Bill_C4S

Imitation in this instance is not the sincerest form...

Either the US show creates its own distinctive identity, or we will watch it decay (further) into mediocrity....

I recall watching the first episodes of the "relaunched" Top Gear in '02..and thought it lame, lacking the insights that Tiff Needell (sp?) and Vicki Butler Henderson (ok...not just insights) brought to the predecessor rather visciously canned by the Beeb...

8 or so years on and British Top Gear has thoroughly redefined what we expect of a motoring show, it did not do this by endeavouring to imitate something else...my hats off to the Beeb for some original, creative, show running.

Can the Septics do the same?

cs pilot

agree with the majority of the posts above... very scripted, not very funny, and the hosts are just awkward.
but hey at least i will know who their "big star in a small car" is! (instead of the British stars) haha

nazhat

The British guys set the BAR way too high....I don't see these NEW guys ever coming close to it. Besides, these guys look like they belong on the Drew Carey Show, lol!

kosmo

a few suggestions:
1. Keeper Tanner and fire those 2 other tools.
2. Get Adam back and maybe Tim allen. Maybe that fear factor dude Joe Hogan.
3. Front load w/ shows w/ some big celebs like Leno, Letterman, Seinfeld, NIck Cage.
4. DO some off the wall stuff like having Danika drive a car around the track in a bikini. have Tiger Woods drive around the track while avoiding hits from his ex wife.
5. Replace that POS Suszki w/ an American car like the Ford Escort
6. Rename the show "Driving w/ the Stars."

jakes dad

The show is no match for the original and they know it... I'm sure they'll smooth out the corners and make it into something on it's own merits. I've like Tanner Faust in the shows I've seen over the past year and I'm glad to see him in this.
However,if they devote a whole show to drifting I'll be finished with it forever...

LlBr

Will try all sorts of things to get ratings. Will follow whomever is watching.

Brit show is just the starting point for hype.

I bet monster trucks and NASCAR will be weekly fare by end of the season.

BTW, if you have satellite or cable they know who you are where you live($) and if you're watching or not every time you press that channel changer.

mavthenav

I'm a die hard top gear fan and I can watch the UK boys all day long.

I thought the US version was total crap, and I'm not so fussed about them trying to capture the same feel that the show has in the UK. Listening to drifting boy (tanner) talk goes right through my head, he's like a woman with a high pitch squeeky voice. As a comparison I would say this episode was as bad as any episode of Motorsport. The dialog is mono-tone, the actions are so scripted it's unreal and there isn't any chemistry between the guys.

I lasted all of 20 mins before I switched the X-box on and went F1 racing.

savowood

I'm stuck out of town and had to download the show. I'll be watching it shortly, but I'm guessing it'll be deleted from my hard drive very soon. Good thing I'm picking up GT5 tomorrow.

yemenmocha

Yes they only need to indicate how much HP the car has and what it can do in a straight line. The Stig's track needs to be replaced with a large oval. The big star in small car needs to be a straight line race too.

nyca

The US show needs a little sex appeal - get rid of the geek with the beard, and put Danica Patrick in the show - and she can drive too!

mavthenav

Why does it need to be Danica Patrick, don't you see the appeal of top gear is a bunch of people that like cars but aren't drivers. They are like us, well sort off.

I'm all for a good looking chicky babe but come on why do you all go just for Danica. I bet there's a really nice bit of American totty out there that knows a shot load about cars and has good banter also, and then she can learn to drive.

Palmbeacher

Better still, they could have a segment every week where Danica teaches another hot girl how to drive.

mavthenav

Or they could just practice making out.... That will do it for me.

mickfluff

I think this is one of the best Car/TV possabilities we have seen in years here in the states.... Unless someone wants to admit they followed "Living the low life" on Speed Channel..... we have the bike shows like "Super Bikes" hosted by the stunt bike guy, (or one of the many bike building shows) then the series we hope to forget in Unique Autosports and plenty of Auction like shows..... Just can't see many other options that have rolled out with such potential. A winning formula behind it in Top Gear, a big budget, HD quality, nice cars, etc... No need to compare to UK version as no one is making anyone choose betwen the two.... I can promise you the original did not release the rights in hopes for the US version to canabalize their existing audience. More that they know we got very little (if any) options of any substance. I think it has potential and looking forward to what the next few episodes bring.

Time will tell.....

mavthenav

Even that battle of the supercars is a program that can be over in less than 5 mins. It's got to be one of the longest drawn out car programs out there.