The Top Gear scripting issue goes back further than we thought

"If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent" (essextee)
12/08/2017 at 23:06 • Filed to: None

In the 1st US special (which aired in ten years ago ) they made a big show of the guys trying to find and buy a cheap car in Florida, however in this interview James reveals that the star cars were purchased before the trio ever entered the country.

“...we chose it from home, obviously, so I didn’t get to drive it. We just rang up and asked about it...”

DISCUSSION (24)

BaconSandwich is tasty. > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
12/08/2017 at 23:22

I don’t find this too surprising.

Both Top Gear and Top Gear (USA) have done stuff like this. In Top Gear USA, they painted the Merker that they bought for the show because of whatever artistic reasons. Of course they didn’t mention that in the show, but rather gave the impression that that’s the way they got it.

At the end of that particular episode they mentioned that someone wanted to sue them for giving them a different year vehicle than what they were promised. That’s an indication right there that the producer (or someone on the crew) had been talking to someone about giving the vehicle away before the trio got there.

shop-teacher > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
12/08/2017 at 23:38

They’ve never made any secret about it being a scripted show. It always has been. People who insist it wasn’t are just clinging to their rose colored spectacles.

Berang > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
12/08/2017 at 23:47

Clarkson has always talked about how much time he spent writing top gear, and how important the writing is for the show. Aside from the specials where they bumble around in some country long enough to get enough material to find funny bits in for an episode, pretty much everything on the show had to be scripted.

SpeedSix > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
12/08/2017 at 23:57

I never really saw much of an issue with having a script - it certainly wouldn’t be easy to improvise everything along the way, and having an outline or even a written script of what to say cuts down on time needed for filming. It was fine to me here, because it rarely felt too forced , so to say.

Nauraushaun > shop-teacher
12/08/2017 at 23:58

I just wish it weren’t so obvious at time. It’s supposed to appear to be unscripted. Sometimes it’s just badly written.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > shop-teacher
12/09/2017 at 00:23

Clarkson has even joked about this on the show, I think they got an award for best unscripted show but that he couldn’t accept the award since he was writing the script for the show.

Steve in Manhattan > shop-teacher
12/09/2017 at 00:29

Indeed - you don’t get content that good without a script. And I’d be disappointed to know that they scripted the auction purchase of the Lancester/Healy/Citroen for that timed trial rally, but almost surely they did. And it was still a lot of fun. And Madison’s breasts weren’t real either ....

19JRC99 > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
12/09/2017 at 00:29

Hell, a lot of people (myself included), think the redneck attack was fake, regardless of what the Trio say. There’s just too many coincidences for it to not be.

not for canada - australian in disguise > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
12/09/2017 at 01:31

You mean during the US special Clarkson didn’t REALLY find a massive dead cow on the side of the road? I doubt it.

RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire > Steve in Manhattan
12/09/2017 at 01:51

And Madison’s breasts weren’t real either ....

wait, what

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > not for canada - australian in disguise
12/09/2017 at 01:57

It might have been more convincing if he’d have dragged it into the camp on a rope rather than having been forklifted in place at the knackery...cause he sure as heck didn’t lift it there in the first place.

interstate366, now In The Industry > 19JRC99
12/09/2017 at 05:22

The alleged gas station owner in that scene who says “this is a hick town, man!” sounds like she’s from Buffalo or Chicago. Dead giveaway.

19JRC99 > interstate366, now In The Industry
12/09/2017 at 05:58

Well, it’s not so much that, but how quickly the boys show up. As if they were off screen or something. I’m sorry, but it’d take all of 30 seconds to tear ass out of the gas station, long before the boys could all be rounded up and get to said gas station.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > shop-teacher
12/09/2017 at 06:22

There’s a big leap between setting up encounters and incidents and outright forging 15 minutes of the show though.

Flavien Vidal > 19JRC99
12/09/2017 at 06:29

We don’t know how quickly they really show up since May’s car is stranded there in the first place... As far as I can recall and how the explain it in different interviews, they really got scared shitless on that one... Same goes for the Argentina mess with the Falklands...

19JRC99 > Flavien Vidal
12/09/2017 at 07:15

Maybe. I don’t know, it just seems real fishy to me. The Argentina deal on the other hand, is definitely legit. All over a fucking license plate.

shop-teacher > Nauraushaun
12/09/2017 at 08:33

Yeah, they’re not all winners, but that’s hardly a new phenomenon. There were plenty of bad TG segments.

shop-teacher > Steve in Manhattan
12/09/2017 at 08:38

Yep and yep.

shop-teacher > gin-san - shitpost specialist
12/09/2017 at 08:40

Yeah, exactly.

shop-teacher > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
12/09/2017 at 08:41

Don’t kid yourself, the show has always been scripted, not outlined. There’s a big difference.

xc90v8/I4 :( > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
12/09/2017 at 09:48

The newest grand tour episode made me so mad.

It was filmed near where I live and I know lucerne (where they drove through the narrow streets) quite well. And it made no sense at all.

First they drove away from the museum towards the old part of town. Then they drove a circle through the old part of town just to get back on the road they were on before. To then drive back to the m useum (which admittedly is crap nowadays).

It was just so obviously scripted bullshit because I know the town so well. Makes me think this is the same everytime and I just don’ t notice it.

Nauraushaun > shop-teacher
12/09/2017 at 15:25

I agree completely. People like to draw a line and say it’s all Grand Tour that’s bad - it’s really just continuing on the same theme.

JGrabowMSt > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
12/09/2017 at 22:42

I worked in the TV industry for several years. When a show is scripted, everything is forged. If the audience laugh isnt good enough, they will reshoot or use a laugh track. The reliant robin segments used modified cars that would roll easier.

It was scripted to get viewership, and it did so very well.

Arrivederci > xc90v8/I4 :(
12/11/2017 at 09:17

That’s not surprising, but it could have also been a result just of how it was cut when they put all the film together.