Well, I knew that American producers do a rather horrid job at adapting things, but I don't get this Top Gear business. Remember: I don't watch TV that often, if at all.
So, yeah. Reason for the rage understandable, but the source is unknown and henceforth making all rage null and void in my brain.
Basic gist: America sucks at ripping off British TV. :P
Broader Explanation: A big part of the appeal of Top Gear is it's hosts - Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond - and the relationship between them. Plus you have the Stig, the anonymous, mute test driver. It's already a perfect formula. It cannot ever be replicated.
I suppose you could also count Sanford & Son, seeing as that was an American retooling of a show called Steptoe & Son. I'm not really a S&S fan, but it was popular in it's time. And then there's Antiques Roadshow and Trading Spaces (although that craze ended some time ago).
If I remember, I think the only genuinely well-done British rip was Junkyard Wars. But even that petered out after a while; the show designers kept running out of good ideas, and they never really kept their junkyard stocked with good material so everything ended up really half-assed.
I think the equation is ruined when you take everyone out of it. I'll probably watch the first episode to see what it's like, but I don't have high hopes. I'm curious to see if they try to make it as humorous as the original or if they go for a more straight-forward format.
American Top Gear is in all likelihood going to be a terrible blend of The Bob and Tom morning show variant that every region has on at least one radio station, the ever-vacuous NASCAR commentators, and The Man Show.
TimeChaser
Madman With a Box (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 11/09/10 | Reply
@Nehszriah:
Darn you and your apathy! :P
Bazinga!
Nehszriah
Hits Self With Axe (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 11/09/10 | Reply
@TimeChaser:
Well, I knew that American producers do a rather horrid job at adapting things, but I don't get this Top Gear business. Remember: I don't watch TV that often, if at all.
So, yeah. Reason for the rage understandable, but the source is unknown and henceforth making all rage null and void in my brain.
Be true, be you and of course, be otaku.
TimeChaser
Madman With a Box (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 11/09/10 | Reply
@Nehszriah:
Basic gist: America sucks at ripping off British TV. :P
Broader Explanation: A big part of the appeal of Top Gear is it's hosts - Jeremy Clarkson, James May, and Richard Hammond - and the relationship between them. Plus you have the Stig, the anonymous, mute test driver. It's already a perfect formula. It cannot ever be replicated.
Bazinga!
Nehszriah
Hits Self With Axe (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 11/09/10 | Reply
I did not understand a word of that post, yet I feel as if I should have. :V
Be true, be you and of course, be otaku.
TimeChaser
Madman With a Box (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 11/09/10 | Reply
@Allamorph:
I suppose you could also count Sanford & Son, seeing as that was an American retooling of a show called Steptoe & Son. I'm not really a S&S fan, but it was popular in it's time. And then there's Antiques Roadshow and Trading Spaces (although that craze ended some time ago).
Bazinga!
Allamorph
Spiritus Memorae (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 11/09/10 | Reply
@TimeChaser:
If I remember, I think the only genuinely well-done British rip was Junkyard Wars. But even that petered out after a while; the show designers kept running out of good ideas, and they never really kept their junkyard stocked with good material so everything ended up really half-assed.
Miss Anonymous
Vagrant AI (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 11/09/10 | Reply
I wonder if it will be as terrible as the American version of The IT Crowd. :T
TimeChaser
Madman With a Box (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 11/09/10 | Reply
@Carney:
I think the equation is ruined when you take everyone out of it. I'll probably watch the first episode to see what it's like, but I don't have high hopes. I'm curious to see if they try to make it as humorous as the original or if they go for a more straight-forward format.
Bazinga!
Carney
Otaku Legend | Posted 11/09/10 | Reply
Is it even Top Gear-ish without the Stig. You take the Stig out of the equation you have nothing.
TimeChaser
Madman With a Box (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 11/09/10 | Reply
@Allamorph:
That's... a pretty horrifying blend right there.
Bazinga!
Allamorph
Spiritus Memorae (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 11/09/10 | Reply
American Top Gear is in all likelihood going to be a terrible blend of The Bob and Tom morning show variant that every region has on at least one radio station, the ever-vacuous NASCAR commentators, and The Man Show.
Or in less words, it's going to suck.