View Full Version : Oh Dear God!!!
leowyatt
16-06-2008, 21:27
Hmmm I can't bear to think how the show (http://jalopnik.com/5016771/top-gear-officially-coming-to-nbc) will turn out.
I'd put money on it being pap but hey that's just me being cynical.
Blackstar
16-06-2008, 21:33
Dear sweet baby Jesus.
Jeremy Clarkson, executive producer and host of the UK “Top Gear” said: “This is fantastic news - but how on earth you lot are going to do it on the wrong side of the road I’ve no idea.”
;D;D;D;D
****sake. It won't work.
OK, I did happen to say the same thing about The Office US, but that didn't quite work in all honesty. It didn't translate very well in the first few episodes and started to fail. The writers caught it in time though and changed the show's dimension and concept to suit the American audience more. The Office was a very dry British comedy and you can't just transplant it onto American TV and run with it. It needs to have its own identity and its own selling point to its actual audience, so copying Top Gear like this is going to end in disaster. They're wasting their time trying to replicate the hosts and the format so carefully. All that works because it's part of British TV now, it's found its place. Take the raw format of Top Gear: A factual car show with a twist of humour, but make the bells and whistles 100% American, and not transplants from the British show.
I heard Jay Leno turned it down. He didn't think it would work because the moment the Clarkson character slated a car by a sponsor they'd lose that sponsor. Then they'd have to tone the show done so they don't lose their sponsors. Its quite possibly going to be Americans driving in straight lines saying how great their 200 litre Mustang is.
leowyatt
16-06-2008, 21:55
That is the whole point of the show though, the presenters being honest and taking the piss out of each other.
Yup. Works perfectly here because its what British people do and they don't have sponsors to worry about.
semi-pro waster
16-06-2008, 22:26
That is the whole point of the show though, the presenters being honest and taking the piss out of each other.
I dunno, is there a suitable hatred of caravans in the USA? If not I can't see it working.
In all fairness there aren't too many shows that work all that well as pure literal translations, the humour of various different countries is somewhat idiosyncratic and specific to the country it originates from. It might get a big enough audience of people who "get it" on that basis but it is a bit unlikely to be anything more than 'cult' viewing for the majority.
Good luck to them but Top Gear isn't really so much a car show now as a programme with 3 middle-aged men taking the piss out of each other and hooning around in cars, they all admit as much anyway. If I can reach that age in life and I can afford to do something similar then I reckon I'll have done something right along the way. :)
I almost want it to get made just to see how bad it is. I'd love Jezza and co to do a spoof US version where they just do a whole show with fake American accents and play up the stereotypes. :D
Footnote: Hammond to wear giant ten-gallon hat with an arrow through it throughout...
Flibster
16-06-2008, 22:41
Footnote: Hammond to wear giant ten-gallon hat with an arrow through it throughout...
All you'll see is the pair of feet under the rim....
Another thought. If Fifth Gear isn't even a good Top Gear clone, what chance do the Americans have? Top Gear is about the presenters but lets not forget about the great camera work they have. They don't just test drive cars at any old time of the day. They've got someone there who knows about light. Not to mention they often have great tunes to accompany their footage.
Pete, to be fair, Photography isn't a preserve of the British, and how many of those tunes are of American origin? I'll bet a fair few are.
The BBC does have experience of exporting shows, and some success in doing so, though they're much better at gameshows and serious stuff than comedy. That aspect was always going to be the most troublesome.
That's not to say it won't be crap - it probably will be. May as well reserve judgement though.
leowyatt
16-06-2008, 23:06
Let's not forget the challenges too, I'm sure you'd get sick of buy an american muscle car for $xxx and drive it to Florida :p
Well, they did do one American challenge (and nearly got killed doing it ;D).
Pete, to be fair, Photography isn't a preserve of the British, and how many of those tunes are of American origin? I'll bet a fair few are.
Totally true, but you only need to look at Fifth Gear to see how badly it can be done. Its all those elements that make Top Gear great and its all those that they'll need to make a great clone.
Fair point about Fifth Gear, but then that's more like the old Top Gear than the new (complete with presenters).
I didn't think anything could be as bad as the office clone (saw it on a plane, was painful) but this may come close. And that's on it's 3rd season or something last I heard.
Why?!
5th season starting soon. ;)
It's actually quite good but only because it's nothing like the British one any more. It's a completely different show now from its first season.
Jim and Pam (Tim and Dawn) are together. This was suggested right at the end of the UK christmas specials where they walked off together after a kiss.
Dwight and Angela (Gareth and ???) Gareth was never involved with anybody in the Office and Angela is a total wildcard character.
David and Jennifer (Michael and Jan) David never got into a sordid relationship with his boss.
etc etc etc really, it only survived because it became its own show and didn't rely on the british characters and their storylines too much. They've kept the basic comedy, An Office workplace with everyday storylines creating cringeworthy humour, with a sprinkle of romance and drama every now and again.
Top Gear US needs to do the same. If they try and act like the trio, it'll crash and burn. They need to be themselves.
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