The Grand Tour is Just Okay

"Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig" (AndySheehan-StreetsideStig) 12/08/2016 at 10:30 • Filed to: None

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This morning I watched that 2010 60 Minutes story featuring my favorite show in the world: Top Gear . As “Jessica” played and images of the Dunsfold studio, where the show was filmed, scrolled by, I found myself missing it desperately. But I’m not supposed to miss Top Gear . After years of waiting, The Grand Tour is here, and it’s supposed to assuage my sadness. The only problem is that it doesn’t, because it’s not as good.

The Grand Tour debuted on Amazon Prime almost a month ago to vast and clanging internet fanfare. The wait was over. We’d suffered through an !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , and now things could get back to normal. Hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May had stuck together in their BBC departure. Producer Andy Wilman, the brains behind the whole Top Gear revamp, had come along, too. Amazon’s limitless coffers would fund the project even more impressively than the BBC had funded Top Gear .

Yet we’re now three episodes into The Grand Tour , with the fourth airing tomorrow night, and it’s not Top Gear reincarnated. It’s something less, and I’ve attempted to distill some reasons why. It would be easy to just look at the general differences between the two shows, but that’s not exactly fair. All reports indicate that The Grand Tour has been run through a very fine sieve of legal protection to avoid being sued for copyright infringement. No Stig or “Some say…”, no Star in a Reasonably Priced Car, no Cool Wall.

They’ve turned some of this deliberate ignoring into a lampoon. The News is now called Conversation Street, and features a different title card for each week, each with a hidden joke. In last week’s, Clarkson wore stiletto heels. SIARPC is now Celebrity Brain Crush, a supposed trivia game, though every celebrity thus far has been killed on the way to the segment, through some unfortunate accident. It’s a poignant joke. No, BBC, we’re not doing it anymore , and James May’s repeated, “Does that mean he’s not coming on, then?” is funny enough, but the humor is too staged to work as it should.

This obvious scripting of The Grand Tour is at the heart of all of its faults. Top Gear , as I’ve said before, has always been scripted. Almost everything we see is written ahead of time. But it once did a much better job of hiding that fact. We weren’t asked to suspend our disbelief at every turn. It wasn’t presented as fiction, and when it was, those segments were widely regarded as the weakest parts of the show. The trio’s Butch Cassidy charge at the end of their Argentina special comes to mind.

Now it’s everywhere. The greatest perpetrator so far is TGT’ s special forces training segment, in which they are “killed” multiple times, the final in humorous nod to Platoon , complete with Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” in the background.

But the staging isn’t just found in the big segments. Their Stig replacement racing driver, Mike Skinner, is such an overbaked, stereotypical American caricature that he might as well be Larry the Cable Guy. His groaner lines about any car without an American V8 being “communist” are unfunny at best and alienating at worst. Yes, we think all those cars are communist. That’s why we’ve been watching a European car show for decades.

Top Gear was a champion of subtlety, that timeless, British wink-and-nod humor so effective in a “factual” program. The Grand Tour has thrown so much of that away. In episode three, May and Hammond set about tearing down Clarkson’s house, and in it they find a Putinesque painting of Clarkson riding a horse shirtless. Top Gear wouldn’t have done this. On Top Gear, it would’ve been hinted at. Sure, Clarkson would have something like that in his house, they’d say. The Grand Tour just put it out there, and it’s not quite as funny, because you can’t pretend to believe it.

I think the root of all of this can be found in TGT ‘s lack of limits. Yes, the lack of limits. When it was bound to the BBC, Top Gear was classified as a “factual program,” meaning that it would be nonfictional and educational in nature. Because of this they had to present some form of reality, and they had to be focused on cars.

This is not the case with TGT . That show can be about anything, and the trio have said that it will be broader in focus. This, apparently, included silly, scripted segments about special forces training and Clarkson enjoying art. The trio is undoubtedly hilarious, but they’re not actors. They’re much funnier as themselves.

Top Gear also had a much smaller budget, presumably, and a time constraint of one hour per episode. The Grand Tour has neither, and it shows. Celebrity Brain Crush, for example, would be much funnier if it was only mentioned. But with TGT’ s extra budget and screentime, they can afford to get and show footage of Simon Pegg actually falling into Whitby Harbor and dying. It stretches out the space between the jokes, which is always less funny, but more importantly, it stretches our ability to suspend our disbelief.

We used to have to wonder what was real and fake on Top Gear . We’d be so convinced that a result of one of their X vs Car races was staged, but then one of the three would show up in an interview and say that it wasn’t. We’d think their rugged adventures were coddled, but then May would fall off a horse and injure his back. But TGT forces us to take the whole thing is pure fiction, and this rather raises the bar. We’ve seen better, funnier, and more dramatic fiction.

This all might read a little scathing, but that’s not the intent. The Grand Tour is still funny and entertaining, and it’s every bit as beautifully shot as Top Gear . It’s also the best car-related show out there right now, and I won’t miss an episode. It just has some work to do before it can replace its predecessor.

This originally appeared on !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , but it escaped and I cornered it here.

Nisman > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 12/08/2016 at 10:38

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Nice article. This echos my feelings almost exactly. I think that in time, it will improve and they will figure out what works.

MonkeePuzzle > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 12/08/2016 at 10:51

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for those interested, the 60 minutes interview

I had not seen it

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 12/08/2016 at 10:52

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I think what the later Top Gears (especially the offshoots) and TGT are missing is that the fans don’t watch for the big set pieces involving cars. We watch for the guys having fun doing stupid stuff in cars. That’s what made the Top Gear specials some of the best episodes. They were just 3 guys with 3 cars on a adventure. Whenever they try to turn it into a huge spectacle they always miss the mark.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > MonkeePuzzle 12/08/2016 at 10:59

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Whoops. Sorry. I thought I’d linked it.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 12/08/2016 at 11:03

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I agree. It’s been done successfully, like the E-Type tribute or the one about the cars still manufactured in Britain, but they’re always pretty self-aware. Spectacles like the special forces bit are confusing to us, because we’re not sure how we’re meant to view them. Is it fiction or not? Are they acting? The best segments are the ones in which they’re genuinely arguing/adventuring/having fun.

Justin Hughes > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 12/08/2016 at 11:07

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Well said. I generally agree. I’ve enjoyed it so far, but it could definitely use a little more work. I was hoping there’d be no studio tent pieces at all, with the focus on three middle aged men “on the cutting edge of cocking about.” If this is, indeed, a Grand Tour, I’d like to see it focused on touring, not drawing out precisely which ways TGT is different from TG . But still, I’ll watch it and enjoy it regardless.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 12/08/2016 at 11:11

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I’ve only watched the first episode and was never religious about watching TG like a lot of people were. My favorite episodes were absolutely the 3 guys goofing around in cars. They were personable and something that I wished I was able to do with some car buddies but we don’t have the time/money to throw away on it like they always did. The facts about cars were always slipped in to those segments, like they’d slip in details about the special transmission or suspension that they picked that particular pile of crap to drive for the segment. It was all attainable.

First episode of Grand Tour definitely felt drawn out and a lot of it felt forced. I was wondering if they just needed to get in the groove again and figure out how it’s going to work out in the Tent. Sounds like they’ll need a bit more time to work it all out.

The “skit crap” is exactly why shows like Gas Monkey Garage are obnoxious. The ending, lets do an excessively cheesy delivery of the car. I don’t care about those and it’s not a reason to turn on your show.

Nonster > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 12/08/2016 at 11:21

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I think a lot of the “meh” feelings I have toward the grand tour stem from my opinion of the last few seasons of Top Gear. Those final seasons felt more scripted than ever and were consistently less entertaining than the earlier seasons. Yeah there were a few standout episodes here and there but as a whole I felt the show was getting stale. So when they left and started up The Grand Tour I was hoping they’d really mix things up a bit and bring something fresh that still contained the spirit of the old show.

Instead what we got was pretty much just a continuation of what they were doing before. Which is fine, but “more of the same”, probably falls below most of our expectations. They still may right the ship so I’m remaining optimistic. I think they’re filming a few episodes ahead so the feedback they’re getting can’t be implemented immediately, but hopefully the show hits it’s stride in a few episodes.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 12/08/2016 at 11:21

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The celebrity brain crush segment is just pure fluff and it needs to die. Or just have Clarkson say “Simon Peg was supposed to be here but it appears he’s fallen into the harbor, after being attacked by a seagul.” I’d at least chuckle at that, and the segment would be 20 seconds instead of what feels like half an hour.

FoilyDoily > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 12/08/2016 at 11:22

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All of this! I haven’t been watching because it’s just not as good. Not as charming. Not as funny. Just not.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 12/08/2016 at 11:24

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Yes. Just a mention. “We’d scheduled Tom Cruise for Celebrity Brain Crush, but it appears he’s ridden his motorcycle off a cliff and been killed on the way here.”

May: “Does that mean he’s not coming on, then?”

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 12/08/2016 at 11:26

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You’re absolutely right, but I’m willing to give it some time to get there. The latest episode of TGT with the Italian road-trip came as close as I’ve seen to golden-years Top Gear.

I think there’s a bit of rose-tinted spectacles going on though. Top Gear had its moments of utter brilliance (V12 Vantage review, Renault Twingo review, Bolivia Special, Botswana Special, Vietnam Special, American Special, a lot of the cheap car challenges), but there were enough episodes that didn’t quite hit the mark.

Still, I do worry about the general production value increasing. I’d gladly pay to see TGT turn into a programme that’s solely based on cheap car challenges and ambitious road trips (again, the cheap car ones).

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 12/08/2016 at 11:27

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Dude the third episode was absolute gold. No “American track test” and only one brain crash segment that was at least funny. But more importantly, as soon as Hammond showed up in the Hellcat I knew that ALL things were forgiven and the ONE TRUE TOP GEAR had returned. I could not stop hysterically laughing through the entire trip with how pissed James May was getting and how much fun the other two were having in their cars. This episode alone makes the whole season for me, if it gets any better it will be my favorite show ever.

Honestly though if they threw out 100% of the tent segments and cut the show to just the adventure parts, it would be the best thing ever. But that is 100% how I felt about regular old Top Gear anyways. The studio segment can just bugger off!

LongbowMkII > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 12/08/2016 at 12:11

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The best part of top gear: bumping into each other. From accidently in one of their first cheap car challenges to May pulling a machete out in rage on the edge of a cliff.

I feel TGT doesn’t get that. There’s no spontaneity. Clarkson isn’t coming through with a cow on the roof.

LongbowMkII > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 12/08/2016 at 12:19

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I was hoping for something else. Something like No Reservations in cars. Start with a cold open in a Brazilian(or wherever) parking lot and get right to a Grand Tour. Some exotics down the coast and into the edge of the jungle where they switch into some Brazilian made off road vehicles and fight towards the north coast. Basically special episodes all the time.

FromCanadaWithLove > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 12/08/2016 at 12:43

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I disagree that it’s as beautifully shot as Top Gear. I think they’ve really missed the mark with the GT cinematography. Everything is too oversaturated and busy. I don’t find a lot of continuity between shots.

Trevor Slattery, ACTOR > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 12/08/2016 at 13:55

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Ya know there is a book by the philospher Erich Fromm called “Escape From Freedom” in it he posits that the real creativity happens when you HAVE to work with in a framework.

The fact that these guys have a huge budget is actually hurting them. Just because you can do anything you want does NOT mean you should immediately think, “well, what is the BIGGEST BEST THING WE CAN DO?”

Leon711 > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 12/08/2016 at 14:14

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This is the best thing I’ve seen written about the Grand Tour, it’s just not up to the standard I was expecting. I was perplexed, they’ve been given a golden opportunity to move the game on, but here we are, more of the same. Only it’s not the same, it’s like they are just phoning it in for a paycheck, I don’t know what I expected from the same presenters, producer, script writer and crew.

Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR 12/08/2016 at 15:12

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I should probably read that book. I find that I work best within a set of limitations, and I feel this way about many movies and TV shows. Heck, it’s almost the same principle of slow car fast.

MCS2014 > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR 12/08/2016 at 20:27

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Exactly, nicely put!

Nauraushaun > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 12/09/2016 at 02:32

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I think the end of TG and start of GT gives people a nice bookmark to point the finger and say “THAT’s where it became too fake”. In reality it happened at least 3 seasons before TG died.

Nauraushaun > Andy Sheehan, StreetsideStig 12/09/2016 at 02:39

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I think the end of TG and start of GT gives people a nice bookmark to point the finger and say “THAT’s where it became too fake”. In reality it happened at least 3 seasons before TG died.