[RenegadeXR]

Originally Posted by Ryephile

...and that's where I'm miffed. Is this the first episode where they didn't actually go anywhere? They certainly didn't tour anywhere or do anything other than burnouts in abandoned factories. What happened to a grand adventure? I'm hoping the rest of the season isn't this static.

I think as they get older they are gradually doing less extreme stuff. The show's name, "Grand Tour," alluded to the original premise that they would be hosting the show from a tent in various locations in the world. That concept only survived through season 1. Now, the tent stays in a convenient near-equidistant driving range from their homes in England. On the trips where they seem to be going on excursions, it's more like a vacation for them and they check into whatever 4 or 5 star resort is nearby when the cameras stop rolling.

Top Gear was getting long in the tooth when they left, and I feel like Grand Tour had the briefest of new energy before falling into the same series of repeat gimmicks. The only episode I've genuinely enjoyed was S01E05 when they went to Morocco and a lot of unscripted and hilarious things happened. It reminded me of the golden age of Top Gear.

I'm just watching the show out of loyalty at this point. Top Gear with Matt LeBlanc et al got pretty good in the last season, but those hosts are already set to split up, at which point I'll likely just be watching Grand Tour.

Man, I just want a fun car show with the consistent quality of mid 2000's Top Gear. Is that so much to ask?

[Umbriel]

I thought the episode was meh at best, there were no actual reviews of the cars just them driving around doing stupid sh!t just for the sake of doing stupid sh!t with the typical Ford bias and Chevy hatred and a little jab at Americans thrown in on top.

[cellsafemode]

Originally Posted by RenegadeXR

I'm just watching the show out of loyalty at this point. Top Gear with Matt LeBlanc et al got pretty good in the last season, but those hosts are already set to split up, at which point I'll likely just be watching Grand Tour.

Man, I just want a fun car show with the consistent quality of mid 2000's Top Gear. Is that so much to ask?

Yes it is too much to ask for.

Chemistry can't be forced. They've attempted to copy the Trio a number of times. It never _EVER_ works.

The next car show that reaches the level of Top gear in it's hay day if one ever comes out will have to be organically created. It simply can't be forced.

And as an american who has watched all of the episodes, I enjoy the indignant britishness of the show and how they look down on American cars usually. It's a welcome respite from the US centric car shows that do nothing but focus on tired old muscle cars from the 60's and 70's all the time.

My favorite top gear episode is i think season 16 episode 1 ...the Robin episode. First time I saw that I was crying from laughing so hard. But there are so many good ones.

It will be sad to see these guys bow out of the limelight even though they're passed their prime already. We may not see a similar show as top gear in our lifetimes. Especially as the car owning industry is at a crossroads where we could rapidly move in the direction of cars as a service only. It's hard to convince young people who dont have enough money to move out of their parents house at 30 to drop money on a car that will do nothing but consume more money over time and take up space they dont have vs pay someone else to be that stupid.

[Akumu]

Originally Posted by RenegadeXR

I think as they get older they are gradually doing less extreme stuff. The show's name, "Grand Tour," alluded to the original premise that they would be hosting the show from a tent in various locations in the world. That concept only survived through season 1. Now, the tent stays in a convenient near-equidistant driving range from their homes in England. On the trips where they seem to be going on excursions, it's more like a vacation for them and they check into whatever 4 or 5 star resort is nearby when the cameras stop rolling.

Top Gear was getting long in the tooth when they left, and I feel like Grand Tour had the briefest of new energy before falling into the same series of repeat gimmicks. The only episode I've genuinely enjoyed was S01E05 when they went to Morocco and a lot of unscripted and hilarious things happened. It reminded me of the golden age of Top Gear.

I'm just watching the show out of loyalty at this point. Top Gear with Matt LeBlanc et al got pretty good in the last season, but those hosts are already set to split up, at which point I'll likely just be watching Grand Tour.

Man, I just want a fun car show with the consistent quality of mid 2000's Top Gear. Is that so much to ask?

It's funny to hear this because next season is literally only going to be specials. That much has been announced about it just specials over and over because they say they know that's what we really like. That might be the last hurrah.

In Namibia in S01 and that 'Feed The World' trip of last season I don't think there could have been any four or five star hotels.