Reply With QuoteDiscovery Channel decided to pull it... feel free to go on their web site and vent your frustrations... I have...Originally Posted by black roadster
Discovery Channel decided to pull it... feel free to go on their web site and vent your frustrations... I have...
--
Dave"Opinions are like
..."
If I remember right, Top Gear was killed in the UK from lack of funding so the show 5th Gear came out to replace it...
The host Jeremy from Top Gear was in a couple episodes of 5th Gear back on SPEED, AFAIK.
November 12, 2005 - A new beginning
Devil: 1999 Brilliant Black NB - Base Edition - Stock Spec
AIM ID: ZeroXR13mg
http://zeroxr.com
I had heard rumor that due to reproducing the US version it would take a bit to get back on the US TV, but Discovery was going to get more episodes to start playing in December.
Until then Google video is your friend
Im hoping the rest of the episodes show on Google too.
Just got some new news on this.
From FinalGear.com:
Top Gear USA
As many of you may know, Top Gear aired for a while on the Discovery channel here in America. It was just normal UK episodes, but with refilmed studio bits featuring less America bashing, the use of things like "gasoline"
rather than "petrol", etc. Many of you also know that episodes stopped
airing on Discovery earlier this year.
Rumors had been flying about as to why, but the most popular one was that Discovery had decided to start from scratch and do an entirely American version of Top Gear. Well, this turned out to be just the case. In the last Top Gear magazine, many new juicy details were revealed about the upcoming show.
Here is the article for those who don't get the magazine (thanks to
zenkidori for the transcription):
"The Top Gear telly programme has quietly become a global phenomenon. Recent figures suggested an extraordinary viewership, something in the region of one billion people across the globe. This explains why Jeremy gets mobbed on the streets of Dubai, why Richard Hammond is swooned over by housewives in Auckland and why James May will shortly appear on a series of commemorative stamps in Luxembourg. Probably. Only one country has been strangely resistant to the charms of three blokes cocking about in an old aircraft hangar - the United States of America.
"Until now. Earlier this year, Discovery decided they wanted in on the Top
Gear action, starting with 18 repackaged programmes using existing items
from TG UK. Accordingly, our plucky lads spent five days at the Top Gear
base recording new studio links in a more American-friendly way. Basically,
getting Jeremy not to call them fat and stupid. This, however, was a mere
entree for Discovery's main plan: to make their own version of Top Gear on
US soil. Their own studio, their own test track, even - since our boys were
too busy and anyway James May doesn't like places that don't server a decent cup of tea - their own presenters.
"That's why earlier this year a brand new TG USA production team
assembled deep in the Mojave desert to create a pilot show for their version of Britain's favourite almost-BAFTA-winning car programmer. And, liker their idea of what constitutes a decent cup of coffee, the American take on Top Gear wasn't entirely the same as ours. Instead of a shabby hangar and a track built around airfield taxiways, they got a pit garage and a proper circuit. Instead of filling the studio with 200 grunting Subaru drivers, they did without an audience. And instead of The Tall One, The Short One and The Other One, they hired three rather different American presenters. Bruno, a professional drag racer with casual tales of crashing at 230mph. John, the super keen jock, blessed with quaint 'sir and ma'am' good manners that only Americans can do. And, Johnny, a former reality show winner with a nice line in weird humor.
"Fortunately some reference points remained, including Star In A Reasonably Priced Car. But, to set the power laps, there could be no substitute - the Stig was flown to the US and stunned everyone with his blistering pace as he hammered the CLS55, Charger, and Mustang round the circuit.
"After two days' shooting, the show that popped out of the other end was
something familiar and yet rather different. For one thing, filming in
sunshine gives the show a glossy feel a million miles from another drizzle
sodden canter down a runway in Surrey. And shouting "Bring on the Stig" just sounds cooler in an American accent.
"If Discovery likes the pilot show, a series will follow in 2006. Then
Americans can enjoy a weekly shot of Top Gear, just like the rest of the
world."
Now let's all cross our fingers and hope that Discovery decides to pick it
up! Sure, it won't have Jeremy and the gang, but hopefully it'll retain
enough of the original show to still be good. :)
Thanks for all the info! I'm a little dissappointed that they're making their own version though, and so is my wife. Top Gear is about the only car related thing she enjoys. I don't think it's going to be the same.
Thomas
V-to-the-Dub
Hmm.
One of the best things about Top Gear was its sheer British-ness. I wonder how well an Americanized version is gonna fly. Sometimes the American version of a British show does well (like The Office), and sometimes it sucks donkey balls (anyone remember the American version of the hilarious British sitcom Coupling? There's a reason for that).
I guess as long as it doesn't have that long haired rocker idiot from Sports Car Revolution it's a step in the right direction...
Iain
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Could they add
I love that segment!
Top Gear is on the Science Channel!!!
Right now (7:00pm Saturday, Jan 2... I need to get my Tivo Season Pass set back up....
--
Dave"Opinions are like
I have Dish Network Top 120. No Science Channel.Top Gear is on the Science Channel!!!
Right now (7:00pm Saturday, Jan 2
After reviewing my Tivo setup... it looks like Discovery is going to be showing some more Top Gear episodes the night of February 9th. Some of the episodes (in the info section) say they are 2006 episodes, so keep an eye out....I have Dish Network Top 120. No Science Channel.
EDIT: I should have said, they are going to show about 6 episodes back to back. Better clean some space off my Tivo.
Last edited by Dave04; 01-29-2006 at 09:47 AM.
--
Dave"Opinions are like
Posting Permissions
