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brooklyn_john
Reviews
Top Gear USA (2008)
Top Gear America is just spinning it's wheels.
Question: If a show has a loyal, rabid, worldwide audience would you; A) Give said show a U.S. distribution deal? B) Give said show a U.S. special to test the waters? or C) Create not one, but two lifeless, uninspired pale copies of said show featuring unrelatable hosts who spout stale, scripted patter and have no rapport with each other? Well, if you're an American producer, you will always go with C., and needless to say... you will always be wrong. This latest incarnation of 'Top Gear,'(U.S. 2010)on the History channel proves this rule. As most carbon-copy, shot for shot re-makes go, this version of 'Top Gear' looks similar, but is NOT the same; it lacks energy, spontaneity, humor, camaraderie and technical know-how. That said, this U.S. version is low on the coolness and slickness of the U.K. 'Top Gear's' production values and has none of it's wit and charm. I gave the U.S. 'Top Gear' a look based on the fact that Adam Ferrara, (a comedian whom I admire greatly) was one of the hosts; although the poor writing and lackluster directing made even him look bad. As for the other two hosts, not only are they 2-dimensional, cardboard nobodies... their voices sound, for all intents and purposes, exactly the same. I guess, if you boil it all down it comes to this, 'Top Gear' U.K. is a show for gear-heads by gear-heads and it shows, there is a true love of all things automotive and anything that should be mocked is, and mercilessly. 'Top Gear' U.S. is produced by money-men for mindless viewers and it shows. Sure, Tanner Foust knows how to race cars, but he is unable to bring that across to the viewers and Rutledge Wood may be an analyst, but comes across as a dull slacker with no real TV personality. Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May from the U.K. 'Top Gear' bring all the requisite knowledge, but do so in a humorous, satirical, dare I say it... personally relatable package. 'Top Gear' U.K. is available on DVD, so don't waste your time on this cardboard copy of a great car show.