Top Gear America (History Channel)

**scheides** · 11-21-2010

Anyone watching/watch it? Buzz Aldrin was pretty neat, but the interview was pretty short & sweet. The whole production kinda seems to be truely americanized version of the British show: cuts to the chase, not as fully developed, but still pretty neat.

Febo · 11-21-2010

I'm watching it with my box of kleenex next to me... i think i've JIMP'd at least 43 times between the Viper, the Cobra gunship, and now the Lambo's.

**scheides** · 11-21-2010

The viper thing was kinda poorly done imho but the lambo scene was very well done. Lots of way awesome sounds!

Febo · 11-21-2010

Out of the whole viper bit, I think it was just sweet to see that car in any sort of action other than straight line. Plus, I've always loved the Cobra gunships, and getting to see one in action again was cool stuff.

Speedfreak · 11-21-2010

Thought it was fairly poorly ripped off. Not that impressed, and not that funny/entertaining. The real Top Gear is cars, cool/nutty stuff, and three guys that play well off each other. This one looks too forced and the chemistry just isn't there.

Cool cars are easy to do, being entertaining isn't. Will I still watch? Yeah, but know that it will not stack up to the OG show.

311evo · 11-22-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Speedfreak

Thought it was fairly poorly ripped off. Not that impressed, and not that funny/entertaining. The real Top Gear is cars, cool/nutty stuff, and three guys that play well off each other. This one looks too forced and the chemistry just isn't there.

Cool cars are easy to do, being entertaining isn't. Will I still watch? Yeah, but know that it will not stack up to the OG show.

I will say at first I didn't like it at all compared to the BBC version. Then I remembered it's the first episode. They're not going to be able to do all of the cool witty inside-joke stuff that the other one has for a while. The comedy in the original show didn't really shine for a couple seasons IMO.

Maybe the American one will get there in time, but I don't think they'll ever have the British "charm". I'm definitely liking the celebrity part more. Finally more than one person I know per season.

rose0529 · 11-22-2010

We watched it was well last night, I thought it was decent, agreed that it didnt seem to have the charm/chemistry but that will hopefully come with time.

The interview was cool but seemed short.

Quote:

Originally Posted by scheides

The viper thing was kinda poorly done imho but the lambo scene was very well done. Lots of way awesome sounds!

I agree with this, the viper seen to me seemed ... "set up" to me, like the locations where they were trying to dodge the cobra seemed scripted.

**mlomker** · 11-22-2010

I liked it and will definitely watch it. I've never watched the British version so maybe that helps. lol.

polishmafia · 11-22-2010

I enjoyed it. Of course its not up to par with the UK version, but it was only the first episode. And LOL @ it seemed scripted. Well duh, they aren't going to allow a military helicopter fly and chase a Viper through residential neighborhoods.

BriK · 11-22-2010

It seemed a bit more restrained--probably due to American television, not to mention the History channel-- and the hosts don't interact well (yet) which really makes the UK version.

Still, I like that they came out of the gate with the big muscle. And it showcased just how good of a driver Tanner Foust is-- I'm jealous.

rose0529 · 11-22-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by polishmafia

I enjoyed it. Of course its not up to par with the UK version, but it was only the first episode. And LOL @ it seemed scripted. Well duh, they aren't going to allow a military helicopter fly and chase a Viper through residential neighborhoods.

but so much more scripted than when UK Top Gear does stunts like that. Seemed choppy, like it was cut and edited alot. Just didn't flow together very well. It also seemed like the annoucers were reading straight from a script... I'm sure the UK ones are too, but they do a better job hiding it. I'm sure that will get better as they get more comfortable too. That said I will be watching it for sure.

mondale · 11-22-2010

I liked it, but I also haven't watch the British one very much. I think they came out with some very nice cars and a lot of action, I just hope that they didn't pull out all the shots on the first episode. I will be watching next week to see if there is a decline in quality, we will see.

DoughtCom · 11-22-2010

Has anyone watched the Australian version too? It started showing up in the newsgroups, if you have a way of downloading it or watching it I recommend that too, it's about on par with what the US version is.

BriK · 11-22-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoughtCom

Has anyone watched the Australian version too? It started showing up in the newsgroups, if you have a way of downloading it or watching it I recommend that too, it's about on par with what the US version is.

Torrents for Top Gear UK, Australia, and US can all be found on www.FinalGear.com.

DoughtCom · 11-22-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by BriK

Torrents for Top Gear UK, Australia, and US can all be found on www.FinalGear.com.

That's weird that only the 3rd season of the Australian show is on that site as well. I figured they just didn't show up on newsgroups, would be interesting to find the first two seasons. Or maybe Australians just count from three up

TwoTalons · 11-22-2010

Love the UK verison. US version, not so much. But we'll see, maybe it will get better. They need to do something to make it their own or it won't last. Nearly 100% port of the UK version isn't going to work.

Interview with Buzz was painful at best.

Incredible amount of hardware on the show including the Cobra helicopter. How they managed to pull that off I'll never know.

Viper ACR kicked the snot out of the Italian made things. Loved seeing America's best sports car finally getting some well deserved recognition.

tpunx99GSX · 11-22-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by 311evo

I will say at first I didn't like it at all compared to the BBC version. Then I remembered it's the first episode. They're not going to be able to do all of the cool witty inside-joke stuff that the other one has for a while. The comedy in the original show didn't really shine for a couple seasons IMO.

Maybe the American one will get there in time, but I don't think they'll ever have the British "charm". I'm definitely liking the celebrity part more. Finally more than one person I know per season.

Theres no comparing the british and the american versions.
The first couple seasons of the brit show were actually very good, Tiff Needle is the shit, that guy can drive like no other.
When they revamped the show without Tiff, it took a bit to get used to it. but they really blasted off. I love top gear (british version) Havent seen the american version, an honestly dont think i really want to.

**Shane@DBPerformance** · 11-24-2010

I hope it gets better. The 2 other guys besides Foust seem to have too little car/driving experience and maybe Foust is too good of a driver to put in with them. I thought the Viper vs Helicopter thing was lame, especially for the first segment ever. Did they have to say "Big star in a small car" over and over and over? I hope they don't explain the track and have that map up every episode. The dialogue seemed a bit stiff, but it should get better. I don't know if them comparing Lambo's against each other instead of against their competition is a sign that they won't be bashing cars like they do on the BBC version, if that is true, then the show is going to suck. When do we get a race from Mpls to Chicago versus a plane?

tpunx99GSX · 11-24-2010

i still <3 this episode. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7Azl-drqMk cant beat the classic.

**cmspaz** · 11-24-2010

A buddy of mine from LA was at one of the later episodes, and one of the features had something to do with a X GSR, Tanner asked about Evo owners in the audience and he was the only one. Apparently they will get better as time goes on.