Top Programme (Top Gear)

Member Name: Coxy1974

Product:	Top Gear
Date:	15/01/07 (584 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Reviews in a fun, light hearted way

Disadvantages: Technical information may sometimes be lost

I have to admit that I am a Top Gear convert. I never used to like watching in the late 80's cos my dad loved the show. But over the last 4 or 5 series it really has gripped me.

Hosts

James May, Richard Hammond, Jeremy Clarkson & new for the last series Top Gear Dog. Of course, not forgetting The Stig.

Time slot

Usually Sunday evening and then repeated mid week on a Tuesday usually.

The show is very much in a magazine format with lots of different slots. I'm going to concentrate on the last series as I think that stood out for me as some of the most classic episodes ever. Usually the guys have to review something be it vans, performance cars etc. They then have the 'Star in a mid priced family car' slot where a celebrity thrashes a Ford Sierra type car around a race track. If they test out a sports car this will be handed over the Stig to see what it can do around the Top Gear race track.

Classic bits from the last series

Van review - the guys went out to review vans but knew nothing about them and spend most of their time in the pub. So as punishment the producers set them all a van challenge. They each had to purchase a van for less than a certain amount of money. James May chose a Luton, Jeremy (of course) a Transit and Hammond a Rascal (what else?). First challenge to play removals men. Fatal flaw in Hammonds plan - standard lamp didn't fit but close the van door on it he did! Next challenge was to see how long it would take to break into the vans. The thief gave up on Hammonds, was in the transit in a couple of seconds and the luton not much far after. Jeremy was gutted. They then had to change the door on their vans. Has anyone seen James May and tools? He gives them all names. Speed is not what he is famous for. Jeremy borrowed James' van to ram the door off his transit and then 'taped' a new one in it's place. Next challenge to see how far up someones arse you could get without touching the bumper. Hammond's rascal won this hands down, James May couldn't even catch up the car and Jeremy ended up ramming the car. Outrun PC Stig - hilarious - first up was JC in the transit. Smugly telling the viewers that most bank jobs the getaway vehicle is a transit and then utter disbelief when he got caught (however, not all of his van made it as the taped on drivers door flew off halfway around the track), Hammond fared evern lass well after taking a corner to fast in the Rascal and rolling it (not hurt) and James May in the Luton? - managed a few yards before being caught. Lastly, they'd been asked to place ads as men with vans and they'd score points for each response. I think Hammond was the only one to score anything as he got one response.

Caravanning - the funniest episode to date. JC hates caravans. So what do they decide to do? Go on a caravan holiday to see if it really is as bad as they think. They chose the caravanning magazines towing car of the year and hooked up a caravan and they were off. The only thing is they had James May driving. He has never driven a car towing anything in his life. They manage 40 mph out of the 'Towing car of the year' and make a 2 hour trip in about 6 hours. They have tea on the hard shoulder, block a road trying to do a 3 point turn (yes with a caravan on tow), nearly get arrested for blocking said road with said turn, trash the van on a parking bollard, have to clean up TG dogs sick, James cannot park the van when they arrive at the site and he ends up trashing someones awning, unhooking the van and manually moving it into position and Hammond nearly gets kidnapped by an old lady who likes to go caravanning because of the chemical toilets to empty! In pursuit of fresh bacon etc JC sets off to the shops only to arrive back with potatoes so they decide to have chips for dinner. Closing scene - towing car of the year towing a burnt out shell of caravan after chip pan fire they tried to put out with cushions! Oh, and they burnt down the awning of the caravan next to them along with setting the van itself on fire!

Who could forget the making of the kit car where JC put the seats in the wrong way round or the turning the car into boats or them trying to race each other in gas guzzling performance cars?

I could go on but I won't. My point is that this programme makes reviewing cars fun. IMHO, cars are not meant to be taken too seriously (obviously there is the safety aspect) but driving a car should be pleasure and this programme certainly reviews in a light hearted way but things don't always go according to plan for them. This is mainly down to Jeremy who refused to cmply with any set of instructions that are thrown his way but that just makes for great TV.

Summary: Bring on the next series