[TK-421]

Looks like there's a glimmer of hope that it won't be as most think it will be:


Forum with people from the first ever live studio audience giving their reviews:
http://forums.finalgear.com/top-gear...-taping-46343/

Detailed review:

As many car nuts know, Top Gear, the most successful car show in the world, has come to America. We’ve gotten our own spinoff show, airing this Fall on the History Channel. While some have applauded the fact that Americans will now get more of the show we love, others have completely written it off as a sub-standard copycat show that could never be as good as the original, before seeing even a single frame of film. Well, I just had to see for myself. Top Gear USA just started taping their in-studio segments today at an airport hangar in Irvine, CA, and whaddya know? The whole TST crew took a little road trip in the Raptor to see how it’s going to turn out. Hit the jump for a preview of what Top Gear USA has in store for us.

Being part of a studio audience is nothing like seeing a show fully edited together and complete. It seems to take forever, especially on the first day of shooting, before the crew is comfortable with the flow of moving props and people and cameras around. The set is quite a bit smaller than the British show, but several cars were on display inside, including a Dodge Viper ACR in a great white/black/red color combination, a Chevy Camaro SS, a Porsche Panamera Turbo, and the same Aston Martin V12 Vantage that I had the pleasure of piloting a few weeks back. These cars were there to start off the “power lap” board with a few preliminary times, which I won’t give away here. The “Celebrity Lap Times” board is being re-used from the defunct NBC pilot, and because the track at El Toro is the same for the new show as it was for the pilot, Adam Carolla and David Hasslehof’s times are still on there. We’ll ignore the fact that the Hoff’s time is completely made up because he was wasted on shoot day and couldn’t actually complete a lap in the car while drunk. True story. Despite its smaller size, the overall feel is the same as the British show, and yours truly, recognized by a bunch of the crew members, scored a sweet-ass viewpoint from the top of the bridge, a raised structure behind the main stage and facing out into the cameras.

On to the action. We first got a little speech from the show’s producer and writer, Richard Porter, who is also the primary writer for the British show. He asked us to remember that the first two seasons of British Top Gear were, to quote him directly, “Total shit,” and that it took a while to really get the rhythm together, so to please be patient and recognize that you can’t make miracles overnight. He also reminded us that US Top Gear isn’t replacing the British show, just adding more of what we love, and assured us that when we saw some of the films, we would be convinced.

Fortunately, they did actually show two of the completed segments to the studio audience, and true to Richard’s word, we weren’t disappointed. The first segment featured host/drifter/friend Tanner Foust racing two extreme skiiers to the other side of Mammoth Mountain, CA. In a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X. We know that on the British show, Richard Hammond raced a skiier, so feel free to call out a repeat performance, but with a closed road, Tanner’s incredible skills behind the wheel, and very very deep powder to push the car through, the segment proved both entertaining and exciting, and I can honestly say that Top Gear’s editors do much more for Tanner’s hosting abilities than anyone on SPEED ever has. Plus, the quality of the shots, music selection, voiceovers, and all the post-production work we’ve come to expect from the British version is right there.

The second segment was a contest between Tanner and the two other hosts, Rutledge Wood and Adam Ferrara. In fact, it was a drifting contest, filmed at Willow Springs’s skidpad area with two Nissan 370Z’s. At first, this seems like a no-brainer, since Tanner literally does this for a living. But there was a catch: Tanner wouldn’t be driving. Instead, the producers turn Tanner into a literal seeing-eye dog for a blind driver. A blind driver who had driven a car exactly one time, and never a stick. Tanner, after the taping, told me that this segment was “the most terrified I’ve ever been in a car, and probably the most in danger as well.” The segment proves to be hilarious, as not only can you see and feel the sheer terror in Tanner’s face (he gets carsick as a passenger, even with a good driver), you also learn that host Adam Ferrarra apparently cannot drive for shit. Hardcore car junkies will call this a big problem, but lets be honest: watching people try to drive fast who can’t drive fast is pretty damn funny. The highlight of the whole segment, however, was something that could never be scripted: the behavior of a dog. Brian, the blind driver, was invited out to the studio and called up on stage after watching the segment, and with cameras rolling, his seeing eye dog let go a good 40-second piss right on the Top Gear logo’ed carpet at Adam’s feet. The whole place went batshit, and moments like that, totally unscripted greatness, are what make shows like Top Gear great.

There was also a Power Lap segment with Rutledge testing the Aston Martin V12 Vantage, as well as a “Big Star in a Little Car” segment, but we didn’t get to see the Aston bit and I’ve agreed not to divulge information about celebrity guests.

Now, on to the hosts themselves. I have to admit, I was skeptical about Rutledge Wood for no reason besides he’s worked in NASCAR broadcasting and he isn’t me. Tanner’s been a friend for years now, and his hosting abilities are really improving, though he still needs to loosen up a bit in front of a live audience. This being the first taping of a show with a lot of pressure, I’d be nervous as hell too. I’ve known about Adam’s comedy for a few years, and it was a great call having a stand-up comic on the show. He’s quick, sharp, and funny as shit, and has a great comeback for everything thrown at him.

Don’t start asking “Who’s James, Who’s Richard, and Who’s Jeremy” because this dynamic of hosts doesn’t really work that way. They haven’t set out to replicate individual characters from the British show, which was tried on the NBC pilot and would never work out. Instead, they have created a new ensemble with a new dynamic that works well when put into its own context. Rutledge is the friendly, funny southerner who’s always loved cars and racing, and self-deprecates frequently about his poor fashion sense and taste. Fortunately, in this episode at least, NASCAR has been left out of the equation entirely. Adam is endlessly witty, the high-strung New Yorker (accent included), and has way more confidence than he should with his ability to drive. And Tanner is the softer spoken, wheel-man pretty boy with the laid back California attitude.

I’ll admit, this morning upon walking into the studio, I was pretty skeptical, though I had an open mind and high hopes. I have to say that, after seeing the quality of the segments, the fun, American style of the hosts, and the blend of cars and comedy in this episode, I’m now confident that, though Top Gear USA will probably never be quite the runaway success as the original, it’s going to be a really fun show to watch, and for the 80% of Americans that have never heard of Top Gear, will be the best car show they have ever seen on TV. So bloggers, fans, and critics, cut these guys some slack. They have worked very hard making a uniquely American version of a uniquely British show, and in my opinion, are on their way to success with it. They have funny hosts that love cars, and they have production value to back it up. You’ll never please the purists, but for everyone else, look forward to some quality programming this fall on the History Channel.

http://www.thesmokingtire.com/2010/r...studio-taping/

[Year's_End]

Sounds like they're doing this properly and taking it seriously. TG Australia was a complete fail, mainly because it tried too hard to mimic the UK version (and the camera work was subpar imo).

Here's to hoping we get more good shit and not another cheap knockoff.

[Rawhide]

I'm just hoping they have enough of a budget to do the show right.

[ki__]

WHat channel is it showing on? NBC?

EDIT: history channel..got it

[BTM]

TL;DR but when does this air?

[M3 Pilot]

Originally Posted by Nikkahtropolis

Sounds like they're doing this properly and taking it seriously. TG Australia was a complete fail, mainly because it tried too hard to mimic the UK version (and the camera work was subpar imo).

Here's to hoping we get more good shit and not another cheap knockoff.

So much fail that they broadcast more Top Gear UK than AU.

Their jokes were not even funny !

[UltimateBMW]

tl;dr

Are they going to be critical of the cars?

[BimmerRob]

i'd watch it

[Muffnbluff]

I think the US version can be great in its own rights, but it's never going to top the legendary status of the original. I mean, what gearhead in the world wouldn't love the opportunity to sit down and have a beer (or 12) and talk cars with Jezza, Hamster and Cpt Slow?

I'm really excited for the first episode though, I need some more good shows to watch.

[KTS1010]

Well I can't wait to watch, I wonder when the episodes will start.

EDIT:

Was looking at the history channel site and the first episode looks like it is going to premier on November 21, at 10/9c.

http://www.history.com/shows/top-gear/episodes

[TSM330i]

Updated review from Inside Line:
http://www.insideline.com/features/r...-gear-usa.html

Review: Top Gear USA
An Early Review of the American Version of Top Gear

By Lee Pray, Contributor | Published Nov 10, 2010

Poor So-So Pretty Good Good Excellent PoorSo-SoPretty GoodGoodExcellent18 Ratings 18 RatingsThere have been plenty of rumors, speculation and Web chatter about the American version of Top Gear. Well, I can now lay them to rest. I've seen the first three episodes in their entirety. Not just clips or random segments. And with no PR spin. Yep, just sat down with some yogurt-covered pretzels and had my own personal Top Gear USA marathon. Here's what I took away from it.

There are two ways to look at the new American-based version of Top Gear that premieres on the History Channel November 21. First as an American car show and second as Top Gear.

Hosted by comedian Adam Ferrara, drift driver Tanner Foust and Speed Channel's designated NASCAR chortler Rutledge Wood, it's easily one of the best car programs ever to make it onto U.S. basic cable. It's beautifully shot and professionally edited, the content isn't beholden to whatever manufacturer that's paying for it, there's no segment where they pimp aftermarket parts, and it actually tries to be (and often succeeds at being) entertaining. This isn't Motorweek, Two Guys Garage or one of those Saturday afternoon ESPN2 time-slot fillers where they run B-roll video shot at car shows while the hyperventilating host reads press releases in voiceover. It's better. A lot better.

But it is called Top Gear (just Top Gear, not Top Gear USA or any other variation of the name), and that invites comparison with the Brit-built original. And in that heads-up battle, it's a pretty pale imitation that's burdened with unforced errors and, so far, missing the critical chemistry that makes the original such goofball perfection. I've only seen the first three episodes, so it may be that it gets better over time. Well, it needs to.

Most of the familiar Top Gear elements are present and accounted for in this new version. "A Star in a Reasonably Priced Car" becomes "Big Star, Small Car"; the stars still wander around a set built in an old hangar; and the show travels all over America to shoot segments. And, yes, there is an American version of "The Stig" around to flog every car around a track set up at what used to be the Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in Southern California. And as in the U.K. version, all those elements work OK.

What's missing from the American Top Gear is razor-sharp writing, the easygoing mutual ego slaughtering of the U.K. trio and some of the familiar music cues.

Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May are all excellent, insightful writers and true wits; they slalom around the car test clichés their American counterparts slam head on into. They're also veteran car testers who have experienced enough machinery to keep their enthusiasm holstered until it encounters a car truly deserving of it.

In contrast, the U.S. guys gush with enthusiasm over obvious things (like that the Viper has a lot of torque), use terms like "driving on rails" and don't have the breadth of experience to critically assess cars like the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera with any depth. It's easy to be blown away by a Gallardo, but much tougher to put it in critical perspective against cars like the Ferrari 458 and Porsche 911 Turbo.

The lack of solid writing is most apparent in the stunts. Tanner Foust racing a Mitsubishi Evo down ski slopes against stunt skiers is inspired stuff, but Foust himself never really says anything interesting. A segment on "moonshine runners" meanwhile is just dopey; the interplay between the hosts just isn't substantial enough to carry the bit.

In these early episodes, it's apparent that the U.S. trio is just getting to know one another. So don't expect the sort of high-level badmouthing that makes Clarkson, Hammond and May so hilarious. Having said that, however, what Ferrara, Foust and Wood have going is already light-years ahead of the forced, cloddish clowning that goes on with other U.S. car shows. Yeah, I mean you, Spike TV Powerblock. There may not be as many laughs in the U.S. version of Top Gear as the U.K. one, but some laughs are there. And the groan factor is low (but not at zero).

Some of the reason why the British guys can harangue each other on camera so much is that each of their episodes run about 60 minutes. The American version, which must accommodate commercials, only goes 44 minutes. Here's hoping that three American amigos get enough episodes to find their mutual harassment sweet spot and somehow find the time to express it.

The U.K. version of Top Gear uses music brilliantly from the opening riffs of Greg Allman's "Jessica" as the theme song through all the familiar tunes that underscore every taped segment. If there's any place where the budgetary restrictions put on the U.S. version is apparent, it's the music. The same generic version of "Jessica" is used as the theme, but after that most of the music is sort of indifferent and innocuous — the sort of stuff they didn't have to spend a lot of money paying licensing rights on. They do drop in a few familiar tunes now and then, but it's nothing compared to how the Brits use familiar themes.

Ultimately the U.S. version of Top Gear seems worthwhile. No, it won't make you forget or forego the British version. But there's no downside to having two Top Gears around to choose from. It's a good solid start for the series, even if it isn't yet a match for the original.

[335iMIAMI]

Why did NBC originally drop the show? And jeez out of all channels History channel picks it up. I will see the first episode on November 21st , but from the trailer I saw I doubt it will be any good , just seems awkward.

[Chenry135]

I'm really liking the positivity of this thread! Every-time I try to talk to someone about this show they immediately say its going to blow.

[TSM330i]

We have to remember, the hosts are NOT going to have the same chemistry as the BBC show who have been together for years now. It'll take time to build that. Also, the three hosts were journalists, not car guys.
I'm very much so looking forward to this.

[335iMIAMI]

Originally Posted by AW325xi

We have to remember, the hosts are NOT going to have the same chemistry as the BBC show who have been together for years now. It'll take time to build that. Also, the three hosts were journalists, not car guys.
I'm very much so looking forward to this.

Sorry to ask but I can't tell if your being sarcastic?

[RRGOO7]

To me what makes Top Gear greats is the hosts of the show. Jeremy always has something sarcastic and funny to say while James is the complete obvious. I enjoy watching them review the cars but more so how cynical all the three of them are together.

Im hoping these three can get it together in their own way.

[FStop7]

Originally Posted by 335iMIAMI

Why did NBC originally drop the show?

Because the remake of Knight Rider did badly.

[DougLikesBMW]

Originally Posted by RRGOO7

To me what makes Top Gear greats is the hosts of the show. Jeremy always has something sarcastic and funny to say while James is the complete obvious. I enjoy watching them review the cars but more so how cynical all the three of them are together.

Im hoping these three can get it together in their own way.

Indeed...it is impossible to watch this and then not constantly compare it to the original, even if you're not consciously trying to.

I wish they wouldn't call this show Top Gear.