Fifth Gear v. Top Gear

+1

 

Top Gear UK by a mile! There are a million places you can get accurate stats and information on cars if that's what you want, but despite the copycats, TGUK is unique because of Clarkson, Hammond and May. Period.

I like watching the other shows too, but none of them come close to the chemistry, intelligence (yes, I said intelligence -- a keen sense of humor is one sign of having it) and production values of TGUK. When I watch theses shows, I've already got most of the technical information I need or care about. What I'm getting from watching the show is a clever, funny presentation of the experience of driving supercars which transcends the information (or lack thereof) given.

For example if you're taking what Clarkson says about "flappy paddle gearboxes" (or anything else he says for that matter) literally, I think you're missing both the information content and the point. You need to read between the lines a little folks.

I also enjoy Fifth Gear, but the production is a little more pedantic. And don't get me started on TGUS. The extremely sophomoric and repetitive jokes and utter lack of chemistry makes it mostly painful to watch -- even for a car guy.

 

TGUS painful indeed.

 

Got to 1 min 22 secs. Heard their 8 jokes 4732 times now.

Nowadays I watch Harry Metcalfe, Jay Leno and Chris Harris. Their stuff is about cars.

Would like to see James May doing car work by himself. The other programmes he makes by himself for the BBC are very good.

I actually like Jeremy Clarkson. But they are just working the formula now.

 

I like both for different reasons. They're very different programs. Needell and Jason Plato are quite entertaining. As something of an Anglophile, I think Clarkson is unbeatable.

The two shows do have one thing in common: They all seem to be having a hell of a good time!

As for TG US version...Embarrassing. Awful. Unwatchable.

Slightly O/T: Does anyone know when the new TG season begins on BBC America? I've had about enough of the "specials". Thanks.

 

Wish Granted? BBC America lately: Clarkson hasn't been on for several weeks. Just May and Hammond.


I did notice that the comparison they did on Fifth Gear (with Mika Salo) had pretty lame "measurements": Drifting, style points, etc.
And the "team tests": "I hate it -- I'll give it an 8".

I think 5th Gear is suffering from car journalist syndrome: If you pan a car, you don't get cars to review.


Neither one is really up to the car reviews Clarkson used to do for the Sunday Times.
In the '90s, I used to buy the London Times in Boston, just for the car reviews.

I was hoping the "specials" would be over once Skyfall came out -- but they're doing junk now that isn't even a promo for the new Bond flick.

Hammond's "Crash Course" has gone downhill a bit, this season, too.
Maybe they should bring back "Brainiac: Science Abuse".

 

I watched all the episodes in which the guys on Top Gear trashed the Countach and Diablo as "brutish and horrid to drive". Went out and experienced them myself and never had so much fun in my life, and I have not watched Top Gear since....To much whining not enough driving.

 

Yeah, Jay Leno's videos on YouTube are interesting. He's a big muscle car fan, so it's nice to see someone into vintage cars and the simple American designs. Lots of very unique cars too.

Top Gear UK for entertainment, for sure! My wife even loves the show and watches every episode with me. Won't watch any other car stuff.

 

My TV is only used for DVDs and Netflix.

 

Top Gear is no more a TV car show than Car Talk was a car radio show.

 

It's unbearable.


And, why do we need an American version? The British version is in, English is it not?

 

British car shows are becoming the ones i prefer to watch. I do like American shows such as Chasing Classic Cars as well. Lots to choose from -- i record it all -- the DVR really makes it easy to watch whatever i feel like.

 

Fifth: drivers
Top: clowns

 

Car shows are boring. Most are never successful.

Other car shows fail because the copy cats think the show the show is popular because of the cars / format... Top Gear works because of Clarkson, May, and Hammond. They are hugely entertaining to watch. It's just convenient that they're talking about cars.

Their best episodes are the specials like the Bolivia, North Pole, etc... and those feature old junker cars nobody would care about otherwise.

 

top gear hands down. Its more entertaining. Fifth gear feels like a british version of motorweek....

 

Agreed!

+1!!!

 

When is the next season of Top Gear out?

 

Top Gear for me. My favorite episodes:

Race between a Bugatti and an airplane from Nice to London
Playing soccer (football) with cars
GT3 vs Challenge Stradale resulting in a tie
Ferrari GT4 vs Maserati Merak vs some other car
Race between a Snooker game by a champion and Stig driving around the track
Hammond showing off in his American muscle car
The old Stig driving off the deck of HMS Invincible and supposedly died
David Soul breaking both of their Suzuki track cars on the same day
Race between a rally team replacing all the major components on a rally car and a team of women deciding on what to wear before a party. The rally team won in 23 minutes.

and on and on ...

 

If you're into straight car talk and don't enjoy a laugh:
5G; Heaven
TGUK; Purgatory
TGUS; Hell

If you enjoy a laugh during car talk, and not straight car talk:
TGUK; Heaven
5G; Purgatory
TGUS; Hell

If you don't believe in Purgatory:
TGUK/5G; Heaven
TGUS; Hell

If you don't believe in Afterlife:
TGUK/5G; Heaven on Earth
TGUS; Living Hell

 

Fifth Gear is more dry, but they also feature cars and activities that "real" people find relavent. Where they don't do as well is when they try to do a Top Gear type of entertaining schtick. Tiff is more of a driver than Calrkson ever will be but doesn't have the charisma or Tv precense. There is actual, useful stuff on Fifth Gear sometimes. Recently a detailer went through how he would do a R-R Phantom, it was actually informative. With that said I usually fast forward through half of the episode.

Top Gear is obviously much more entertainment, although my favorites are usually actual cars, not how they will blow up an old Fiat or play lawn darts with campers. That stuff gets old. Some of the bits are obviously planned, you wonder how many takes were shot. Cameras are in too many convenient places too many times. The specials recently on BBC America with Hammond hosting have been a big let down, as all they are are the stupid monster garage crap segments. The Bond car one was OK though. Real TG episodes are watched in their entirity online Monday morning after they air in the UK.

Top Gear US I stopped watching after the first season. Just a blatant copy of UK version.

 

Actually If I remember correctly Jay Leno said he thought a Top Gear US would never work as they wouldnt have the guts to give a car a bad review because of that very fear.

hell the one that comes to mind right off the bat with the UK version that they would never do with the US version is that Tesla Fiasco.

where the car took forever to charge up and then ran out of juice just as quickly under hard use. Which is probably exactly what would happen if you tried to race a Tesla rather than use it as a sunday cruise car.

and hence why they havent gotten there hands on that new sedan there now making, I get the feeling the US version would have never have the guts to say what was probably the truth in that matter.

and they did try and sue them for it too, multiple times but the British courts told them rightfully so to go pound sand.

I dont know really to say the least I guess the best way to put it is I'm glad Top Gear and Fifth Gear Exist, I just wish they'd mix it up much more often and honestly so rather than some of the staged stuff on Top Gear.

like with the Caravans constantly lighting or catching on fire, although I would drop a piano on a Morris Marina truth be told if I could, that and a honda element spare parts car

Top Gear US, the sooner it dies the better.

Wonder how Top Gear Korea is actually, that might be interesting to see what they like over there.

 

Hammond's "Crash Course" Monday was "an episode too far"?

For his "rocket science" segment, the part they left out was having guys plan to make an "aerospace company" and say ...
"How hard can it be?"

I was waiting for the Hamster to suggest that they try a Reliant Robin.
TG's "rocket" flew better than the "aerospace firm's".

Then -- Bike messengers in *Frisco*? Um, remember the hills?
And, of course, right off they show the bikes running a red light.

Hint: If you want to show "American jobs", get out of California.


But with TG in reruns, there's not much else on, other than the Battle of the Nutcrackers.
(No, not 50 shades of Backroom Lounge stuff. A run-off between six different versions of the Tchaikovsky Ballet on Ovation.)

 

I love TGUK and also like TGUS. I watch 5th Gear too though it is now on Discovery as I guess the viewing figures on Channel 5 (UK) were pretty crap?

Apart from Johnny Smith all the 5th Gear presenters are or have been professional racing drivers in some capacity. Jason Plato currently BTCC, Tiff ex F1 and I'm not sure exactly what VBH did but she is professional.

Top Gear are all presenters. I can do other things whilst 5th Gear is on but I have to stop and watch Top Gear. Probably my favourite TV programme ever.

Apart from films and True Blood mostly all I watch is car related programmes and we have a good many in the UK.

 

There was a piece in the Daily Mail the other day about JC driving errr "something" for a shoot for the next TG series.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2246653/Jeremy-Clarkson-looks-like-character-Toy-Story-drives-round-Mayfair-futuristic-car.html

This story was the exception to the usual hatred which the Mail has for Clarkson. But they have a hidden agenda, the UK press largely hate the BBC because they see them as unfair taxpayer-funded competition where they have to exist in a competitive market. There is some truth in this but TG is definitely an exception, a program which pays its way many times over from international sales.

 

I heard this is for the part Clarkson has in the new Transformers movie and nothing to do with Top Gear.

As for TG vs Fifth gear, they are both car show and IMHO we can't have enough car related TV shows. There are good and bad episodes of both so to avoid missing the good ones I watch them all. One thing I will say, the whole family will watch TG but I tend to end up watching Fifth gear alone.

Photo from the dailymail link
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