The Grand Tour
Discussion
Watched ep.4 last night. Some proper LOL moments, but overall it still felt much more 'acted' than TG used to, which to me is a bad thing.
I think the problem might be that there was just SO MUCH expectation put on this, what with the manner TG (in that format) ended, the budget, the competition with new TG (and the slagging that got on the internet). And when all's said and done, I'm not sure TGT is as good as we were all hoping it would be.
Episode 1 - I thought the intro was up its own arse, frankly. The cars bit was ok.
Episode 2 - Shockingly bad. As bad as the worst stuff they did on TG.
Episode 3 - When I say this, I'm being totally honest; I'd forgotten what Episode 3 was about until I read someone's post higher up the page.
Episode 4 - Probably the strongest of the lot, so far. I still wouldn't be confident to tell a room full of people it was any good though. Just felt too fake, and a reboot of what they did on TG. Sure, it could be argued that people liked what they did on TG, so they will keep doing it, but surely you have to keep raising the bar? It was average-TG standard, and the race at the end didn't really do anything.
Overall, I'm disappointed so far. Been looking forward to it for a while, and at the moment I'm thinking maybe they should have killed it off on a high and gone on to do other things they are all exceptionally good at. May's Toy Story-style stuff is great along with his Cars of the People. Clarkson's history stuff is very, very good (the Saint Nazaire documentary remains one of my favourite TV programmes of all time) and Hammond.....well, he'll find something. The kids loved Total Wipeout before it got canned.
I'll see the series out, and I'm not trying to complain, just give honest opinions. Based on this, I wouldn't renew my Amazon subscription.
The only thing I can say that has been accurate was James May, who all the while has said that before you had one motoring show, now you'll have two with TGT and TG. I worried that TG would die off with the Evans issues from last series, and TGT would be left on its own, but with Evans gone I really think TG could actually still remain a worthy competitor to TGT, so he was right - We do have two car shows to watch, and IMO, they're almost even at the moment in their current forms.
I think the problem might be that there was just SO MUCH expectation put on this, what with the manner TG (in that format) ended, the budget, the competition with new TG (and the slagging that got on the internet). And when all's said and done, I'm not sure TGT is as good as we were all hoping it would be.
Episode 1 - I thought the intro was up its own arse, frankly. The cars bit was ok.
Episode 2 - Shockingly bad. As bad as the worst stuff they did on TG.
Episode 3 - When I say this, I'm being totally honest; I'd forgotten what Episode 3 was about until I read someone's post higher up the page.
Episode 4 - Probably the strongest of the lot, so far. I still wouldn't be confident to tell a room full of people it was any good though. Just felt too fake, and a reboot of what they did on TG. Sure, it could be argued that people liked what they did on TG, so they will keep doing it, but surely you have to keep raising the bar? It was average-TG standard, and the race at the end didn't really do anything.
Overall, I'm disappointed so far. Been looking forward to it for a while, and at the moment I'm thinking maybe they should have killed it off on a high and gone on to do other things they are all exceptionally good at. May's Toy Story-style stuff is great along with his Cars of the People. Clarkson's history stuff is very, very good (the Saint Nazaire documentary remains one of my favourite TV programmes of all time) and Hammond.....well, he'll find something. The kids loved Total Wipeout before it got canned.
I'll see the series out, and I'm not trying to complain, just give honest opinions. Based on this, I wouldn't renew my Amazon subscription.
The only thing I can say that has been accurate was James May, who all the while has said that before you had one motoring show, now you'll have two with TGT and TG. I worried that TG would die off with the Evans issues from last series, and TGT would be left on its own, but with Evans gone I really think TG could actually still remain a worthy competitor to TGT, so he was right - We do have two car shows to watch, and IMO, they're almost even at the moment in their current forms.
SidJames said:
GCH said:
_Leg_ said:
I genuinely thought that they had realised the best bits of TG were stuff like the Africa trip, Bolivia, USA (x2), Polar trip, Vietnam etc and were taking advantage of the extra budget to create that very show. A series of road trips linked together to create....a Grand Tour.
I was surprised when episode 1 was what it was, disappointed when I watched 2, hopeful when I watched the Italian bits of 3 and I stopped watching 3/4 of the way through 4.
Shame. I can't understand why they didn't do that.
Agree with this.I was surprised when episode 1 was what it was, disappointed when I watched 2, hopeful when I watched the Italian bits of 3 and I stopped watching 3/4 of the way through 4.
Shame. I can't understand why they didn't do that.
I bought a Prime subscription in anticipation, they were reduced in the run-up. GT aside, I've been making use of the Prime delivery but if it's not cost-neutral at best by this time next year, I won't renew it. I certainly wouldn't if it were only to get the Grand Tour.
fullbeem said:
I watched on Saturday morning over a fry up.
Yes, little suprised to see it was filmed in Whitby again. Was then looking for same audience members sitting down to see if it was filmed on the same day as ep3.
The comments from those saying the features are too long. Is that because SIARPC used to be 10 - 15 mins long in TG. And now Celebrity Braincrash is 3- 5mins thus the features can be longer. Just my thoughts.
Hammond eco vehicle being hedge trimmed was typical British humour. Parked were something would happen to it. Interesting to see Hammond not being the fool in this episode as he was in ep3.
On a side note. James May's youtube channel is loading up with content recently. Unaired outtakes from TG etc.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQqXWlO-yxK2IZ0aK...
That isn't James May's Channel, just full or pirated BBC TG stuff.Yes, little suprised to see it was filmed in Whitby again. Was then looking for same audience members sitting down to see if it was filmed on the same day as ep3.
The comments from those saying the features are too long. Is that because SIARPC used to be 10 - 15 mins long in TG. And now Celebrity Braincrash is 3- 5mins thus the features can be longer. Just my thoughts.
Hammond eco vehicle being hedge trimmed was typical British humour. Parked were something would happen to it. Interesting to see Hammond not being the fool in this episode as he was in ep3.
On a side note. James May's youtube channel is loading up with content recently. Unaired outtakes from TG etc.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQqXWlO-yxK2IZ0aK...
Search for James May Unemployment Channel for his one.
I can't understand why everyone hates the Yank driver so much, he only has 2 lines per episode. Unamused maybe but hate seems a little strong...
I remember an interview with Willman where he said that cutting stuff was the hardest part and the episodes all run past an hour now. Hmmmm....seems like an awful lot of superfluous filler padding out the episodes to me, especially the last one. I'd prefer 45mins of quality over 70mins of bloat.
I remember an interview with Willman where he said that cutting stuff was the hardest part and the episodes all run past an hour now. Hmmmm....seems like an awful lot of superfluous filler padding out the episodes to me, especially the last one. I'd prefer 45mins of quality over 70mins of bloat.
Chewing the fat with a couple of mates, and we all agree that they should bin "Celebrity Brain Crash" in favour of something else.
My suggestion is something along the lines of:
Richard Hammond, as an over-excited squirrel already, does a 3 minute review of a car. Small Man in a Small Car, something like that - and we get his 3 minute view of the new Fiesta RS, or the new Astra VXR, or something along those lines. He does that, really quickly, and fills up some time.
Or, and perhaps an even worse idea than that, Jeremy Clarkson in his usual manner, improves a feature on a car by ADDING MORE POWER! and the only suggestion I have had so far, is to make the self-closing tailgate mechanism on you SUV into a convenient log splitter.
My suggestion is something along the lines of:
Richard Hammond, as an over-excited squirrel already, does a 3 minute review of a car. Small Man in a Small Car, something like that - and we get his 3 minute view of the new Fiesta RS, or the new Astra VXR, or something along those lines. He does that, really quickly, and fills up some time.
Or, and perhaps an even worse idea than that, Jeremy Clarkson in his usual manner, improves a feature on a car by ADDING MORE POWER! and the only suggestion I have had so far, is to make the self-closing tailgate mechanism on you SUV into a convenient log splitter.
TEKNOPUG said:
I can't understand why everyone hates the Yank driver so much, he only has 2 lines per episode. Unamused maybe but hate seems a little strong...
I remember an interview with Willman where he said that cutting stuff was the hardest part and the episodes all run past an hour now. Hmmmm....seems like an awful lot of superfluous filler padding out the episodes to me, especially the last one. I'd prefer 45mins of quality over 70mins of bloat.
That's the issue I have with 12 episodes per season; there's going to be a hell of a lot of fillerI remember an interview with Willman where he said that cutting stuff was the hardest part and the episodes all run past an hour now. Hmmmm....seems like an awful lot of superfluous filler padding out the episodes to me, especially the last one. I'd prefer 45mins of quality over 70mins of bloat.
Rich_W said:
Ep1 - 7.9M
Ep2 - 6.4M
Ep3 - 4.6M
Granted these figures aren't brilliantly accurate. But it's a decline episode on episode which probably mirrors the legal figures.
People have had 4 weeks to pirate Ep1, 3 weeks to pirate Ep2, 2 weeks to pirate Ep3, 1 week to pirate Ep1....Ep2 - 6.4M
Ep3 - 4.6M
Granted these figures aren't brilliantly accurate. But it's a decline episode on episode which probably mirrors the legal figures.
Although after Ep2 I'm a bit surprised anyone's bothering....
This article mentions that since the Grand tour was announced to be coming to Amazon last June, Prime membership has increased by 19 million subscriptions to a total of 63 million.
Lets say half that 19 million made the decision on the basis of GT, at £80 a go that's an extra £760 million in Amazon's pocket.
Whichever way you spilt it, the extra 19 million subscribers means Amazon are bringing in an additional one and a half billion quid - and that's before any other purchases such as on-demand films which are opened up by Prime subscription, more shopping done via the Amazon website due to now having Prime free one-day delivery etc.
On that basis, I don't think they'll be too upset if some people on PH think it's too scripted!!
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv...
Lets say half that 19 million made the decision on the basis of GT, at £80 a go that's an extra £760 million in Amazon's pocket.
Whichever way you spilt it, the extra 19 million subscribers means Amazon are bringing in an additional one and a half billion quid - and that's before any other purchases such as on-demand films which are opened up by Prime subscription, more shopping done via the Amazon website due to now having Prime free one-day delivery etc.
On that basis, I don't think they'll be too upset if some people on PH think it's too scripted!!
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv...
I liked Ep 4. It wasn't brilliant but it was watchable. Car review was fine, as were the studio segments (which were the most relaxed yet)
The basic problem is that they have enough material for their old 50 minute show (excluding SIARPC) but stretched over an hour.
That is why everything seems to drag so much.
The basic problem is that they have enough material for their old 50 minute show (excluding SIARPC) but stretched over an hour.
That is why everything seems to drag so much.
The thing with James Mays mud car did it for me. I get it, its all scripted, written and filmed, all the funny bits in the VTs are planned and nothing left to chance, I understand a stretched metaphor can make a good point and the funny in the irony of it, I understand the humour of repeating over and over again the same tropes, I get it but that thing with the diggers and the coal wagon and the furnace popped the bubble for me, just not funny not informative or even mildly interesting, just middle aged men showing off... Enough.
FredClogs said:
The thing with James Mays mud car did it for me. I get it, its all scripted, written and filmed, all the funny bits in the VTs are planned and nothing left to chance, I understand a stretched metaphor can make a good point and the funny in the irony of it, I understand the humour of repeating over and over again the same tropes, I get it but that thing with the diggers and the coal wagon and the furnace popped the bubble for me, just not funny not informative or even mildly interesting, just middle aged men showing off... Enough.
They wouldn't have got away with that at the BBC due to constrained budgets, which kept thing tight and generally funny.They have too much money to know what to do with, so they keep adding additional and unnecessary layers which in the end makes for a worse show.
Prime Trial ends Wednesday, I'm not taking it up.
Enjoyed 1st Ep, it was exciting, new, shiny etc.
2nd was so-so
3rd was boring.
4th was the same as 3rd but worse.
I hate being negative, but what's the point if only the fans post.
The bits they took from TG are stale and boring, the Green Car thing from Fridays was the worst kind of warmed over TG, I might as well have watched one of the episodes on Dave for the 18th time.
The new bits, 'The American' Conversation Street, or is it Corner? yawn, as the drone thing, Celebrity death sketch, I didn't like it the first time which is down to me, but I can’t see anyone finding them worthy of a running gag.
Despite my best efforts, it’s just not holding my attention, it was only the fear of missing something that made me watch Ep4 – Ep1 I couldn’t wait to see, Ep4 I couldn’t be bothered until I could find anything else I wanted to watch 3 days later.
Enjoyed 1st Ep, it was exciting, new, shiny etc.
2nd was so-so
3rd was boring.
4th was the same as 3rd but worse.
I hate being negative, but what's the point if only the fans post.
The bits they took from TG are stale and boring, the Green Car thing from Fridays was the worst kind of warmed over TG, I might as well have watched one of the episodes on Dave for the 18th time.
The new bits, 'The American' Conversation Street, or is it Corner? yawn, as the drone thing, Celebrity death sketch, I didn't like it the first time which is down to me, but I can’t see anyone finding them worthy of a running gag.
Despite my best efforts, it’s just not holding my attention, it was only the fear of missing something that made me watch Ep4 – Ep1 I couldn’t wait to see, Ep4 I couldn’t be bothered until I could find anything else I wanted to watch 3 days later.
RobDickinson said:
http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/the-grand-tour/news/a...
Most pirated show ever. Considering this beats GOT I'd say its popular.
That's like saying TG was the most popular show for people with no TV licence.Most pirated show ever. Considering this beats GOT I'd say its popular.
JagLover said:
I liked Ep 4. It wasn't brilliant but it was watchable. Car review was fine, as were the studio segments (which were the most relaxed yet)
The basic problem is that they have enough material for their old 50 minute show (excluding SIARPC) but stretched over an hour.
That is why everything seems to drag so much.
It well and truly is just the same old act with a few bits removed (since they sold the name and presumably 'format' to the BBC years ago).The basic problem is that they have enough material for their old 50 minute show (excluding SIARPC) but stretched over an hour.
That is why everything seems to drag so much.
Given that they were given a huge budget and supposedly a lot more creative freedom without the BBC interfering, it's pretty disappointing that this is the best that they could come up with.
Watchable but not something that I would actually subscribe to Prime to get, though I was already a member as the service overall is pretty good VFM. I don't know why Amazon just can't seem to make really excellent programming like Netflix have managed. They should give up and concentrate on buying in good stuff instead.
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