Aussie Top Gear

[alexwebster]

What did everyone think of the first ep of the Aussie version?

I know the UK version is a hard thing to top....

[John Shingleton]

Alex , I thought it didn't crack it but then the UK series took years to gel as the recent SBS repeats of the early episodes show . I thought they were all trying too hard to be "big kids "and it lacked the spontaneity of the BBC version .Maybe cloning the UK format is a mistake and it should have a unique local format .
I ended the program asking " what was the point ?" but I'll give them another chance next week .

John Shingleton

[alexwebster]

I agree about the UK taking ages to get it right, maybe that is why they have been screening them - saying give us a go, these guys weren't that great either!

The issue that I have, is that the whole ATG concept was meant to be uniquely Australian, but all I came away from it feeling, was that it was a crappy copy of the UK. Set was similar, the tag lines were similar, the hosts even seemed similar. I hardly thought that there was anything Australian about it. I also agree about them forcing the relationships and banter. It all seemed very scripted. There weren't any good looking birds in the background either!!

I too will give them another chance next week.

[CS911E]

I agree, it appeared too scripted and at one stage the banter almost even stalled, for want of a better word!

I think it is lacking the charisma of Jeremy Clarkson, and maybe we are all expecting too much. It felt akin to watching the US version of the great UK sitcom of 'The Office', leaving me feeling a little cheated....

An original 'Aussie' version may be required, but then again would that be Top Gear, and be able to satisfy the franchise??

I will also give it another go next week......

Cheers

[Fishcop]

I want to get to like it; but I can't help coming away from the first episode thinking, "What was the point?" As noted, it just seemed a facsimile of UKTG with some Australian euphemisms.

Proper rapport and true witty repartee does take time, hopefully it'll get there - I want it to (there's only so many cop shows and reality tv I can cope with).

[T-DUB]

I thought Steve Pizzati was very good, Warren Brown was OK, but Charlie Cox was just plain irritating. He just comes across as a complete tosser...!

I was pleased that we didn't end up with Glen Ridge's droning voice on TGAust - that was my fear when I heard they wanted an Aust crew. For that reason alone I'll give it a few more weeks of viewing to hopefully find it's feet.

It's certainly not the as good as the UK version but hey, it's a better than The Car Show......!

Tom

[MrUpwey]

I watched "Two and a Half Men" on 9 at 7:30 - 8 (the funniest show on TV) but flicked over to TG during the ads, then watched the last half of TG - at least they featured a Porsche in the first episode.

I may have been tempted to watch the whole show had Alex and Marcus got the gig (their trial video was no worse than last night's show)................but "Two and a Half Men" is really funny. :p

TG Aust will be scratched after 4 shows..........any advances?

Robert also thought the show was a flop............didn't feature a Volvo.

[griffiths_r]

craig i agree with you - like watching the US The Office - too scripted and having the set exactly the same as the UK set made it kinda piontless.

that said, they had to start somewhere, so why not start with a formula that works. top gear is just about to start its 11th (i think) season in the latest format so they have had a fair while to get the formula sorted out. go back to the first season or two and look at how small the studio audience is!

i'll be watching more of it. they'll either flop or it'll become huge.

i think alex and marcus would have been better though.

[OBRUT]

i tuned in with pretty low expectations - and was pleasantly suprised. i think they did an ok job for a first attempt. at least they held off the obvious ford v holden until the 2nd show...

however, i share john's "What is the point?" issue.

[CamBiscuit]

Left me a little flat but yes, I'll tune in again next week.

I thought they could have actually made some comments about the differences between the soft roaders they tested rather than just have a bit of a story.....maybe something about the strengths and weaknesses of each car.

Good that they had a Porsche in Epsisode 1 but you would have thought they would have punished it a bit more around those Tassie roads, maybe a bit more on the exhaust note...?

[Paul W]

Some of forced Australian colloquialisms were just plain painful, as was the scripted banter. Maybe we’re not representative of the target demographic – which is probably best summed up by the Ford / Holden showdown next week? The other thing I found disappointing was the ‘test track’ which either didn’t look as interesting or wasn’t filmed as well as the UK version.
Also seemed like they were avoiding drawing any real opinions on the cars they were driving - perhaps they didn't want to offend any potential sponsors

[griffiths_r]

paul

i think you're right on the test track thing. if they are worried about offending potential sponsors then they will just end up like the 1hr long ad that is the car show. the beauty of top gear is they are paid for by the bbc and so can say when a car is ****e!

[alexwebster]

Apparently the ad spots are covering the $300k per episode cost. I am sure that they (SBS and Freehand) will be keen to not lose much money on the first series.

They have filmed all the reviews etc for the 8 show first season, but you can still be part of the audience when the film those in the coming weeks.

Interesting to see what the comments are! Marcus and I reckon we were f*cking robbed! Tough gig though. See what happens.

[Paul W]

Alex, the way the 3 hosts interacted last night you might get a last minute call up - though if either of you throw in a 'flat out like a lizard drinking' there could be a petition started to have you banned from P-car ownership .

So which one of you would be Australia's answer to Capt Slow?

[Fishcop]

Reading everyones comments highlighted what I couldn't put a finger on... UKTG's preparedness to sh!tcan a car. If a car is crap, I wan't to hear as much.

I know I can rely on Clarkson's opinion on a car whether I want to hear it or not - and whether I agree with him or not, I totally respect his honest, overbearing and arrogant opinion

And Charlie Cox came across as a cock-knocker. They need to tape his hands to his sides, I thought he was going to fly away with all the arm flapping he did.