Top Gear, Series XII

[Pancake]

Starts Nov 2nd, BBC2 8pm.

 

Awesome.

 

While we're here, anyone caught any of the Australian version yet?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Gear_Australia

 

And I see that a USA version has been commissioned for next year too, again with 3 different presenters. Hope BBC2 airs these "spin offs" during the regular TG close season.

[swannymere]

Let's hope they've moved on from the 'car crash' that was the last series. JC isn't cool, he's a past it, middle aged man, telling watered down 70's jokes from a script so that all the middle-aged boy racers out there can have someone to aspire to. Apart from that it alright.

[Pancake]

Let's hope they've moved on from the 'car crash' that was the last series. JC isn't cool, he's a past it, middle aged man, telling watered down 70's jokes from a script so that all the middle-aged boy racers out there can have someone to aspire to. Apart from that it alright.

 

Can I suggest you watch this instead then?

[badgerx16]

The program is too obsessed with 'how many horses under the bonnet ?", "how far under 6 seconds for 0-60 ?", "how far over 120 mph will it go ?", all of which is completely pointless and irrelevant in a country where the maximum national speed limit is 70 mph, most journeys are less than 10 miles ( and travelled at less than 20 mph ), and most people actually want to know whether they can get three kids and a week's worth of shopping into a car that costs less than £x pounds a week to run and maintain.

 

All three presenters are parodies of themselves; JC should stick to dissing foreigners, particularly the French and the Yanks, it's far funnier.

[Pancake]

The program is too obsessed with 'how many horses under the bonnet ?", "how far under 6 seconds for 0-60 ?", "how far over 120 mph will it go ?", all of which is completely pointless and irrelevant in a country where the maximum national speed limit is 70 mph, most journeys are less than 10 miles ( and travelled at less than 20 mph ), and most people actually want to know whether they can get three kids and a week's worth of shopping into a car that costs less than £x pounds a week to run and maintain.

 

All three presenters are parodies of themselves; JC should stick to dissing foreigners, particularly the French and the Yanks, it's far funnier.

 

Not being funny, but I think you are missing the entire point of the show...

 

If you are after that kind of information, try Fifth Gear for Vroom Vroom.

[Johnny Shearer]

Like the show but JC has become a bit tiresome for my liking. Might have to check out the US and Oz versions though.

[swannymere]

Can I suggest you watch this instead then?

 

It's a third rate copy of Top Gear, Top Gear was at it's peak 5 or 6 years ago before it started targeting readers of Nuts and Zoo and becoming obsessed with celebrity. I would like to see the tv equivalent of EVO magazine, something that maybe isn't the 'coolest' or has 'mass-appeal' but an adult style of programme with big-words and boring engineering information, Where are the vehicle based programmes for those of us who like to fiddle with engines in our sheds?

[St Landrew]

Things to tack onto the present format that would improve Top Gear:

 

One proper serious road test of one car per programme, including apparently trivial things like looking under the bonnet and checking where the oil dipstick and water bottle are. Hey, they could even include the mpg/mpl fuel efficiency of the vehicle, as well as the performance.

 

Include some smaller affordable cars that are within the reach of Mr & Mrs Average Petrolhead, and not talk so much about, if it was my money I'd buy the £45,000 Merc over the £43,000 Beemer, type twaddle. I would imagine about 2% of Top Gear's viewers engage in that conversation seriously. Most of them are in the ...is it a Mondeo, Toyota or Honda for me..? bracket. They should reflect that.

 

It's an hour long programme - there's room for the more down to earth stuff.

 

Have to admit though, I'd love to see a Mark II version of the Reliant Robin rocket car again. That was superb, and tbh, it so nearly worked properly.

 

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_b4WzWFKQ20

 

As an added bonus, we'd have a certain volunteer in our very own MB.

Edited 23 October, 2008 by St Landrew

[badgerx16]

Not being funny, but I think you are missing the entire point of the show...

 

If you are after that kind of information, try Fifth Gear for Vroom Vroom.

Am I to assume that the show is therefore, in fact, a sophisticated p1ss-take aimed at the 'target audience' ? There are some funny bits, some entertaining bits, and a whole lot of Hamster acting like a retarded twelve year-old, Clarkson gurning like a new born infant as he passes 150 mph, and the other twit looking like a slightly eccentric academic who's been sleeping under a hedge.

[JustMike]

Let's hope they've moved on from the 'car crash' that was the last series. JC isn't cool, he's a past it, middle aged man, telling watered down 70's jokes from a script so that all the middle-aged boy racers out there can have someone to aspire to. Apart from that it alright.

 

i disagree, Top gear is awesome and cant wait for it to come back. Most of what they do is tongue in cheek, if you dont get it then watch newsnight instead

[saint lard]

Top Gear is great Television.

Very entertaining and humourous.

I know what the format is so hence i watch it,if you dont like the format,don't watch it and buy What car magazine or watch Fifth Gear.

All IMO.

[Weston Super Saint]

It's a third rate copy of Top Gear, Top Gear was at it's peak 5 or 6 years ago before it started targeting readers of Nuts and Zoo and becoming obsessed with celebrity. I would like to see the tv equivalent of EVO magazine, something that maybe isn't the 'coolest' or has 'mass-appeal' but an adult style of programme with big-words and boring engineering information, Where are the vehicle based programmes for those of us who like to fiddle with engines in our sheds?

 

Here you go...

 

http://www.i2itelevision.com/a-car-is-born.php

 

I believe you can even get the whole series on DVD...

 

http://www.play.com/Search.aspx?searchtype=allproducts&searchstring=A+Car+Is+Born&page=search&pa=search&source=5000&kwmid=8829585&kmcid=2326741256&match_type=

[Saint Paul C]

Don't watch the Aussie version - it's pants.

 

If it wasn't for downloads I'd loose my mind with the carp we have on TV down here.

[swannymere]

i disagree, Top gear is awesome and cant wait for it to come back. Most of what they do is tongue in cheek, if you dont get it then watch newsnight instead

 

If you don't get it? That's the cop-out phrase used by media types and kids when they have no ****ing clue

[badgerx16]

i disagree, Top gear is awesome and cant wait for it to come back. Most of what they do is tongue in cheek, if you dont get it then watch newsnight instead

I think I do get it, but more importantly, my licence fee pays for it !

[Ponty]

I think I do get it, but more importantly, my licence fee pays for it !

 

TG is the biggest grossing programme on the BBC , and is the most sold programme worldwide (from any country). I don't think you need to worry about where your fee is going, it makes far in excess of what it costs.

[badgerx16]

TG is the biggest grossing programme on the BBC , and is the most sold programme worldwide (from any country). I don't think you need to worry about where your fee is going, it makes far in excess of what it costs.

Do I get a refund then ?

[Colinjb]

The have Hakinninen on it this season, and they drive Trucks.

 

Can't wait, couldn't care less that it is no longer a serious car show, it is superb entertainment!

[Arizona]

The have Hakinninen on it this season, and they drive Trucks.

 

Can't wait, couldn't care less that it is no longer a serious car show, it is superb entertainment!

 

Is he (Hakkinen BTW) the F1 Star in a reasonably priced car or something else?

 

They have to get DC on it at some point now he is retiring. They've got pretty much all the other British F1 drivers still around. Irvine and Herbert would be good too.

[TopGun]

TG is the biggest grossing programme on the BBC , and is the most sold programme worldwide (from any country). I don't think you need to worry about where your fee is going, it makes far in excess of what it costs.

 

Not sure about that tbh. Wiki lists it as a top five BBC programme. Its rivals include The Natural Planet and Doctor Who. And as for most sold worldwide, I somehow think that Dallas will have grossed a fair bit more!

[Ponty]

Not sure about that tbh. Wiki lists it as a top five BBC programme. Its rivals include The Natural Planet and Doctor Who. And as for most sold worldwide, I somehow think that Dallas will have grossed a fair bit more!

 

Wiki eh?

 

I know a former researcher on the show and that's what they told me. Of course, they may have confused nett with gross. I'd imagine an episode of TG costs far less than The Natural Planet for example.

[TopGun]

Wiki eh?

 

I know a former researcher on the show and that's what they told me. Of course, they may have confused nett with gross. I'd imagine an episode of TG costs far less than The Natural Planet for example.

 

No doubt about that. But then you'd expect the Beeb to sell the Natural Planet with a higher price tag too. An interesting topic though. If I can be arsed I might dig through the BBC annual reports. If it ain't there and I get really motivated I might bung in a freedom of info request on the subject! As a guy who works in media it sounds as though it might make interesting reading in the wider media too.

[Ponty]

Yeah, go on, do it if you get five minutes (metaphorically speaking). It would be interested to see which shows nett the Beeb a few quid, and whether they need a license fee at all for that matter.

[TopGun]

Yeah, go on, do it if you get five minutes (metaphorically speaking). It would be interested to see which shows nett the Beeb a few quid, and whether they need a license fee at all for that matter.

 

Lol. I, for one, don't begrudge £135 a year to keep ads off the BBC. As an F1 guy, I'd think you feel the same despite your seemingly laissez-faire values. I'll concentrate on the show fees rather than the licence politics!

[Ponty]

I'm not sure how that enabled you to judge my values tbh.. regardless, I never said I begrudged paying it, I just wondered if it could actually be self-sufficient. Big difference.

 

As for F1, my feelings are mixed about it going over to the BBC. Yes, it'll be fantastic not to have a dozen ad breaks during the coverage, but the quality of the ITV show was far superior right from the off in 1997 to anything the BBC offered in all the years it had the rights. They do need to step up to the plate next year.

[TopGun]

I'm not sure how that enabled you to judge my values tbh.. regardless, I never said I begrudged paying it, I just wondered if it could actually be self-sufficient. Big difference.

 

As for F1, my feelings are mixed about it going over to the BBC. Yes, it'll be fantastic not to have a dozen ad breaks during the coverage, but the quality of the ITV show was far superior right from the off in 1997 to anything the BBC offered in all the years it had the rights. They do need to step up to the plate next year.

 

I believe that the licence fee (irrespective of how little or much it contributes to the overall BBC budget) enables the Corporation to set its self apart from any other media organisation in the world. Simply because it can claim it is not funded by commercial organisations who want a stake in what is broadcast and also because it is largely not seen as a government channel. It's an important foundation. It's neither Belarus State TV or Sky. It is like the Bank of England in effect, although its independence obviously precedes the BofE. I won't claim it is perfect either because, no doubt, in a time of emergency it would become a state channel. But it does a job and has a rep matched by no other broadcast company in the world.

 

As for F1, ITV's stuff was clearly better despite ads than the outgoing BBC at the time. BBC had been complacent. Now I imagine the BBC will be up to the plate as Bernie demands.

[Ponty]

Fair comment re. the Beeb.

[TopGun]

I forgot to mention how I had judged your laissez faire views. That's something that I just take from some of your views over the last two years or so on the TSF lounge where you have made numerous "large government" comments. I'm fine with your point of view but thought I had better explain my perception of you!

 

Incidentally, I once met Bernie in a pub in Knightsbridge called the Swag & Tails, which is/was apparently his local. I worked near there years ago and went in a few times but he was only there the once when I was there. Small pub and I was having a meal (expensive) but we had a quick chat at the bar and he seemed at home with other locals there! Almost friendly!

[Ponty]

I forgot to mention how I had judged your laissez faire views. That's something that I just take from some of your views over the last two years or so on the TSF lounge where you have made numerous "large government" comments. I'm fine with your point of view but thought I had better explain my perception of you!

 

Incidentally, I once met Bernie in a pub in Knightsbridge called the Swag & Tails, which is/was apparently his local. I worked near there years ago and went in a few times but he was only there the once when I was there. Small pub and I was having a meal (expensive) but we had a quick chat at the bar and he seemed at home with other locals there! Almost friendly!

 

Am I to take it that your perception is that I think we should 'do nothing' about injustices served by the Government or, indeed, about the Government in its entirety? "Laissez Faire", to me, means a 'leave well alone' attitude, and it's fair to say that I'm somewhat of a 'if it's not broke don't fix it' person, but not on important issues.

[St Landrew]

Starts Nov 2nd, BBC2 8pm.

 

Awesome.

 

While we're here, anyone caught any of the Australian version yet?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Gear_Australia

 

And I see that a USA version has been commissioned for next year too, again with 3 different presenters. Hope BBC2 airs these "spin offs" during the regular TG close season.

 

Finally got round to watching a bit of Top Gear Australia:

 

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hkdWXL1ekwc

 

Only the first bit, and it's a quiet, uncertain start because the expectation levels are both high, and slightly unknown. One question has been answered though, because earlier in the MotoGP season, Steve Parrish's commentator partner, Charlie Cox was absent for a few races. Now CC isn't the healthiest of blokes, and I thought he was under the weather at the time. Fact was, he was just Down Under, presenting this series. If CC can keep up the banter that he uses during his MotoGP commentaries, then I'm sure TGA will be a success. Just find a couple of other presenters to go with him.

 

Mind you, it's not aimed at us, is it..!

[Pancake]

Finally got round to watching a bit of Top Gear Australia:

 

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hkdWXL1ekwc

 

Only the first bit, and it's a quiet, uncertain start because the expectation levels are both high, and slightly unknown. One question has been answered though, because earlier in the MotoGP season, Steve Parrish's commentator partner, Charlie Cox was absent for a few races. Now CC isn't the healthiest of blokes, and I thought he was under the weather at the time. Fact was, he was just Down Under, presenting this series. If CC can keep up the banter that he uses during his MotoGP commentaries, then I'm sure TGA will be a success. Just find a couple of other presenters to go with him.

 

Mind you, it's not aimed at us, is it..!

 

Thats not too bad, a few too many "holy cow"s for my liking, but watchable. Do hope the beeb pick up the option to show it in the UK between the UK TG's.

[Colinjb]

Is he (Hakkinen BTW) the F1 Star in a reasonably priced car or something else?

 

They have to get DC on it at some point now he is retiring. They've got pretty much all the other British F1 drivers still around. Irvine and Herbert would be good too.

 

Thanks, I always balls up spelling that.