US Top Gear - Did anyone watch this trash?

[Goodspeed]

The first episode was pretty awful for sure, but I'm willing to give it a full season (and maybe more, if it lasts) to decide how bad it really is.

Exactly. I hope this doesn't turn into another case of hardcore fans complaining so much that it gets canceled and we go back to having zero car shows. Then it'll be another case of, "This is why we can't have nice things." Not to say History Channel is not at fault for making something that sucks in the first place but I figure people should at least give the show one season and give feedback for improvement rather than, "This sucks, I'm never gonna watch again"

While I agree with that, there is a lot of fault to be placed on the production as a whole, and its a reason I could find no real problem with it being canceled "early". We've had decades of really shitty, un-entertaining car shows in this country, from MotorWeek to current "lifestyle" or whatever shows on Discovery, Spike, Speed, etc.

Point is, they've produced these shows yet heard our cries for years and years of what we don't want, what would make them better, and even how to do it, with no real change. This is a step in the right direction, but I don't fully buy in to the "oh, its their first show, give them a break" mentality. It goes far beyond just the 3 hosts into the producers, advertisers, and general differences in the machine of film making between the US, and the autonomous, commercial-free and publicly-funded BBC original.

[NTIman]

Point is, they've produced these shows yet heard our cries for years and years of what we don't want, what would make them better, and even how to do it, with no real change. This is a step in the right direction, but I don't fully buy in to the "oh, its their first show, give them a break" mentality. It goes far beyond just the 3 hosts into the producers, advertisers, and general differences in the machine of film making between the US, and the autonomous, commercial-free and publicly-funded BBC original.

I absolutely agree with that, I just refuse to give up after the first episode. If I gave up after everything that wasn't great at first, I wouldn't like anything.

The second episode is an improvement over the first. It doesn't add up to TGUK, but it was a lot more watchable than last week's show.

The big star small car interview was a million times better than last week's episode. The competitions on the show were a massive improvement over who's lamborghini goes faster. The Stig isn't cool, too flat of a character, on the other hand, if they try to give him a personality, he turns into a copy of TGUK's. Tanner Foust is annoying, he just sounds like he's programmed to name off specs like he has on whatever show he was on on Speed.

[G.Irish]

Yeah I agree, the second episode was a lot better. Foust came off as annoyingly stilted this time but the other two guys were a ton better.

I agree on the Stig. If they're gonna have a Stig character they need to make him their own. Give him a screaming eagle on his helmet (with a gold visor) and a mullet sticking out of the back. Give him a suitably American over-the-top backstory like how he's the second cousin of Captain America and in his spare time he's Chuck Norris' chauffeur.

[Jeff]

the second cousin of Captain America and in his spare time he's Chuck Norris' chauffeur.

[ScottyB]

finally got around to watching the second episode and only got through half before i just wasn't interested.

one thing i did note is that the cinematography is at least on par, or better than the UK version. some of the shots during the aston test were fantastic.

agreed entirely on the stig. Jen was watching with me and i had to give her the backstory on the UK stig which she thought was pretty funny, and didn't get why there wasn't a similar character development on the US version.

anybody else feel like the presenters just don't even get excited about cars? the tests came across like the kind of enthusiasm you'd get sitting in traffic during lunch hour. i think if they put some people who really love cars in there, the quality of presentation would take care of itself.

[SlimKlim]

I think the second episode improved by leaps and bounds. The hosts are still dry, boring and awkward, and they still introduce a car by rattling off the spec sheet, but they are starting to grow into their own.

If these guys learn how to act natural, and start learning how to describe cars for their x-factors and emotional impacts, and what the designers were thinking, like the British version, AND the specials are as good as the Evo and Aston ones, then I'm excited about the show.

[DierwulfBL]

After seeing the first episode I thought there was no hope I could ever enjoy an episode of TGUSA, I don't care how fast a lambo is in a standing mile and the dodge trying to outrun the viper was dumb, not to mention some of the stuff the hosts said made me just say WTF. However, I just watched episode 2 and there were less WTF moments and I actually enjoyed the EVO challenge and the blind guy drifting wasnt too bad either. The way I see it is the more top gears the better its better than most stuff on TV these days

[Apoc]

I saw 7 minutes today on accident. I wish I hadn't.