MovieChat Forums > The Grand Tour (2016) Discussion > stop... just stop, please.

stop... just stop, please.

posted 8 years ago by klauke
15 replies | jump to latest

Stop ruining everything with this over produced nonsense. What happened? Seriously, they used to know how to do this.

Last nights ep for example, it was going along pretty well, and then at the end.. whats this? An actual challenge? And a good one at that? They're going to go back to the old days, a good ol race challenge like they've done in the past! Different routes, piting their driving styles against each other, this is going to be great! FINALLY! IVE WAITED 11 EPISODES FOR THIS!!

And then hammond started sliding around corners, and stupidly driving into an obvious maze, and clarkson driving in an overly stupid fashion with the truck, and then that catastrophically idiotic boat ending with may... ugh. I'm trying, I really am, but week after week the good ideas that they have keep getting ruined with this over-scripted rubbish. Yes there's still one or two giggles, but comedy with these 3 guys was never the problem.. it's just everything else now feels so hollow and devoid of character or interest.

Have their american producers told them that this is what their audience wants? Or is this just what they BELIEVE their audience wants.

Oh, and god I hope they drop that stupid celebrity bit. It has occasionally been funny, but just having a guy row into a dumb explosion, when in the past they have at least been a bit creative in their scripting, shows that even they don't care about their little bit of theatre any more.

[–] Koolguy345678 8 years ago

Yeah, ok Tim Davie

You do not take down a Legend

[–] fsidhu 8 years ago

If you don't like it, don't watch it.

[–] Taeivon 8 years ago

There's that cliche response again.

[–] steiner444 8 years ago

Cliche but true. If something doesn't bring you enjoyment and you can end the misery at any time, why continue to watch? Are you a masochist?

[–] joniteig 8 years ago

How about wanting it to get better?
Isn't that permitted either?

[–] Ekebz 8 years ago

Yeah great contribution to the discussion in the thread, glad you could get that off your chest.

[–] kramsey20 8 years ago

Have their american producers told them that this is what their audience wants? Or is this just what they BELIEVE their audience wants.

This is what their American producers think Top Gear was like...and they're right. In those last years it stopped being a car show and became a car-themed sitcom about the wacky motoring antics of three badly-dressed middle-aged British guys, and ever since it became the Clarkson/Hammond/May trifecta it evolved into a car show for people who aren't interested in cars and poseur petrolheads...and as entertainment, it worked.

[–] I_Guard_Tanelorn 8 years ago

Seriously. This episode started so good, all the right stuff. And they drove it right into the dirt. What a mess. Like you say, they used to know how to do this! For years! What happened? Was there a BBC exec shooting all these crap idea down all this time? Bring that guy back!

"I said no camels, that's five camels, can't you count?"

[–] Koolguy345678 8 years ago

OH NOES! The last 2 minutes were scripted!!!! whatever will I do! 

It was just a way to end what was going to be a potentially boring finish. Of course Hammond was going to win. Were they supposed to just end it when Clarkson couldn't start the car? This is such a weak criticism of this show because this is exactly what they used to do on Top Gear and at least this way, it's tongue in cheek in that is it so obviously over the top.

You do realize that Clarkson was ACTUALLY driving that tow truck, and that a Maserati was ACTUALLY launched into a boat, don't you? yes of course, James May wasn't on it, sorry to dissapoint you. that was a joke

You do not take down a Legend

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] alwaysannoying 8 years ago

I agree. We know it's scripted, but subtlety and plausibility have been replaced by over produced stunts and slapstick comedy.
Even the banter seems forced. I enjoy the show, but it seriously lags behind any CHM season of TG. I've yet to see an episode I'd watch a second time. Let's hope they dial it back for S2, because sometimes less really is more.

...here is little Effie's head
whose brains are made of gingerbread

[–] Koolguy345678 8 years ago

Scripted subtlety isn't funny, and this was one challenge they did this in. Was the beach buggy episode full of over produced stunts? People need to seriously take some chill pills and watch something other than "Best of season____" from the original Top Gear because them rose colored glasses ain't doing ya'll no favors

You do not take down a Legend

[–] alwaysannoying 8 years ago

I'm not quite sure why you're arguing about someone else's opinion. If you like the show, great, but that doesn't make your opinion 'right' and everyone else's debatable. What was plausible about sleeping under a beach buggy in the Namib desert, or Hammond being shot by a tranquilliser and waking up being carried by a helicopter? The very definition of an over produced, utterly implausible stunt.
You need to get a grip and realise that your opion means precisely nothing to me.

...here is little Effie's head
whose brains are made of gingerbread

[–] joniteig 8 years ago

Was the beach buggy episode full of over produced stunts?

Since you're asking: Yes, it was.

There were a few things in that episode that could possibly have been real. Such as them trying to outrun the tide. And Clarkson blowing his radiator was probably genuine.

But there is no way I'll believe that they "accidentally" managed to get back to the beach where they started, and camp only 20 meters or so away from it.
And given how both Clarkson and May have felt about camping, there is no way I'll believe they they for three nights had to sleep in the sand with no equipment, and "huddled around their engines for warmth".
The camping gear shopping was also obviously scripted. As was their camping after they bought it. And the problem isn't that it was scripted. Only that it was so glaringly obvious.
And of course their poacher-hunting was glaringly stupidly scripted. There aren't anyone who actually believe they shot Hammond, is there?
As equally obviously scripted was them putting Hammond in his buggy while he's asleep.
When they decided to drive off-road, it was also very obviously scripted. Although I did enjoy seeing how difficult that off-road driving was, with that extremely powdery sand. So I didn't mind that scripting, really.
Then you have May putting his own buggy on fire. There is no way that wasn't scripted.
But the worst part was of course how they got to their beach. If that really was the beach they were supposed to go to, and there actually was no other way for them to get there, which is what they were implying, then this was obviously scripted and decided from the start. And there is no way I think they could have built that thing on their own, and in a sufficiently safe way, with scrap they found in an abandoned mine. Not to mention that it was obvious that it was going to stop. Given how many times they focused on that engine.
And it was simply ridiculous that Hammond wasn't able to get out of that mess, given that he was actually the only one who had a winch!

There were probably other things that I have forgotten as well.
I honestly have to say that I can't understand how they have managed to mess up even the specials. Sure, in the old TG specials there were also things that were clearly scripted. But at least most of it seemed genuine. In the beach buggy special, hardly anything seemed genuine. It is actually the ONLY special they have ever had, that I felt was boring. And I have seen their other specials at least half a dozen times each. And I have enjoyed them each time.

I watched the first three episodes of this crap before I decided it wasn't worth my time. Then I found out they had made a special, and so I decided to give it a try. But don't worry, I'll go back to not watching it again now. I really liked Top Gear. And I really LOVED the specials. And it's not a matter of TGT not being as good as Top Gear. It is just so bad that it's not worth watching.

[–] Thorshairspray 8 years ago

Same here. I thought "Finally" then it all went horribly tits up. This show has been awful, very disappointing.

...they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.