The Grand Tour Episode 1 Super Duper Mega Ultra Sub-Zero Impressions Thread!

"TheHondaBro" (wwaveform)
11/18/2016 at 15:00 • Filed to: None

*LET’S KEEP ALL IMPRESSIONS IN THIS THREAD PLEASE*
*ALSO BE FOREWARNED: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS *
CLICK AHEAD AT YOUR OWN RISK

Let’s get the opening sequence out of the way. It was cool, but it wasn’t cool. I can see how it costed so much to make, with all those exotic and classic cars and the Burning Man thing, but it didn’t light my hair on fire.

I like the way they dodged similarity to Top Gear by giving the news segment a silly name: Conversation Street. Also, they killed three celebrity guests. Was not expecting that.

The M2 test was surprisingly interesting. Though I’d like to talk about the Eboladrome (their new test track). It feels too small. At least with the old Top Gear test track, it seemed very open and had a long straight. I felt very cramped watching that review.

And then, the elephant in the room. The hypercar shootout. I loved it. Brilliantly-shot b-roll, interesting banter, and we finally see how they compare according to the TG/GT trio.

Now, while it risks being too similar to old Top Gear, I’d like it if they brought back cheap car challenges and hour-long specials. Those were good fun to watch. The Cool Wall would be cool too. Maybe they could get away with calling it the “Awesomeness Quotient” or something idk.

DISCUSSION (9)

Panther Brown Tdi Volvo Shooting Brake Manual Miata RWD Wagon Stole HondaBro's Accord. > TheHondaBro
11/18/2016 at 15:05

I love how they tin canned James from using his Ferrari

Also I want to see Jeremy’s house get destroyed.

TheHondaBro > Panther Brown Tdi Volvo Shooting Brake Manual Miata RWD Wagon Stole HondaBro's Accord.
11/18/2016 at 15:11

I think that’s what this was.

Probenja > TheHondaBro
11/18/2016 at 15:26

I really hope they do without the celebrity guest star, and I hope conversation street is more like the old news segment although it was weird that they had the TV on a corner and not behind them so you couldn’t see both their reaction and what they were reacting to.

Otherwise as a first episode it was quite good you could see that they were exited to get it started and they had more passion than what the last couple of Top Gear had.

CaptDale - is secretly British > TheHondaBro
11/18/2016 at 15:28

IT WAS AMAZING!!! All the hype paid off and I wasn’t let down a single minute of the show. I am also very happy they did away with the celebrity driver. I hated that segment. Could use better news segment.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > TheHondaBro
11/18/2016 at 15:40

I feel like the whole studio portion was forced and awkward. It was too scripted and was clearly made just to mock the TG way of doing things.

Jonee > TheHondaBro
11/18/2016 at 16:52

I had a great time watching it because I love those guys, the cars were incredible, and it looked really good. But, they didn’t exactly come out of the gate with an episode that will knock people’s socks off. I feel like if you were unfamiliar with old Top Gear and watched this to see what all the fuss is about, you’d come away going “oh, ok.” I was hoping there’d be something that we all couldn’t stop talking about and instead it was just another pretty good episode of Top Gear.

Nimbus The Legend - Riding on air like a cloud > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
11/18/2016 at 17:00

That will pass, they just had to get that out of the way... im rewatching season 2 of clarkson era of top gear, and its first episode is eerily similar to this first episode. A good sign of great things to come!

gin-san - shitpost specialist > TheHondaBro
11/18/2016 at 17:21

Overall, very enjoyable. It took this episode to make me realize how much I missed these guys.

I actually wished they had not reviewed the “trinity” since it’s kinda old news at this point; Chris Harris’ video on this subject was also entertaining and informative.

Steve in Manhattan > TheHondaBro
11/18/2016 at 18:28

Watching it now - teared up at the opening montage, I’ll confess.