Top Gear Christmas special goes down to Argentina

[SVT666]

Apparently that redneck scene was real and they were genuinely scared. 

[Mustangfan2003]

If they really wanted to piss off some Alabamians they would've wrote "Nick Saban is gay" or something along those lines on their cars. 

[Onslaught]

If they really wanted to piss off some Alabamians they would've wrote "Nick Saban is gay" or something along those lines on their cars.

They want to piss them off. Not really try and get themselves killed.

[Mustangfan2003]

They want to piss them off. Not really try and get themselves killed.

Good point, people have been shot over college football there. 

[hotrodalex]

[Mustangfan2003]

Speaking of British people insulting Alabama this happened about 10 years ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSTukGu-Ut4

[Payman]

JC's Sunday Times article...

http://www.reddit.com/r/TopGear/comments/2ic6oz/full_text_of_jeremy_clarksons_article_in_the/

I don't believe the license plate thing for a second. It was a perfect dig at Argentina that JC would have exploited.

[Soup DeVille]

If they really wanted to piss off some Alabamians they would've wrote "Nick Saban is gay" or something along those lines on their cars. 

That would require an understanding of Alabama they're not quite capable of.
plus, their gags have to play to the inherent culturalism of their home audience.

[SVT666]

JC's Sunday Times article...

http://www.reddit.com/r/TopGear/comments/2ic6oz/full_text_of_jeremy_clarksons_article_in_the/

I don't believe the license plate thing for a second. It was a perfect dig at Argentina that JC would have exploited.

That plate has been registered to that car for a couple decades.

[Payman]

That plate has been registered to that car for a couple decades.

"Jeremy, we found a Porsche 928, and get this... the license plate reads H982FLK!"
"Ha ha! Perfect!"

[hotrodalex]

Even with that plate, Argentina should be absolutely embarrassed. I know they're a prideful people but that's no excuse to act like animals.

[Payman]

Even with that plate, Argentina should be absolutely embarrassed. I know they're a prideful people but that's no excuse to act like animals.

They gave the BBC and Top Gear a massive gift. This is going to be their highest rated show ever.

[hotrodalex]

Do they even have a show?

[GoCougs]

The Bolivia Special is my favourite after the Vietnam Special, but even though Hammond let his truck intentionally crash on it's own, and the perilous passing attempt on the cliff was obviously set up and was one of the Top Gear camera trucks, the choreographed and intentionally set up scenes didn't feel set up or intentional.  The India Special was hard to enjoy because every scene felt fake.  The "Source of the Nile" Special was much bettter than India, but there were still some scenes that were uncomfortable to watch because of how blatantly set up they felt.  For the most part, I still really enjoy Top Gear and it's still the show I look forward to most every year, but they need to do something to freshen it up, because the shtick is starting to get stale.

Though I'll catch some footage here and there the Bolivia special is what caused me to bail on being a habitual Top Gear viewer. There were probably a dozen laughably choreographed incidences (the one that sticks in my craw is when Hammond's vehicle "catches" on fire) and it was just too manufactured to be enjoyable.

Their best special by far was the North Pole special.

[Byteme]

Regardless of intent, one thing you can be sure of is very high ratings when this, or these, episodes air in the UK and US.

Edit:  I see Rockraven has also written that.

[GoCougs]

As to this Argentina issue, well, don't start and lose an immoral war you goddamned morons.

[Payman]

Though I'll catch some footage here and there the Bolivia special is what caused me to bail on being a habitual Top Gear viewer. There were probably a dozen laughably choreographed incidences (the one that sticks in my craw is when Hammond's vehicle "catches" on fire) and it was just too manufactured to be enjoyable.

Their best special by far was the North Pole special.

Dude, so what. EVERYTHING on TV is choreographed. It's all entertainment. Once you accept this you'll enjoy these shows more and simply appreciate the silly gags.

[hotrodalex]

The car on fire was hilarious. It was pretty obviously fake but that didn't matter.

[Payman]

The car on fire was hilarious. It was pretty obviously fake but that didn't matter.

Remember the caravan episode, where they tried camping in a trailer park? One of the most obviously staged episodes ever, but the image of three dumbasses staring at their burnt out trailer, Jeremy holding an inflatable alligator, makes me laugh every time.

[Byteme]

Kind of kills the magic when you realize there are 3-4 cameras, half a dozen sound techs, medics, directors, producers, medics, etc. just out of camera range; and most of what you see  is probably the product of multiple takes. 

Still though some bits that make it to the small screen probably are spontaneous, like the emergency brake log shattering Clarkson's rear window in one of the specials, and Clarkson's spill in the Vietnam special.

My advice for watching Top Gear is the same I've heard for watching a stripper.  "Don't ask how it's done, just sit back and enjoy it."


One of my favorite moments is when Clarkson's three story SUV is on it's side and May wakes up and asks "did the wind do that?" and Clarkson replies "No James, a big giant came along..."

[Payman]

Kind of kills the magic when you realize there are 3-4 cameras, half a dozen sound techs, medics, directors, producers, medics, etc. just out of camera range; and most of what you see  is probably the product of multiple takes. 

Still though some bits that make it to the small screen probably are spontaneous, like the emergency brake log shattering Clarkson's rear window in one of the specials, and Clarkson's spill in the Vietnam special.

My advice for watching Top Gear is the same I've heard for watching a stripper.  "Don't ask how it's done, just sit back and enjoy it."

[Byteme]

Not quite where I was going with that.   

[GoCougs]

Dude, so what. EVERYTHING on TV is choreographed. It's all entertainment. Once you accept this you'll enjoy these shows more and simply appreciate the silly gags.

Well, I don't really watch TV so that's a big part of it I suppose. The Bolivia special was just too much for me though.

[Payman]

Well, I don't really watch TV so that's a big part of it I suppose. The Bolivia special was just too much for me though.

Me either, but TG is one of the few I do watch. I liked the Bolivia special.

[Payman]

Buddy of mine likes Mantracker. We were watching it at his house, and I mentioned "you know, this couple being tracked has a camera crew with them. Not very real, is it." I think I ruined the show for him.

[Mustangfan2003]

Argentina really missed an opportunity to let the world see places that many don't know about but now they look like a bunch of animals.  I can see why none of the other South American countries backed Argentina in the war. 

[Byteme]

I've always wondered how much of the actual build work the three presenters do on their builds like the stretch limo show I'm watching as I type this.  I suspect not much.  I don't know if they even come up with the concept and choose the base vehicle.

[AutobahnSHO]

Argentina is a bunch of dummies. Their prez was in the news this week saying that the US "could" take her out then claim it was ISIS...

Plus they've run their economy super crappy since.... well, since before they were a country and were fighting over a few worthless islands.

[Morris Minor]

Argentina has far more important things to worry about than the Falklands. Another example of how populist socialism will take ignorant people down the shitter faster than you can say "Sovereign debt default."

[Mustangfan2003]

Argentina has far more important things to worry about than the Falklands. Another example of how populist socialism will take ignorant people down the shitter faster than you can cay "Sovereign debt default."

Yeah I don't think they could afford a war even if they wanted the islands.  Doesn't the Falklands have oil along their coastlines?