Top Gear USA

[BLUEVIPER]

I am a loyal watcher of the original TOP GEAR. That show is just awesome...the right mix of personalities and car stuff. An episode does not go by that does not make you laugh and lust for the driving experience. This US version is just awful! I did not expect much since the hosts have no character... The US version needed to be TOP GEAR'sh but unique...it is not. It just seems like a cheap rip-off of the original.

 

[Big Al]

I wish I could comment but it was not on the History channel in Ontario, Can. Or at least I could not find it. Bell satelite does not have as good a search tool as VCA.

 

[slysnake]

I hate those staged events. They act like the chopper "finds" them, but you never wonder why they are sitting on a bridge doing nothing with ground cameras set up already. And neither of those guys had a cell phone with GPS?

Yes, staged all the way. I think they wanted to re-create a video game type scenerio. Does it seem funny that they got "lost" in a cemetary? The bridge scene? The country road scene?The needed places the chopper could fly low. The Viper could have hit it's brakes many times and the chopper would have flown right by. It was just an entertainment section and nothing more should be read into it.

But it really DID show the Viper in a positive light. Something I don't think the English version ever did. You do still hear the old platitudes, "rough", "unrefined", etc.

 

[ticketmered]

I had a grin from ear to ear the whole time the Viper was on. WhileI dod agree the chase was somewhat staged, it was very entertaining.
I was also glad to see they used the ACR as the benchmark by which all other cars will be judged on the track. Since I am in SoCal I will be looking for tickets to the show.
To add more thing on the comment that this was a rip off of the Brittish version; yes it was and will continue to be until the producers refine it; I will still watch it.
Very entertaining and too bad it was not on a major network; interesting to see how it would do against other shows.

 

[TrackAire]

Staged.....you guys think a Viper vs a Cobra helicopter match is staged? Duh.

For those not familiar with the Cobra, it could have shot the Viper at any time, from any angle, through the tree, bridge etc multiple times before the car even got out of the airport. Even if you slam on the brakes, the Cobra can spin around, fly backwards and blow your ass to ashes.

All the skits that the Brit version does are staged, they are all edited and written to be entertaining. The only thing that should not be staged is the timed laps, and even those are edited for good footage. They might have done 30 laps with the ACR, but you only see one and it could be bits of multiple laps to make for good video....all that matters is that the one best lap time is what goes up on the board.

My whole family was roaring with laughter when the one host Adam was doing the mile run in the Lambo and yelled out the F-bomb with every gear shift...also describing that driving the Lambo is like "being aroused with a loaded gun pointed at you" is very Clarkson like and funny.

These guys need to sell commercials to stay on the air. If the show is not entertaining, they won't have a chance. I'm pleasantly shocked that the 3 hosts worked as well as they did together. After all, the cars are cool, but the chemistry between the hosts is what's going to make the system work.

Cheers,
George

 

[ViperTony]

HA! The ACR still crapped on all of em them lambos. $110k car beat a half million dollar one. love it!

I have to say, what a great way to kick off the program by having the ACR set the benchmark on the track. Very cool! Viper is finally getting some lovin'.

 

[Kevan]

My whole family was roaring with laughter when the one host Adam was doing the mile run in the Lambo and yelled out the F-bomb with every gear shift...also describing that driving the Lambo is like "being aroused with a loaded gun pointed at you" is very Clarkson like and funny.

Agreed.
The F-bomb-per-shift had me cracking up.

Tanner's a decent driver, but when you put him in something as "brutal" and "unrefined" as a Viper, you can tell his driving skills have come to rely on ESP and TC, at least in certain conditions.

The writing is ROUGH. I prefer the unscripted banter between the hosts.
The look is 100% TG-UK. The editing, the camera angles, filters, etc. That stuff is all fine.
HELP THE WRITERS!!!

On that same point, DON'T TRY TO BE CLARKSON/HAMSTER/CAPT.SLOW!!!
You are not and won't ever be. Their delivery and chemistry has been honed over years. You guys are going on a couple of days. Relax and it will come, but only with time. DO NOT force it or try to make it into something it can't be.

DO NOT try to employ British humor on a US show. It will not work.

Anyone who believes that the challenges (UK or US) are not staged and brutally edited should turn off their TV and contact me immediately. I have a couple of bridges you may be interested in.

My one minus mark: The Stig.
Give him a new name/persona. "The Clutch", "Billy Bearing", "The Diff", "Header" "Chunk". Something other than "The Stig".
Why? Because 'stig' is 100% Clarkson. It's the term the headmaster at his school used to describe the students.
Get him a different look too. Maybe have one of those guys that do goalie masks paint his helmet....

I'm not detesting the show, but I'm not raving about it either. I'm patient and will give it a few episodes.

Not that my choices make any kind of difference; I DVR'd all of the "Cavemen" episodes.

 

[KWIK96]

I give it whatever episodes are in the can...then bye bye

As Kevan noted, the whole thing is too staged, too stiff and looked like an amateur theatrical groups version of a popular show.
I found myself using the F Bomb also. I know who Tanner is, but Who The F Bomb are the other two?

 

[DodgeViper01]

I luckily got to watch because my friend Slavik sent me the text. The Viper segment playing tag was not that great even as much as I love the Viper but they redeemed themselves a bit once they did the Lamborghini segment and the celebrity driving part was not too bad either. Still does not hold a candle to British version but better than I thought it would be when factoring in the second segment. I think it is too early to tell how it will be long term but I will watch to see. I know they wanted to really go for the Top Gear atmosphere but they should have just called it something different and it might have worked perfectly.

 

[BAD BOYZZ GARAGE]

ACR 1:22.0

Yeah Baby!!

P.S. We need to find out the indentity of the mystery man "STIG"

 

[Leslie]

ACR 1:22.0

Yeah Baby!!

P.S. We need to find out the indentity of the mystery man "STIG"

Lemans racer Ben Collins

 

[Cop Magnet]

The thing about the European personalities is that they each have a following, and that fosters the playful rivalry the guys have on the show. I can't imagine anyone really "rooting" for any of these 3 in any car shoot-outs.

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Too bad they didn't show under the hood of the car in the auditorium --- they would have seen a Bad Boyzz Garage set of headers !!!

 

[PaViper]

ACR 1:22.0

Yeah Baby!!

P.S. We need to find out the indentity of the mystery man "STIG"

I think it was Ralph.....

 

[Danno]

It was better than what I was expecting. The original is good because of the personalities and cinematography. Like him or not, Tanner was a shoe in for the show and I hope that the other 2 guys grow on me. There was talk of Adam Corolla (big car guy and funny) of doing the show and he would have been perfect. It was the best Viper show I have ever seen. If us Viperologist's werent in love with the show last night then I bet the corvetteforum must have really hated it.

 

[Viperless]

I am a loyal watcher of the original TOP GEAR. That show is just awesome...the right mix of personalities and car stuff. An episode does not go by that does not make you laugh and lust for the driving experience. This US version is just awful! I did not expect much since the hosts have no character... The US version needed to be TOP GEAR'sh but unique...it is not. It just seems like a cheap rip-off of the original.

You'll never top the UK Top Gear. Some of the stuff they do is hysterical. Some of it unbelievably unsafe and would never fly over here. I was surprised that US Top Gear was a near 100% port of the UK version. That's unfortunate. Only thing that saved the first episode was the Vipers. Actually I was amazed at the amount of hardware they had including a freaking Cobra helicopter. How they managed to pull that off I'll never know. The interview with Buzz Aldrin was painful at best. Hope they make some changes along the way to make it their own otherwise I doubt it will last.

 

[BLUEVIPER]

VIPERLESS...in 100% agreement..

 

[ViperGTS]

WHO has a copy for the rest of us?

 

[Makara]

On that same point, DON'T TRY TO BE CLARKSON/HAMSTER/CAPT.SLOW!!!
You are not and won't ever be. Their delivery and chemistry has been honed over years. You guys are going on a couple of days. Relax and it will come, but only with time. DO NOT force it or try to make it into something it can't be.

DO NOT try to employ British humor on a US show. It will not work.

My one minus mark: The Stig.
Give him a new name/persona. "The Clutch", "Billy Bearing", "The Diff", "Header" "Chunk". Something other than "The Stig".
Why? Because 'stig' is 100% Clarkson. It's the term the headmaster at his school used to describe the students.
Get him a different look too. Maybe have one of those guys that do goalie masks paint his helmet....

The Stig thing got on my nerves too. Just do something else, come up with another name. The Stig is Clarkson's thing and when Tanner actually said "Thhheee Stig" with a Clarkson impression, my ears hurt a little.

As for the British Humor on US tv. It would be great if it were British people doing it. Having US guys try to copy humor they don't understand doesn't work. Is it me or is everyone in pretty much complete agreement that they should just play the UK Top Gear episodes here without delaying them a year or whatever they wait.

 

[BAD BOYZZ GARAGE]

Too bad they didn't show under the hood of the car in the auditorium --- they would have seen a Bad Boyzz Garage set of headers !!!

You meen Bill Pemberton and Mark Jorgensons Fine Woodhouse Motorsports Work In " NASTY BLACK " Just like Billy got's under the Hood of His Venom Red ACR Attack Snake (Porsche Killer)!

 

[Dom426h]

I could never watch TopGearUK, its just so bloody Corny.

This american one definitely got off to a nice start with the vipers(Gen4, 1.33edi, & ACR) but i assume the show will go downhill from here(for me) especailly after seeing the corny standing mile shootout with the lambo's. Really??? is that how you decide who has the best lambo? Another thought: Helmets??? Where are they??? What about the children????

I can see how the show could be very appealing to the average poser carguys & wannabes.
No offense if you love the show

 

[Pythonpete]

I haven't had a chance to watch the episode yet, it is Tivo'd but I do know that the Lamborghini forum is up in arms that a Viper beat their cars!!

 

[BAD BOYZZ GARAGE]

Lemans racer Ben Collins

Thanks Leslie for the info & have a great Thanksgiving with your special ones!

Toddy

 

[Neil - UK]

Ben was one the Stigs TG used over the years, they use several drivers, he came out and wrote a book, went to court against the BBC to get it released, he won, but he's now is off the TG series. They are searching for a new Stig for the next series

Why The Stig Ben Collins unmasked himself: £1m losses and frustrated ambition | Mail Online

The Man in the White Suit: Amazon.co.uk: Ben Collins: Books

The next series of TG isnt due for a while. but they are now filming a xmas special

Ben now is a presenter on the new series of 5th gear, he gets to speak now

 

[eucharistos]

....but I do know that the Lamborghini forum is up in arms that a Viper beat their cars!!

 

[JonB]

Why would anyone think for a nano-second that it was NOT staged and scripted?

Of COURSE it was, but in such a way that it had me grinning or laughing out loud, and PROUD to be a Viper and ACR owner. Entertaining! But the lap-times are pure REALITY, to provide some 'cred' to the over-the-top scripted themes.

Did anyone NOT see the Cobra Daytona, and initailly ASSume that would be the comparo? The UH-1 stripper surprised me...and to have the TWS in the Viper was great fun, but 1000% staged. A UH-1 would indeed incinerate any auto it chose, within 360-degrees and 2 miles.

I watch the BBC version regulary, and to call it a "rip off" is to not understand that it is an exact copy.....intentionally, right down to set furnishings. Some of the most successful USA and USReality TV is a duplicate of UK TV. For decades.

It repeats twice Tuesday 11/23 and twice Friday, 11/26. MUST WATCH !!

I agree with TMred, below:

I had a grin from ear to ear the whole time the Viper was on. While I did agree the chase was somewhat staged, it was very entertaining.
I was also glad to see they used the ACR as the benchmark by which all other cars will be judged on the track. Since I am in SoCal I will be looking for tickets to the show.
To add more thing on the comment that this was a rip off of the Brittish version; yes it was and will continue to be until the producers refine it; I will still watch it.
Very entertaining and too bad it was not on a major network; interesting to see how it would do against other shows.

SOUNDS LIKE A SoCal Sidewinders EVENT IN THE MAKING....... SIDEWINDERS???

 

[my viper]

I doubt Ben Collins is the US Stig. Overall, decent episode. Can't tell if I like it or not yet, but loved the vipers on the show. I thought the viper lap could've been faster too, as some stated. Wonder how discussion on the corvette forums is, lol.

Full episode on streetfire for those who didn't see it;

top gear usa new se1 ep1 - Car Videos on StreetFire

 

[G-Fulm]

Top Gear — History.com Videos

 

[shooter_t1]

Why would anyone think for a nano-second that it was NOT staged and scripted?

Of COURSE it was, but in such a way that it had me grinning or laughing out loud, and PROUD to be a Viper and ACR owner. Entertaining! But the lap-times are pure REALITY, to provide some 'cred' to the over-the-top scripted themes.

Did anyone NOT see the Cobra Daytona, and initailly ASSume that would be the comparo? The UH-1 stripper surprised me...and to have the TWS in the Viper was great fun, but 1000% staged. A UH-1 would indeed incinerate any auto it chose, within 360-degrees and 2 miles.

I watch the BBC version regulary, and to call it a "rip off" is to not understand that it is an exact copy.....intentionally, right down to set furnishings. Some of the most successful USA and USReality TV is a duplicate of UK TV. For decades.

It repeats twice Tuesday 11/23 and twice Friday, 11/26. MUST WATCH !!

I agree with TMred, below:




SOUNDS LIKE A SoCal Sidewinders EVENT IN THE MAKING....... SIDEWINDERS???

Hey JonB,
A UH-1 (Utility Helicopter)is a Huey, An AH-1 (Attack Helicopter) is a Cobra

 

[BLUEVIPER]

John B...Idol may have made it big here....but I doubt that this series will even make it past a year with this cast...there just is no chemistry....Idol had Simon...TG US has nonbody!
I can't disagree the Viper episode was great ...any show featuring Vipers is great...but Tanner has trashed the Viper in the past...and I'm trashing this show now...it STINKS! DC