For a big budget show1, the American version of Top Gear got very little fanfare. It was mentioned a couple of times in the news and details were sketchy. What was mentioned was the hosts of Top Gear USA, Tanner Foust, Adam Ferrara, and Rutledge Wood, whom I’ve never heard of before. Then it premiered in History Channel. Who would’ve put this combination together?
Maybe I should’ve dug deeper because the show was closer to home than I thought.
The show was filmed on El Toro Airbase in Irvine, which is only 5 minutes away from work. Earlier this week, as I was driving up Irvine Blvd, I did see a giant light on top of a tall crane in the middle of the airfield. I wondered what or why it was there. Now I know why.
I’ve always paid attention to the Top Gear series, but for some odd reason I missed the call for tickets to see the show at the Marine Base. I’ve just submitted my name for future tickets, hoping the show will be renewed for 2nd (or 3rd) season.
Now, Top Gear UK worked because of the presenters gelled together. On the first episode, the three US guys just don’t have that closeness. It’ll take some time for them to get to know and gel with each other. By the third episode, I could see them bonding during the $1000 car challenge, where they spit alcohol on the camp fire, and laughing it all up when they trashed their cheap cars off-roading.
I sure hope they don’t suffer the same problem with Top Gear Australia, where they kept changing the hosts – trying to figure out which three will make the right combination. I say give them a chance. They might just surprise me.
- at least the UK version [↩]
Tags: car, television, top gear
Building IT
Jot It Down
hi Rudy,
I regularly check the History channel when I’m channel surfing and watch several shows on it… I’ll remember to look for Top Gear. I’d agree that there must have been very little fanfare, because your blog post was the first I’ve heard of it, but now I’ll keep my eyes open.
Steve
PS. Merry Christmas. I hope you got your lights up again this year. Ours went up the weekend after Thanksgiving. 🙂
Our Christmas lights went up after thanksgiving too! Don’t you just love this time of year?
Rudy,
I was channel surfing the other night and caught part of two reruns of top gear. One had a race from Miami to Key West which was good. The other show had the three of hosts “testing” three old GM car models to see which model should be brought back into production. It was HILARIOUS! One of the “tests” involved rolling up the windows and filling the cars with water, and then see which car would drive the farthest. If you haven’t seen that show, you’ve got to see it!
Happy New Year! Steve
Hey Steve, I just watched those reruns and yes, they were hilarious. I especially like the 20% incline test and when the Fiero couldn’t stop rolling back and hit the Cutlass, it was just too funny.
This is what I want to see from the Top Gear presenters: chemistry. I can see they’re now comfortable enough to banter with each other. But the racer, Tanner Faust, still needs a personality.