Top Gear USA

Yeah, I know Adam Ferrara is no Jeremy Clarkson but, he's not supposed to be. The show is surprisingly up front and truthful, considering that it is on a commercial network. People keep bashing the show for being dry and dull. But remember the early days of top gear where there was like 8 people in the crowd AND Jason Dawes.

The second season is where it started to pick up it's also when they introduced James May. Hopefully, they get rid of Rutledge Wood and replace them with someone more capable of the position. But come on give it a chance, let it get a second season and hopefully it will get better.

I just rewatched the entire 6 seasons of Top Gear US and it was so much fun! These 3 were developing some fun chemistry and the format was perfect. 3 dumb guys buy 3 cheap cars and compete in challenges or show up with the most over the top vehicles. Either way it took the best of the UK Top Gear (Clarkson and crew) specials and had a US flare to it.

Why does BBC screw up everything they had done well?!?

I am a huge fan of the original English Top Gear & like some of the other people who have written reviews here I was very dubious about an American version.

These concerns were valid with the first season or 2 because there was no chemistry between the 3 hosts not to mention they were pretty abysmal when it came to interviewing the guests. That said the first couple of seasons of the UK version were pretty bad compared to what they are now so I thought I'd stick with the USA show - and I'm glad I did. The guys started being more comfortable & began to fit into their unique roles & even got some good chemistry happening.

The show will never be UK top gear because Poms & Yanks come from totally different cultures. Once you sit back and accept that it's Top Gear but instead of the English team doing what the English do well, it's Team USA doing what they do best which is basically more good ol' American razzle dazzle and not as much subtlety when it comes to (well basically anything) things like the hosts winding each other up (e.g. Tanner is not afraid to *literally* flick the other guys in the balls if they get too far in his face) you can really start to enjoy it.

An example of this is at the end of one episode (I think it was season 3 ep 1). Tanner was driving towards the camera in a Corvette Z06 which had been modified into America's fastest police car. As his commentary is winding up he rips the steering wheel sending the Vette into a sweet slow motion 360 while you hear the engine roaring, it was so awesome it made my hair stand up. USA! USA!

Despite this show being wildly unpopular, I must confess myself a fan. I've been watching Top Gear for years, even in the old Jeremy Clarkson days and I love it to bits. Watched quite a few of the spin-off shows but never really enjoyed any of them.

US version makes its entrance and I'll obviously give it the benefit of the doubt. Season 1 wasn't very enjoyable, because the hosts don't have that instantly-loved chemistry of the UK guys plus they can't pull off the UK concept of reviews and the whole interview thing.

They quickly realized they needed to build the game solely on challenges, my favourite segments of the UK show. So every single show features fun and crazy challenges. The initial lack of great chemistry is made up by the content which admittedly is often taken from the UK show, however it's such a vague idea that is wildly different once you have different people, cars, circumstances etc.

As you work your way through the episodes, you come to love these guys. Rutledge Wood being that smiling, papa-bear type. Adam Ferrara being the loud New Yorker type that is slightly cocky but is prone to screw it up and Tanner Foust the professional race driver that is a more timid type that is just waiting to show off his abilities. It seems to work on some level!

Maybe I'm just crazy but the show being nothing but challenges and featuring some nice guys works for me, I really enjoy it and I'd rather watch an episode of this with challenges than one with nothing but interviews and boring car tests of the UK show.

I wasn't surprised that i was disappointed, but i was surprised at how awful the hosts are, Foust is the only one that deserves to be anywhere near this show, at least In TG UK, the guys are all car nuts, not some washed up comedians. This reminded me of a bunch of kids who stole their dads viper and only know stats about the car through the sales brochure. Not only was the hosting pretty terrible, the Lambo caparison at the end was the most boring, monotonous and uncreative thing I've ever seen on TG. TG UK could have made a comparison test with 3 Toyota Corollas far more existing and witty. The Brits just do some things better like tea, accents and Top Gear, I'll pass on the rest of the season and wait till January for the real Top Gear to come back.