TV: The Grand Tour

[ResilientBeast]

Point of the forum is to discuss it and many on here have issues with the content. Something it's never going to be?? The show is not that complex but not it seems over produced. That was the lure of Top Gear, the corny cheap bits but not eh... seems like they are trying to hard.

The studio and related stuff is pretty bad. Really liked May's last segment on the most recent episode with Le mans, Ferrari vs. Ford.

Too bad The American was back. I still thing they are missing out by not utilizing the countries they're in for the segments. Seems strange.

If you don't like it, and just want to complain about since let's face it, we won't change each other's minds whats the point?

I've found the studio stuff absolutely fine personally and the American really doesn't both me at this point. His joke a few episodes ago about the turbo made me chuckle and he was fine this passed epsidoe.

 

[Chaels Arms]

If you don't like it, and just want to complain about since let's face it, we won't change each other's minds whats the point?

I've found the studio stuff absolutely fine personally and the American really doesn't both me at this point. His joke a few episodes ago about the turbo made me chuckle and he was fine this passed epsidoe.

I don't understand this. Who said anyone is trying to convince anyone? Are we only allowed to post in the Grand Tour thread if we're making positive comments? Do you work for the Gestapo?

American was OK in the last episode because he actually seemed like a real person when he was commenting on the Mustang instead of a not-funny redneck impersonator.

 

[ResilientBeast]

I don't understand this. Who said anyone is trying to convince anyone? Are we only allowed to post in the Grand Tour thread if we're making positive comments? Do you work for the Gestapo?

American was OK in the last episode because he actually seemed like a real person when he was commenting on the Mustang instead of a not-funny redneck impersonator.

Fair enough, I just don't understand what people were expecting

 

[chicagoskycam]

Fair enough, I just don't understand what people were expecting

Most people in this thread have been watching Top Gear for 10 years or so - they can have an opinion. What made Top Gear good was the chemistry between the main trio with the cars mixed in. When this show and Top Gear had this at times too is scripted to death - it doesn't work as well IMO. The military thing, some of the parts in Italy were just brutal to watch. Get rid of killing the celebrity and the staged studio bits and the American.

Thing is and I've said it earlier any feedback they receive won't be implemented until next season. I mean who here liked the American Top Gear version... that's what this feels like at times.

 

[Knave]

I wasn't an avid fan of Top Gear but it was fun to sit down and watch some episodes every now and then (even bought a few seasons on iTunes).

Is it worth watching this if I have some free time? Is it similar to what they had going on at Top Gear? I have Amazon Prime so access is not an issue.

 

[chicagoskycam]

I wasn't an avid fan of Top Gear but it was fun to sit down and watch some episodes every now and then (even bought a few seasons on iTunes).

Is it worth watching this if I have some free time? Is it similar to what they had going on at Top Gear? I have Amazon Prime so access is not an issue.

If you have Prime check it out.

 

[ResilientBeast]

Most people in this thread have been watching Top Gear for 10 years or so - they can have an opinion. What made Top Gear good was the chemistry between the main trio with the cars mixed in. When this show and Top Gear had this at times too is scripted to death - it doesn't work as well IMO. The military thing, some of the parts in Italy were just brutal to watch. Get rid of killing the celebrity and the staged studio bits and the American.

Thing is and I've said it earlier any feedback they receive won't be implemented until next season. I mean who here liked the American Top Gear version... that's what this feels like at times.

See I don't mind celebrity brain crash, yes it's stupid but it's two minutes of the show.

 

[Chaels Arms]

I wasn't an avid fan of Top Gear but it was fun to sit down and watch some episodes every now and then (even bought a few seasons on iTunes).

Is it worth watching this if I have some free time? Is it similar to what they had going on at Top Gear? I have Amazon Prime so access is not an issue.

I still think so despite some of the awkwardness that's been running rampant on the show. Skip episode two - it was just absolutely horrible. The first and fifth episodes were the best IMO.

 

[Chairman Maouth]

The MGD and The Excellent are fantastic.

The fat American is still test driving and needs to be killed off, (preferably by graphic decapitation) in what would be the only funny segment he has ever appeared in.

 

[MadDevil]

I get what they're trying to do with The American, but Skinner is just not that funny.

 

[End of Line]

I get what they're trying to do with The American, but Skinner is just not that funny.

It's whatever but it kind of irked me when he was talking **** (I know it's his schtick) about the NSX when it's an American made car.

 

[Chaels Arms]

I get what they're trying to do with The American, but Skinner is just not that funny.

I don't even know if we can really blame Skinner. He's obviously not that guy in real life. The dude is from California lol. It's really the fault of whoever thought it would be funny to have a fat NASCAR driver drive around pretending to be a hillbilly every week.

 

[Chairman Maouth]

Thought the latest episode was very good.

Anyone catch the flattened squirrel?

edit: alright I spoke too soon. The Hammond zombie premise was just ****ing stupid. They did manage to save it by making it somewhat humourous though.

 

[Chaels Arms]

Episode 12 was the best one so far, by a pretty wide margin. Cut down on most of the awkward scripted stuff and what was left was far better then what we've seen so far. Even Clarkson's Braveheart speech was pretty funny. Feeling better about the show after the last few episodes, hope they just keep going like this one.

 

[Seedtype]

At first I thought it started awkward, but I feel they really have got it going the last few episodes.

 

[ProPAIN]

Episode 12 was the best one so far, by a pretty wide margin. Cut down on most of the awkward scripted stuff and what was left was far better then what we've seen so far. Even Clarkson's Braveheart speech was pretty funny. Feeling better about the show after the last few episodes, hope they just keep going like this one.

I say the Namibia special and Stuttgart might be slightly better.

 

[XX]

I say the Namibia special and Stuttgart might be slightly better.

Namibia special was painfully bad if you're familiar with their TG specials. The last episode felt genuine in a way most of the season didn't, like they're finally comfortable with just letting the banter flow instead of heavy scripting.

The big story beats on TG were always scripted, but the funny bits inbetween weren't nearly to the same degree. They seem to be getting back towards that, which is good.

Drop the American, and celebrity brain crash, and the show will be close to perfect.

 

[chicagoskycam]

The steering knob on the Maserati bit was hilarious..,

Not only is The American not funny, he annoys the hell out of me. Just please get a former F1 driver or something.

 

[Jevo]

The steering knob on the Maserati bit was hilarious..,

Not only is The American not funny, he annoys the hell out of me. Just please get a former F1 driver or something.

What makes you think another driver would be different? They'll still give him a ****** script, because they want him to have a ****** script.

 

[ProPAIN]

Namibia special was painfully bad if you're familiar with their TG specials. The last episode felt genuine in a way most of the season didn't, like they're finally comfortable with just letting the banter flow instead of heavy scripting.

The big story beats on TG were always scripted, but the funny bits inbetween weren't nearly to the same degree. They seem to be getting back towards that, which is good.

I've watched every special from TG and I never compared this episode to TG btw. Every episode of TGT is worse than TG of old. But relatively speaking, the Namibia episodes were the best ones of this season so far IMO. Of the normal episodes, I think the Finland episode was the best one (not Stuttgart, I got the episodes confused) closely followed by the second Loch Ness episode. I just really liked May's bit on the Ford GT40 at Le Mans.

Drop the American, and celebrity brain crash, and the show will be close to perfect.

Agreed.

 

[chicagoskycam]

What makes you think another driver would be different? They'll still give him a ****** script, because they want him to have a ****** script.

I think some of those guys have a good personality, Hamilton, Alonzo, Schumacher and are respected drivers. No, they wouldn't have some dumb hillbilly script.

All of them were really good on TG previously as guests.

 

[Jevo]

Mike Skinner has a good personality as well. The guys just believe that the opinions of racing drivers are worthless because what they are used to driving is so detached from a regular road car, that they won't be able to properly assess. So no matter who gets into the car, they'll give him a script where's he a stupid idiot, and they only do that because apparently they can't have a silent driver for the timed laps.

 

[MadDevil]

I'm pretty sure the entire point of the segment is to have an obnoxious American who doesn't understand the finer points of expensive, usually European made, cars. It's as much of a gag as having a faceless, silent driver in the car listening to some kind of music that Clarkson makes a joke about. It's just more annoying because Skinner's commentary is clearly scripted.

 

[Chaels Arms]

The problem is that Skinner is quite obviously playing a scripted role so you really just have a bad actor pretending to be a redneck driving expensive cars. It's not good.

Putting F-1 drives in that role is so obviously the smartest and simplest thing to do that there has to be some other reason why they didn't just do that in the first place. It's obviously not about money since they probably have more than is good for them or about availability since the test track is still in England. Maybe it's what Jevo said or maybe they don't want to open the car review aspect of the show up to a fourth person.

 

[MadDevil]

I think you answered your own question. The point was to have a redneck driving expensive cars, not to have an honest on track assessment from a professional driver. It just hasn't gone over well.