Top Gear Series (-13-) 15

[Blaze]

For everything that happens this series, talk about Stig/Shumi in that topic.

I thought the first episode was quite good, and so glad it's back on.

This week we get the Murcielago SV and a race between the McLaren and Bugatti, and the Bugatti will lose, Hammond cocks up the start I hear, if TG magazine and the short clip of it is to be believed. Should be good, most mental edition of the best Lambo ever, and a drag race between the fastest car of the 90's and the fastest car until 2007, now only 3rd at best (SSC Ultimate Aero, Porshe 9ff GT9 or something or other, and maybe the Koeiniggsigsigsigabbastigvikingsegg CCX and even CCR are faster).

 

[Ben]

Ugh, what's with the discussions of cars? I only watch it for Richard <3

 

[Anonymous]

Hammond is the eye candy. Captain slow is the nerd and Jezza is the loon.

 

[nealbie]

And Schumi is the Stig


Please note actual Stig may vary

 

[ibreathesbs]

And Schumi is the Stig


Please note actual Stig may vary

El oh el. I refuse to believe it's him. They just did that so they could borrow his FXX. Shameful.

 

[nealbie]

And Schumi is the Stig


Please note actual Stig may vary

El oh el. I refuse to believe it's him. They just did that so they could borrow his FXX. Shameful.

Please remember to always read the small print. :wink:

 

[Blaze]

Didnt think tonight was that good, but Clarksons orgasm jokes were good, what was the word if used again?
Also, that Lambo was trully stunning.
About the presenters, I cant stand Mr. Daytime tv Hammond, and May is just the best, even if he is old sad and strange. Clarkson is hillarious, but can sometimes in on too much or just be like Hamster and not be funny.

 

[nealbie]

What "crisis"? :lol:

 

[bob_3_]

Richard needs a haircut so bad.

And how thin is Stephen Fry?!?!?! What a ledge.

I find Top Gear a little repetitive though, it's too formulated. Luckily it's been a while since I've watched any, so it was nice to go back to it.

 

[Martyn]

I find Top Gear a little repetitive though, it's too formulated.

Indeed, with me, I guess it's one of those situations where you're a big fan of something and start to really notice problems, and they grate just that bit more.

The "news" is frustrating to watch these days because it's so obviously all pre-written and not at all impromptu which it seemed in earlier series. The way the presenters have to live up to their characters frustrates me, especially with James, he's such a fantastic presenter but doesn't really get to be himself on Top Gear. The challenges are quite entertaining, but pointless, in the past they actually went somewhere.

It also makes me laugh how they strategically position women in the audience. Hot girls at the front. Hide all the munters at the back.

Oh well, it's just another one of those "got to appeal to the plebs", issues, isn't it.

 

[Ian]

I really enjoyed last nights episode. Then again, I was stoned and half a bottle of cheap wine down.

 

[furie]

I really enjoyed last nights episode. Then again, I was stoned and half a bottle of cheap wine down.

Madame_Furie has started watching it with us now, and she really enjoys it. So it must be good to a degree

 

[Emmett]

The most annoying thing I find about the show is those short challenges were they usually have one of the presenters in a new car racing against for example a bmx rider, climber, swimmer and the way they always end up with such a close finish. I know it wouldn't make good tv if it didn't appear to be so close but its so set up.

Also alot of the situations seem very staged like the petrol station incident in the US and the caravan fire on the campsite.

Apart from those faults the show is nearly perfect and I wouldn't want to see the format change that much.

 

[Blaze]

The races are actually real, they use science and maths to work out the way to get the closest and best finish, and last nights drag race was real, Hammond cocked-up the start by accident, but using the spoiler was obviously a way to get it closer than what it would be.

The US petrol station and caravan fire were staged, and the news is not as good as it used to be, apart from when they did the branded items bit with the Audi branded cock (as in the bird, a refference to the fact that Audis are now driven by cocks) and the branded wizard sleeve "put my cock in your wizards sleeve!"

 

[Martyn]

The races are actually real, they use science and maths to work out the way to get the closest and best finish

Yes, but there's still staged elements. Take the Japanese race for example...

"Oh no! The train split in half!"

"Oh no, I've managed to turn my satnav off and I can't turn it back on, why don't I ask this policeman for directions"

Why don't you ask the policeman to turn your satnav back on... that'd be more logical.

Etc etc.

 

[Stone Cold]

Top Gear jumped the shark about four seasons ago during the America special when Clarkson arrived back with a cow on top of his car. Ever since then I've been unable to watch an episode without cringing somewhere along the line - it's still good though, but not unmissable.

 

[Martyn]

Exactly, I'll still watch it every week, and it's still probably one of the best things the BBC put out, but I don't download it every week like I used to

 

[jayjay]

They seem to be running out of ideas very quickly. I've only watched the first episode with the 40s race so far, and that was actually quite good compared with some of last series's stuff. The whole Stig "reveal" was frankly unnecessary.

Sometimes, I wish they'd put a bit more in about cars rather than forced humour. It's funny and watchable, like Stone Cold and Martyn said, but it seems too forced.

 

[furie]

Necropost FTW!!!

Didn't want to start a new topic.

So far, this series has been a bit hit and miss. Better than the last couple, but still "forced".

However, last night's seemed on form.

Seeing the Veyron break the record was stunning. Even the "snow race" (as old hat as it was), was nice to watch.

The interview with Cruise and Diaz was excellent I thought. For such big names and Clarkson to seemingly get on so well.

The Senna piece I thought was nice, but too long. However, I'm sure fans of F1 get a lot more from the extended film.

The big question though (I just posed on Twitter/FB) - were the lap times for Cruise and Diaz made up for them? They're huge stars, and on a "record breaking" show - it made for great TV.

They both seem to have a lot of experience, but it seemed Jeremy "over egged" the whole "you can drive,", "do your own stunts" part of it. Like he was laying down the subtle ground work you need to do to make a big lie believable.

What does everyone else think, of both the lap times AND this series in general?

 

[ciallkennett]

Firstly, on the topic of Top Gear, I stand by saying that I preferred Top Gear pre-Richard Hammond Crash. It much much more entertaining and amusing and fresh. Now it's a lot more "trying to get comedy". I've been watching Top Gear since I can remember (I think around late 2002/2003?), so I feel I can say that for sure.

In terms of the lap times for this week's episode, I feel that Diaz's lap time was believable - I mean, she was very fast and quite aggressive with her style, as well as getting the correct lines.

Cruise, on the other hand, was all over the place. He was out of the lines, wasn't particularly smooth and even cocked up the final corner on two wheels. I struggle to see how his time could have been a whole second faster than Diaz's.

This series in general has been on par with the post-Hammond Crash series's - Entertaining, occasionally memorable, but mainly just standard Top Gear-esque.