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Too late. I already watched it.

 

To be fair, I want to give it another chance. They spent the majority of the show just getting folks up to speed on what the Top Gear formula typically is. Who is the Stig, what to expect, introducing the time charts, etc. Towards the end of the show there were brief moments where you could see bits of personality poking through and the beginnings of a rivalry between the race guy and the regular dorks. I am willing to believe that since I am already familiar with the BBC show and personalities that my attitude towards the show was already predetermined.

 

Now that I got that out of the way.

 

Riiiiight. I understand Jeremy Clarkson's don't just grow on trees but come on. At least try to find someone with a hint of personality. Again, to be fair, that Rutledge Wood guy seems to have the biggest personality so far. Too bad it's the personality of a whiny kid in a constant state of amazement that he actually got the job.

 

Did the History channel really think Top Gear was about the cars?

 

I caught that line too. That's how they introduced the show in the very beginning and it made me cringe just a bit. Yes there are cars a plenty. But if you think it's a car show you're doomed to failure before you even air a single segment. I hope it gets better. They could always mix up the hosts I suppose if things get worse.

 

I wonder what Alf is doing these days?

I may watch it again at some point, but I'm not going to go out of my way to record it. If there happens to be nothing else on, and I'm waiting for laundry to dry or something, maybe I'll tune it in.

 

Towards the end of the show there were brief moments where you could see bits of personality poking through and the beginnings of a rivalry between the race guy and the regular dorks.

I saw that as well, but to me it seemed completely forced and unnatural. As if the director told them, "Okay... we need you to argue now. Annnnd... action!"

 

Tanner Foust is already co-host on Speed channel's Battle of the Supercars, with Paul Tracy as his co-host/"rival". That show's been on a while, and the banter between them seems just as phony and stilted. (I'm starting to run low on adjectives.)

 

I am willing to believe that since I am already familiar with the BBC show and personalities that my attitude towards the show was already predetermined.

I was willing to give it a chance, since some U.K. shows have successfully made the transition before (Scrapheap Challenge/Junkyard Wars being a good example). I wasn't expecting it to be as good as the real Top Gear, but I wasn't expecting it to be so incredibly dull. The so-called "race" between the helicopter and Viper was just a complete waste of time. The hosts were completely insipid, the in-camera car was so bouncy you couldn't see anything (inexcusable, considering how long the original Top Gear has been doing it), the editing was terrible, and the whole premise was weak. Still, you could take Clarkson and put him in the exact same bit, and at least he'd be fun to watch.

 

I wonder what Alf is doing these days?

Even this guy would've been better. I actually find him to be really annoying, but at least he's an enthusiastic gear-head with communication skills:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KXol8Sq6ng

 

Maybe they should have a "The Next Top Gear U.S. Host Challenge", like they've done on Food Network. Get a dozen finalists together, fight it out for a season, and let the audience decide who to keep.

 

They've already (apparently) shot the whole season though, so I doubt any changes will be happening until the first (and possibly last) ten episodes have aired.