Top Gear thread / Top Gear presenter nearly follows the suit of Irwin at 315 MPH

If you don't know, Top Gear is a very popular British car show. I ignored it until a few weeks ago, as I thought it's some hyper-retarded shit like Pimp My Ride, but it turned out that it's actually one of the wittiest, most entertaining TV series today. The presenters (Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May) are brilliant, and the cinematography is better than in many Hollywood movies.

Some videos on YouTube:

High-IQ burnouts

Evo vs Murcielago

The Carver

Lotus vs Apache

Cheap car challenge

The new season was scheduled to start on October 8, but it will now be delayed, as Richard Hammond crashed a Vampire a few days ago. Image. Surprisingly, he's still quite alive, in hospital, and I hope he recovers well, but the premiere of the new season will be pushed back because of his injuries.

Jeremy Clarkson: The campaign to have us taken off the air — sparked, curiously, by the BBC’s own news website — will now be ramped up, fuelled by the environmentalists and spearheaded by muddle-headed road safety campaigners.

Richard is winning his fight. And now mine begins. To make sure that he has a show to come back to.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Clarkson is one of the most infuriating persons on TV. He's very funny and seemingly intelligent enough, but that quote is just stupid. Speed is not the only culprit of accidents... hell, I push my puny Suzuki Alto to 80km/h or more, and on Malta's roads that's actually much more than I should drive at. It is however a serious cause, and the programme does seem to promote speeding. I like the programme well enough, even though I couldn't recognize a gasket from a sparking plug (they might even be the same thing, for all I know ) but I think certain stuff should be toned down. They're great to see, but having some idiot try to emulate the stunts on a road would be dangerous not only to him but to all the poor people around him.

That said, I hope Hammond recovers quickly!

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Yeah, they can be criticised for promoting speed, but i personally don't drive faster since i watched the series for two years now; fast drivers are stupid persons in the first place, if they're not influenced by a tv show, they'll be influenced by formula1, or rally driving, movies, etc...

last season was a bit less focused on speeding (caravanes, boat cars, etc)

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Aardork

If you don't know, Top Gear is a very popular British car show. I ignored it until a few weeks ago, as I thought it's some hyper-retarded shit like Pimp My Ride, but it turned out that it's actually one of the wittiest, most entertaining TV series today. The presenters (Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May) are brilliant, and the cinematography is better than in many Hollywood movies.

Someone else sees the light!
I've been watching TG for god knows how long but the last few years when it switched over to it's curent format it really has become the best show on TV today.

TG doesn't promote wreckless driving or anything else it's been accused of - all the wreckless driving there is, is done on a track. Yeah there's clearly some speeding done on public roads, but who doesn't?
What happened to Richard Hammond is extremely unfortunate but what he was driving is essentially a jet engine with wheels capable of 300mph+. Accidents can happen & when they do it's more on the side of unlikely that you're going to escape in one piece. The way some journalists & the media have jumped on this literally demanding to know who to blame is ridiculous. It was an accident.

About pulling TG off TV - well why stop at Top Gear? The other big motoring show in the UK is Fifth Gear (presented by 3 former TG hosts and the editor of TG Magazine ironically), which does more or less the same thing; thrashing supercars around a track, reviewing, does more on safety features and the presenters often do some of the more 'dangerous' stuff too. I don't think it's the content of Top Gear that some people get up in arms about, but the way it's presented. Or it's just Jeremy Clarkson that some people hate.

Some more TG clips from the last series:
Caravaning (parts 2 & three are linked there)
Clarkson's attempt at car interior design
How not to make a convertible people carrier
Amphibious Cars (bloody hilarious)

How ya doing, buddy?

I'm suprised I watch this as much as I do, because my interest in cars isn't huge. But the way it's presented just opens it up for anyone. One of the most memorable features I saw, was when they tried to destory the Toyota Hilux, over two episodes.

Part One & Part Two

How ya doing, buddy?

This is the only show on BBC that I watch. I don't know how professional drivers driving on a closed course is supposed to promote dangerous driving. You'd have to go ahead and get rid of all car commercials and any stunts involving vehicles as well under that argument.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I couldn't give a damn about cars, and I never intend to own one. Top Gear is good TV.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Aardork

If you don't know, Top Gear is a very popular British car show. I ignored it until a few weeks ago[/i]

How could you of missed 8 years worth of the best TV ever?

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

One of my roommates has been showing this to me lately, so I keep getting news updates from him. Last I heard, Richard has changed from critical to stable condition, and the cause of the accident was a blown tire, not driver error.

Hopefully this will slow down the campaign to take Top Gear off the air.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

I just hope that Hamster will be back on his wheel soon.

As for Top Gear promoting speeding, well, they hate speed cameras (who doesn't, to be honest) and the show features supercars which happen to go very fast. Do you seriously think that when they get, say, a Koenigsegg, that they're gonna act like pussies and go "oh, but we can only go at 70MPH!" Fuck no.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

It's been around a lot longer than eight years, son. I think it was better in the older format; the current version is a bit like Jackass with cars, and I find myself getting pretty annoyed with Clarkson for a lot of the dumb things he says. I was shocked when they did the Toyota truck bit; Clarkson actually praising a Japanese vehicle? OMFG!

Anyway, the Hamster seems like a nice enough guy and he has a couple of kids too. I hope he recovers soon, but it looks like he is making progress on that score anyway. Good luck to him.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

The Toyota truck was one of the best bits of television I've witnessed I have to say. As for Hamster suffering a brain injury is not really a good sign, especially at 300mph, here's hoping things get back to normal for him.

I've watched the show since I was a wee lil' petrolhead, and I actually have a recording of Jimi Hendrix playing as a guest on it from a long time ago so you can imagine how long its been going for! I doubt it was so focused on cars at that time as it is now though.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Richard Hammond's quick recovery won't delay the debate to take Top Gear off the air. It's brought to light a whole ugly mess of safety check shortcuts. Would you want to drive a Vampire at 280mph after only a couple of hours pissing about in one? I know I sure as hell wouldn't. If they tightened the safety of the crew and the presenters it would stay, so it's up to the producers and the BBC now. I hope Hammond hasn't done any serious or lasting damage =(

As for the show itself, I've been watching it for as long as I care to remember and I've always found it entertaining. I was never too keen on the way Clarkson puts people down but I still think he's funny and a good presenter.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Aardork

The presenters (Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May) are brilliant, and the cinematography is better than in many Hollywood movies.[/i]

It is a great show an this mainly due to the brilliant chemistry between the three presenters. I find their tounge-in cheek provocative humour very appealing and I love the 'star in a reasonably priced car' feature.

I thought that Jeremy Clarkson was also very good when he appeared as the guest host on 'Have I got News for you' and 'Never mind the Buzzcoks'. He is just hilarious sometimes.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Ulysses

It's been around a lot longer than eight years, son. I think it was better in the older format; the current version is a bit like Jackass with cars, and I find myself getting pretty annoyed with Clarkson for a lot of the dumb things he says. I was shocked when they did the Toyota truck bit; Clarkson actually praising a Japanese vehicle? OMFG!

He praises quite a fair few Jap cars. Hell, his fave roadster is the Honda S-2000. Can't say I blame him either.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by Ulysses

It's been around a lot longer than eight years, son.

I'm fully aware of that, it was nowhere near as good in the old format though. Thats why 5th Gear doesn't do half as well.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by XtremeDJW

I'm fully aware of that, it was nowhere near as good in the old format though. Thats why 5th Gear doesn't do half as well.

I have seen 5th Gear and it is Ok but no way near as entertaining as Top Gear, I don't see that much humour on 5th Gear. I am not sure how it does in terms of ratings but it can't do nearly as well as Top Gear, but than again people can decide to watch both.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Combine the fact that I live in the US and I don't pay attention to TV in general, I never really bothered (or knew about) this series. I watched the clips that were linked in the topic post, though, and I grew curious. Several downloads later, I have to say I'm pretty hooked.

It's not really the cars themselves that draw me to the series (I could really care less about the review segments) but the crazy crap they do in them. I recently watched the episode where they tried to make amphibious vehicles, and I was laughing throughout the entire segment.

The production values are great, also. It'd sure be nice if other shows had that kind of budget to spend.

Anyway, currently viewing the most recent season (season 8?) and working backwards bit by bit.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Good news!

Filming for Top Gear has resumed, and the show will not be canned as some feared.

Originally Posted by Sakabadger

Several downloads later, I have to say I'm pretty hooked.

Same happened to me. My friend told me about the show, and I go hooked after seeing the Evo vs Murcielago episode.

I loved 05x02, the episode that had a bunch of supercars. Plus the Ferrari Enzo segment was hilarious!

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.