Top Gear USA

[Aurora40]

Did anyone watch the first episode last Sunday? If so, what did you think?

All in all, I was pleased. It wasn't great, but it was also the first episode. The presenters seemed "real", due to the editing keeping in some of the more honest dialog (like Tanner's awkward comment on sushi chefs).

Some parts were tedious, the Viper vs Cobra scene dragged on at the cemetery. But I think it has potential. The first season of Top Gear was pretty slow too.

I like their test track, it seems more technically interesting than the figure-8 track Top Gear uses. Except it was typical California with brown mountains and dust all over the track.

[rhipsher]

Yeah! Tanners kind of a dork. But I guess he's the best they could do. Is the new top gear on speed channel?

[Jagdpanzer]

I checked it out and not so bad for the launch episode.
My son, a big fan of the original British version, missed the dry humor and clowning around the guys on that show are known for.
Also found it hard to believe Murci?lago LP 670-4 SuperVeloce did not kill and eat the other two Lambos in the standing mile runs.

[Aurora40]

It's on the History Channel, not Speed:

http://www.history.com/shows/top-gear/videos/playlists/full-episodes#top-gear-cobra-attack

Yeah, Phil, I thought the same thing about the Murcielago. I suspect that came down to the driver, not the car. Though the original Top Gear is no different when they do drag races. Whatever car Capt. Slow is in is gonna lose.

And I'm glad they didn't try to have the same humor the original has. It would have seemed forced. I don't expect to stop watching the UK show and watch this instead. But I'd love to watch a similar style of show that focused more on American cars and trends and such. I've got my fingers crossed for this show. I think it's started out on the right foot.

[1990 415]

I watched it and was decently entertained. It has potential and I will watch the first 10 episodes to see how it develops. The Murcielago is a lot heavier than the Superleggera, however the best driver on this show is Tanner by far and he was driving the Balboni. Hopefully they don't critcize the C6 like Jeremy Clarkson does when he always pushes on the rear end to show its flexibility. They definitely need to work on their banter.

[Kevin]

the first few UK seasons weren't the best either so the us version has some lead time before i pass judgment on it. some of the hosts need to stay, some need to go, but so far so good. If you guys haven't seen clarksons itallian job you should. the first car (camaro) is funny. clarkson of course hates the handling as he drifts every corner, he then gets an instructor in the car and he tells clarkson to knock the drifting off which of course he doesn't. he then goes on to drift every other car in the show and raves about the handling. I really like the show, but clarkson is a tool

[Aurora40]

Last week's episode seemed worse. I think what initially appeared to be goofy/honest dialog is in fact just terrible writing. Tanner's whole kamikaze reference was horrible, the blind man thing was way too long, and the Aston review was pretty weak. Basically the car is faster with a bigger engine... no kidding.

As a small aside, I thought it was odd that in listing competitors for the Vantage, they didn't mention a single American car. I sort of hoped this would have a more American bent, in the same way regular Top Gear has an unapologetically British bent.

I hope they do better tonight.

[Aurora40]

Dunno if anyone's been watching it much, but Sunday's episode (episode 3) was great! Much better than the first two, and quite entertaining to watch.