Clarkson was right - Top Gear cannot survive an advertising
based network setup. In the UK they can trash talk any car
they want with minimum blow-back, but could you imagine if
they said the Ford in the pickup episode was junk? Hell, H2
would be out of business. I am only a fan of the original
because the UK three actually seem like friends hanging out
talking about what they love (cars.) I'm tolerant of the staging
because it (usually) tends to have a subtle point behind the
stupidity. TG.USA lacks both of these traits in spades.
72hemi - the US episodes are completely staged, top to bottom.
They can claim what they want, but if those guys rolled onto a
highway without proper training in a semi they would be in jail
today. DOT does not have a sense of humor. Also there is no
way a TV insurance company would have allowed it - this is
the same insurance company that denied mythbusters to blow a
car off a runway with a 747 because "the plane might get
damaged." They may not have driven before, but they certainly
spent time behind the wheel before the cameras rolled.
I agree with nighthawk - it might have had a chance if the hosts
were a bit more believable, if the stunts were a bit more
intellectual, or if anyone on that show had the first clue about
automotive journalism. But without these, and the inability to
truly critique a sponsors product its doomed to fail. I watch
it on reruns, but I am certainly not going to cry when it gets
axed.
They should have stuck with Battle of the Supercars... At least it was based on realistic comparisons and it was fun to watch Paul Tracy diss Tanner... Bring back Paul Tracy at the very least...
