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TopGear USA - Big Thread of V-8s, Burnouts, and F*** Yeahs

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J

J-Rzez

Member
WrikaWrek said:
Really, this is better than Top Gear UK now?

There's zero chemestry between the cast.
Click to expand...

Pretty much. And that's the biggest problem with the show, and it hasn't changed. Rut is tolerable, the other two have personalities of wet mops at best and bring down the show's appeal all on their own. Top Gear UK even last season, is superior to this show due to the hosts, and perhaps the History Ch allowances.

This episode was boring as usual. Hopefully next weeks mustang episode is tolerable just because of the cars featured.

Put your "watch, phone, glasses" behind the truck. Not a piano and drumset exactly...
 
P

Pristine_Condition

Member
J-Rzez said:
Pretty much. And that's the biggest problem with the show, and it hasn't changed. Rut is tolerable, the other two have personalities of wet mops at best and bring down the show's appeal all on their own. Top Gear UK even last season, is superior to this show due to the hosts, and perhaps the History Ch allowances.
Click to expand...

I disagree.

Richard Hammond is a waaaaaaaaaaay worse personality than any of the three TGUSA guys. Richard Hammond has been just terrible for a long, long time, but people seem to tolerate it, because TopGear has a history and has built up a lot of good will over the years, and Hammond nearly died in a crash.

He sucks sooooo bad though. He really does.

And the other two guys are pretty good, IMO. I don't see how you could say Adam has no personality--the guy is a successful stand-up comic and full of piss and vinegar. And while Tanner is cooler personality-wise, (he is, after all a molecular biologist-turned-race car driver,) he has very entertaining moments, is easily the best non-STig driver any TG show has ever had, and gives the two other hosts someone to jump on and compete against. You never heard the term "straight man" in comedy? That's Tanner's role more often than not.

J-Rzez said:
This episode was boring as usual. Hopefully next weeks mustang episode is tolerable just because of the cars featured.
Click to expand...

I don't get it...if you find the show usually boring, and only tolerable at best, and 2/3 of the hosts terrible, why do you continue to watch? This isn't a Clockwork Orange...the History Channel isn't going to send someone around to prop your eyes open and force you to watch it.

Do yourself a favor and stop making yourself miserable.

J-Rzez said:
Put your "watch, phone, glasses" behind the truck. Not a piano and drumset exactly...
Click to expand...

LOL. This is exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about with people making excuses for the original TopGear because of it's built-up status over the years. The idea that a bunch of guys could come into your house and remove such large, supposedly much-treasured possessions like a fucking piano out of your house, and put them in jeopardy of being crushed by a semi, AND IT'S ALL A BIG SURPRISE TO YOU, "you" being the host(s) of the show, is just stupid. It could never happen.

The "Hey, let's make a bet...what do you have in your pockets?" thing comes off as a lot more plausible at least.
 
C

Chris R

Member
Pristine_Condition said:
The "Hey, let's make a bet...what do you have in your pockets?" thing comes off as a lot more plausible at least.
Click to expand...

It comes off as something that the everyman might do as well. I bet most people watching the show have a phone or a watch that they might not want to be without for some time.
 
M

mastershake

Member
Pristine_Condition said:
And the other two guys are pretty good, IMO. I don't see how you could say Adam has no personality--the guy is a successful stand-up comic and full of piss and vinegar. And while Tanner is cooler personality-wise, (he is, after all a molecular biologist-turned-race car driver,) he has very entertaining moments, is easily the best non-STig driver any TG show has ever had, and gives the two other hosts someone to jump on and compete against. You never heard the term "straight man" in comedy? That's Tanner's role more often than not.


.
Click to expand...

Hear, hear!

Tanner is awesome.
 
W

weekend_warrior

Banned
My favorite part of the show is the cars used. Instead of Mercs, Porches, and Astons its, Corvettes, Mustangs and Pickups. I love it. :D

The biggest hurdle the show still has to overcome is the terrible structuring of American television. It's 10 minutes of show, 5 minutes of commercials, so it never gets a chance to build up a segment like UK Top Gear, which feels like a made for TV movie by comparison.

Rutledge and Tanner were great casts, but Adam still feels like an odd ball out, I think the show would have been better if they had cast a semi-pro racer or at least someone who seems more into cars.
 
J

J-Rzez

Member
Pristine_Condition said:
I don't get it...if you find the show usually boring, and only tolerable at best, and 2/3 of the hosts terrible, why do you continue to watch? This isn't a Clockwork Orange...the History Channel isn't going to send someone around to prop your eyes open and force you to watch it.

Do yourself a favor and stop making yourself miserable
Click to expand...

I watch it when I'm around just to support that we need a killer car show in the US, hoping others do the same but voice opinions and History listens and tries to get some other hosts in there. Tanner can drive, there's no doubting that, but he doesn't have a personality to be on camera, as evident in the other shows he did in the past like that supercar challenge show. Adam maybe funny as a comedian (i'll have to take people's word for it), but he doesn't have the personality as well. Doesn't come off as a car guy to me. Love or hate the direction that Top Gear UK takes at times, there's no denying that they have some of the best chemistry in television.
 
P

Pristine_Condition

Member
weekend_warrior said:
My favorite part of the show is the cars used. Instead of Mercs, Porches, and Astons its, Corvettes, Mustangs and Pickups. I love it. :D

The biggest hurdle the show still has to overcome is the terrible structuring of American television. It's 10 minutes of show, 5 minutes of commercials, so it never gets a chance to build up a segment like UK Top Gear, which feels like a made for TV movie by comparison.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with this. I just wish the show had more time. The spot that suffers the worst is SIARPC...they just don't have enough time to interview the guest. I like the whole "tell us about your car history" thing with celebs. I don't miss the fact that they don't have a news segment. Adam Carolla's Car Show does that just fine, so I don't miss having a USA equivalent of that here on TGUSA.

weekend_warrior said:
Rutledge and Tanner were great casts, but Adam still feels like an odd ball out, I think the show would have been better if they had cast a semi-pro racer or at least someone who seems more into cars.
Click to expand...

You need someone with that East Coast flavor to really be TGUSA. You've got the Southerner, you've got the California Kid, you have to have someone like Adam. I thought he was a little weak at first too, but think he's improved a ton from the first season.

tumblr_lydsuejfHr1qze77fo1_500.gif
 
B

Babalu.

Member
man my DVR set to record this and top shot the other day (thank god because I forgot they were starting) and when I saw that it was going to be bigrigs I just thought blehh.

But damn, I was laughing my ass off the whole show. from their names, little dancer and bearded lady to when tanner started stalling or whatever on the hill climb and his cabin looked like a freaking earthquake with things falling over. I can't believe they let them on the public roads even if it wasn't really crowded.

And LOL at all the people who were flipping them off in the little town. Thats how you know those parts are real. Adam looked really pissed and scared to take them around the town, he seemed super pissed the show was making him do that like he was scared of hurting people.

The only thing I disliked about this episode was the fireworks. I mean cmon, you know that was all fake. Everytime they open the back they start launching outward? Too setup. The only great thing to happen about that fake stunt was that they actually set that field on fire lol. In one shot you can see all the camera men and crews/producers parked and out in the field trying to put out the little spot fires lol.


And who cares if Top gear UK did this first, this show is for americans who probably haven't seen top gear UK. And they need adam to not be a professional driver because he is the comedic everyman that will probably screw up most challenges like we would.

Love the show and forgot how much I missed it. But I hope they don't do TOO many shows on american muscle cars.
 
L

Lima

Member
One thing that I just noticed when they were doing big star, small car (stupid name btw) is that they ditched the old-school scoreboard for that fancy new digital screen.

DAT TECHNOLOGY
 
A

AlphaSnake

...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
Babalu. said:
The only thing I disliked about this episode was the fireworks. I mean cmon, you know that was all fake. Everytime they open the back they start launching outward? Too setup. The only great thing to happen about that fake stunt was that they actually set that field on fire lol. In one shot you can see all the camera men and crews/producers parked and out in the field trying to put out the little spot fires lol..
Click to expand...

I don't think that's correct. The fireworks violently began to explode as soon as the door opened because of the immediate increase in oxygen, which is what causes a fire to expand and react that way. The containers are fairly lacking in oxygen which contained the fireworks quite a bit, until they were opened and exposed to oxygen which multiplies their effect ten-fold.
 
M

Meier

Member
LOVED Season 2 after Season 1's growing pains. The premiere was good but not great -- had some truly laugh out loud moments though. I personally don't get how a fan of "Top Gear" could not enjoy this, but to each his own.

Lima said:
One thing that I just noticed when they were doing big star, small car (stupid name btw) is that they ditched the old-school scoreboard for that fancy new digital screen.

DAT TECHNOLOGY
Click to expand...

Yeah, I noticed that as well. I do appreciate the OG's sharpie on magnetic strip leader board.
 
F

Foliorum Viridum

Banned
Considering this is only the second episode I've seen of this, I was impressed.

It's nowhere near coming close to being as good as TG UK used to be, but I enjoyed the 18 wheeler stuff way more than a lot of stuff in the current series.

I will continue watching.
 
P

Pristine_Condition

Member
Foliorum Viridum said:
Considering this is only the second episode I've seen of this, I was impressed.

It's nowhere near coming close to being as good as TG UK used to be, but I enjoyed the 18 wheeler stuff way more than a lot of stuff in the current series.

I will continue watching.
Click to expand...

Here are my favorite episodes from Season 2:


"Texas" Premiere Date: 07/24/2011

Tanner, Rutledge and Adam wrangle, haul and race their way across Texas in a crazy attempt to find an alternative to the pickup.


"First Cars" Premiere Date: 07/31/2011

Tanner, Rutledge and Adam fight over who had the best first car. Tanner and Adam get to race their dream first cars--the Corvette ZR1 and Ferrari 458.


"Death Valley" Premiere Date: 08/14/2011

What's the best 4x4 you can by for $5,000? Tanner, Rutledge and Adam compete in an epic 400 mile journey from the Mojave Desert to Las Vegas in an attempt to find out.


"Luxury Car Challenge" Premiere Date: 08/21/2011

New Jersey is home to more luxury cars than anywhere else in America. Tanner, Rutledge and Adam head to the Hamptons to see if they can pass off these cars to locals. Plus, Tanner puts the new 911 GT2 through its paces.


"Hollywood Cars" Premiere Date: 09/18/2011

Tanner, Rutledge and Adam create versions of their favorite Hollywood cars and then pit them against each other to see whose is best.
 
B

Babalu.

Member
AlphaSnake said:
I don't think that's correct. The fireworks violently began to explode as soon as the door opened because of the immediate increase in oxygen, which is what causes a fire to expand and react that way. The containers are fairly lacking in oxygen which contained the fireworks quite a bit, until they were opened and exposed to oxygen which multiplies their effect ten-fold.
Click to expand...

Thats what I thought at first too, but then i was thinking, are those cabins really that air tight? I figured unless they were refridgerator type cabins they wouldn't be airtight for that to be the case.

Plus if that were the case wouldn't all the smoke come flying out when they first opened it?

I dont know but it seemed pretty fake to me. Either way it was a funny ass episode.
 
F

Flo_Evans

Member
Babalu. said:
Thats what I thought at first too, but then i was thinking, are those cabins really that air tight? I figured unless they were refridgerator type cabins they wouldn't be airtight for that to be the case.

Plus if that were the case wouldn't all the smoke come flying out when they first opened it?

I dont know but it seemed pretty fake to me. Either way it was a funny ass episode.
Click to expand...

It was obviously faked. Shit was all pointed straight out the back.

Not to mention gunpowder has its own oxidizer and can burn underwater. Haven't you ever thrown fireworks in a pond? :p
 
DJ_Lae

DJ_Lae

Member
Enjoyed the episode overall.

Hate the clips between the challenge segment, though. They sound so forced it's kind of embarassing.

And Big Star Small Car needs to go entirely. It's been universally awful - the UK's version is usually pretty bad too, but at least they get an interesting interviewee once in a while and Clarkson is much better at it than Ferrara, whose narration of the laps is just bad.
 
W

weekend_warrior

Banned
Babalu. said:
Thats what I thought at first too, but then i was thinking, are those cabins really that air tight? I figured unless they were refridgerator type cabins they wouldn't be airtight for that to be the case.

Plus if that were the case wouldn't all the smoke come flying out when they first opened it?

I dont know but it seemed pretty fake to me. Either way it was a funny ass episode.
Click to expand...

Sounds like we need to get Mythbusters on the case.
 
M

mastershake

Member
Tomcat said:
Tanner is awful
He has no charisma in front of a camera and no chemistry with the other two guys
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Nope, he is awesome.

He is awkwardly funny which is good enough for me. Hes the best non stig TG driver the series has ever had by some margin. Also, being as he's so good and so awkward, the other two love to team up on him and pick on him which makes for great TV.

He's a perfect fit.
 
A

AlphaSnake

...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
The cast is perfect. We've already seen what happens when a cast is pre-selected by buddies *cough* The Car Show* *cough*.

Adam Corolla was downright terrible, as was the entire show.

I love everyone on TG USA. Tanner is the cocky cool kid. Adam is the jock. And Rut is the dorky kid in the middle everyone is friends with. It's like a High School dynamic - I love it, because it's hilarious.
 
N

Nappuccino

Member
Foliorum Viridum said:
Yeah, it was obviously staged. It wasn't as bad as the OH NO WE HIT A CAR :( but it was still pretty obvious.
Click to expand...

I don't think that was staged.

It seems like they brought the couple they hit into the studio (they had a quick shot of them when they mentioned running over the car)

The fireworks were almost definitely staged. No way it would take that long to fire off those fireworks unless they were arranged in a timed series of some kind. (by this i mean, discovering the fireworks- hanging out on the side of the road for awhile, driving again, and having them still go off at the drop off point. The first two, sure... the last one? No.. unless they were just a few min from that point. And even then it is a bit of a stretch.

Also at the end, there was just a fountain sitting right by the door... i think it was pretty obvious they lit it, closed the door, and then opened the door again. Still, a minor bit of scripting like that is fine because it is at least somewhat plausible (it would be more plausible if they didn't stop for that long).
 
P

Pristine_Condition

Member
The move to Tuesday nights worked. TGUSA pulled it's best ratings ever in it's Tuesday debut...

EDIT: Note, Inside Line is calling Season 3 "the second half of the second season," even though History is calling it Season Three.

Inside Line said:
NEW YORK — It looks as if the American version of Top Gear is settling in for a long run. The second half of the second season debuted last night to a much-improved 2.1 million total viewers. That's the best number yet for the series that, until now, had aired on Sunday nights.

Beyond the solid total number, the episode drew 1.1 million adult viewers between the ages of 25 and 54 and, even more important to advertisers, 1.2 million sets of eyeballs attached to humans between the ages of 18 and 49. A History cable channel spokesperson told Inside Line that, "We're very happy with this performance. And particularly satisfied with how it has attracted young male viewers who are a much sought-after audience."

History has been promoting the latest Top Gear episodes by pairing them with the returning weapons-obsessed show Top Shot as "Top Tuesdays." And Top Shot also performed well following Top Gear, attracting 1.8 million total viewers including 1.1 million adults between 25 and 54 and 1 million between 18 and 49.

Altogether these still aren't the sort of ratings that will lead the Pawn Stars cast to consider switching to an all-macramé format or the guys at Fox to shut down American Idol. They're good basic cable numbers. You know, the sort of numbers that should have Top Gear Del Norte Americano coming back for a third season.
Click to expand...

http://www.insideline.com/car-news/top-gear-pulls-its-best-ratings-ever.html

This is a good sign, as the growth seen here follows the trend History liked to see from Season One to Season Two

History Channel PR said:
To date the second season of the critically-acclaimed and popular series has attracted 35% growth in Adults 25-54 vs. Season One, and continues to deliver HISTORY's youngest audience ever.
Click to expand...

EDIT: Please also note, I added some additional season preview info to the OP that originally wasn't there, listing the guest stars, and some of the stunts/challenges coming this season. The OP, as always, is still a WIP. If anyone has any additional info that should go there, lemme know!
 
N

N-Bomb

Member
Pristine_Condition said:
"Luxury Car Challenge" Premiere Date: 08/21/2011

New Jersey is home to more luxury cars than anywhere else in America. Tanner, Rutledge and Adam head to the Hamptons to see if they can pass off these cars to locals. Plus, Tanner puts the new 911 GT2 through its paces.
Click to expand...

Tanner taking the GT2 through LA (I think?) was easily one of the more stunning car segments I've seen on TV. Definitely on par with TGUK; stuff of that caliber is what I hope to see more of from TGUSA.
 
M

mastershake

Member
fuck!

Adam is driving it :(

Tanner is going to lead the overweight SS to victory :(

HAHAHA AUTO

there is still hope! Also, you can tell Tanner really wants to drive the 5.0
 
A

ascii42

Member
Why the automatic Camaro? It's down 30 hp on the manual one.

I guess it does get active fuel management, so if there's a fuel economy challenge the Camaro should win.
 
S

siddx

Magnificent Eager Mighty Brilliantly Erect Registereduser
No idea this was back, sweet I'll have to catch up, thought they really got their shit together last season and I'm looking forward to this one.
 
P

Pristine_Condition

Member
Tried to make a .gif of that drift, mastershake...

Couldn't do it in a reasonable size. After cropping the image quite a bit, and throwing out everything but every fourth frame, (after which any .gif just turns into a slideshow) I was still getting a 9.4MB .gif!

That drift was sooooooooooooooooooooooo long, you just can't .gif it.

Maybe I'll post the whole clip on Youtube or something instead.
 
L

Lima

Member
Who cares? Just post it. Spire sometimes posts 30 mb gifs in the creepy thread. Anyways gonna watch the episode now.
 
C

Chris R

Member
Forgot this was on and didn't set my DVR! Nooooooooo

Hoping it is On Demand, and if not that they show it on repeat sometime this week.
 
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