Chindie Posted February 1, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted February 1, 2012 Perhaps I'm just overly cynical of Top Gear these days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrackpotForeigner Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I lost all respect for James May when he laid into Bill Bryson, a completely inoffensive and often amusing American writer who lives in England because his wife is English, and presumably because he quite likes it.(England, I mean. aHAhahaaa). Anyway, there's the episode where May announces that Bryson has been criticising some local council. May declares that Bryson wants to live in a picture-postcard England, and implies that he has no right to "come over here and say what he thinks", ending with a "Sod off." Obviously the audience mostly have **** all idea who Bryson is, and seized by May-inspired nationalistic fervour, roar with approval. Which to me seems like the cheapest of cheap shots. A bullying, public and personal attack on someone who is not there to defend himself, relying on patriotism as a means of gaining the support of the rabble. A genuinely disgraceful display imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted February 1, 2012 Moderator Share Posted February 1, 2012 A bullying, public and personal attack on someone who is not there to defend himself, relying on patriotism as a means of gaining the support of the rabble. Isn't this just the modern way to gain support for pretty much anything in this day and age? And it works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrackpotForeigner Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 A bullying, public and personal attack on someone who is not there to defend himself, relying on patriotism as a means of gaining the support of the rabble. Isn't this just the modern way to gain support for pretty much anything in this day and age? And it works.True. You can't go far wrong underestimating the intelligence of your audience. John Howard used to tell us that doing this or that was "un-Australian". WTF does that mean other than "not what I would like people to do"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I cant take credit it for it probably the first time I've watched a Stewart Lee sketch without laughing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I have to say I thought will.i.am came across as a top bloke too. my only worry with that part of the show was as the camera panned off you heard Clarkson saying to him " was that ok" the cynic in me (the part that thinks William is a ego based cock) was Clarkson checking William was happy the interview was sycophant enough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I enjoyed the show, more than I thought I would. Yes some of the 'ammusing' parts were staged but it wasn't quite so shoe horned together as past episodes seemed to be. A step in the right direction for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted February 1, 2012 Moderator Share Posted February 1, 2012 will dot i dot am dot seemed fairly guarded alright. If Tony's right that Clarkson said "was that OK" then it would make sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Rev Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Another excellent episode last night. Nothing 'fell over' and nothing 'caught fire' they just had cool cars and interesting locations. Chinese Stig was funnier than he had any right to be too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chindie Posted February 6, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted February 6, 2012 Agreed, much better this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Just watched it 2 good episodes from 2 for me in this series Even Matt Le Blanc wasn't the cock I expected him to be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villa4europe Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 the 1st time the BBC are allowed to film in China and they do that! chinese stig was brilliant, the car copying was crazy, their failure to mention BYD motors sums up top gear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted February 7, 2012 Moderator Share Posted February 7, 2012 Back to what they do best. I agree. A simple enough show this week that just worked well. Le Blanc is pretty cool too. Very impressed that a yank went top in a RHD manual !! Chinese Stig was good too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drat01 Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Proved again they do not need Clarkson and the sooner he is either dropped or just sacked the better. Contributed nothing whatsoever other than his usual vile drivel. Hammond, May and ANOther and we have a show again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyh29 Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Proved again they do not need Clarkson and the sooner he is either dropped or just sacked the better. Contributed nothing whatsoever other than his usual vile drivel. Hammond, May and ANOther and we have a show again replace him with a card carrying lefty and would you be happy no doubt :wikold: he is the show , Hammond would be the one I'd replace if anyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted February 7, 2012 Moderator Share Posted February 7, 2012 I don't see what the compulsion is to replace people on the Beeb's most successful show. The fact they annoy and polarise is part of the success. If we had people that didn't annoy or generate discussion you'd lose a lot of what makes the show compulsive viewing. Be careful what you wish for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted February 7, 2012 VT Supporter Share Posted February 7, 2012 Replacing Clarkson would ruin the show, imo. but this series has been excellent. And why? because it's real. Or at least if it isn't real, it's totally believable, and any obvious made up bits (chinese Stig, for example) are there purely as a cheap laugh rather than trying to be passed off as reality. The china stuff was really interesting, and very accurate from what i've seen in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 The China thing did raise a potentially worring point, if they can make cars like the Mini knockoff for £4100 or the other smaller replica for £3,500 they could destry the European car making industry if/when they start selling over here. China themselves charge 100-120% import duty on cars coming into the country. If you want to avoid this and build in China you can but you have to go into a 50/50 partnership with an existing Chinese company. I do hope that ours and the rest of Europes governments are equally difficult when it comes to them selling here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOF Posted February 7, 2012 Moderator Share Posted February 7, 2012 if they can make cars like the Mini knockoff for £4100 or the other smaller replica for £3,500 they could destry the European car making industry if/when they start selling over here. If the mark up on existing European cars is so high (and it is) then maybe they need to be destroyed by a little reality. I know I won't lose sleep over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 China makes them that cheap because of endless supply of cheap labour. There is no way Europe could compete with those prices. It would be catastrophic, hundreds of thousands of jobs are in the car maker and supplier pyramid just in the UK. It would be as big as the banking crisis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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