.  The UK original is a hoot though.

[Sanctimoniously]

And remember, the UK version has had ten years and eighteen seasons under its belt to hone its awesome factor. The US version has only just now started its third. The latest episode of the US version was pretty good, I thought.

[Takumi]

Since my cable tier only recently added BBC America, I've seen only a few episodes of the original. Never seen the US version.

[cpzilliacus]

  Now there is nothing wrong with GM selling a car built Down Under in North America (as long as the steering wheel is on the correct side of the car), but it would have been so much neater if they had retained the Holden badge.

Holden would be somewhat redundant in the US because of the existence of Chevrolet, and the prior existence of Pontiac. Sure, it would be cool, but Holdens are Holdens because that's the only GM division that exists in Australia. (Also, the new-generation Commodore is coming to these shores as a for-civilian-consumption Chevrolet SS sedan.)

Wasn't the Pontiac G6 a LHD version of a previous Holden Commodore?

[english si]

And remember, the UK version has had ten years and eighteen seasons under its belt to hone its awesome factor. The US version has only just now started its third. The latest episode of the US version was pretty good, I thought.

Though the British seasons are typically 6, rather than the 9 episodes in the American show season. Plus it didn't take too long (say four or five seasons?) before it took off. Then after about 12 seasons total the British show became a parody of itself.

I think that, to some extent, there's a cultural thing - the self-depriciating humour, the public school (totally the opposite meaning over here) type pranking relationship, etc. To other extents, it's partially as it came first - the American show is in it's shadow, trying to copy the je ne suis que of the British show (to see why this doesn't work, look at the American Office's first season - especially the pilot and compare it to the British version), though to a large extent they have tried to make their own show to avoid the pit falls of most British shows redone in the States - and that, in many ways is also the problem - they've not made an entertainment show about cars, they've made a car show that tries to be entertaining - they chase after the magic ingredient, but are making a different recipe.

[roadman]

I capture Pawn Stars on the DVR for all of those reasons.  Fast forwarding over the commercials makes them tolerable.

I finally upgraded from a VCR to a DVR earlier this year.  I bought a stand-alone unit not tied to a cable provider or a subscription service.  It's been worth every penny I paid for it.

[cpzilliacus]

I think that, to some extent, there's a cultural thing - the self-depriciating humour, the public school (totally the opposite meaning over here) type pranking relationship, etc.

Agreed.  But the humor is part of what makes the BBC's Top Gear fun.

To other extents, it's partially as it came first - the American show is in it's shadow, trying to copy the je ne suis que of the British show (to see why this doesn't work, look at the American Office's first season - especially the pilot and compare it to the British version), though to a large extent they have tried to make their own show to avoid the pit falls of most British shows redone in the States - and that, in many ways is also the problem - they've not made an entertainment show about cars, they've made a car show that tries to be entertaining - they chase after the magic ingredient, but are making a different recipe.

Persons from the United States don't usually do a good job of replicating humor from Britain, even though it's fun when the Britis do it on a British show.  An example is the old (1960's) classic Avengers T.V. series, which would not have worked (then or now) if a U.S. T.V. producer had attempted it, yet (in my opinion), it was one of the greatest English-speaking T.V. series ever.  Of course, it probably helped (for the purpose of attracting male viewers) that Honor Blackman, Diana Rigg and Linda Thorson played prominent roles in that series.

In more recent time, could a U.S. cast have pulled-off the Harry Potter movie series? I think not.

So getting back to your original comments above, I think the U.S. Top Gear needs to be a series aimed at a North American audience, and not try to emulate what has aired on the BBC. 

Consider Sanford and Son, the hugely successful 1970's sitcom that aired on NBC. It was based on the British Steptoe and Son, yet I don't think anyone would have taken Sanford for a spinoff from a British series, even though it was.