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American Top Gear ... cheese burger w/o toppings

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Old 11-22-2010 | 07:49 AM
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Default American Top Gear ... cheese burger w/o toppings

Just saw the first episode of American version Top Gear. Well, fast cars, couple funny takes but it was kind of like hanging out with three high school boys that got nothing to talk about except "dude! did you see how fast I was going?". It was a pretty boring 1 hour program. Instead of having 3 guys that all love cars, they need to have someone that can care less about cars and perhaps even a woman. A character like Jon Stewart will be totally appropriate to talk about all the inappropriate things about cars. Controversy, disregard and wit is what makes the original British Top Gear a top notch show. History channel - you got more work to do

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXFrfVTMfrE&NR=1
Old 11-22-2010 | 08:56 AM
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in aus, they just started airing the 2nd season, then axed it 2 episodes in. it was a bloody woeful show. you just can't beat the original, and unlike mcdonalds, the fries don't taste the same in other parts of the world.
Old 11-22-2010 | 09:16 AM
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The chemistry between Jeremy, Richard and James is just too hard to beat.
Old 11-22-2010 | 09:18 AM
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Not as good as the original yet, but it's like any series, let's see the characters develope.
Camera work not as cool as the orginal, the TopGear track looks less real or crappier then the original

I do like the cursing and crapping over the Suzuki, at least there is some TopGear crudeness and it is not too sanitized fro US tv, or advertising.

They should have new cars to test that just came out and tell us if they are rubbish or not.
The lambo's was interesting, but not that new and the Viper was very old news, it should al have been about the ACR and the ACR-X programme.

I'll watch it for now.
Old 11-22-2010 | 09:38 AM
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The problem with the spin-offs is that they try too hard and they copy the british show... The thing that makes Clarkson, May and the Hampster hilarious is that their writers come up with new whacky adventures all the time and they have a way with words even if controversial...

With the Aussie show, they just copy them, nothing new... Boring!!!! We've seen cars made into boats, we've seen cars cross deserts and what's worst is that it seems so scripted unlike the british show that comes across as spontaneous...
Old 11-22-2010 | 09:49 AM
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Trying hard to give them a fair chance, but the first episode was pretty bad. Even my wife thought it was weak.
Old 11-22-2010 | 10:56 AM
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It was so bad theat my 5 year old son got up and went to read a book!
Old 11-22-2010 | 11:03 AM
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I thought they were going to show the original british version - I was dissapointed when I saw Tanner Faust.
Old 11-22-2010 | 11:10 AM
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Jalopnik reviewed the first three episodes and said don't give up after the first two, which are bad, because by the third one they felt it was worthwhile entertainment.
Old 11-22-2010 | 11:31 AM
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isn't Ruttledge a Nascar guy? I for one will not be setting the DVR to record this program. But i don't watch the British version either, so what do I know?
Old 11-22-2010 | 11:59 AM
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They need to hire a writer. Its almost as if they told the guys to improv, and they literally couldn't think of anything to say.
Old 11-22-2010 | 01:02 PM
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They are using Tanned? Could work with the right chemistry!

They are going about this all wrong. If I wanted anything that would be entertaining then I would grab "The Car Guys" Click & Klank from that car fix-it radio show. Then I would add 6
Myself as the third wheel.
Old 11-22-2010 | 01:04 PM
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Sorry meant Tanner. Getting sick of this auto correction feature on my EVO. Works 99% of the time except for when I need to spell something different.
Old 11-22-2010 | 03:01 PM
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Unfortunately Tanner and the whole "edgy/conflict" format doesn't cut it. The producers understand that most U.S. viewers are clueless when it comes to sportscars so they are trying to use a similar format to what made American Chopper, Pinks All Mouth and similar shows a success. Controversy, insanity, ignorance is the format and it just doesn't work if you're trying to highlight the attributes of performance sportscars. Rutledge is an OK guy but a lousy show host IMO. I can't stand to watch him nor CrashCar Quizzy.

I don't even enjoy Tanner and Paul Tracy using a similar format for exotic car flailing. Sorry folks but if this is the best you can do, you lost me as a viewer.
Old 11-22-2010 | 03:28 PM
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It was bad. Zero creativity. Even used some of Clarkson's lines. Clearly they have a larger budget than the other Tanner show, but he is just not entertaining. Never heard of the other two, but they were even less so.



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