Top Gear America on the History Channel

rakkvet

rakkvet

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So I've watched 3 episodes of this new show and have 1 unwatched on the DVR. On it's own it is not a horrible show; but, in my opinion as Top Gear they missed the boat completely.

The BBC show is about cars. What makes it a great show is how ridiculous these older guys behave around the cars and toward each other. That's funny stuff. The chemistry of James May, Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond is great.

The chemistry between the guys on the American show is pathetic. The Rutledge guy is the only one I would keep. I would fire the other 2 guys or at least have the guy from New York just do crazy stuff and not hardly talk. Tanner Foust is like cardboard. He's gotta go. I would replace him with Stacey David from Gearz or even the Junkman from YouTube.

Just my $.02. I love car shows but am really dissapointed by this one.

Tim
 
Give it some time before comparing it to the UK's Top Gear. They've had over a decade to build chemistry, US TG has had a couple months. Check out the earlier UK TG's and you'll find it wasn't so great back then either...
 
Parts of the show are very good and others arent soo good. They seem to be getting better as they go. They just need some time to gel it seems like. They also dont seem like "car" guys. My favorite part has been the Raptor so far this yr.
 
This show is stinks accept for the cars and trucks and the guy from RESCUE ME that show on fx keep him and bring over THE CREW FROM TOP GEAR UK FOR A FEW SHOWS.
 
I want to like the show, I really do.

I dont compare it to the UK show, because IMHO its perfect.

The issues I have with the US show is:

1) It feels completely scripted.
2) The bloody laugh track in the studio scenes.
3) The production levels are not up to par. (Why did they not use the same team as the UK show, they have had 15 seasons to find out what works so well)
4) The hosts. Im not comparing them to the 3 on UK, but I wish they would at least mesh some and have some character. I really just feel they could of done some better picking with them. I own all the seasons of the UK top gear, and on the first episode, while they are not who they are now (especially since James was not on it yet), it was no where near as stiff and lifeless feeling.

I was not expecting UK top gear going into this, but I did not feel it was going to be this bad either.

Really a shame.
 
efini said:
Give it some time before comparing it to the UK's Top Gear. They've had over a decade to build chemistry, US TG has had a couple months. Check out the earlier UK TG's and you'll find it wasn't so great back then either...
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I agree. Come on guys give the US Top Gear show a shot for a little bit.
The UK Top gear was terrible in the first season as well. I really love cars and learning more about them and this is, as I see it, America's last chance at a decent car show. If this show flops in the first season, who knows when there will be another attempt, so PLEASE lets give it a chance! Its better than 99% of the crap they show on the history channel at least, aliens and big foot most of the time haha.
 
Ha ha, I was going to start a thread about how lame this show is, but you beat me to it. And one of the things I was going to say was:

reality33 said:
1) It feels completely scripted.
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As someone else said, they don't seem like car guys...but there they are driving some supercar and reading a script that some car guy wrote...lame.

I've only ever seen little bits here and there of the BBC show, but this one isn't even as entertaining as that Motor Week show on PBS that has hosts as exciting as Al Gore.
 
If I hadn't seen the UK show, I would think more of the US version. If it's "American" top Gear, why do they have that POS Suzuki? Should have been a Focus. The UK test track seems much more technical and camera friendly to me. The chemistry between the guys will need some time to really come together, Clarkson, "Capt. Slow" and Hammond have been at it a long time, so I'm giving the US crew a break here. Oh yeah, American Stig looks like a midget... maybe it's Mark Martin?
 
Setec Astronomy said:
As someone else said, they don't seem like car guys...but there they are driving some supercar and reading a script that some car guy wrote...lame.

I've only ever seen little bits here and there of the BBC show, but this one isn't even as entertaining as that Motor Week show on PBS that has hosts as exciting as Al Gore.
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Tanner Foust is most definitely a car guy, he just lacks eloquence in his words and has not the most entertaining personality to be the star of a tv show. Rutledge Wood seems genuinely enthused about cars, but he just doesn't know that much about them or how to explain the little intricacies of the cars that they're reviewing.
 
zliegen said:
Tanner Foust is most definitely a car guy, he just lacks eloquence in his words and has not the most entertaining personality to be the star of a tv show. Rutledge Wood seems genuinely enthused about cars, but he just doesn't know that much about them or how to explain the little intricacies of the cars that they're reviewing.
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Agreed totally. I think the problem is they just need to find hosts that will make the show work -- the current crop is lacking IMO. Tanner Foust can stay, as he kind of has a Richard Hammond-like approach. The other two have no business hosting a car show.
 
I'll still watch it. I just feel it shouldn't have been called Top Gear.

There are still some pretty cool car shows on U.S. television. I enjoy watching Chop Cut Rebuild, Chasing Classic Cars, PowerBlock and Gearz(when it's not in endless rerun.)

I think 2 Guys Garage and Truck U could both be better shows. They feel like infomercials. I actually liked watching the Mike Phillips and Autogeek detailing stuff better than the rest of the show.

I'm a car junkie so I really shouldn't complain. I'm looking forward to What's in Your Garage.
 
zliegen said:
I agree. Come on guys give the US Top Gear show a shot for a little bit.
The UK Top gear was terrible in the first season as well. I really love cars and learning more about them and this is, as I see it, America's last chance at a decent car show. If this show flops in the first season, who knows when there will be another attempt, so PLEASE lets give it a chance! Its better than 99% of the crap they show on the history channel at least, aliens and big foot most of the time haha.
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I tried this when the Australian Top Gear came out ... it didn't get better.
 
rakkvet said:
I would replace him with Stacey David from Gearz or even the Junkman from YouTube.
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Stacy David yes, the Junkman no way in hell. He is so freaking annoying I can't stand it.
 
LegacyGT said:
I tried this when the Australian Top Gear came out ... it didn't get better.
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Actually the newest season wasn't so bad. Did you see the one with the UK guys on it doing challenges with the Australian hosts?

FinalGear.com :: Shows :: Top Gear Australia :: Season 3 :: The Ashes Special

I can only imagine how much worse that could have gone had the UK trio met up with Tanner, Rutledge, and Adam. I have a feeling Clarkson would have eaten them alive.

Dubbin1 said:
Stacy David yes, the Junkman no way in hell. He is so freaking annoying I can't stand it.
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Stacey David is good on camera, but he's too good of a fabricator/mechanic to be reduced to something like Top Gear. How-to has always been his element, and I just don't see him adapting well to Hollywood theatrics.
 
Shiny Lil Detlr said:
Stacey David is good on camera, but he's too good of a fabricator/mechanic to be reduced to something like Top Gear. How-to has always been his element, and I just don't see him adapting well to Hollywood theatrics.
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Stacey has a blast driving those cars. You are right though, he may be wasted on the show because he is more of a tech guy.

Wasn't Adam Carolla supposed to be one of the initial hosts and then...?

Adam Carolla, The Junkman and Danica Patric to host Top Gear. Anybody?
 
rakkvet said:
Stacey has a blast driving those cars. You are right though, he may be wasted on the show because he is more of a tech guy.

Wasn't Adam Carolla supposed to be one of the initial hosts and then...?

Adam Carolla, The Junkman and Danica Patric to host Top Gear. Anybody?
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LOL the junkman isn't a car guy, hell he can barely drive a car with a manual transmission... Even his Vette is an automatic :laughing:

Honestly I don't mind the cast they have now, the show that was on tonight was hilarious.
 
the show would be much better if they dropped that fat bearded idiot..He isnt funny and just is annoying every time he opens his mouth.
 
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