My weekly TV column is up at Torontoist.
Also, it’s not airing on Canadian telly so it’s not in the column, but – the new American version of Top Gear is really dreadful, isn’t it? Jeremy Clarkson might be a colossal dickhead, but at least he’s sort of self-aware about being a colossal dickhead, and May/Hammond similarly recognize that although their love for cars is heartfelt it’s also sort of absurd. You don’t get that from the American hosts (Adam Ferrara and two professional car-guys who are wastes of on-camera space). They’re totally serious about how much they love cars. It’s kind of boring.
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No! Mine!
….what?
Your?
Okay, it’s fixed.
When it comes to american adaptions of english TV shows, I wasn’t aware there were any options beyond “Dreadful & a waste of space.” I’m a big fan of Top Gear, but I never even considered watching an episode of the american series, it being a forgone conclusion that they’ll fuck it up.
I’m not a car person, but I love Top Gear. I have no interest in it without Clarkson, May, and Hammond. What’s the point?
…There’s an American version of Top Gear? What?
I saw last night’s episode of the U.S. Top Gear. It’s obviously the same brains *behind* the show, but the on-screen talent just has no clue– and absolutely *no* screen presence. If they can get a few seasons under their belt, *maybe* they’ll grow into it, but I suspect they may not get the opportunity.
The only thing I thought might have been an improvement was the test track, as they had more room to lay it out than the glorified figure-8 that the British track has.
BTW, while I’m posting here, you should know that 66% of respondents so far think that Rex the Motherf*ing Wonder Dog would NOT win a deathmatch with an average everday housecat.
http://community.livejournal.com/gore_sports/25795.html
(You have to be a member of that community to vote, which means dredging up a LiveJournal account, but this year, community membership is still open during the challenge.)
I didn’t even bother tuning in for a few minutes, but my first reaction upon seeing that in the guide was “Oh Discovery Channel, no!”
Top Gear is not about cars. It’s about affable middle-aged risking life and limb out of a love of cars. How can even a TV producer miss that point?
Also, I assume the title is regarding the fact that Bristol Palin has sucked all season.
And no, that’s not a Levi joke. 🙂
Luckily I can watch the British version of ‘Top Gear’ on OnDemand. It really it pointless to make the series without Clarkson, Hammond, and Captain Slow.
The American Top Gear suuuuuuuuucked. They may like cars. Okay. Fine. But I can’t tell the two non-bearded guys apart, and I can’t tell ANY of them apart by voice.
Clarkson, Hammond, and May have wonderful voices. These three sounded like they were doing a run-through of the first draft of a powerpoint. To themselves. In the basement.
Cinematography was similar to Top Gear, but that was about the only good part of it.
Fuck American Top Gear. Just, fuck it.
There is one show which is airing new content this week though they pushed the air date back to Friday: Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. I was really suprised this show has turned out as good as it has. Still pissed Community isn’t airing this week, but you can’t have everything I guess.
“Part reality show, part buddy movie, part Monty Python”
“It’s a journey into the male mind, which I believe is really, potentially a very funny place, because, let’s face it, nothing happens there.”
From 60 Minutes’s piece on the show. Perfect.
I’m too busy crying over the death of Ingrid Pitt. 🙁
Hey the black kid on Skating with the Stars is a Disney Channel star….well…he’s the black kid from Disney Channel who wasn’t on the dancing show and isn’t the one who’s not done one of these shows yet.
Why the heck don’t they play “Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” closer to either Thanksgiving?