[mbare]

I had watched a few episodes years ago, liked it but lost touch. When I returned to the States I got Netflix and started watching it again. Just finished all of the seasons they offer.

If you've never seen it, it's an incredibly entertaining show. You also see the alpha (Clarkson), beta (James May) and omega (Hammond) at work. Interesting to watch their dynamic.

Any other Top Gear fans on here?

Jeremy Clarkson owns a Ford GT40. Good god I love that car.


   

[Suits]

It's a great show, been watching it on occasion for years.

However, I do tire of the constant talk about expensive cars as if they are just every day things.

I'm probably going to end up being in the minority about this, but I consider it a bit dickish to spend whole minutes on air comparing expensive car collections with guests.

Cool, you've made it big, but how does one man really need a dozen or more cars?

[tylerdurden1993]

Top Gears a good show im from the UK and watch it regularly. I don't know why you have analysed the presenters in such terms as alpha, beta and omega. They're just 3 middle aged guys who have good banter and like to take the piss out of each other and it makes for very funny viewing especially when they play pranks on each other.
Im not really a car man myself but just watch the show for the challenges that they do because they're normally hilarious.

[Teedub]

I think James May is actually pretty cool. He's very dry and cutting, Clarkson is the loveable oaf and Richard Hammond is a middle aged bloke who desperately wants to be 'cool'. He's pretty irritating.

[porscheguy]

IIRC, Top Gear is one of the most watched shows IN THE WORLD. There's nothing beta or omega about being one of the three main cast members on it. One of my favorite episodes was when they drove 3 shit heaps through the US southeast. They wound up giving the cars away to people who were displaced by Katrina in New Orleans.

[mbare]

(02-05-2014 08:19 PM)tylerdurden1993 Wrote:  

Top Gears a good show im from the UK and watch it regularly. I don't know why you have analysed the presenters in such terms as alpha, beta and omega. They're just 3 middle aged guys who have good banter and like to take the piss out of each other and it makes for very funny viewing especially when they play pranks on each other.
Im not really a car man myself but just watch the show for the challenges that they do because they're normally hilarious.

Yeah, for sure. I enjoy the pranks, humor, and everything about the show. Hell, I'd put it in my top shows of all time list.

As far as Clarkson being the alpha of the group...was just an aside/observation. Didn't mean to detract from how great the show is.

Suits, yeah I suppose a lot of people have complaints about them going on about expensive cars. It's fun to dream. I love cars, so watching them tear around a track or drive down to Spain doesn't bother me personally.

Porscheguy, yep! That is one of my favorites (cow on top of the car), as well as when they did their India special.

[liberman]

Huge fan of Top Gear, its probably the only show on TV that I regularly watch. Its a very un PC show and there is always controversy surrounding it, which in todays climate is usually a good indication of quality.
Some clips.

[DJ-Matt]

(02-05-2014 09:00 PM)porscheguy Wrote:  

IIRC, Top Gear is one of the most watched shows IN THE WORLD. There's nothing beta or omega about being one of the three main cast members on it. One of my favorite episodes was when they drove 3 shit heaps through the US southeast. They wound up giving the cars away to people who were displaced by Katrina in New Orleans.

One of my favorite episodes!

It doesn't really bother me that they talk a lot of expensive cars, it's a British show so even the "moderately priced car" is something we Americans can't buy here anyway!

[paninaro]

They have a US version of the show also -- it's on the History Channel. The hosts are American, and they drive cars you are able to buy in America (so no Peugeot as the reasonably priced car.. actually I think they dropped that segment entirely). I much prefer the UK version, though the one thing going for the US version is one of the hosts (Tanner Foust) is actually a professional race car driver, so he can really drive a car to its limits. On the UK version, they usually call in the Stig for that.

[RexImperator]

One of my favorite shows of all time when I had cable. Really enjoyed the motorcycle trip up the length of Vietnam and driving across Botswana episodes.

[Chowder Head]

BBC fired Clarkson. It looks like May and Hammond won't continue with the show without him.

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-32052736

[NilNisiOptimum]

The bbc article mentions that Hammond's and May's contracts are up for renewal this year too. I imagine it's unlikely they'll stay without Clarkson. My money is on the three of them making a similar show on Netflix.

[Pinocchio]

Sky will snap them up

[DJ-Matt]

BBC broke old showbiz rules, the talent is ALWAYS right, they just fucked over a very profitable show.

The comments section is hilarious:
   

[MikeS]

I can't imagine Top Gear without Clarkson, May and Hammond. I haven't watched the US and AUS versions, but every opinion I've heard about them suggest they are very bland in comparison to the original.

Let's hope they do indeed get a new show together somewhere else. The specials - Vietnam, South America, Africa etc. - are usually my favourite episodes though, and perhaps the budget for those would not be available on eg. Netflix.

[NilNisiOptimum]

Was talking about this with friends last night and there are a couple questions that need to be answered if a new show is to happen:

1) Who owns The Stig? Is he a trademarked character like Mickey Mouse? If Stig is bbc property, how would they go about power laps?

2) what about the test track? Fans know Chicago, Hammerhead, Follow Through, and Gambon as much as the hosts.

So a new show isn't impossible but there's a couple questions that need to be answered.

[WestIndianArchie]

In America, they would have fired the staff member.

Score one for the little guy, except by firing Clarkson, the show ends, and the little guy is without a job.

Its like the world is one long Charlie Brown episode.

WIA

[Foolsgo1d]

Clarkson is Top Gear. He made it what it was alongside Hammond and May.

Its like changing the characters of Sesame street with some other set of characters overnight and then say to the audience, "see, Just the same!" In fact Sky wants Top Gear but not Clarkson. Arrogant bastards they are.

[RexImperator]

Yeah, his arrogance is what drives the humor on that show.

I do think either the Botswana race or the Vietnam motorcycle trip was my favorite episode. So many laughs in many of them, though.

Edit: making that stupid 3-wheeled car into a space shuttle and launching it...epic.

[Haig]

i heard a rumor that Netflix is planning to offer all three of them the chance to do a "top gear" style show.

the guys would have free reign in my opinion if they did decide to work with Netflix.

[kmhour]

Clarkson and an old buddy (the producer) sold the rights back to the BBC, so I would think the name, the Stig, segments like Star in a Reasonably Priced Car, and some of the older intellectual property (Cool Wall for example) will all remain the BBC's property. I wouldn't be surprised to see the trio end up with Sky or Netflix as others have suggested.

Personally I've been a TG fan for years, and while Jeremy's bombast is part of his persona, I think there's a natural limit to how long it can go (could have gone) before it starts to get a bit repetitive. In a way this might have been a good thing, ending before it got stale.

And frankly if it's true that he was taking advantage of a subordinate by ripping him for something that wasn't even his fault, then punched the guy, any normal employer is not left with much of a choice at that point. It wasn't like Clarkson didn't know he was on thin ice after some of the previous (and recent) controversies. Maybe he needed to come back down to earth a bit, if he was that full of himself to lose his shit over a hot dinner.

[swuglyfe]

The Hammerhead i-Eagle Thrust and Burma specials were probably my favorites. Clarkson was a true alpha, if you saw the shit he said and got away with. Never afraid to speak his mind. EVER. He was always just sorry for getting caught. Now the show will get staffed by some extremely PC guys and hopefully wither away. I really want these three together again somewhere else. If there is anything just in the universe.

[JustlookingForAGoodTime]

Absolutely cannot stand the US version!

One bit that is one of my favorites was when Clarkson did Laguna Seca in a NSX on a Playstation then went to California to try to do it in real life. Was funny as hell seeing him experience the Corkscrew up close.

[RexImperator]

I agree the U.S. version sucks.

"Fiona Bruce has got quite a nice bottom."

"I'm nursing a semi right now."

^^^ some of my favorite Clarkson-isms

[spokepoker]

So... when can I buy that hilux in the studio room? That was my favorite episode.