View Full Version : Top Gear to the US
rosawendel
04-22-10, 08:25 AM
linkification (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8634791.stm)
History channel (yeah, that makes sense). This will either be very good or very bad, and i'm leaning towards the latter.
what's the best way to introduce the stig american style? "Some say____, and that ____. All we know is, he's called ____."
Don Quixote
04-22-10, 08:53 AM
and i'm leaning towards the latter.
Me too. They will find a way to ruin it for us.
What ever happened to the NBC version of the show? :confused:
-Kevin
Sean Malone
04-22-10, 09:09 AM
It will suck.
Methanolandbrats
04-22-10, 09:18 AM
Total crap probably aimed at Cab fans if that Gomerbilly in the middle is involved.
Rogue Leader
04-22-10, 09:28 AM
yeah this is gonna suck.
"Together we have worked to tailor the format for the American audience, while staying true to the original dynamic that fans across the world have come to love."
:saywhat:
opinionated ow
04-22-10, 09:47 AM
:saywhat:
I think that's like getting a pommy halfwit that the whole Australian population couldn't tolerate to host the first series, fixing things up for the second series and then buggering them again for the third by introducing Shane Warne into the mix.
TrueBrit
04-22-10, 09:50 AM
""Together we have worked to tailor the format for the American audience, while staying true to the original dynamic that fans across the world have come to love."
Um..if you dumb it down that much it won't be worth watching...
The original dynamic is three over-grown Brit-boys that still think the sun doesn't set on the Empire and that everyone else on the planet is inferior on that basis, having gobs of fun doing what 98% of adult males would kill for as a job..
Not sure how that translates into 'american'...
In order for it to work Americans will have to understand sarcasm and irony as humour, and you lot still haven't figured that out after 200+ years...e.g. the fact that if it weren't for the bloody french you lot would still be speaking the Queen's English, and yet the French are hated from coast-to-coast because they're all a bunch of 'cheese-eating surrender-monkeys'...(that definition actually applies to the Greenbay packers, but that's another thread entirely)...If you can see the ironic humour in that, there may be hope for you yet..somehow I don't think Neckcar Nation is that advanced though..
TrueBrit
04-22-10, 09:52 AM
I think that's like getting a pommy halfwit that the whole Australian population couldn't tolerate to host the first series, fixing things up for the second series and then buggering them again for the third by introducing Shane Warne into the mix.
Shane Warne?? He didn't have a bimbo to shag that afternoon??
extramundane
04-22-10, 10:08 AM
So sad to see Adam Ferrera wasting his time with this. Anything that makes me agree with Jay Leno is a bad idea by definition.
In order for it to work Americans will have to understand sarcasm and irony as humour, and you lot still haven't figured that out after 200+ years...e.g. the fact that if it weren't for the bloody french you lot would still be speaking the Queen's English, and yet the French are hated from coast-to-coast because they're all a bunch of 'cheese-eating surrender-monkeys'...(that definition actually applies to the Greenbay packers, but that's another thread entirely)...If you can see the ironic humour in that, there may be hope for you yet..somehow I don't think Neckcar Nation is that advanced though..
No wait. The real irony is that Clarkson is particularly fond of the phrase "cheese eating surrender monkey" and yet the British Empire couldn't defeat the combined might of a bunch of farmers with muskets and some "cheese eating surrender monkeys".
Or maybe that if the Colonial rabble hadn't carried the day back then Clarkson's bit would be something more along the lines of "Wenn ist das Nunstruck git und Slotermeyer?" Or maybe "In Soviet Britain, Lada tests you."
The real problem is that there is just not much about the show that translates. The show is built around Clarkson playing up his snotty brit persona mixed with gonzo automotive journalism. The closest you could come to to that would have been P.J. O'Rourke and a couple of guys from Car & Driver 25 years ago and I doubt that they could have pulled it off on TV.
The car culture in the US is dying or maybe dead. Automotive journalism in the US is dying or dead. There is simply nothing to base a show on.
Methanolandbrats
04-22-10, 10:32 AM
...and you lot still haven't figured that out after 200+ years...e.g. the fact that if it weren't for the bloody french you lot would still be speaking the Queen's English yet.. :laugh: You guys could'nt even conquer Scotland.
TrueBrit
04-22-10, 10:48 AM
:laugh: You guys could'nt even conquer Scotland.
Right, because Scotland is an independent country...oh wait...Looks like we "conquered" as much haggis and scotch that anyone could possibly dream of afterall...
TrueBrit
04-22-10, 10:51 AM
Or maybe "In Soviet Britain,"
See, that's where you are wrong..Clarkson already thinks that way..:laugh:
The car culture in the US is dying or maybe dead. Automotive journalism in the US is dying or dead. There is simply nothing to base a show on.
Agree there. I was once one of those guys -- subscribed to all the car mags, always trying to upgrade my jalopy, dreaming of supercars... But then I grew up, and the kids today have little to base those sort of dreams on, and even if they had those dreams we are unfortunately heading into a period of expensive energy resources which will turn cars into fuel efficient appliances (if it hasn't already).
It seems to me that the show is really not so much about cars as it is about the special chemistry and humor those three personalities bring to it. Replace, them, and the English show would blow. Try it anywhere else, and it will just suck.
Whatever trade organization represents the global car manufacturers should do whatever it takes to keep those guys on the air, because there is no way their products will get that much attention without them.
devilmaster
04-22-10, 11:31 AM
all this lovely bashing aside..... ;)
It just isn't going to work. I think Top Gear works for the same reason adults and kids both like watching looney tunes. There are different levels of humour and so it relates to a broader audience.
For argument's sake, I'd love to see a BBC2 episode of Top Gear (uncut) shown to a group of North American TV censors. And what they would do to make it compliant.
the sad reality in N. America is that explosions and murder (on other shows of course) would be fine, but when James May talks about a guy sitting in the back seat with his wife driving and accidentally says 'You've given me the baby, now get in the back'... That bit of funny innuendo would get cut.
k3tJX-5sq8s
I look back at another crossover show that I loved - Whose Line. It lost its edge because it couldn't cross certain boundaries. Now, I believe WLIIA helped to push the boundaries on this side of the pond, but still it couldn't do things today which would be nothing in the eyes over there.
A perfect example of this would be the Hitler incident. NSFW.
g3QVeyVeO3s
A Top Gear that would be American censor approved just won't work. And honestly, I probably won't watch it, even if Clarkson, May and Hammond hosted it.
Hell, Jeremy said so himself when the NBC deal fell through. He was quoted as saying that focus groups over here just didn't get it.
I'll keep finding full BBC episodes and storing them, thanks.
..if it weren't for the bloody french you lot would still be speaking the Queen's English, and yet the French are hated from coast-to-coast because they're all a bunch of 'cheese-eating surrender-monkeys'...
:scoreboard: :gomer:
Lately, I've been having a little trouble enjoying Top Gear as much as I used to because I can't tell what's scripted/staged and what's genuine. It is still entertaining, but now there's always the question.
For example, from last week's episode:
Did Hammond's Toyota roll down the hill by itself or was it pushed?
Was the car that tried to pass Clarkson on the Road of Death one of the show's chase vehicles?
Did they really experience altitude sickness?
Not really important in the long run, but I demand documentary levels of honesty in my reality tv shows. :gomer:
devilmaster
04-22-10, 11:39 AM
For example, from last week's episode:
Did Hammond's Toyota roll down the hill by itself or was it pushed?
- Absolutely pushed. You can see the hands on the bed in the shot right behind jeremy's head when he leans over and says 'grant me patience' or something.
Was the car that tried to pass Clarkson on the Road of Death one of the show's chase vehicles?
- I believe it was a chase vehicle.
Did they really experience altitude sickness?
- Dunno. But i assume that the altitude was true.
Not really important in the long run, but I demand documentary levels of honesty in my reality tv shows. :gomer: :)
Sean Malone
04-22-10, 11:43 AM
No wait. The real irony is that Clarkson is particularly fond of the phrase "cheese eating surrender monkey" and yet the British Empire couldn't defeat the combined might of a bunch of farmers with muskets and some "cheese eating surrender monkeys".
Or maybe that if the Colonial rabble hadn't carried the day back then Clarkson's bit would be something more along the lines of "Wenn ist das Nunstruck git und Slotermeyer?" Or maybe "In Soviet Britain, Lada tests you."
The real problem is that there is just not much about the show that translates. The show is built around Clarkson playing up his snotty brit persona mixed with gonzo automotive journalism. The closest you could come to to that would have been P.J. O'Rourke and a couple of guys from Car & Driver 25 years ago and I doubt that they could have pulled it off on TV.
The car culture in the US is dying or maybe dead. Automotive journalism in the US is dying or dead. There is simply nothing to base a show on.
Great post and you are spot on in your last statement. My sister gave me a subscription to MotorTrend and C&D last year ( I had long dropped them years ago) and it amazes me how every other issue is a Camaro, Mustang, Challenger "shoot-out" and the alternating issues are filled with articles convincing us that Cadillacs are as good as BMW's. :gomer:
America's famous "love affair with the automobile" ending 30 years ago as Detroit built atrocity after atrocity. 20 years of the Camry topping sales charts tells us people wanted reliable cars instead of personality statements. I think the absence of affordable, convenient and reliable mass transit factors in as well.
Michaelhatesfans
04-22-10, 02:11 PM
In order for it to work Americans will have to understand sarcasm and irony as humour, and you lot still haven't figured that out after 200+ years...
Are you new to offcamber?
What's the matter, missing your "Carry On" films? I might be able to find some "Knoll's House Party" for you on VHS is you're feeling really homesick for some high brow humor...:laugh:
Four years over there taught me that both nations turn out about the same percentage of crap vs quality, it's just that our total numbers are higher.:cool:
Sean Malone
04-22-10, 02:26 PM
Are you new to offcamber?
What's the matter, missing your "Carry On" films? I might be able to find some "Knoll's House Party" for you on VHS is you're feeling really homesick for some high brow humor...:laugh:
Four years over there taught me that both nations turn out about the same percentage of crap vs quality, it's just that our total numbers are higher.:cool:
But don't they only have 2 channels?:D
Methanolandbrats
04-22-10, 02:29 PM
British food is funny.....unless you have to eat it.
TrueBrit
04-22-10, 02:35 PM
British food is funny.....unless you have to eat it.
Says the guy with "brats" in his handle...aren't they made of the stuff that is too disgusting to go in hot dogs..??
Oh, criticism of British food from the country that gave the world McDonald's is rich indeed...:yuck:
TrueBrit
04-22-10, 02:38 PM
But don't they only have 2 channels?:D
Nah mate..I believe they're almost up to double digits now on the terrestrial channels...unless you get satellite telly and then you have access to as much visual and aural **** as any average American viewer has..
what's the best way to introduce the stig american style? "Some say____, and that ____. All we know is, he's called ____."
Some say he finished in fourth place, and that he still won. All we know is, he's called Danica Patrick.
Methanolandbrats
04-22-10, 04:14 PM
Says the guy with "brats" in his handle...aren't they made of the stuff that is too disgusting to go in hot dogs..??
Oh, criticism of British food from the country that gave the world McDonald's is rich indeed...:yuck:
The brat is a finely crafted sausage. The hot dog is fast food.
Michaelhatesfans
04-22-10, 04:26 PM
Says the guy with "brats" in his handle...
Methanolandbangers, then?
oddlycalm
04-22-10, 06:57 PM
It's a shame we don't have a Sarcasm Channel. With all the crap cable channels we've got you'd think there would be one. As usual we have a US producer that totally misses the point.
There has always been a lot to laugh about when it comes to living with sports and performance cars in the real world. As I recall just trying to get your date in her mini skirt in and out of an MGB, Lotus Europa or a Healy without violating an public decency laws or getting slapped was the stuff of stand-up routines. The only method guaranteed to preserve even a shred of modesty was to have your date fall out onto the curb then pull herself out of the car on her belly dragging her legs behind her...:gomer:
oc
datachicane
04-22-10, 07:15 PM
The only method guaranteed to preserve even a shred of modesty was to have your date fall out onto the curb then pull herself out of the car on her belly dragging her legs behind her...:gomer:
oc
Ahh, the Allison Maneuver. :gomer:
Ahh, the Allison Maneuver. :gomer:
Don't you mean "manoeuver"?
oddlycalm
04-22-10, 09:33 PM
Ahh, the Allison Maneuver. :gomer:
Yes, well there would be a name of course. :laugh: Did you also have a name for the "screw it, there is no graceful or demure way to do this so I'm just getting in and I don't care who sees what" method? :D
No doubt about it, cars should have skirt entry ratings. I'm guessing I could come up with a test protocol after a few months of sampling...
oc
extramundane
08-07-10, 05:54 PM
Top Gear USA trailer (http://jalopnik.com/5606884/top-gear-usa-the-first-trailer).
Surprisingly, it may not suck. Keeping it off network TV can only help. A shame they've got the Speed/NASCAR shill in there, but Adam Ferrara could be a stroke of genius.
Shane Warne?? He didn't have a bimbo to shag that afternoon??
his roid cycle had him off bimbos that week
BarillaGirl
08-07-10, 07:46 PM
Top Gear USA trailer (http://jalopnik.com/5606884/top-gear-usa-the-first-trailer).
Surprisingly, it may not suck. Keeping it off network TV can only help. A shame they've got the Speed/NASCAR shill in there, but Adam Ferrara could be a stroke of genius.
Oh, no. Not THIS again. :shakehead
1. Viper pitted against a Cobra attack helicopter. :ripoff:
2. Tanner Foust is a drifter.
3. Rutledge Wood. Holy $#@^
http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/580/340xrutledgewoodpink.jpg
Anyone know if their test track will be the infield of an oval?
grungex
08-07-10, 11:51 PM
Can we say "utter shite"? Barf.
Top Gear USA trailer (http://jalopnik.com/5606884/top-gear-usa-the-first-trailer).
Surprisingly, it may not suck.
Your link may have a mistake, cuz that looks bad. And my standards ain't really that high.
We'll see, I guess.
extramundane
08-08-10, 12:59 PM
Your link may have a mistake, cuz that looks bad. And my standards ain't really that high.
We'll see, I guess.
I was truly expecting something along the lines of Leno's "star in an electric car" ripoff for 60 minutes. Anything's going to look good compared to that.
The presence of Ferrara makes me think that Denis Leary might have been someone who could make it work. He'd certainly be the anti-Clarkson.
60 Minutes has a segemnt on Top Gear in tonight's show.
Ted
TrueBrit
10-25-10, 02:40 PM
60 Minutes has a segemnt on Top Gear in tonight's show.
Ted
That was an awesome piece. A boatload of free advertising for BBC America...350 million viewers?? Bloody hell!!
cameraman
10-25-10, 04:11 PM
That was an awesome piece. A boatload of free advertising for BBC America...350 million viewers?? Bloody hell!!
Almost as much as the Indianapolis 500:tony:
devilmaster
11-01-10, 02:59 AM
60 Minutes has a segemnt on Top Gear in tonight's show.
Ted
ZF8cDrBQNjA
oddlycalm
11-01-10, 03:10 AM
That was an awesome piece. A boatload of free advertising for BBC America...350 million viewers?? Bloody hell!!
Good, maybe soon I'll be able to get it in HD...:irked:
oc
devilmaster
11-06-10, 11:10 AM
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/10/tg-usa-eltoro.jpg
Possible Top Gear USA test track?
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/10/26/spied-top-gear-usa-gets-on-track-at-el-toro/
Why do you go anti-clockwise?
rosawendel
11-06-10, 09:28 PM
Why do you go anti-clockwise?
because you don't want to get clag caught in your dampers. you might have a shunt, which could hurt your wings, your boot, or your bonnet.
ta-la.
I was actually thinking of this commercial...
c2aFkADHzGk
rosawendel
11-07-10, 09:08 AM
okay, that was cool. hadn't seen that before. well worth putting my foot in my mouth.
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