Top Gear Australia

[Grunt]

The 2nd series of Top Gear Austraila starts tonight, wonder if it will improve on the last series. Mark Skaife is on tonight.

I am off to be part of the studio audience of episode 2 with my dad this Friday night. Even if the new series is crap it will still be a pretty good night.

I will be watching tonight to see how it looks with James Morrison added to the cast to replace Charlie Cox.

[Dazza]

Just spotted that too Grunt.
I'll be watching for sure.

[virge666]

I will be there - it can;t be any worse than it was.

[giddyupgaz]

The first series sucked balls, only have to be mildly entertaining to be better.

[rodders]

Hell of a lot better - very scripted though. James Morrison added some genuine warmth.

[henno]

Hell of a lot better - very scripted though. James Morrison added some genuine warmth.

James Morrison is a great addition. Although even the missus complained about the obvious scripting constraints.

[BrisVegas]

it sucked less. having said that, i still watched the first series as it's a car show and i like cars.

[Golfnut]

it sucked less. having said that, i still watched the first series as it's a car show and i like cars.

Same here....especially with lovely Lambos on the show like the one tonight.....that thing was amazing on the test track, especially off the launch :)

[adlo]

I am not a car fan but love UK Top Gear. I don't think I will ever bother watching the Australian one or any other car show for that matter. They will never have the budget to do awesome shows like the UK version and they will not have the banter/chemistry between Clarkson/May/Hammond.

[giddyupgaz]

Budget, chemistry and many other things are missing from this show, it is still a cellar dweller.
It was better than the last series James morrison was a good addition, Steve Pizziti (?) was likeable and a bit Richard Hammond but Warren Brown is stilted and not comfortable in front of the camera and this costs them as a team. Trying too hard to make genuine rapport maybe?
Will watch snippets as I'm helping the kids with homework but will not work the day around an episode like i would for the UK version.

[Virgal_Tracy]

I actually went to the taping of episode 2 to be shown next week. It is very scripted and we spent about 3 hours there for a 1 hr show. Pizzati is great off camera, a really likeable guy but doesn't take that to the on camera stuff. Morrison is great, Brown meh.

They need a bigger budget to make the challenges worthwhile. Last nights was a copy of the UK version of getting from one side of london to the other on diferent forms of transport.

Spoiler: Ian Moss is next weeks celebrity.

After you go Grant we can compare notes on how they could improve the taping.

[idgolfguy]

The format shouldn't change but the presenters should develop their own styles rather than try to clone the chemistry in the UK show which has developed over a few years.

[virge666]

You don't need a bigger budget at all - it could be the cheapest show in the world if you just had decent writers and they worked out that the show is about the cars and not the presenters.

The reason the UK show is so good is because the show takes the piss out of the presenters. Jeremy for being an old grumpy fart, Hammond for being short and vain and May for being a total engineering geek.

All you have to do is write the script to take advantage of this and it is a laugh a minute. Aussie Top Gear STILL think it as about the front 3 looking good and the show being informative.

Eg:

UK Top Gear gives each other 1500 quid to buy a car and travel across the desert. Everything goes wrong and it is hilarious.

Aussie Top gear gives each other $200,000 4WD drives to cross the desert. Nothing goes wrong and they have to write all the funny stuff. "There's dust in my Lexus" is about the best they can do.

F*cking useless bunch of twats.

[rodders]

You don't need a bigger budget at all - it could be the cheapest show in the world if you just had decent writers and they worked out that the show is about the cars and not the presenters.

The reason the UK show is so good is because the show takes the piss out of the presenters. Jeremy for being an old grumpy fart, Hammond for being short and vain and May for being a total engineering geek.

All you have to do is write the script to take advantage of this and it is a laugh a minute. Aussie Top Gear STILL think it as about the front 3 looking good and the show being informative.

Eg:

UK Top Gear gives each other 1500 quid to buy a car and travel across the desert. Everything goes wrong and it is hilarious.

Aussie Top gear gives each other $200,000 4WD drives to cross the desert. Nothing goes wrong and they have to write all the funny stuff. "There's dust in my Lexus" is about the best they can do.

F*cking useless bunch of twats.
Good point.

[lucky]

The 2nd series seems a lot better than the 1st. The host on the 1st series - I wish somebody told him he had a microphone on- why did he always yell??

They are very close to getting it right with the cartoonist and the other guy and James Morrison - good to see SBS marketing is working on me - I do not even know their names:)

[BrisWesty]

Enjoyed James Morrison's debut more than the previous series.

[Grunt]

Will see what tonight is like might be interesting seeing the off takes and how they gel off camera of sorts.
Looking forward to it.

[Dazza]

Enjoyed James Morrison's debut more than the previous series.

As did I. Good to see the show on the improve.

[The Walrus]

As someone who has worked as a writer and producer in the UK I would say Virge is pretty spot on! I've worked on shows with a budget of 250,000 pounds an episode and many of them werent half as good as some pilot shows I made for 50,000!

Its about making the best of what you have but the problem with Top Gear is that the Aussie version has to follow the UK's concept and the restricts them, however they should still be able to work around that and make something Aussie specific, funny and entertaining. I've worked with Clarkson a few times and he's a talented man...but nothing special!

[virge666]

Its about making the best of what you have but the problem with Top Gear is that the Aussie version has to follow the UK's concept and the restricts them

I am with you here but you still have the problem of shit Aussie writers. and it is not just SBS.

As a producer - you would also understand that YOU HAVE to get the hosts some acting lessons so they are not so self conscious in front of a camera. The incessant hand waving, shouting and other body language shits me to tears. (making every post a winner)

And stop scripting every single bloody line of the show. Roy and HG have proved the longevity on non scripted comedy.

[Scottt]

Less of Top Gear UK is unscripted than you'd think, the major difference is that Jeremy, James and Richard can deliver it like they just thought of it.

[Grunt]

Well I shall see, am off to the taping in about 15 min.

[virge666]

Less of Top Gear UK is unscripted than you'd think, the major difference is that Jeremy, James and Richard can deliver it like they just thought of it.

The difference is that the script writers . . ie Jez and crew write comedy situations and Aussie hacks write the whole scene.

The whole lot is scripted in the UK but, and here is the big BUT, every single line is written for the Aussie version. Take the bouncing things off the trampoline last week. Every . . . single . . . line.

Instead of the jokes being made by the hosts and the situations - every single joke has to be written by the script writers. This stops the show being "Top Gear" and turns it into "The Great Outdoors with Cars"

I would say that Specks and Specks is the only one to get it right here. Over in the UK, you have Never mind the Buzzcocks, IQ, Have I got News for you and many others that seem to be able to work it out ... Australian TV just hasn't.

I honestly think we just don't have the talent around to support the leap of faith the producer has to have.

Walrus - you've worked in both industries... thoughts ?

[Scottt]

Virge, which series of Never Mind the Buzcocks have you been watching? The Simon Amstell series or the twat with glasses series? Or both even? Amstell is the funniest bloke I've seen on TV in a while! :lol:

But he has just announced he isn't doing NMTB this year...

[The Walrus]

The difference is that the script writers . . ie Jez and crew write comedy situations and Aussie hacks write the whole scene.

The whole lot is scripted in the UK but, and here is the big BUT, every single line is written for the Aussie version. Take the bouncing things off the trampoline last week. Every . . . single . . . line.

Instead of the jokes being made by the hosts and the situations - every single joke has to be written by the script writers. This stops the show being "Top Gear" and turns it into "The Great Outdoors with Cars"

I would say that Specks and Specks is the only one to get it right here. Over in the UK, you have Never mind the Buzzcocks, IQ, Have I got News for you and many others that seem to be able to work it out ... Australian TV just hasn't.

I honestly think we just don't have the talent around to support the leap of faith the producer has to have.

Walrus - you've worked in both industries... thoughts ?

Wise words Virge

You can write the funniest scripts in the world but if the talent cant deliver you're on a hiding to nothing. Its a combination of getting all the elements just right, obvious I guess! Scripts, talent and scenarios have to be good or it will fail...and audiences are notorious for deciding very quickly and voting with their remotes!

I've worked at Hat Trick who make 'Have I Got News For You' and a good friend of mine worked on it for years....it works because they have all the elements working....good talent, great ideas (but simple) and good scripts!

[virge666]

Virge, which series of Never Mind the Buzcocks have you been watching? The Simon Amstell series or the twat with glasses series? Or both even? Amstell is the funniest bloke I've seen on TV in a while! :lol:

But he has just announced he isn't doing NMTB this year...

Amstill mate - What he does to guests is quite astounding. The Episode with Preston a few years back was sensational.

It is amazing how they fill 1/2 hour with just 3 rounds... an the rest is just prattle. Top Show.

[Scottt]

Great effort when he went to town on the Maltese bloke from Blue, and the dude from N'Dubz. Also Bill Oddie and Amy Winehouse were very funny episodes. And when one of the guys on the panel told Amstell he wanted to root Kate Nash, and when she was on Amstell brought it up :lol:

[virge666]

I've worked at Hat Trick who make 'Have I Got News For You' and a good friend of mine worked on it for years....it works because they have all the elements working....good talent, great ideas (but simple) and good scripts!


HIGNFY - What a brilliant show. Especially during and after the whole hookers and drug scandel. Brilliant.

The UK just has better talent - it might be the upbringing and trainign of the talent with more live audiences... you dont really have that here as much as the UK.

A lot of Aussie talent start on TV or Radio as opposed to moving through the ranks of live shows and the like. That may be the reason why...

Live radio show don't exist here either... "Im sorry I haven't a clue" is still one of my favourite shows ever. A great place to show and grow talent.

[virge666]

Great effort when he went to town on the Maltese bloke from Blue, and the dude from N'Dubz. Also Bill Oddie and Amy Winehouse were very funny episodes. And when one of the guys on the panel told Amstell he wanted to root Kate Nash, and when she was on Amstell brought it up :lol:


Tis a bit hard when I am not up to date on the boy bands, Phil Jupitus does well and Bill Bailey is a freak. Check out his DVD from Wembley.

Amy and Bill were awesome. So was the guy from Robin Hood.

[Scottt]

Aussie TV is also completely inbred. They would rather put Andrew O'Keefe in something he knows absolutely nothing about and has no rhythm for in favour of a name.

The Top Gear guys were far from houshold names when they started. The presenters on Fifth Gear, likewise.

Dragon's Den - great show with no recognisable faces (until DD made them so).

The list goes on.

[Grunt]

Well Ithought it was ok tonight and could see a rapport from the 3 guys in the off take stuff. It seemed pretty good. Episode will be screened on June 15. Was not bad in my opinion but was a long night.

[Beetle34]

I think as they have gotten rid of the only presenter that had an idea and replaced him with a trumpet playing knob jockey. I can't believe that wanker warren is still around, I have farts that have more charisma than that billy no mates. Pretty sad that SBS had an open casting call for this gig and managed to find these arse clowns.

[Bruce]

Part of Australia's talent problem is a result of the opinions of the viewing public.

They want Andrew O'Keefe. Large parts of the viewing public don't want to see anything new - they want the old familiar stuff from people they recognise and their ratings point counts for just as much as the one from intelligent and discerning viewers like us. There are more morons watching free to air than us so they must chase the lowest common denominator. If you don't get a million viewers in week one then the programmer will start ****ing around trying to find a slot that will limit the damage. They don't 'grow' an audience any more - they can't afford to carry a show for more than a couple of weeks.

Thank god for downloads. I can't wait for Hulu to make it to .au

[Grunt]

Well the episode I was at the filming is on tonight, wonder if I got my mug on TV.

[BrisVegas]

i'll keep an eye out for ya.

[virge666]

I want my hour back...

It just has no passion, it is all reading press releases at me and in monotone. It is almost as bad as Channels Ten's Moto GP commentary.

UK Top Gear starts this weekend - thank pharque for that.

[Grunt]

Spotted myself but only from the back. I have a good back for TV ;)

[Scottt]

Spotted myself but only from the back.

Your best angle :lol:

[Dotty]

Another embarrassing effort.
At least, 'Jonesy and Amanda' showed us how professional presenters can interact and entertain.

I ended up changing channels, again.

[virge666]

TOP GEAR UK IS BACK !!!!

Thank god for that !!!

The Stig is unveiled !!! (personally I reckon it is a stunt)

------
Here is the review of tonights top gear Oz,

Top Gear Australia

SBS One, 7.30pm

Strontium-90 has a half-life and so do motoring shows. This one has ceased to glow in the dark. The problem isn't the lads fronting the exercise, though some of the chatty segments in front of the studio audience are painfully forced, nor the cars (cars are, after all, just cars). It's the pace (glacial) and material (at times simply embarrassing).

Take the segment on sexy cars. In the interests of science and ostensibly to assist the romantically bereft in selecting a vehicle that will "pull chicks", five machines are test-driven by five blokes before an audience of women who have allegedly had their brains wired to show how turned on they become with each demo. OK, the segment is meant to be silly but it succeeds beyond the producers' wildest expectation and lurches into low farce, which would be OK if it were funny but it's tired and corny.

The script devolves from there (how on earth did they let through a line like, "We packed the cars with everything but the kitchen sink"?). Warren Brown's talents, in particular, deserve better material than this.

[chappy1970]

I watched this for the first time last week. I think James Morrison does a reasonable job, but the other 2........YAWN:smt015

[Dazza]

That Ferrari they test drove is one seriously exclusive car. My theory- It's Michaels personal car, and he was the only one allowed to drive it.

UK episode, a gem as usual. :)