Top Gear Australia

[Scott]

I liked last years effort and this year looks to better it. The dialogue still feels forced and un-natural and the show is missing some serious wit but I will keep watching for sure.

I keep thinking that the panel from the AFL Footy Show would be an almost ideal cast for this though, perhaps Ch9 will buy it and Sam Newman, Trevor Marmalade and.... someone else would give the show a more polished feel.

[GT849]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Some people, Im tipping I am in the majority.

TG has been around for ages, proven formula and they duff it.

A true indication is your partner. Shes not into cars at all but will sit through TG UK no worries. AUS version comes on and even she is bagging it (not so much the format but the presenters), if they drop another "aussie slang" word again ill go mad.

It was embarrassing watching it.

Just get the UK guys to drive our cars, they went to America so Aus cant be that hard; instead they sold the rights to make some cash on the side and so far have devalued the brand.

Where there cars? Well yes, not hard to get them.

Where Aussie cars show cased? As above, but done in a style that only bogans will relate to.

If thats the only criteria for success no wonder it bombed.

Exactly, The way it was presented was very bogan and only demonstrated the cars in that way. Top gear UK guys have a way with words that actually brings the car to life in a way that can make you love or laugh at it. TG AUS, I just hated them talking and the way they presented the cars...in short they were crap.

[King Nothing]

I thought it was a massive improvement on last season. I thought the jetski/lambo bit was ok, some of it seemed a bit forced though. I really liked how they have listened to the criticisms and changed the show to suit.

The test of watchability: The wife. She loved TGUK, hated TGOZ season 1. Last night she agreed it was a massive improvement and wants to watch next weeks episode.

[Rev28K]

Does anyone else think that this show would’ve got an easier run if it wasn’t called “Top Gear Australia” standing on it’s own it is quite good.

Comparing it to the best episodes of Top Gear UK with their budget, locations, cars and more open speed limits it is always going to suffer.

Comparing Top Gear to a really fantastic show is asinine. It is always going to be puerile, simplistic nonsense with large portions of hyperbole (and very good camera work). Then again it has to appeal to a mass market with non-enthusiasts.

Re: the comment about the quality of Ch 31’s car shows that are made for a pittance is spot on. A few times I’ve sat back amazed thinking that a particular show was targeted directly at me and there wasn’t a thing that could be improved about it. Gasoline is a bit showy and arty but at least it tries hard. Crusin’, Classic Restos, In Pit Lane, the various 4WD & bike shows all appeal to me on various levels.

[merlin]

I thought it was a big improvement over season 1 and although I still cringed alot I will watch it again. I think the main improvements were the axing of "what were they thinking"; warrens stupid cartoons and less shouting/aussie bogan slang (though I was cringing when he was trying to be funny pronouncing murcielago).

The EVO vs BMW was entertaining (now I want to buy a 135i badly) and I even found some new respect for Skaify watching him drive the wheels of that thing (very very skilled and beat the young guys time by over 1 second).

I agree with the rest of you that the race was really boring - hardly even call it a race, to many closeups of the jet ski bouncing up and down and the lambo sitting in traffic. I was thinking when were they going to open that supercharged jet ski up and they never did.

All in all though big improvement and it can only get better from here.

[Peuty]

Originally Posted by GTP006

I keep thinking that the panel from the AFL Footy Show would be an almost ideal cast for this though, perhaps Ch9 will buy it and Sam Newman, Trevor Marmalade and.... someone else would give the show a more polished feel.

No.

A car show should be hosted by someone with a genuine interest in cars.

[Scott]

Originally Posted by Peuty

No.

A car show should be hosted by someone with a genuine interest in cars.

Like Sam Newman? Lets see, two Mustangs, a 300C, a Lamborghini, a pretty reasonable racing pedigree.... he's well qualified with a good wit and sense of humor to challenge the devil. Marmalade is just funny as hell.

[Zed7fiddy]

Originally Posted by Bearman

Who would you get? Agree Denyer could be good. Which ex V8 supercar driver do you know who would have the personality to cerry this off? Maybe in time Russel Ingall (after he stops racing) with his "Enforcer" persona??

Eric Bana would be a great choice!, Denyer i agree, and even Lowndes if he wasnt busy racing would be great too!

The AFL guys is autter crap idea, if sam newman was on this show i would boycott it liek the plauge, id prefer to get cox back!

[FTE217]

Would make me channel surf the moment I saw newman host the show let alone the dribbler marmalade, hence even more reason not to watch TGA if the above happened.

As much as I love my cars motor shows are very hard to hit the spot, trust the pomms able to deliver with TGUK. Poms are fantastic presenters and have a wit you admire mixed with the accent its perfect !!
Hence the prob/issue with TGA, drop it and have a sophisticated aussie stand alone show, currently it will forever be compared with the original and history shows copys hardly hit the spot.
The passion/humour looks forced it makes me cringe, act yourselves is all I ask, to be fair this is not directed to James Morrison having just started but I expect him to come out ok having the experience performing with live audiences.

[Paxton]

Originally Posted by vztrt

Much better then last season.
They got rid of what were they thinking...THANK YOU!!!

They forgot to get rid of something out of the Moke, however...

[Poorboy_racer]

Think the problem with TGA is the presenters. SBS had that competition where you sent in your videos with a chance to become a TG presenter. Dont know if the 3 presenters were actually chosen from the entries but somehow doubt it. Think Clarkson, Hammond and May would describe themselves as journalists. Was interested to hear Waren describe himself as a cartoonist last night, not presenter, car tester etc. Why would SBS think a cartoonist and a trumpet player would be good car show presenters? Thought the first couple of shows in the first season were very poor. The show last night was worse. It got better before, hope it improves this time. As for car availability actually read on the SBS web site that Australia has a significantly bigger Varity of cars available than the UK. Will carry on watching as said before it’s a car show. Personally I actually quite liked Charley Cox thought he was by far the most professional presenter.

[tapeworm]

The new ep last night was soooo bad i reckon. That trampoline segment - what a shocka, they seem to know sweet F/A about cars and their not funny to boot, lol.

The Skaife lap was good, that's it.

imho-new presenters, loose the try-hard humour, it could be ok

[DJM83]

This show has no hope of competing with TGUK, but i liked it. The making of the Lancer had gave me a laugh, that lambo was simply stunning. But i dont think that TGA push the limits like the TGUK crew, James Morrison is a little better but not much.

[mrbaxr6t]

I can't believe they havn't started getting aussie built cars (falcon c'dore) variants and split off the laptime board showing us locally built cars' laptimes and how they compare. Heaps better than "what are we retarded". I for one think this will give the show a relevant thread and something for the fans to talk about. Do others agree??

I think that Cox has sat on far too many of them, glad he's gone, Morrison looks to be 20X better. The pounding those guys must have copped in the swell must have hurt alot.

I agree they say "things" but the passion that the UK guys have just isn't there they are truly passionate about cars (UK) and as an audience we can relate and its believable.

[fakegt]

Better, not as good as it could be.
My wish list :
Get rid of "The Stig", How about Bruce, Bazza, Nev, Kev or Gazza? Even better, loose the helmet and white suit and show us a person with a face, who talks, so the hosts don't have to relay his thoughts 2nd or 3rd hand.A bloke with some personality like Ian Luff would be great.

Rename that part of the test track called "Clarkson", that just comes across as a total suckjob.

I think in the first place if they just kept the name and some of the attitude of the U.K show and not tried to copy it, it could have been great. Series 1 has tarnished it forever.

[Windsor220]

Does anyone think Skaifey may be the stig? He has simlar seating posture I noticed.

[buggerlugs]

Watched the first bit with the Lancer and BMW, it wasn't to bad, James Morrison an improvement, just found it cheesy. Wifey and I both watch the pommie one and laugh a lot, but just couldn't get into this one and switched after the first 25 mins........

[TUF_302]

Still not brilliant, but alot bloody better than last year thats for sure!!

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by Windsor220

Does anyone think Skaifey may be the stig? He has simlar seating posture I noticed.

And if you look close at the stigs helmet you can see tongue marks on the inside of the visor

[Scott]

Originally Posted by Windsor220

Does anyone think Skaifey may be the stig? He has simlar seating posture I noticed.

I didn't notice that but I dod note that the Stig & Skaife had a very similar build last night. I deleted the clip of the Stig driving but who could forget Skaifes style? So much tongue action and leaning right into it without the restrictions of a harness.

I'll be keeping an eye out next time.

[fou_bleu]

Well I must say it was waaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than any of last season's eps - story quality wise anyway...

[TERRY TORRY]

: Hi. I thought Top Gear Australia was watchable and God help us, an improvement on the last excuse for a BAD Australianised English one. Thank heavens the little bloke seems to have grown up a bit. He was a proper pain in the **** last time. I won't say what I told the boss I thought was wrong with him in the old shows. I'm almost looking forward to next week. In next week's shorts did I see a Territory ? Glen. :

[747jet]

Originally Posted by Windsor220

Does anyone think Skaifey may be the stig? He has simlar seating posture I noticed.

yeah i think so your right the that thay both walked looks the same to me : :

[RIPGMH]

Originally Posted by fakegt

Better, not as good as it could be.
My wish list :
Get rid of "The Stig", How about Bruce, Bazza, Nev, Kev or Gazza? Even better, loose the helmet and white suit and show us a person with a face, who talks, so the hosts don't have to relay his thoughts 2nd or 3rd hand.A bloke with some personality like Ian Luff would be great.

Rename that part of the test track called "Clarkson", that just comes across as a total suckjob.

I think in the first place if they just kept the name and some of the attitude of the U.K show and not tried to copy it, it could have been great. Series 1 has tarnished it forever.

Ian Luff makes Charile Cox look like Jerermy Clarkson.

[Hally]

From the V8 Supercar ranks, I would vote for Jason Bargwanna as host.

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by Hally

From the V8 Supercar ranks, I would vote for Jason Bargwanna as host.

Ingall would be a funny guy....well he always made me laugh in the V8 superstars show.

[tapeworm]

Originally Posted by DJM83

And if you look close at the stigs helmet you can see tongue marks on the inside of the visor

haha, Sakife was a full second quicker than Murph & Coutney around the track too, practice makes perfect...nothin suss, the nose could well be the stig

[Froudey]

hah, i dislike ingall i think he is a fool... he would be the worst host, and i highly doubt that a full time v8 supercar driver would take a crappy tv host position.

warren and steve are good atm let's see what the jazz trumpter does.

[buggerlugs]

Mark Larkham would be good..................

[BlackLS]

Found the show to be much more enjoyable this time round. I didn't find the last season "that" bad tho.

I mean its being given to you for free.