The Grand Tour - It's showtime for Season 2!

[The Compensator]

Dacias are sold as Renaults in several countries.

 

Tbh, I did not enjoy the episode at all. :shrug:

 

Vulcan was cool, SA drift thing also (although with their resources and the fact they are going all over the world they could dive more into the countrie's car culture and stuff), Braincrash should end (no celebs, we get it), and the call of duty segment... waytooscripted/10.

[CarMadMike]

although with their resources and the fact they are going all over the world they could dive more into the countrie's car culture and stuff

 

Is this genuinely what you want from TGT? I'm not criticising you for it, I'm just wondering. If every episode was 80% based around the country they're in and the local car culture then it wouldn't really leave much time for much else, for example the holy trinity from last week had nothing to do with california yet that episode was 10/10.

 

I thought the episode did a great job of interacting with the locals, JC made political jokes and May went to a local car meet :shrug: Other than 2-3 more mins at that car meet showing May having a go at drifting I don't think I'd want any more 'local' things from TGT, they did enough.

 

As for the Call of Duty segment, yeah, it went on too long and wasn't car show-y at all but unfortunately that seems to be what Clarkson enjoys doing the most, at first I thought they had an idea in mind for the segment and just didn't quite make it into what they wanted it to be, but the more I think about it, the more I think that clip is exactly what they wanted to make for some reason, even though to us it's crap. I guess it's that kind of thing that makes it so universally liked? :shrug:

 

As for brain crash, they only did one celeb and it took like 20 seconds so I didn't mind that being a running joke tbh, if they do 2+ celebs then yeah it's boring and not funny.

 

I'd give the episode 5/10 in comparison to last week's, but 6.5-7/10 when compared to the Evans' era of TG.

[The Compensator]

Where did you get that number? I did not say anything about % :shrug:

 

I'm jusayin' that since they are going around the world, there's a potential.

 

TG specials felt like that's what they (and the public) were enjoying the most - driving around in cars and doing stupid stuff so I don't mind this content, but that call of duty thing just was dragging for too long without going anywhere if you know what I mean. Never really considered TG as a reliable car review show, especially the new-ish series. Though they've done some amazing bits.

 

Even though we are only two episodes in, it feels like that we now have two Top Gear shows. One of them just has a different name. :p

[Ryzza5]

I'd give the episode 5/10 in comparison to last week's, but 6.5-7/10 when compared to the Evans' era of TG.

 

So just call it an average 6.166666666666667/10 then ;)

 

I wasn't really glued to the screen for this one. For what it was there were a couple of clever and comedic elements to it - almost like a Homer Simpson element scripted in.

[superhyper]

Sooo...

You might see a familiar face in the episode :p

[Ryzza5]

Clarkson wasn't kidding when he said his favourite special was in Africa, as we see them there again now for I think the 3rd time. The episode itself was great. The only disappointment was it being split up into two parts again, and part one only lasting 45 minutes. This is after them saying they could go longer with digital distribution (and already having released a 1hr 15m special on TV.

[superhyper]

I'm extremely late but I signed up for prime last week and yesterday I finished watching the MX5-episode. Overall I'm extremely happy with the show, even if it's overly scripted in places, as it's still entertaining. So far my favourite episode was probably either this Morocco one or the one with the GT cars. Interested in seeing the finnish one next to see how much they actually had to cut out. Filming day was definitely one of my favourite days ever :nods:

[CarMadMike]

Last night/this morn marked the release of the last episode of Season 1, based in Dubai. Not that bad an episode really given the context of just how awful a few of the episodes were, but not amazing either, worth watching though.

 

It's a shame we might never find out what the actual viewing figures are for the season, as they would be very interesting to see.

 

There is a lot to improve between now and the start of Season 2, celebrity braincrush etc need to go. The biggest criticism I have because it's at the forefront of my mind is that the entry clip in the credits to show where they are that week usually contains 3 very interesting cars, cars more interesting than 80% of the content they have for the next hour, USE THOSE CARS.

 

For the Dubai opening credits they had a Lamborghini Veneno, a Mclaren P1 GTR and a Lykan Hypersport. 3 very rare, very interesting cars to the core demographic of TGT, why not use the cars during the show?! It makes no sense. Maybe in the case of those 3 cars they wouldn't have had permission, but in previous weeks they've had interesting cars that they'd definitely be able to use, and they haven't.

[The Compensator]

I have totally forgotten about the show since episode three or four. There was a Jalopnik article about this very thing and it turns out I'm not the only one who stopped watching. Not sure where I'm heading with this, just something that struck me when I read that article. :shrug:

[CarMadMike]

Yeah I figured that had happened to a lot of people, especially those on here.

 

Shouldn't be too long until the next season of TG I think, last episode of S23 was in July 2016, and it's not usually just an annual thing. Maybe it will be an annual thing now and so we'll see it starting in May, but I'd like to see it back earlier than that, interested to see what non-evans TG can do.

[TIMELESS]

Just watched the final episode, it was a lot better than most other episodes. Not bad. Bit odd that the trio didn't do anything together though.

 

All in all season 1 has not been great, it's had some mediocre episodes, let's hope season 2 will be better.

[TimBud]

I've enjoyed the whole series.

Sure some of it has been a little boring but it is good entertainment with some good motoring.

I really didn't like the Dubai setting though... having lived there for 6 years is sickening to see so much blatant lying about how 'amazing' that place is

 

The American is the only thing that really grates me though. The guy's a good driver, but he should just be silent instead of putting on that faux whining.

Brain crash is so short it doesn't bother me at all.

 

Now that Evans has left TG should be a proper rival (the new trailer for it looks good).

 

There's not much else on that comes close.

Mike Brewer is gradually destroying Wheeler Dealers by getting too involved in the work.

Fast & Loud hasn't been great for a wile and will likely get worse not tat Kaufmanns left.

[Ryzza5]

Am I the only one who also looks forward to new seasons of TopGear USA? They started poor but have had quite a few unique challenges that I almost wouldn't mind if CHM copied.

 

The 'Amelican' needs to go the way of the Evans. I don't think social media has been quite vocal enough by way of comparison.

[TIMELESS]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKR3i4st6WE

[TimBud]

Wish I was able to watch that live... loved it

[Ryzza5]

I may have sped it up to 1.5x and switched tabs a few times but I guess I am still sad enough to have watched it :lol:

[CarMadMike]

First trailer for the second series of The Grand Tour has been released: Amazon.com: The Grand Tour Season 2: Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May, Andy Wilman

 

You might find a copy of it on youtube if you aren't logged into amazon :)

 

Should be available to stream in October.

[Ryzza5]

The Grand Tour Season 2 : Sneak Peek - YouTube

[Eudemon]

Still haven't watched ANY of the first. Need to catch up when series 5 or 6 is playing as that is how I usually do these things*.

 

*only got into The Walking Dead when Season 5 had finished and still not seen any episode of Game of Thrones :cry:

[TIMELESS]

Full trailer :panic:

 

[Ryzza5]

 

[TIMELESS]

Yasss it looks like they've listened to the feedback from season 1.

[Eudemon]

Not seen any of this at all but if people who watched and criticised S1 are saying S2 looks much improved from what little we've been shown so far, then that can only be good.

[Ryzza5]

 

Seems like a more entertaining character than le Amelican

[TimBud]

Webber would be amazing, but part of me just can't see it happening... Hope I'm wrong though