03-31-2008, 04:31 PM | #1 (permalink) |
Wise-ass Latino
Location: Pretoria (Tshwane), RSA
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Jay Leno Explains why he's not doing "Gear"
I Hope We Don't Ruin Top Gear click to show 1. Advertisers will ruin the show. 2. Network execs will ruin the show. 3. Never turn your hobby into your job. After seeing what NBC did with Knight Rider, I have little hope in this show. Adam Carolla may be a car guy, but I don't think he has what it takes to retain the independent spirit that the British version has.
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03-31-2008, 04:53 PM | #2 (permalink) |
Functionally Appropriate
Location: Toronto
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There is NOTHING like Top Gear on American network TV.
Kudos to Jay Leno for standing up for the original show.
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03-31-2008, 04:59 PM | #4 (permalink) |
Tilted Cat Head
Administrator
Location: Manhattan, NY
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ugh... this will not end well.
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03-31-2008, 05:03 PM | #5 (permalink) |
... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.
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NBC: Top Gear cannot be recreated. Coupling cannot be recreated. Frankly, the US Office, even with an amazing cast, can't hold a candle to Ricky Gervais.
The real Top Gear is pretty much the most incredible thing ever to grace the screen. They should make feature length films about it. I wish I could watch it 24 hours a day. In what other show is a Reliant Robin made into a space shuttle, launch it into space (at least the attempt is made), and then crashes into a massive fireball on the English countryside? Last edited by Willravel; 03-31-2008 at 05:21 PM.. Reason: whoa, grammar |
03-31-2008, 05:10 PM | #6 (permalink) |
Young Crumudgeon
Location: Canada
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Sometimes willravel and I are so in synch on something that it scares me a little inside.
I was blissfully unaware until just now that Top Gear was being recreated. Which still isn't true, because you really can't recreate Top Gear. The cast, the Stars in Reasonably Priced Cars, the Stig, and the truly inspired segments (caravan conkers, anyone?) just don't translate. I think I'll just give the whole thing a miss. If I never watch it, I can pretend it isn't there.
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03-31-2008, 06:00 PM | #8 (permalink) |
immoral minority
Location: Back in Ohio
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They probably import our TV shows, why can't we pay for a few of their TV shows to put on air as British shows. Not recreate them or Americanize them. Just NBC will pay the BBC X millions of dollars to run the British Top Gear a week or so after it airs in England.
I watched the show where they raced a modified Toyota pickup vs the dog sled team to see who could make it to the north pole fastest on my last international flight. It was classic. I also saw the space shuttle one, which was amazing. Last edited by ASU2003; 03-31-2008 at 06:06 PM.. |
03-31-2008, 06:19 PM | #9 (permalink) |
Functionally Appropriate
Location: Toronto
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My favourite episode was the one where they drove those three beaters across Africa. By the end the cars had become characters themselves and the boys' cameraderie was stirring to watch.
I can only imagine the remake as a dog and pony show of zany stunts, celebrities and cross promotions with Nascar and WWE. Oh, and lots of heavy metal guitars.
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03-31-2008, 06:54 PM | #10 (permalink) | |
Young Crumudgeon
Location: Canada
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I wake up in the morning more tired than before I slept I get through cryin' and I'm sadder than before I wept I get through thinkin' now, and the thoughts have left my head I get through speakin' and I can't remember, not a word that I said - Ben Harper, Show Me A Little Shame |
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04-08-2008, 04:31 PM | #12 (permalink) | |
Her Jay
Location: Ontario for now....
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04-20-2008, 05:25 AM | #13 (permalink) |
Crazy
Location: England
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I think this is why you'd need to change it to a US version.. Obviously not for the more intelligent Americans, but from what I've heard, many can't detect the sarcasm used in TG.
For example, some of the comments on this video from US people. http://youtube.com/watch?v=ekpD06P7kiI I'm not saying that the populous is less intelligent. However, our culture is geared towards the wit involved in Top Gear, whereas I imagine that many of the American people need more obvious humour, for it to be deemed a success. Am I right in this assumption? Do many UK shows go to the US? I can't think of many that I really watch which are English in terms of a drama series, since the majority are now American.. Major series that are running in the UK: 24 Prison Break Dirty Sexy Money House MD Scrubs I can't really think of any English equivalents, and any that there are, get copied and Americanised, instead of replayed, such as American Office and Big Brother USA (not that BB has any intrinsic value). Basically TG is purely English and I love it |
04-20-2008, 11:37 AM | #14 (permalink) |
Condensing fact from the vapor of nuance.
Location: Madison, WI
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I hate when we Americanize BBC shows. They always turn out crap.
I think I'll just avoid the US Top Gear, and continue to watch the real one. It's a brilliant show.
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04-20-2008, 12:27 PM | #15 (permalink) |
The Reforms
Location: Rarely, if ever, here or there, but always in transition
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I echo every single sentiment here, and would have just not altogether responded, since so many like minds have the right idea that A) original decade-long British-hosted Top Gear is the tops, and B) probably a bastardized-American production run is a horrible idea and will not come close to the appeal of Richard, James & Jeremy's fruits of labor in making Top gear oone of the most successful television shows of all-time, let alone one that concentrates on such a small market (car enthusiasts, which are mostly made up of males who also like watching shows about automobiles, ... in the U.K., where gasoline prices have never been a great aid to the industry of car purchasing).
It rightly doesn't matter to me much, since I don't watch television at all, but it is the respect and the principle of the matter that sparks the debate. It is a decision of whether or not this is a profitable endeavor for TV execs. And when it comes right down to it, it is a business in which the idea that can create the most money wins, not always the brilliant ones. Afterthought: I really enjooyed the episode where the chaps had to travel trhough the Sunbelt of America, from Miami to Louisiana(?), all iin cars which had to be purchased with an account of $1,000 or less (could've been $500, tho, considering the vehicles they ultimately chose). Roadkill feast, Sweaty men, and the "Good Ol' Boys" makes this a classic and very enjoyable watch.
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04-20-2008, 07:06 PM | #16 (permalink) |
Functionally Appropriate
Location: Toronto
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I've thought about this a bit more and perhaps in my first post I was a bit of a kneejerk eurosnob. Why couldn't they do an irreverent show with more pickup trucks, muscle cars, Harley bikes and NASCAR?
The thing is, most of the US shows I see are either just commercials for the big three, or focus on the same iconic cars again and again - Corvettes, Mustangs etc... I like how Top Gear digs up obscure and rare cars, and doesn't always mythologize them like most do. The boys don't seem to have the tight leash I imagine the American scripts would have. That's my real reservation: Sponsors on Parade.
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Building an artificial intelligence that appreciates Mozart is easy. Building an A.I. that appreciates a theme restaurant is the real challenge - Kit Roebuck - Nine Planets Without Intelligent Life |
04-28-2008, 08:42 AM | #17 (permalink) | |
Too Awesome for Aardvarks
Location: Angloland
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Even at times they go against the script and say their own views, which is what keeps it so good. Yes they occasionally get a slap on the wrist, but everyone just takes it in their stride that it is what topgear is all about.
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04-30-2008, 03:41 PM | #18 (permalink) | |
Her Jay
Location: Ontario for now....
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Seems they have 2 hosts now, Corolla and Tanner Foust, they released Dan McNeil from his contract, and they're only going to be reviewing cars that they like, so they don't end up pissing off the sponsors, yep this show is getting worse by the day.
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04-30-2008, 04:01 PM | #19 (permalink) |
Functionally Appropriate
Location: Toronto
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Like sugar in the gas tank.
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Building an artificial intelligence that appreciates Mozart is easy. Building an A.I. that appreciates a theme restaurant is the real challenge - Kit Roebuck - Nine Planets Without Intelligent Life |
04-30-2008, 04:11 PM | #20 (permalink) | |
Her Jay
Location: Ontario for now....
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Funny Jeeza article about the Callaway Corvette:
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Absence makes the heart grow fonder Last edited by silent_jay; 04-30-2008 at 04:13 PM.. |
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explains, gear, jay, leno |
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