And this is A new refreshed Top Gear?, written , and concerning Web
I'm the world's biggest Top Gear fan.
Really. I've been to see it be filmed (and literally (bought the t-shirt). I was ecstatically happy when LugRadio was compared to it. I built an easy access version of the 2005 car survey. When people say: that Clarkson's a smug git, or they complain that the show's all about supercars, or that it glorifies speed, then I justify it to them. Because it's brilliance. It is, quite simply, the only television programme I watch.
Tonight's show, the last episode of season 13, was in parts excellent. I laughed out loud a few times just hearing them talk. But, in a few places, it felt contrived. The segment where JC and James made an advert felt like scripted comedy, and not all that good scripted comedy either. Now, I know that a fair amount of TG is scripted, and I have no problem with it. The art that they're masters of is scripting stuff that doesn't sound scripted. I've been in hysterics at the news before now, especially the wizard's sleeve joke. Or the carpets being nice in new Astons. And it's not just the news -- take the "back to the studio" thing, or Jeremy's test of a Fiesta and the Corvette chase, or Car Sauna. It's genius. But the things which look overtly scripted -- tonight's "make an ad" segment, setting the caravan on fire, even tonight's Cool Wall segment with Hammond on the elevated platform -- seem laboured and painful. And that makes me sad. Because I love the show. I've loved parts of this series as much as I've loved any of the others -- the great train race, the Usain Bolt interview.
I actually found myself thinking, for the first time ever: are they running out of ideas? If I may be permitted to make a comment which is like comparing the last piss I had to the wide, wide expanse of the whole Atlantic, this is why we stopped doing LugRadio, our fortnightly radio show. We felt we'd reached a point where we were having to strain to find new ideas. So we stopped doing it.
So I'm sitting there, thinking: has Top Gear, my favourite programme in all of television history ever, the only programme I've really been dedicated to in 33 years (except Rainbow when I was about 4, according to my mum, but leave that aside), has Top Gear jumped the shark?
And then the last segment played. Jeremy, driving the new V12 Aston Martin Vantage. He spoke very little initially, other than to say that the car was sublimely wonderful; the backdrop was the roar of the engine and images of it flashing past that were impressive looking even for Top Gear's absurdly high standard of cinematography. And then he spoke about how cars like that are ending, how their day may have passed in a world that cares about economy over enjoyment and safety over frolics. It was an achingly poignant declaration, a swan-song for the supercar, for everything that makes Top Gear what it is. The V12 bellow continued as the credits rolled over more shots of the Aston eating up a winding country road. And I thought: is this the end for Top Gear as well? Have they been thinking: we're running out of ideas? Did I just hear a eulogy for the programme that's built around the beauty of the car, a beauty that Jeremy's just said is itself coming to a forced and bitter end?
Maybe I did, or maybe I'm reading too much into it. If they are coming back, I hope, I really hope, that they don't feel tired of the show. I hope they can keep up the level of creativity and beauty and energy that makes it the best thing on television. It was incredibly, incredibly hard to stop doing LugRadio, but we looked at ourselves and thought: we don't want to force ourselves to keep doing this and have people say "I wish they'd stopped before that one last season".
If the Top Gear team do feel like that and they do want to stop, then I raise a glass to them for making me happy for 13 series. More than one glass, actually. Guys, if you're coming back, I hope you're great. If you're winding up, thankyou, thankyou for everything.
Comments
mattj
sam
only one little comment - top gear is not the only programme you have been devoted to ! i shouldnt care that you said that but i do - sorry xx
Chris Jones
I think I remember reading that Top Gear is pretty much the BBC's best international export at the moment, so I would assume the commercial pressure to continue would be quite high :(
I've not seen the episode in question yet, but I agree that their magic is in making scripted larking seem like natural bonhomie, and I too would hate to have what is essentially the perfect TV show ruined by that spirit being lost.
I think Clarkson still has the chops to make it work though, and they won't have trouble getting Auntie to fund their madness :)
Mike
BBC cut their budget this year because of the economy. I read on their production blog that rather then spread that budget cut across all episodes they would do the last episode with a very small budget.
sil
Sam: you are entirely correct -- that was hyperbole to make the point, I admit it! (and the other programs weren't mine...they were ours. Which makes them different; I don't watch those any more!)
JD
I think it wasn't so great for a pretty decent reason and a bit of a clarification perhaps.
For one, the BBC cut their budget because of the economy and they had to make the last episode with a small budget. I know they could've just done like 4 normal car reviews, the SIARPC, news and the cool wall, but that would make it more like "old Top Gear" than most people want these days, so they had to make it a bit contrived and lame (?) to keep the viewers and syndication networks happy.
For Two, this isn't exactly rare for Top Gear. I've probably seen every episode of current-format Top Gear at least twice and they usually have 1 episode that's not great per Series. In Series 12, it was probably Episode 5 that wasn't great. In Series 11, it was probably Episode 6 that wasn't great and in Series 10, it was probably Episode 10 that wasn't great (I'm sure you can see a pattern emerging, all these episodes are near or at the end of the Series). As far as i can recall, Episode 7 is the only episode in Series 13 that wasn't very good.
All in all, i don't think Top Gear is dying. Yes, no one is really able to afford Lambos and Ferraris and Astons anymore, but in a few years we'll be out of that slump AND i'd assume that only about 0.5% of Top Gear's audience (if that) could afford one of those cars even before the economy went to crap.
As you say in Episodes 1, 4, 5 and 6 of Series 13 and many episodes in the past, they can still make a great episode without reviewing a car that costs more than 50,000 GBP.
I really hope Top Gear continues because it is, quite literally, the best show on TV, scripted or not.
Matthew Walster
For those that haven't heard - 14th Series is being filmed later in the year:
http://bit.ly/6AfnQ
Gardy
All I can say to that, Matthew, is thank God. I am an American, and therefore must resort to torrenting the show late at night in order to see it. Feeling particularly enthusiastic, I decided to watch it now, (3:00 AM). I just finished, and it left me almost in tears. Pathetic as that may be (I am tired, remember), it is a truly sobering thought that automobiles may be perched atop their climax of excellence right now, and that it's all downhill from here on out. The suggestion of Top Gear ending made it even worse. Thankfully, I can now sleep knowing that Top Gear will live another season. If only I could have the same assurance for our world...
Erik
I too have felt that some of the scripted stuff feels a bit forced lately. I'd like them to try it a bit more off the cuff.
sil
Aha, series 14 is already in the works. I am relieved!
Jay
The show hit its peak a few years ago, when they had the balance right, with informative and entertaining features about cars. This latest series has been a complete mess. The low point was the "Rally" in spain, where the "humour" Involved a prickteasing glamour model, a midget and a non-english speaking spanish co-driver. And last night's show was particularly poor taste, with their VW task culminating in an advert involving a man shooting himself in the head. My 7 year old stepbrother was watching, is this suitable for pre-watershed viewing? I'm now contemplating on making my first ever complaint to the BBC
With the exception of the brilliant and underappreciated James May, It might be time for the bbc to finally wash their hands of these ridiculous and embarassing manchildren who present this show. I have been a regular viewer since the start of new top gear and in the last couple of series I feel like they have been wasting the viewers' time with their "Adventures" and frolics. The politics and ego-rubbing which seem to crop up in every show have now overshadowed what was the best motoring show on tv.
sil
Jay: I fear we shall have to agree to disagree on that. :)
Jakub Steiner
amen.
Anto
I'm begining to think that tg is coming to an end very soon. I for
one will not be happy as my 1 hour of escape a week will end but my
wife will be thrilled.
Sure it may be scripted but I love it. Some of the races over the
years have been tv highlights of the year they have been on.
It does seem that the supercar will be dead soon but that's got to
do with peak oil not tg
god I hope they will be back in november
maxauthority
Thanks for this great post.
I started with Top Gear, when it was in it's 9th season, and now have just started to watch season 1-8 (so loooooots of episodes to watch).
The only TV series I adore as much as TopGear is "High Stakes Poker". You probably must be a poker fan to really enjoy it, but Gabe Kaplan's (and AJ Benza's) commentary has a similar style of commentary in my opinion like:
A: "Are they [the poker players] discussing love films now?"
B: "Well, AJ, they are poker players. Every movie with a hooker in it is a love film for them."
maxauthority
@Jay: Why the hell does every show (even if "just" a car show) be suitable for children?
I am tired of Pg-13 action movies, and of politically correctness everywhere. Just accept it, that also humor doesn't need to be targeted at everyone. Just like "Little Britain" - a great comedy, but would it be the same good if all jokes were "suitable" for 7 year old ones?
Andy
If Hydrogen Fuel Cell technology makes advances, the prospect of great wealth's of power based on the most abundant materials in the world could be realised. The "cold-fusion aladin's cave" of the car industry. They can pump out serious watts, which if strapped to the kind of motors they have in Tesla sports models (0-62 in 4 seconds...), would bring back supercars from an otherwise bleak existance.
Chris Sherlock
Wow, you got quoted by the Guardian.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/blog/2009/aug/03/clarkson-hints-top-gear-over
"One blogger posted soon after last night's episode: "Did I just hear a eulogy for the programme that's built around the beauty of the car, a beauty that Jeremy's just said is itself coming to a forced and bitter end?""
Adam Williamson
andy: hydrogen is nowhere near being 'the most abundant materials in the world'. It's the most abundant in the _universe_, but that's because there's lots of it in stars. Which doesn't have a lot of practical implications for us right now, we're rather a long way from being able to mine the fricking Sun. Any hydrogen we use is commercially synthesized using one of several processes, most of which involve water and lots of energy. The argument over whether hydrogen or chemical batteries make, overall, a 'better' carrier for energy produced in power plants for applications like transportation is nowhere near being settled yet. But it's certainly not so clear-cut as to call hydrogen a 'cold-fusion aladdin's cave'.
Besides, can you see Jeremy Clarkson masturbating over a fuel cell the way he does a V8? Sheesh. :)
chrisp
Meh. Top gear has always embodied the "its a short step from the sublime to the ridiculous" thing. There have always been items where they've obviously been drinking tea in the conservatory stuck for ideas 10 minutes before deadline, and other bits, like the V12 vantage review, that are just awesome.
Personally I'd like to hear less about the war and clarksons dodgy politcs and more of that nice James May. Your mileage may vary.
sian
Cards on the table - I know little about cars, caring only if they have a wheel in each corner and someone to drive me where I want to go. Nevertheless, I love TG, have watched it religiously both on BBC and in the endless loop on Dave. (I'm old enough to remember Angela Rippon and William Woollard for heaven's sake!)
So I write this with huge sadness, but I've been left with the overwhelming feeling that this series was, at best, mediocre compared to those in the past. God, I even found myself doing the crossword during the interminably long, and only occasionally chuckle inducing, "writing an ad" section last night. This just added to the existing disappointment from the lazy stereotyping presented as "humour" in the Rally episode.
My main problem is with Jeremy. I've always disagreed with 95% of what he says, but he has (had) a knack of saying it in such a way that I would be laughing heartily whilst yelling back at the screen or hurling the book down! As far as I'm concerned he can say what he wants about whomever he wants in rehearsals, or his numerous newpaper columns. What I DO care about is that he seems to be bringing his personal political agenda into the programme more and more over the last couple of series, presumably with the tacit approval of big buddy Andy Wilman. We know JC loathes this Governement and PM. Most people also know he is a patron of a forces charity and that he enlists the participation of a branch of the armed forces into the show at every opportunity, so yes, we get that he supports "our boys".
I certainly don't disagree with his view that it's wrong to claw back compensation from injured soldiers. I do disagree strongly however that such a comment is appropriate in a light entertainment show about cars, particularly when introducing the Stig and the remark immediately beforehand was about him cutting the hair of an audience member. It was not the right time or place for it, it trivialises the issue, and he seems to have forgotton that he is being paid by the BBC for that show, which has a charter to follow.
If JC now sees the show simply as a convenient place to grind his non-motoring political axes then maybe finishing the show, or at least taking a sabbatical for a few years, might not be such a bad idea.
As for the last film with the AM. Beautifully shot, haunting music and cynical and calculated. It's achieved exactly what I suspect they set out to do - get the blogs and forums quivering with the usual mix of the rational and the deluded/illiterate debating whether it's the last of the show or of JC. And no, the irony that I'm contributing to that debate isn't lost on me!
Fintan Gaughan
I agree with what you said here.
Put yourself in my position I am Deaf and the subtitles sometimes good and other episodes bad.
I can tell if the programs been rushed or finished at last minute before its been aired.
When its done in good time the sub-titler gets to see it and get the timing right. when its rushed the put live text on ..its a recognition software.
I could be watching Jeramy clarkson in a car but subtitles would be james may talking earlier on.
I have complained but they give an excuse of due to nature of programmes some times they dont get it finished the day before its aired so therefore no time for subtitlers so they slap on live text.
Here is a good example on BBC click
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/click
Dont forget to click on S to enable subtitles and you will see the subtitles talking about a news item well before the start of Click
G.
You being linked by the Guardian Media blog is more hilarious than any Top Gear gag. I think they should have stopped altogether after the Fiesta episode- honestly, where was there to go after that?
Nightwish
"Cards on the table – I know little about cars, caring only if they have a wheel in each corner and someone to drive me where I want to go."
If you watch Top Gear to learn about cars, you're doing it wrong.
sian
Hi Nightwish, I think the clue as to whether I want to learn is in the bit about what a car needs to have to be ok with me! So no I don't watch TG for that reason. It was, to me, a mark of a truly entertaining programme that I tuned in, week after week, DESPITE the subject matter not because of it. This was why I was so disappointed with this last series - as it happened I saw all 7 episodes, but wouldn't have been too bothered if I'd missed one. That, a couple of years ago, would have been unthinkable.
William Woollard
"When people say: that Clarkson’s a smug git, or they complain that the show’s all about supercars, or that it glorifies speed, then I justify it to them. "
I don't care about any of those things. I just find all the scripted so-called banter to be less amusing than a particularly bad episode of Terry and June.
G.
So I got to see this episode last night. There is an in-joke going on with the last item- the music playing is "An Ending"(Ascent)by Brian Eno.
I think part of the issue is that it is the last episode of the series, with filler content to make up a full episode, maybe some tests were dropped or whatever. I think there will be another series, but I wouldn't be suprised if it does end in it's current form within a few years.