top gear USA Vs fifth gear

[bluebear]

well Fridays have a new battle on its hands, Top gear USA and Fifth gear. not seen any yet. witch it worth watching ?

[Uhura fighter]

bluebear said:

well Fridays have a new battle on its hands, Top gear USA and Fifth gear. not seen any yet. witch it worth watching ?

On Demand

Top Gear on BBC Iplayer

Fifth Gear

[bluebear]

oh i hate iplayer. on my PC with my st connection. it just a no no

[HonestIago]

Tried to watch TG USA on iplayer and had to stop. Just made me cringe. Might be okay in its own right as a car show but I can't help but compare it to our Topgear!

[FamilyDub]

I'm not sure about Top Gear USA.

They've basically copied the format (fair enough), but the Yanks can't quite do the requisite irony properly.

Can't quite explain, but I thought it was quite 'wooden'.

[john2443]

FamilyDub said:

I'm not sure about Top Gear USA.

They've basically copied the format (fair enough), but the Yanks can't quite do the requisite irony properly.

Can't quite explain, but I thought it was quite 'wooden'.

Agreed - I didn't think it was too bad, but compared with UK TG it just doesn't have the same spark.

Whereas Clarkson, May, Hammond are all capable of making and taking a joke/pisstake they all seemed a bit too much like they were doing it from a script and not being able to use their natural wit.

[sebhaque]

I believe American TV is much more strict on the amount of "banter" they can broadcast - hence no laying into manufactueres á la Clarkson. Probably a result of the prominent suing culture over there.

[davepoth]

Honestly, it gets a lot better. The second series is pretty much entirely cocking about in st cars and insulting each other, which worked very well. The turning point in the first series was the "moonshine" epsiode.

[anonymous-user]

Top Gear USA was actually about driving the cars though - much better than the original one of the past 3 years.

[BlueMR2]

It really highlights the different attitude towards cars in the UK compared to the US.

UK drive round an airfield smoking the tyres abit.

USA out on public roads way above the speed limit, smoking the tyres being chased by an attack helicopter.

[y2blade]

Sky+ both

[clonmult]

john2443 said:

FamilyDub said:

I'm not sure about Top Gear USA.

They've basically copied the format (fair enough), but the Yanks can't quite do the requisite irony properly.

Can't quite explain, but I thought it was quite 'wooden'.

Agreed - I didn't think it was too bad, but compared with UK TG it just doesn't have the same spark.

Whereas Clarkson, May, Hammond are all capable of making and taking a joke/pisstake they all seemed a bit too much like they were doing it from a script and not being able to use their natural wit.

Compare the current Top Gear to the first few series - its very different, remember that the chemistry between the presenters has taken years to develop. People seem to be expecting the americans to be hitting the ground running and getting witty banter in right away.

The main problem with TG USA is the worst part of the UK show - SIARPC. Its horrible in the UK, its equally bad in the states. Unless they get a pistonhead in the driving seat, at which point it becomes bearable.

[charliedaker]

What channel will it be on?

[marshalla]

charliedaker said:

What channel will it be on?

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=204&t=1064192&mid=90714&nmt=Top+Gear+USA

[V8mate]

FamilyDub said:

I'm not sure about Top Gear USA.

They've basically copied the format (fair enough), but the Yanks can't quite do the requisite irony properly.

Can't quite explain, but I thought it was quite 'wooden'.

They haven't copied the format, they have had it licenced to them. The similarities will be contractual: follow the format, or lose the licence.

[charliedaker]

marshalla said:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Ta!