# Top Gear America - Anyone going to watch it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 9, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090 "2010-11-09T21:18:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090/1 "2010-11-09T21:18:43Z")
So [Top Gear (US edition)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Gear_(U.S._TV_series)) is debuting on the History Channel on 21 Nov 2010. I really like Top Gear (UK) and find it quite amusing (except for the ‘Star in a Reasonably Priced Car’ segment), while the few episodes I’ve seen of Top Gear (Oz) have been kind of flat. So where do you feel will Top Gear (US) fall into that spectrum? Perhaps it will work well IF it doesn’t try to slavishly copy the UK version (after all, they could just rebroadcast those shows slightly edited - oh wait, they tried that already). I fear it will be like the transition from Scrapheap Challenge (UK) to the final version of Junkyard Wars (US…and UGH!). Hmm, the trailer has apparently been around since late August, but I’ve just started seeing web-ads for the show today. BTW Top Gear (US) will have a Stig…maybe they can hire Ben Collins, I hear he’s looking for a position nowadays… ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090/2 "2010-11-09T21:19:54Z")
If it doesn’t involve Clarkson, Captain Slow, and the Hamster, I’m not interested. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090/3 "2010-11-09T21:23:31Z")
My wife and I are big fans of the original (well, what’s airing on BBC America, anyway). I agree with **pepperlandgirl** – the BBC hosts are a big part of the appeal. That said, I’m willing to give the U.S. show a try, but I’m skeptical that it’ll be anywhere near as much fun. ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090/4 "2010-11-09T21:24:18Z")
Just think of what a travesty Iron Chef America became compared to its Japanese original. Some things are best kept where they are… ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090/5 "2010-11-09T21:26:07Z")
I predict a colossal flop. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090/6 "2010-11-09T21:28:53Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > If it doesn’t involve Clarkson, Captain Slow, and the Hamster, I’m not interested. Ditto, ditto, ditto, a thousand times. ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090/7 "2010-11-09T21:30:16Z")
I’ll watch it. Theres a few hours a day that Dave doesn’t repeat an episode of the UK version, so I can fit it in then. Also, the Aussie version has picked up in the third season after moving to a new network and changing presenters (again). If nothing else, track down the Ashes special which saw the Aussies (the Bruces) Vs. the British presenters (the Nigels) and a very entertaining trip through a safari park. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090/8 "2010-11-09T21:45:37Z")
I think the trailer looks OK. If they just do their own thing and not worry about the BBC version too much, it might work. I mean, it took a while for the oft-cited chemistry in the BBC version to develop. I don’t think James May was even in the show at first. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090/9 "2010-11-09T23:51:04Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > If it doesn’t involve Clarkson, Captain Slow, and the Hamster, I’m not interested. QFT. You don’t find chemistry like that in just any old lab. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090/10 "2010-11-09T23:53:41Z")
I like the guy from **Rescue Me**. I’ll probably watch the first one. I’m curious if they’re going to go after cars that are bad, or if the US automakers will try and interfere and History Channel will buckle under for fear of a corporate backlash. If they can’t honestly trash a bad car then it’ll be Motorweek. ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090/11 "2010-11-10T00:55:27Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > I think the trailer looks OK. I just watched the [Top Gear (US) trailer](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Goa7PDR1rqc) and it was kind of cringe-worthy (although admittedly I could imagine some of that dialog during the Moonshine challenge coming from Jeremy and Richard as James drives the Cadillac erratically over the hilly road - the UK version is just as scripted as the US version will probably be after all). The comments posted on that YouTube video predictably just ripped on the trailer, BUT (big but), a number of comments indicated that the show will be better than the trailer (perhaps the producers themselves posted those comments - why would you put your crappy stuff in a trailer 😕 ). I’ll give it a view, but won’t expect much… ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090/12 "2010-11-10T01:04:13Z")
I’ve been watching old BBC episodes online, I think I’ve just seen them all. It shouldn’t work, but it does. > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > My wife and I are big fans of the original (well, what’s airing on BBC America, anyway). I agree with **pepperlandgirl** – the BBC hosts are a big part of the appeal. Yeah, although I sometimes wish Clarkson wouldn’t be quite so much of a dick. ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090/13 "2010-11-10T01:05:52Z")
I’m confused because last I heard, Adam Carolla had worked on a pilot for Top Gear US and it had been rejected. Why can’t they just show Top Gear UK, and maybe have them do some extra segments on US cars? ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090/14 "2010-11-10T01:52:15Z")
> [@thirdname](#): > > Why can’t they just show Top Gear UK, and maybe have them do some extra segments on US cars? They do crap loads of US cars in the original. ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090/15 "2010-11-10T02:47:14Z")
> [@thirdname](#): > > Why can’t they just show Top Gear UK, and maybe have them do some extra segments on US cars? According to the Wiki link I posted in my OP, they pretty much tried this without success: > [@](#): > > In 2005 Discovery Channel made a pilot for an American version of the show featuring actor and IHRA driver Bruno Massel as one of the hosts, but it was not picked up by the network. A short time later Discovery Channel began airing a slightly “Americanized” version of the British Top Gear show with presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May. This show featured clips of features and challenges from Series 1-5 from the BBC Two show with introduction segments recorded by Clarkson, Hammond and May at the Dunsfold Aerodrome studio especially for the US audience. Regular features like “The News” and “Star in a Reasonably Priced Car” were not shown on the Discovery Channel version. The show was not a ratings success and was soon taken off the air ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090/16 "2010-11-10T03:21:21Z")
I don’t know why the Adam Carolla version of Top Gear USA didn’t work out. He’s a car nut and he’s funny, he’d make a good host. From the description the pilot sounded good. Not sure why that failed, I’d prefer that version to this one. ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090/17 "2010-11-10T04:38:11Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Ditto, ditto, ditto, a thousand times. Agreed 110%. Whoever came up with the idea for a US version does not amuse me. ---
**Author:** ![obfusciatrist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4af34b/32.png) [@obfusciatrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obfusciatrist)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090/18 "2010-11-10T05:37:22Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > I don’t know why the Adam Carolla version of Top Gear USA didn’t work out. He’s a car nut and he’s funny, he’d make a good host. From the description the pilot sounded good. Not sure why that failed, I’d prefer that version to this one. If I recall him talking about it on his podcast correctly, essentially he had that pilot and then a sitcom pilot going at the same time. Eventually he had to commit to one or the other and he chose the other (bad choice in hindsight since it wasn’t picked up, but it was a primetime network pilot as opposed to basic cable). ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090/19 "2010-11-10T05:46:28Z")
I think he did the top gear pilot back 2-3 years ago IIRC, before he had the CBS pilot. The network didn’t pick it up from what I recall. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090/20 "2010-11-10T05:54:28Z")
I’ll give it a shot. At least they got three car guys. And Tanner Faust is a hell of a driver. And going by the trailer, they’re going to maintain the BBC’s production values, which are a big part of the appeal of the show. It’s one of the best-shot shows on television. Some of the cinematography approaches art. So if the American show can stay at that level of production quality, it will be worth it just for that. Also, I’ve watched Top Gear from the first season on, and it’s easy to forget that it did take some time for the chemistry to develop between the presenters. They even had to eject one of their first presenters because it turned out he had no charisma. So, give it a chance. It might not be as good as the UK version, but there’s a large gap between “as good as Top Gear BBC”, and “unwatchable”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/top-gear-america-anyone-going-to-watch-it/560090.md?page=2)