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The Grand Tour – Amazon Prime Video from 18th November 2016


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Old 18-11-2016, 21:46
-ajm-
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I think it's way to early to decide what a new programme is like, maybe after a few weeks.

I'm hoping the BBC sort out Top Gear so there is the best of both. The GT format and the factual Top Gear format (I won't hold my breath.)
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Old 18-11-2016, 22:11
linkinpark875
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I think it's way to early to decide what a new programme is like, maybe after a few weeks.

I'm hoping the BBC sort out Top Gear so there is the best of both. The GT format and the factual Top Gear format (I won't hold my breath.)
I felt the last Top Gear was fine. Shame Chris Evans left.
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Old 18-11-2016, 22:17
PaddyODawes
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Visually stunning, and great to see the three stooges still clearly having a ball, and enjoying each others' company, but the show overall fell a bit flat for me.

Partly, as others have said, 70 minutes is just too long. Partly the lack of variety - I actually found myself missing things like the Stig, the 'news', and even - to my amazement - the star in a reasonably priced car, which I never much liked in TG. But most of all, it seemed to have lost that great sense of rhythm TG always had. The 'hyper-car' section went on way too long; the M2 bit seemed to be done with no real conviction, and felt very thin, dragging despite being short; all in all, it relied too much on slo-mo spinning wheels and rising dampers and close ups of exhausts.

Even making all due allowances for 'first show syndrome', I suspect the truth is - not that the True Believers will ever admit it - that the Grand Tour we just saw is the only Grand Tour we will ever see: an attempt to 'do a Top Gear' that's turned out better than TG as it had become, better than TG in its re-launched format, but not a patch on TG as it once was.

So - not bad. But not that good either. TG is dead. It's a shame, but nothing lasts for ever. To be honest, I can't see this lasting the advertised three years. We shall see.
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Old 18-11-2016, 22:25
Danger Close
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Just got done watching.
More entertainment in the opening cinematic than the whole of the last run of Top Gear.
It's just Trinity Top Gear on a bigger budget.
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Old 18-11-2016, 22:35
MR_Pitkin
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Too much car, forced scripted banter, and segments that didn't really work.
Visually stunning, but more work needed to make it a rounded show.
Early days though.
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Old 18-11-2016, 22:42
LuvJamTarts
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Thought it was good. Its what top gear was, 3 blokes with chemistry having a laugh together. The american doesnt work and could probably do with being dropped like the original stig was and the RAF/USAF thing was a bit stupid but overall it was fine and ill continue watching.

Not on Amazon though, not a chance im paying them on top of the licence fee and sky sub.
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Old 18-11-2016, 22:49
tgabber
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It will be insteresting to see how ratings hold up. Streaming by its very nature attracts a different audience from broadcast, and you actually have to make an effort to watch a particular programme rather than just sitting down and "seeing what's on".

I'm sure the core fans will stick with it, but will a general audience still go looking for it after the novelty has warn off? It's not like a series where you have to know what happens next episode.
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Old 18-11-2016, 22:51
CD93
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The celebrities bit was a big WTF moment. Didn't get that at all. I was expecting Matt Damon to walk out of the crowd but it didn't happen. Perhaps as suggested above they're actually not going to have a celebrity interview each episode and they're mocking TG by saying "Ha! Here is who we could have had.. but we don't need to.."
I think it was very much a shot at Evans' series which made the, IMO, very strange decision to extend the celebrity segment - when I think it could have done without entirely. Thought ASIARPC was the weakest point of the old show.

Celebrity Brain Crash, we hardly knew ye.
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Old 18-11-2016, 22:53
LuvJamTarts
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i doubt the ratings will be brilliant. Are people really going to subscribe to amazon to watch it? If you already have the subscription people are likely to watch but surely most will either not bother, download elsewhere or wait in the hope it arrives on normal tv eventually?
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Old 19-11-2016, 00:01
allafix
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Believe it or not I just happened to have started a Prime 30 day free trial about a week ago, so I'll get to see the first few episodes before that runs out. The Grand Tour is good, but it's not good enough to make me subscribe for the whole series.

It looks and sounds fantastic, and the script is far better than "new" Top Gear. It just lacks some of the old spark. Clearly they can't just remake Top Gear for Amazon, so celebrities doing laps is not going to happen. Possibly the old style challenges too. Conversation Street (aka The News) and Celebrity Brain Crash are clearly meant to be running jokes of segments that don't quite work because the original ideas can't be re-used.

I liked most of it, but shots of cars wizzing round test tracks in slow motion soon gets a bit repetitive. Conversely I disliked most of the new Top Gear. Seems to me that if you could put the best bits of The Grand Tour together with the best bits of "new" Top Gear you might have the makings of a very good TV show: "Old" Top Gear.

On that bombshell......
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Old 19-11-2016, 00:12
ags_rule
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i doubt the ratings will be brilliant. Are people really going to subscribe to amazon to watch it? If you already have the subscription people are likely to watch but surely most will either not bother, download elsewhere or wait in the hope it arrives on normal tv eventually?
I have subscribed largely for the show, and have three friends who have done the same.

I was originally going to get it for just the three months TGT was on but seeing as they offered a full yearly subscription for £59 - a mere £4.50 a month - it was worth it. Amazon has a decent selection of shows and I find considering I also get free delivery, Kindle Books and Prime Music for that price, among other things, it is infinitely better value than Netflix. Indeed I am cancelling my Netflix subscription at the end of the month as between Prime and NowTV I have more than enough to watch.
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Old 19-11-2016, 00:37
Fraxis
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It will be insteresting to see how ratings hold up.
Do you mean the ratings that Amazon will never, ever release? Clarkson and Wilman have been clear that even they won't be told what the ratings are. So for us mere mortals there will be no overnights, not consolidated figures etc. It's not how Amazon or Netflix work.
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Old 19-11-2016, 00:39
Rodney McKay
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Visually stunning, and great to see the three stooges still clearly having a ball, and enjoying each others' company, but the show overall fell a bit flat for me.

Partly, as others have said, 70 minutes is just too long. Partly the lack of variety - I actually found myself missing things like the Stig, the 'news', and even - to my amazement - the star in a reasonably priced car, which I never much liked in TG. But most of all, it seemed to have lost that great sense of rhythm TG always had. The 'hyper-car' section went on way too long; the M2 bit seemed to be done with no real conviction, and felt very thin, dragging despite being short; all in all, it relied too much on slo-mo spinning wheels and rising dampers and close ups of exhausts.

Even making all due allowances for 'first show syndrome', I suspect the truth is - not that the True Believers will ever admit it - that the Grand Tour we just saw is the only Grand Tour we will ever see: an attempt to 'do a Top Gear' that's turned out better than TG as it had become, better than TG in its re-launched format, but not a patch on TG as it once was.

So - not bad. But not that good either. TG is dead. It's a shame, but nothing lasts for ever. To be honest, I can't see this lasting the advertised three years. We shall see.


1. They have to work within legal restrictions imposed by the sad lefty gits at the BBC

2. They will be trying out new things on this show to find out what works and what doesn't.

3. Some things on the old Top Gear didn't click and were never seen again.

The boys are at their best on proper road trips ideally in old crocks where they can just prat about.

The studio stuff will bed down after a while but remember they can't do as much topical stuff now due to how far ahead the tent stuff is recorded and the fact the audience is for the most part foreign and the show is now being marketed on a global basis.

I thought it was excellent as a start and from the little clips we've seen so far there is some really funny stuff coming up.

I'm not that keen on the new track, I suspect we may see them change some of the camera angles like they did with the old Top gear track if you look back at the early series they got better camera angles later on.
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Old 19-11-2016, 01:15
sheff71
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That was an enjoyable opening episode, perhaps a touch longer than needed, but the key element from pre-punch Top Gear is still there - the chemistry between the three, which the latest BBC version just could not match.

Like many others, i'm not sure if the American driver will work out long term - presumably they couldn't have a hidden driver as they'd be accused of copying the Stig?

The presentation was a little different, sat at a table compared to how they used to be stood around, but that's just a case of getting used to it...just as the different locations and audiences will make a difference - but it is The Grand Tour, so I suppose they have to move around... it will be interesting to see how the various audiences react to their very British humour!

Have all of the tent parts been filmed now, or are they done nearer to release date? It was interesting to see Vorderman (assuming it wasn't a double!), while she is currently in Australia...

Overall, a very strong start, with some areas to polish... it was certainly a lot better watching it via a Fire Stick than through the computer, where it streamed pretty sluggishly - on the Fire Stick, it ran perfectly and looked great.
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Old 19-11-2016, 01:24
simongvs70
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I enjoyed it and am looking forward to the rest of the series.

Going to have to spend some time staring at the new track, It's only 2 miles from home so might need to look out for some tasty cars in the area!
According to the Telegraph, you, sirrah, are close to the old RAF Wroughton airfield near Swindon. We therefore know where you live (sort of!)
If it's true and the Ebola-dome does become the new Mecca for petrolheads everywhere, well shall expect periodic updates on any sightings.
Although i've tried looking on Google Earth, but I can't see the track...
https://goo.gl/maps/ihoipedD8Mu
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Old 19-11-2016, 01:31
Bob Paisley
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For various reasons, I've only been able to watch the first episode in dribs and drabs. I'm about twenty minutes in and so far it basically seems to be Top Gear...in a tent. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing.
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Old 19-11-2016, 02:32
treefr0g
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Just watched it in 5.1 Dolby digital and all I can say is...

What a brilliant car show.

BBC sacking/not renewing Jeremy Clarkson's contract is the best thing that's happened.
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Old 19-11-2016, 07:37
davejc64
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Watched the first episode and it was great way better than anything the BBC or any TV channel could produce, can't wait to see the next instalment, this alone make the Amazon Prime subscription worth it so all the other stuff and next day parcel deliveries is a bonus.
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Old 19-11-2016, 09:12
ClarkF1
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Although i've tried looking on Google Earth, but I can't see the track...
https://goo.gl/maps/ihoipedD8Mu
Change to Earth view - bottom left and zoom out. Start is near the two hangars and the white building and you can see the 'Your Name Here' hairpin on the right.
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Old 19-11-2016, 09:39
mossy2103
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Have all of the tent parts been filmed now, or are they done nearer to release date?
Whitby was filmed Oct 13/14, Loch Ness will be Dec 2nd/3rd.

This opening one was filmed It was interesting to see Vorderman (assuming it wasn't a double!), while she is currently in Australia...
The Southern Californian tent was recorded towards the end of September.

Overall, a very strong start, with some areas to polish... it was certainly a lot better watching it via a Fire Stick than through the computer, where it streamed pretty sluggishly - on the Fire Stick, it ran perfectly and looked great.
Agreed, I watched via the Fire TV and it was perfect (and in 5.1 audio too which was a bonus).
The red of the LaFerrari in the sun was simply eye-popping in HD, it must have looked fantastic in 4k.
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Old 19-11-2016, 10:06
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The show seemed a lot like a slightly refreshed Top Gear with a bigger budget, all it was missing was the Top Gear theme tune.

It was a decent first episode though, and will be definitely tuning in for more.
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Old 19-11-2016, 10:41
Woodbine
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Too much car, forced scripted banter, and segments that didn't really work.
Visually stunning, but more work needed to make it a rounded show.
Early days though.
Funny that being a car show
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Old 19-11-2016, 11:12
PaddyODawes
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Funny that being a car show
It was never a car show. It was a mates having a laugh show. That's what made it a family show, and a worldwide hit. This *is* a car show. Whether petrolheads are a big enough demographic to do the Sky/Premiership Trojan Horse thing for Amazon Prime remains to be seen.
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Old 19-11-2016, 11:23
Woodbine
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It was never a car show. It was a mates having a laugh show. That's what made it a family show, and a worldwide hit. This *is* a car show. Whether petrolheads are a big enough demographic to do the Sky/Premiership Trojan Horse thing for Amazon Prime remains to be seen.
It's always been a car show, first and foremost, but it's the 3 lads messing about and having fun that makes it accessible for non car fans.
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Old 19-11-2016, 11:52
gashead
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Looked great, sounded great, but the tent bits were joyless for me. Maybe it was the 'open-ness' of the structure - and I daresay I'll get used to it - but whilst the concept of three blokes just sitting down, talking and having a laugh worked beautifully in the relative intimacy of a small studio, in the tent it lost that cosiness for me. It's like when a comedian or band that's used to playing in 200 seater theatres gets to the O2. It's the same act, same material, but somehow it's lost something. Whilst we knew old TG was scripted, it rarely seemed like it, whereas here, the banter seemed forced. The hubris on display from CHM and the annoying crowd cheering at every little thing (whipped up by said hubris) certainly didn't endear the set-up to me. Also, the celeb part was just...odd. Do the joke once with an A-list star and it's funny. Repeat it with someone much less well known, and you're thinking 'Ok, where's this going?'. Repeat it again with someone un-known outside the UK and you've killed whatever the joke was meant to be. (Was that even CV? ) Overall, I wish they'd have gone for a completely new show, rather than using the 'It's basically old TG, but crucially not similar enough that the BBC can have us' approach. If they were taking the piss out of the BBC and/ or new TG, then it was mis-guided, as it's not the BBC's fault they're not still there. I'm hoping it was just meant to be post-modern, tongue-in-cheek nonsense for the first episode to ease the viewers in, and next and subsequent weeks won't be simply TG lite.
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