Here's a reminder for anybody that is interested. Tonight on the History channel. I am going to check it out.
http://www.history.com/shows/top-gear?paidlink=1&vid=HIS_SEM_Search&keywords=top%2Bgear%2Busa&utm_source=tune_google_topgear&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=top%20gear&utm_term=top%20gear%20usa
The promo I saw at the movie theater looked awesome.
Don't have cable or satellite. Will it be on the web at the same time?
What does Top Gear have to do with History ? Kind of like Ice Road Truckers I guess.
my worry is that it will never be big... history channel is rubbish
ok....so first complaint:
the in-car cameras are terribly shaky. I mean...more vibration than a ghetto-mounted mega-8 camera in 1985. IDK what camera they're using in-car (at least in the Viper), but maybe they should go get a GoPro, because the in-car vibrations are really, really annoying.
So 10 minutes in, the hardware is pretty cool but so far the humor seems very forced and the hosts aren't the least bit entertaining. And Adam just laughed at his own joke which wasn't remotely funny. I hope this improves.
There has not been a single other car on the roads. Clearly all closed course.
As a 40 yr old I enjoy watching the 50yr olds who should know better do stupid and fun things. Here I feel like I am watching 25-30'er due stupid things but there is no hint that they know better.
Eh, its mildly entertaining. Griffin, GA isn't too far away, I wish I had known they were filming here.
It seems a little forced, but I'll give it a chance for them to get comfortable with each other after a few shows.
The sponsors are car related, that scares me.
Wonder how much flack they'll get for the Pam Anderson comment....
-Rob
The hosts are a little wooden, but it's ok so far. I did like the Rockford turns he made in the Viper. I wonder what kind of clearances they had to get to allow the helicopter to fly over town at low altitude like that.
ok...more real time commentary. And keep in mind that I've been very much looking forward to this and expecting it to be better than what alot of people expect it to be. I really want it to be as good as the original. Hell, "the Office" US is better than the original, why shouldn't this be???
so on we go:
the Viper vs. Cobra bit was a cool idea....but again the camera work was lousy and made the whole thing look almost fake, and the "story" wasn't very much fun at all. And Rutledge Wood riding shotgun in the Viper and screaming like a drunk high school freshman playing Need for Speed is more annoying than having a 5-year-old who just ate all his halloween candy sitting in the back seat of a compact car on a 10-hour road trip.
And having to watch the lame commercials on History Channel is the worst. I mean....a C-rate "Adam&Eve.com" commercial? Please....
Oh, now the commercial break is over and the Viper vs. Cobra bit is back on. And the camera seems to have gotten even shakier in-car. And this bit is dragging on WAY too long. Rutledge "Damn that thing is fast!!!!" Well duh, it is an Army attack helicopter....
Should have just had the Viper and Cobra race down the flightline and called it a day.
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now back to the studio. Adam says almost nothing, but at least he has a non-annoying voice. And he says nothing profound or interesting. He seems bored to be there, honestly.
And now they just explained who the Stig is, but without the witticisms found on the UK version. They just basically say that he is mysterious and we'll never know who he is. Shouldn't that go without saying?
Tanner talks too much in his pre-pubescent monotone. He is not an interesting "narrator" in terms of his speaking style. Sounds like he should be narrating a kids' show about jungle animals or something.
Don't forget, they have to explain this whole "concept" to the non-TG watchers. I give it a B- so far. However, i'll give it some time.
They're trying too hard to copy the original with some of their lines.
wow, hire Buzz Aldrin as a host. He has far more personality than the actual hosts, lol. Plus he's had cooler cars 
for star in a reasonably priced car (or whatever variation they called it), need to eliminate the course diagram on the screen - clearly put there for the video-game addicts out there. You can't watch it if you're watching the driver and car, and that's the whole point of having a celebrity driver - to watch them.
And need to add someplace where drivers are sure to be off in the grass, lol.
I was disappointed with the interview with Buzz Aldrin, which wasn't really an interview at all. Still, it is the first show - hopefully things like that will improve as they get into the swing things.
CGLockRacer wrote: Don't forget, they have to explain this whole "concept" to the non-TG watchers. I give it a B- so far. However, i'll give it some time.
This being on History Channel, I'm betting that pretty much the only people who know it's on, or made a point to watch it, are those who are familiar with the original TG.
And for those others, it's really pretty simple to understand. I never saw the first season of UK Top Gear, but I seem to have figured out what the show's format is, etc....
The bullfighting segment seems better.
I kinda feel sorry for them, they have BIG shoes to fill.
-Rob
One thing I was talking with someone about earlier today when I saw this was on is that almost all the cars on this show I've actually seen in person - either at shows, the track, or just driving around here (there is a Ferrari/Lambo/Aston dealer about 15 minutes from here, and it sells alot of cars locally). IDK, one of my favorite parts about the UK version is seeing all the cool cars that we will never actually see in person here in the US. Why is seeing some nondescript non-US Opal or Renault somehow more interesting to me than seeing a Lamborghini? Is my perspective skewed?
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comment: Right after Tanner explains how a white racing stripe is all the way over the Balboa, interior, etc....then it shows a shot of the back of the car.....and the white stripe doesn't actually go down the back of the car. oops.
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what was that babble about pavlov's dog, etc?
"the handling of this car is astounding. it feels like it's on rails."
please provide witty metaphor here in the future, please ;)
"you're the Brian Boytano of racing"
Ok, that was funny. Glad to see them making fun of his drifting background.
-Rob
Looks like Benz is the big sponsor. They drop a lot on the BBC US version as well.
When Clarkson narrated from behind the wheel I actually do believe that he is traveling fast. These guys look to be going less than 35mpg when talking/driving.
Hmm...this IRT Deadliest Roads thing actually looks more exciting than TG. Plus the chick is pretty cute. I may have to check it out.
Does anyone else think that the "SV" logo plastered all over the gray Lambo looks like something that came from Pep Boys?
holy camera vibration batman....w-t-f....
The last 10 minutes were much better.
My nine year old and I were laughing as soon as Adam started driving.
-Rob
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