The Great Escapists

If you are watching this as a serious science, engineering or survival show you will be disappointed. If you are looking for what is essentially a sitcom themed around two very knowledgeable guys who rub each other up the wrong way whilst trying to get off a desert island then it's great fun. It's probably helpful if you already know them from top gear and mythbusters respectively and know a bit about their personalities but not essential.

I have never watched Top Gear and I have no idea what Mythbusters is. So these guys are new for me. As I dont have any previous experiences which fills my head and creating bias in my view, I watched this with fresh mind... and liked it!

Yes it's not big deal, yes it's not very much creative but scenery is excellent and it's lighthearted fun for passing time.

Also I couldn't smile at the adorable cuteness of reviewers who complain that "this is scrpited" :D Guys, this is TV! When did you see anything NOT scripted here? Still this show is way more natural than any news broadcast that any mainstream channel shows these days!

Warning do not watch this, it's unbelievably shallow, contrived and nonsense lol. Right, now I've got that out of the way, let qualify that statement. It should read, do not watch it with your grown-up brain engaged, people, giving it a right slaying but failing to get that it's definitely aimed at kids. I sat for the first 15 mins with my head in my hands, turned and looked at my 8yo and he loved it. So forget the science, acting, depth, building, survivorship and everything like that kind of Bear Grills type show. It's entertainment for kids and in that context it works better than first thoughts.

In most shows you need at least two story lines so that you can cut to and from each story, but in this case it hampered the show's best entertainment. The biggest problem was the interrogation room plot line. However, the interactions between two mechanically adept builders on a beach were genuinely so fun to watch. Of course its not a realistic shipwreck, but it was a fun setting to watch Hammond and Belleci create. Tory often does overdue the fake excitement a little much because he is a better builder than actor, but without the overly gimmicky side storyline and constantly shifting concept of time/present the show would have worked better. The meta references were one of the only positives from the interrogation room scenes. Even with just a little more realism, the show would have been more entertaining (especially from two actors who are known for their realist television and who actually are skilled). That being said, to make a show of this quality in the current times is quite an impressive feat.

This show had so much potential to build on previous formats like Scrapheap Challenge, Mythbusters, Bear Grylls, Top Gear, The Grand Tour etc. Hammond and Tory are both fantastic presenters and the location is beautiful but the content is edited so poorly that it feels like a trainee swept up all the clippings off the floor and spliced them together in the dark.

The sequencing makes zero sense, there are scenes which clearly refer to earlier ones which have not yet been shown and what the hell is the part about recounting the story to interrogators? Were they 20% short on material and got as drunk as possible to come up with this idea for a filler?

All in all, I am very dissapointed but believe this series could be saved. Pull the show now, edit it properly and include more of the actual making process and you'll have at least a half decent show. As it is, it is simply not worth wasting your time. 1 out of 10 - must try harder!