Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Top Gear USA Season 1

Top positive review

Fun

Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2020

So far so good on the quality of the DVD's. We bought several seasons as a result of enjoying the show on TV. This is a fun show, and the banter between the hosts is pretty witty and silly at times. I'm not saying it's identical to this, but if you like Mythbusters (and we do), it can sometimes resemble that show; however, it's still unique in multiple ways. Just a "heads-up" here, although a network's editors might bleep 'em out for television, there's an occasional word or two and joke or two from the guys (hosts) that don't seem to be bleeped-out in these DVD's, which is unfortunate. I know that movie lines in a DVD aren't edited (language); however, I wish they would be regarding shows meant for television. Anyway, if you can handle that, the show is still pretty entertaining and can even be somewhat educational regarding different cars.

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John Matthew Shaw

Its bad but I can now live with it

Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2018

I know this version of the famous British tv show gets alot of hate from fans and when it was on cable, I too hated it. Now however I can now quantify why I hated it. Firstly the UK Top Gear was and still is a one of a kind spectacular that just can't be recreated because the chemistry between Jeremy, Richard, and James is so volatile. The three genuinely hate each other and have openingly said they hate each other. This hatred is what makes the show so great. In Top Gear USA that same chemistry is just not there yet it try so hard to kindle that hatred that is comes off as petty and whining like teenagers fighting over Pokemon cards.

The other major problem with the series the americanization of it. Everything is bigger, more dramatic, and filled with explosions and jet fighters. Top Gear has never been about "go big or go home" it's about "three mid age men fallen over a bunch" as Clarkson puts it and americanizing that just feel awkward. The dramatic cut a ways when something is about to happen, the constant recaps of things that have happen in the show all of it just feel unnecessary.

All these faults means that when you finally get to a segments that talks about a car or series of cars like american muscle or a new supercar, the commentary about them feels "scripted" and generic. A lot of their points can be found in a pamphlet, they don't go in depth the cars features or performance claims, they don't battle the car with it's rivals and ultimately they don't express how these cars make them feel from the heart.

All that said it still worth watching and see for yourself what the big hate storm is about. The first episode was a laugh. The $1000 challenge episode 3 was fun. The bring GM back to life episode 5 was interesting.

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From the United States

Mitchell Guyon

Three idiots trying to be funny and ending up being destructive

Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2014

Verified Purchase

A cheap knock off of the BBC show. Three idiots trying to be funny and ending up being destructive

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AJS

Low Gear - USA (feels watered-down)

Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2014

This show lacks hosts, challenges, exciting cars, and trips that makes the UK version shine.
I gave it a chance since the start, but was terribly disappointed with it.

What really make this show fail is that the hosts are not funny or animated except Adam Ferrara. Tanner is a typical self-assured show-off (that you'd expect from a pro stunt driver) which just comes off as smug. Adam is a likable goof who loves American muscle, and Rutledge is a stereotypical hipster whose knowledge about cars feels lacking. Good hosts are so important to this show & I believe TG-USA really falls on its face here. Bad casting.

The UK show is funny because of all the stupid challenges they get (playing football with Mini Coopers, herding sheep with motorcycles, building a hydrofoil, etc.), as well as the in-depth car reviews which make us feel like we test drove it ourselves, but the USA version lacks any imagination or humor, giving it the feel of an American reality show. Also, the cars which the USA show gets are not very exciting in comparison to the UK show, mostly things like new Corvettes, ad nauseum.

Overall, some say that it is unfair to compare the USA show to the UK show because the chemistry between hosts takes time, but considering what makes Top Gear (UK) successful is the producing (challenges, freedom, etc), the casting, and the cars, all of this should fall into place if it were planned well, which I believe it was not and has little hope of changing.

In conclusion: Save your efforts and watch Top Gear (UK) instead.

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David Pierce

Am I laughing now?

Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2012

I love the UK top Gear shows and I have nearly no since of humor. My own since of humor tends to be caustic. But those shows I'd buy. This I wont and I do check out the show from time to time hopeful that I'll see classic American cars. I love the 62 stingray, the 67 mustang, and other older cars. I like the tesla, but most of today's cars look to me at least to be boxes on wheels. So it is up to the show to grab my interests. I'm nearly 50 and never even bought a car. I'm to green and I choose to live with in walking distance of all my needs. But every now and again I think about the cars that I'd want to own. The 62 and 63 corvettes, the mustang 67, the three wheel cars and green cars from anywhere in the world.

I also watched monster garage, overhaulen ( don't care for the prank part of that show but I do like the cars after they are finished )

So far the only show that got me to pay attention was the fake versions of Kit, the time traveling deloran and the General Lee. I would of enjoyed the shows more if the real cars had been used. Or if the show focused on building your own and made it a race of some kind. But they need to connect better. To me American car shows are great PR but I want to dream a night away and I care to much about quality to give even my own country any breaks. Make a good show and you have my support make a bad show and you will not.

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Edward R.

Ambitious but rubbish!

Reviewed in the United States on July 18, 2011

As far as I know is not the first time they try come up with a US version of the show. Unfortunately the actual UK show may be too irreverent for the regular main stream networks.

Regarding the US version of the show it is pretty much painful to watch, a lot of embarrassing and awkward "jokes". The show is entertaining but nothing even close to the actual Top Gear; maybe they should have named it something else. And it is really embarrassing how they read their lines and try to laugh at their own jokes. Car comparisons are lame, why would you even compare cars made by the same manufacturer? And in different price ranges?
They are too polite, fake and awkward. I guess they are afraid of complains, lawsuit etc. Unfortunately that's one of the things that make the UK show one of the best shows in TV, because they can pretty much say what they want and when they do they get in trouble lol!, but that's just part of the show.

I keep trying to get the latest season of the real UK show through Amazon in HD and they don't have it yet ugh! Somebody has to broadcast the real Top Gear UK in HD, yes HD! Come on! Instead of producing an embarrassing copy just let me watch the original UK show uncensored, uncut in HD!

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Jackson Brunsting

Improving...but that's not saying much

Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2011

When I first heard about this show, I was excited for about 5 seconds. I absolutely love the original UK series and I just *knew* that they were going to screw it up for television here in the States. Unfortunately, I was right. Their jokes are forced and Adam in particular seems to know nothing about cars. They think it's too funny to be constantly belittling each other to talk about the cars.

Now don't get me wrong, it's nice for them to talk about cars we can get here in the US and be driving in locations we actually have a chance of visiting as well. That said, Adam couldn't interview his way out of a wet paper bag. Tanner is probably the best thing about the show.

The first season, with the exception of a few of the challenges was pretty colossally awful. The most recent season, however, seems to be improving. Yes, I'll admit to having watched several (but not all) episodes of the US version of Top Gear. And I don't even have any bleeding ulcers as a result! Anyway, the most recent show with the Lexus was actually quite good. The guys are *starting* to develop some chemistry. Well, at least Tanner and Rutledge are. Adam seriously needs to go. The Lexus episode was great, in my opinion, just because there was so little of him in it and it was shown just how awful he is at all things cars.

The show still has the fast cuts, panning shots and music of the UK show, so the "feel" of the show is very similar, but the chemistry just really blows. It's not something you can script and it's frequently painful to watch. I only hope they can continue to develop the chemistry between the guys (and get rid of Adam Ferrera). I gave it 2 stars only because it seems to be improving. Otherwise, I'd only give it 1 star.

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Fred

Perhaps it will improve with age... if it isn't taken off the air before any more seasons are filmed

Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2011

Not nearly as funny and endearing as the UK version. Showing the seeing eye dog peeing on the Top Gear emblem on the episode where they try to "teach" a blind guy how to drive was just disgusting and very unfunny. Also, when these guys buy an old junker why does no one empty the rubbish out of it before the show is taped? God knows what sorts of things are bouncing around in the old clunkers they buy. The feature is the car, not that the previous owner was some white trash filthy hoarder. Still, this show has potential and should be given the opportunity to find itself. Lots of very popular shows didn't hit their stride until well into their third or fourth seasons.

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