The Grand Tour (from the guys in Top Gear)

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Xenrauk

Trakanon Raider
1,211
886
I thought the second episode was just ok. The special forces segment had its moments, but it just dragged on for me. Also the American sucks

Pretty much this. That segment dragged on so long they had to pause halfway through to do other segments, still was pretty funny just didn't need to rewind so much. Seems like a waste going to south africa and not really doing much there other than visiting one tire smoke derby, the special forces stuff took place in jordan lol.
 

Pizoi

Golden Squire
317
22
The first 2 episodes have been way over-produced. It's like they have all this money now and are looking for ways to spend it, rather than just being themselves with their usual shenanigans. Hopefully they can find their grove and get back to what they're best at.
 

Gravel

Mr. Poopybutthole
36,050
113,852
I'm hoping it's a case where a lot of this was already filmed and so they haven't received any feedback yet.

Once they realize how terrible some of this shit is (the American, celebrities dying scenes), they'll hopefully scratch it.
 

Paranoia

Trakanon Raider
1,845
643
EP3 pretty fucking good on now i believe for fact its a massive troll on america.

the new america stig "oh he sucks"
the america muscle care "oh it sucks compared to europe class and sophistication)

the theme is quite clear.

my spellz are aw3some
 
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Xarpolis

Life's a Dream
14,053
15,565
I gotta say, I'm not enjoying this nearly as much as I thought I would. The America troll is one thing, but it's the overall feeling I get. Sad by that.
 

Chris

Potato del Grande
18,036
-458
Im enjoying it nearly as much as Top Gear but the episodes feel longer in a bad way. Just worried about it being too comfortable for them now, buying "presents" in the middle of India or Vietnam in a shitty car was funny because of the hardship - will they always have awesome supercars now because they are off BBC budgets?
 

Muurloen

Pronouns: zie/zhem/zer
13,459
37,935
I enjoyed the episode. Watching the Hellcat drift on the road track was a lot of fun.
 

Hekotat

FoH nuclear response team
11,941
11,350
Third episode seemed much better and closer to their roots. I do feel that they are trying hard, but I think they are trying hard to be different from Top Gear. I'm sure they'll find their niche, Clarkson is far from dumb and they'll eventually get it right.

I almost wonder how much they have to stray from what they have done before to keep from getting sued.
 

Chukzombi

Millie's Staff Member
71,528
212,734
third episode was pretty good, felt most like Top Gear, i am getting a little annoyed that they keep "prick teasing" these celeb guests. i actually wanted to see simon pegg, even though now he says he hates nerds.
 

Muurloen

Pronouns: zie/zhem/zer
13,459
37,935
I really wanted to see the Hellcat go around the Ebola Drome. While it would probably hold the title of the slowest time on the board, who gives a fuck, i wanted to see it drift.
 

Asmadai

¯\_(ツ)_/¯
3,001
8,390
Hahaha yeah this was by far the funniest episode yet. That whole environmental car bit was gold.
 

Hekotat

FoH nuclear response team
11,941
11,350
Definitely the best episode thus far, looking forward to more.

They probably didn't put the Hellcat on the eboladrone because it would have went of track and killed someone, lol. I would have been okay with the American dying.
 

Enzee

Trakanon Raider
2,197
715
I'm guessing they recorded almost the entire season, except for the tent parts, so they are sort of stuck with the American for this season. I think they thought it was funny, but didn't realize no once else did until it was too late.

I am still enjoying the show, but it's very uneven. Some moments are gold, such as the Italy trip, the military exercise and environmental cars, and then others are kind of trash because they feel too forced. Celebrity brain crash and the American, especially. For example, James May asking 'does this mean they won't be on?' every time the celebrity dies was funny the first time, but it is stupid now. The old show rarely felt scripted, even when ridiculous things happened that you knew obviously were.
 

Gravel

Mr. Poopybutthole
36,050
113,852
Not sure I agree with that article. It's more than likely growing pains. Top Gear was honed over more than 20 seasons.

We're comparing a show in its first season to one that had years to perfect itself. Now, obviously they're not starting from scratch since this essentially is, "Top Gear part 2."

I'd say if the next season still had retarded shit like the American and felt as heavily scripted, maybe it would be an issue of needing more creative direction. But as is, they already filmed all of this. They're not just going to cut last week's challenge (with the eco-vehicles) because that's a massive amount of money they already spent on it and filmed. Likewise, the rest of this season will be filled with terrible segments, because they already shot them all.

Top Gear had a formula that was crafted over a very long period of time. All of those ideas weren't winners, and they culled them. The Grand Tour is suffering a bit from both being a new endeavor, but also trying to capture some of that Top Gear magic while not being Top Gear. It's a tough thing to balance and unfortunately they will have to wait until the next season before they can tinker with it.

I do wonder if they could find something better to do than the celebrity killings and "Conversation Street" on the fly, since those seem to be filmed closer to air time.



That all aside, I think my disappointment from this show has more to do with the fact that I was hoping with a new massive budget and longer shooting time that we're end up with something more akin to the epic specials they had, and less the old Top Gear formula. Instead of dicking around on an 11 mile trek across Britain in some Land Rovers, that we'd maybe get a trip across the Alps, or a challenge in the deserts of Australia. Instead we got an awkward Special Operations parody starring old men and May digging a hole and making bricks.
 

Grimmlokk

Ahn'Qiraj Raider
12,190
132
Apparently the only brought that Roper dude back in to write with them partway through shooting, hopefully that means it feels more natural going forward.

The American is barely on screen and says a few lines an episode, fewer recently. Don't care. And I'm actually enjoying the celebrity death-a-thon. Something I seem to be alone in.

I just want the in the field stuff to feel like the old show. It's so ham-fisted right now. Shit's always been set up an scripted, it's not like Richard actually built a camper that folded out in to 15 rooms and the guys didn't convert a van in to a hovercraft. They just sold it better.

I'd like a classic style cheap car challenge. Old Porsche and old super-cars were some of the best things ever. Those things lend themselves to the guys just competing and having a go at each other.

It is all a bit nitpicky, they'll dial it in as they go forward. And it will never really be classic Top Gear. Still good shit.
 
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