Just Watched Some Top Gear

"MtrRider Just Wants Doritos" (MtrRider)
02/03/2014 at 03:00 • Filed to: None

And I can't help but feel as though it isn't the same show it used to be. Everything was scripted, which is fine, but nothing felt spontaneous. It is beginning to feel more like American reality tv than Top Gear. The entire premise of this show was to destroy some perfectly acceptable cars for no reason. They didn't prove anything, I didn't learn anything, I didn't laugh and I came out of it feeling like my time would have been better spent doing something else.

I know this rant is old and tired, but it's true. I used to feel excited a week before a new season of TG came out. Now, I couldn't care less. They only do a handful of new episodes a year, and at the recent quality that's not enough to keep the Holy Grail of Car Shows status. Low budget internet upstarts such as /Drive and Roadkill are funnier, have more character, and most importantly they are about the cars .

DISCUSSION (19)

Decay buys too many beaters > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos
02/03/2014 at 03:15

I was on board (thought the vinyl was kinda funny) right up until they started blowing shit up.

I am looking forward to the P1 review even though i already know exactly what it will entail.

MtrRider Just Wants Doritos > Decay buys too many beaters
02/03/2014 at 03:23

I don't see many car people watching a car show just to see them systematically and predictably destroyed.

It will be the best car in the world... until he drives the LaFerrari.

RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos
02/03/2014 at 03:23

Yeah, *shrug* ... the Top Gear India special was when I realized things had really gone bad. I just watch the online streams and don't bother downloading the episodes anymore.

Hoccy > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos
02/03/2014 at 03:24

I think this episode turned out this way because Hammonds Nova broke down a bit earlier than expected. It was only the last police chase segment that was a bit over the top for me, it felt like a fast rewrite..

Top Gear and low budget youtube reviews are two completely different things. Not comparable, no matter how good or bad they are.

Dusty Ventures > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos
02/03/2014 at 03:27

I agree, the level of scripted and staged content was disappointing (Richard's "roll" coming down the hillclimb, Richard's run through the grocery store, the entire police chase at the base, etc).

Decay buys too many beaters > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos
02/03/2014 at 03:27

And then it will be cold and clinical.. the the Ferrari The Ferrari will have soul... aka top gear suckling at the teat of Maranello.

... and they won't even cover the 918

MtrRider Just Wants Doritos > Hoccy
02/03/2014 at 03:27

I doubt any breakdown couldn't be fixed for the show. They've done it before.

The problem is when I enjoy the youtube shows more because they're genuinely better.

Dusty Ventures > Hoccy
02/03/2014 at 03:28

For me the whole thing was over the top. Hammond's roll on the hillclimb was faked and so was his run through the grocery store (you never saw his car through the entire run and all the objects he supposedly "hit" flew straight up, meaning they were thrown).

Hoccy > Dusty Ventures
02/03/2014 at 03:38

Yeah that was obvious. I'm not sure if it was a good joke or a bad joke (or serious), but I laughed for some reason.

Shady Balkan Subject, Drives an Alfa > RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire
02/03/2014 at 03:40

Yep India was the point where all the things really wnet downhill. Last season there were some nice things, but with this we are back to the second to last one, which was absolutely dreadfull.

Hermann > Hoccy
02/03/2014 at 05:46

I laughed too. It was pretty funny, but staged sitcom funny and not Top Gear spontaneous funny.

Same with the exploding cars... so unnecessary. I hope the special redeems this crap.

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos
02/03/2014 at 06:05

It's better than DRIVE, that's for sure.

MtrRider Just Wants Doritos > Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura
02/03/2014 at 06:08

Drive the movie or Drive the youtube channel?

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos
02/03/2014 at 06:11

Latter.

I_AmDeath > Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura
02/03/2014 at 07:46

For how much larger top gears budget is I'd sure hope it's better then a bunch of Internet shows with a shoestring budget.

awe46m3zcp > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos
02/03/2014 at 09:18

I agree.. The vinyl wraps were a waste of 5 mins. Jeremy wrapping his keys to the roof? Come on, no one is that dumb. They didn't even pick 3 hatchbacks that people care about. The golf gti was the only good choice.

I like a little humor but I miss the days where they pick cars for challenges that people on a budget would still want, and actually do challenges to find a winner. Now its pick 3 cars, who cares which ones, and lets ruin them before the last challenge. Then prank each other so none of the challenges mean anything. Im suprised they didn't tie James car to the nearest tree before he set off up the hill, or take the lug nuts off one wheel.

Chairman Kaga > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos
02/03/2014 at 10:57

The comedy was forced. Honestly, what it felt like was an old BBC slaptsick sitcom. If I may say so, it also felt completely half-arsed. I did laugh a few times, but this is not an episode that I'll ever rewatch, which is a shame because an old-school hot hatch competition had SO much promise.

I hope this episode doesn't portend of things to come. There have been plenty of bum episodes before, but for me, this was the low-water mark of Top Gear.

marshknute > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos
02/03/2014 at 13:30

The TGUK we know and love was a completely different show. It was about the cars, not the stunts. In each cheap car challenge, the hosts would use their extensive knowledge of arbitrary automotive trivia to poke fun at each other's' cheap car for its reputation, design flaws, customer stereotypes and unique characteristics. They were just 3 friends who hated each other and shared a love of cars.

The Hill Climb from last night's episode was a perfect example of the new, awful TGUK: they made it a contest of each hosts' driving ability, with each car being nothing more than a glossed-over variable. There was no mention of what type of engine each car had, what the gearboxes were like, etc. Each host simply got into any car and drove off screen to the tune of some fake car crash sound effects.

Many moons ago, their races were about the cars. In the cheap Porsche challenge, Jeremy could joke about how his 928 was "weighed down" by the 4 extra cylinders over James' 944. In the cheap supercars challenge, they joked about Hammond's Ferrari being a fake Ferrari (Dino), May's Urraco being a kit car, and Jeremy's Merak being a poorly built supercar that time forgot. They would pull a Road Kill by MacGyvering their cars until they started working again. It was entertaining becuase it was unscripted and improvised by 3 bumbling, car-loving idiots.

Honestly, they need to start letting the Stig do the driving like they used to. By removing the hosts from the driving element, if forces them to default to witty car banter, which is what made the show so brilliant to begin with.

DAMG0014 > MtrRider Just Wants Doritos
02/05/2014 at 13:06

I have Netflix, so I'm a couple of seasons behind. I realized the show was going the wrong direction with the Africa special. The lack of spontaneity and scripted pranks was what bothered me. They scenes would just just cut from scene to scene with the presenters just describing what happened, but there was no footage of them doing these things. The worst was when Jeremy, apparently, cleanly removed the rear windshield off Hammond's car. Yeah, I'm sure he sneaked around and just popped it off and installed it perfectly on his own car. And the rest of the "nasty" things they did to each other's cars felt random and pointless, with, again, no footage.

Another thing I noticed too, which is inevitable, is that they're getting old. It's a bummer, but it's a reality.