NBC passes on American version of Top Gear

[altiain]

From Autoblog:

NBC's dubious attempt to duplicate the unique cachet of Top Gear with a Stateside spinoff has apparently come to a screeching halt. They couldn't even get it together on a cast, so the news doesn't come entirely as a surprise. The newly announced fall lineup doesn't save a seat for "Gear," though room is made in the lineup for that clunker of a retread that is Knight Rider. Seeing how much worse NBC has managed to make the campfest original Knight Rider, we're all better off without a watered-down, sucking-up, entirely neutered iteration of the original. Done before it even started -- we've all been spared by a mild outbreak of sense at a TV network.

Thank you NBC for not making a half-assed, Americanized version of the best show on TV!

[XM_Rocks]

From Autoblog:



Thank you NBC for not maing a half-assed, Americanized version of the best show on TV!

YAYYYYYYYYYY!

This is good news!

[Darron65]

Well the same part of my brain that makes me look at car wrecks would like to see just how bad it would be. Maybe next year.

[Titus]

I'm disappointed.

[black roadster]

I'm disappointed.

Why? I mean any car show is worth a try but I can't imagine it would have been better than the original.

It could have been good I suppose. The Office (U.S.) is fantastic but there have been losers as well.

[Titus]

Why? I mean any car show is worth a try but I can't imagine it would have been better than the original.

It could have been good I suppose. The Office (U.S.) is fantastic but there have been losers as well.

You act like it would be a replacement for BBC's TopGear. I looked at it as a supplement. More opportunities to see cars tested on a track can't be a bad thing, and I also looked forward to seeing some American actors take a lap in a reasonable priced car. It was cake or death in my mind. Any cake is better than death, but the show was killed anyway. Any decent content from the hosts would have been icing on the cake.

[altiain]

Well crap.

US Top Gear hosts announced

START YOUR ENGINES!

NBC'S 'TOP GEAR' BUCKLES UP ITS HOSTS FOR HIGH-OCTANE PILOT FROM BBC WORLDWIDE AMERICA BASED ON INTERNATIONAL HIT FRANCHISE

BURBANK - June 16, 2008 - Television and radio comedian Adam Carolla, champion rally and drift racer Tanner Foust, and TV construction guru Eric Stromer, will lead NBC's pilot of the international smash hit series "Top Gear." The production will begin later this week.

Produced by BBC Worldwide America, the U.S. version of the hit franchise will mirror the UK show's irreverent humor and camaraderie between the three presenters, epic races, outrageous stunts and challenges, unique celebrity guest participation and eccentric methods of testing cars.

"This franchise is a proven winner worldwide and the hosting team of Adam, Tanner and Eric that we have brought together for the U.S. version offers a perfect match of humor, insider know-how and priceless track experience," said Craig Plestis, Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming Development and Specials, NBC Entertainment. "We are going to create a high-powered show that, like the original, will keep viewers in every demographic clutching the edge of their seats."

"These three guys will get to drive the world's most amazing cars, go on incredible road trips and blow stuff up. It's a dirty old job but someone has to do it...why didn't I get the job?!" said Paul Telegdy, Executive Vice President, TV Sales and Content & Production, BBC Worldwide America.

Jeremy Clarkson, executive producer and host of the UK "Top Gear" said: "This is fantastic news - but how on earth you lot are going to do it on the wrong side of the road I've no idea."

Adam Carolla:

Television and radio personality Adam Carolla is host of the daily, nationally-syndicated radio program "The Adam Carolla Show," based out of Los Angeles' KLSX 97.1/ FREE FM. With partners Jimmy Kimmel and Daniel Kellison, Carolla created Jackhole Industries where he produced and starred in two hit Comedy Central shows, "The Man Show" and "Crank Yankers." Carolla also co-hosted the nationally-syndicated radio program "Loveline" with Dr. Drew Pinsky for 10 years, as well as its TV version on MTV. Carolla also recently wrote and starred in the independent, award-winning feature film, "The Hammer." In season six of "Dancing with the Stars," Adam became the first ever contestant to complete a Paso Doble on a unicycle. Carolla is an avid car collector and owns several classic collectible Lamborghinis, Maseratis, two Ferraris and an Audi S4.

Tanner Foust:

Tanner Foust is in high-demand as a stunt driver, with film credits including "The Bourne Ultimatum," "The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift" and "The Dukes of Hazard." Foust is a winning competitor in rally, drift, ice racing and time attack with multiple champion podium placements including the 2007 X Games Rally Champion and 2007 Formula Drift Pro Drift Champion. His varied race experience includes open wheel competition, the Pikes Peak Hill Climb (2002 - 2004), five Ice Racing championships and the 2005 PGT Rally Championship. He also holds class lap records at numerous U.S. road courses in Time Attack. In addition, Foust also hosted "Supercars Exposed" for the SPEED channel. Foust's car of choice is a tricked-out M3.

Eric Stromer:

Eric Stromer, host of the HGTV show "Over Your Head," started life in construction and remodeling houses after a short acting career as a soap opera hunk was abruptly ended by a Styrofoam boulder on the set of "Santa Barbara." For 20 years he ran a successful building company before becoming the face of HGTV's hit show. He's a regular on Adam Carolla's nationally-syndicated radio show giving out construction advice, and also appears on TLC's "Clean Sweep," NBC's "Three Wishes" and is a special correspondent for "The Insider." Stromer prefers his Camry hybrid.

So we get Carolla, Foust, and some dipstick from HGTV?

[CosmosMpower]

Cancelled within 4 shows. Over or under?

[Magma]

i'll take the over for a half season at 13 episodes

[CraiginTX]

Well crap.

So we get Carolla, Foust, and some dipstick from HGTV?

Well said!

Foust may be the WORST host of a car show. Ever. The guy on Motorweek is more interesting than the crap Foust serves up on his Speed channel show. I couldn't watch an entire episode...

And the hybrid-Camry-driving, carpenter doofus from HGTV! Come on! If you're going to claim to be a contractor - at least drive a real truck.

It's much worse than I feared.

[CosmosMpower]

Well said!

Foust may be the WORST host of a car show. Ever. The guy on Motorweek is more interesting than the crap Foust serves up on his Speed channel show. I couldn't watch an entire episode...

And the hybrid-Camry-driving, carpenter doofus from HGTV! Come on! If you're going to claim to be a contractor - at least drive a real truck.

It's much worse than I feared.

I agree it's sad when there's a somewhat mainstream show on TV that has the likes of cars like the Ariel Atom, Sector 111 tuned supercharged Lotus Exige, MC12 etc and other cool enthusiast cars and you don't even want to watch it.