No they didn’t. They had 6 episodes in series 7. 2 series BEFORE Hamster’s crash.

Top Gear has had seasons of as many as 10 or 11 episodes until Hamster’s crash. That was the only time a season lasted only 6 episodes.

Another example of product placement that I’ve seen is Honda on The Price is Right. Now, the popular daytime show hadn’t given away a foreign car since Desert Storm, thanks to a decree by host/executive producer/tyrant/sexual harasser/God in his own mind Bob Barker. Since he’s retired from the show now, the show has had two shows (LINK and LINK)
where Honda has provided them with cars, as opposed to individual dealers, which is the norm. In the plugs, they make sure to note that the cars are Made in America (especially Ohio, where newbie host Drew Carey is from) and the company is referred to as “American Honda Motor Company.” W’ever. I was tired of seeing people play for the same ol’ Cobalts and Focii and Calibers anyways.

Desparate Housewives is great for that. YOu will see a car debut at an autoshow and at about the same time someone on the Wives is driving it. Witness Susan Meyers in the latest Volvo XC70, Orson Hodge in the new C70 Convertible, Gabbie’s latest Aston, etc etc. NO car seems older than 4 years old (except for Mrs McCluskey’s 1989 LTD Crown Victoria).

ANd who could forget the Brady Bunch? Mike Brady always had some great big domestic convertible (depending on who sponsored it that year) and Mrs Brady always had the land yacht wagon, great for carrying the whole bunch, and Alice too. It was a pretty special episode when Greg got to borrow the convertible!

Have to be careful about which show you sponsor. I will NEVER EVER drive a Chrysler Sebring Conv(even used or as a rental) because Michael Scott drove one and I can’t help but think of him and laugh when I see one. I think he is in a PT Cruiser now, which sort of sums up the Chrysler situation.

The NBC version could never possibly measure up, because:

1. They can’t slag a car, even when it deserves it, because they might piss off advertisers (or potential advertisers!).

2. They have to watch their statements on everything else (immigration, “green” regulations, nanny states, global warming, etc) for the exact same reason. For advertisers, controversy is a bad thing.

3. GE (the parent of NBC) stands to gain a lot of money/business from the global warming hoax; can’t have one of the shows on their network telling people it isn’t so, even if that’s what the commentator truly believes. The honesty that you see on the BBC version, even if you don’t agree with what is said, is an important part of what makes Top Gear the great show that it is.

4. Even if they genuinely like a GM product (like the G8 V8, say), you can never be sure if they are saying so because it’s true or because it’s in their contract with GM.

5. Even if they genuinely don’t like a non-GM product, you can never be sure…(same reason).

6. The interplay between the hosts will be very difficult to duplicate. Jeremy, Richard, and James seem like they genuinely like and respect each other, and they perform very well both individually and together.

In short, I’m not hopeful. I’ll give it a shot, but they’ll really surprise me if it’s any good.

I guess they will have to start calling it something else?

I think the kind of criticism they delivered in the RX-8 vs. Audi TT vs. Alfa Coupe comparison they did last summer is entirely compatible with American market-driven Television. Each car is essentially lobbied for by a different presenter, so you get the shots in there but it’s done in such a humorous way that I doubt Mazda, Audi, or Alfa would object.

I’ve been a BBC TG fan for years, and I agree with everyone here that American Top Gear won’t be as independent as the British version. But criticism is only one part of the reason for Top Gear’s success.

Anyone else catch this bit of marketing genius?

6 episodes is about right for a UK show.

Don’t forget the non-stop complaints from environmentalists, politicians and basically anyone who could be offended by what Jeremy Clarkson says. I bet people are still yelling at him about this legendary Vauxhall Vectra review.

EDIT-Oh, and I just read on Top and Fifth Gear fansite Final Gear that Top Gear’s next season has been postponed indefinitely…again! And the season will have only six episodes! Joy of joys!

I think that is the point of the BBC’s decision to relinquish so much control to NBC.

Top Gear is one of the most downloaded shows on TV and is one the highest rated and viewed TV shows on UK TV.

However, the BBC don’t like it and the boys on Top Gear have regularly criticised the BBC for it. Whenever a sporting event like snooker or horseriding needs to be broadcast, the BBC will shift Top Gear’s slot or even eliminate it from the week’s viewing. The BBC have been, for ages, trying to destroy Top Gear.

I think it’s because it is such a dangerous and open-to-litigation show, that the BBC don’t like it.

When “Hamster” had his crash, the BBC were SO CLOSE to shutting the show down. So much so, Jeremy Clarkson wrote an article in a newspaper about it.

One thing that’s bothered me about Ami Top Gear though is the fact that most of the world’s cool cars have already been tested by Moose, Short stuff and Spacecase. Is the American version just going to be a Detroit-centric version, w/Callaway Corvettes vs. Saleen Mustangs vs. um, some Dodge product? Or are they going to actually race a Veyron vs. a Dreamliner, etc.? I’m so ready to be disappointed…especially if Adam Corolla (irony?) comes on board.

Seriously though, I can’t believe…for the sake of integrity…that Top Gear would have relinquished so much control over it’s American cousin that they would allow this sort of garbage.

Ye of little faith. Wait ’til you see the garbage before labeling as such. Unless you’re referring to the Beeb’s willingness to let the show be produced for an advertiser-fed TV network– with the inevitable compromises to follow– in the first place.

Seriously though, I can’t believe…for the sake of integrity…that Top Gear would have relinquished so much control over it’s American cousin that they would allow this sort of garbage.

Great fun!

NBC Top Gear; I suppose I’ll watch it. Once. (or maybe a bit less).

That was my point. On the BBC version of Top Gear, there are no adverts. Therefore, they can slate or praise any car they want without a withdrawal of money.

But on the NBC version, which has struck a lucrative deal with GM (hence, the point of this article), wouldn’t a few eyebrows be raised if the show praised a GM car (say, the Chevrolet Aveo), and then 2 minutes later, a load of GM adverts was shown…..?

That was the original point of my first post. Review shows on TV channels which gain their revenue from adverts are fundamentally flawed.

Top Gear is a taxpayer-funded TV program.

Yes, NBC should no longer accept any advertising dollars from any company that might be seen on TV. How about when Top Gear gives a positive review of a Toyota product? And then a Toyotathon commercial follows.

Hawaii 5-0, Ford. Magic!

Not only was every car a Ford, but the episode “Death Wish on Tantalus Mountain” featured a push-button Pantera…

"There were a few oddities such as opening the front lid from the passenger side and a mechanic who checks the steering wheel fluid level. The best one is the giant box wrench used by the bad guy to loosen the half shaft bolts and whack the mechanic over the head.

Others I have found so far:
– windshield wipers that appear and disappear
– shifting from third to forth to go up a step hill
– my favorite — a 9800 RPM redline (not a typo)

An interesting note: although the episode was originally shown on Sept 19, 1972 there was already a fair amount of surface rust in the engine bay particularly on the bolt heads. The black coating in the engine bay also looked pretty bad. I had assumed that un-restored engine bays looked bad these days due to the affects of age, but it looks like they were made that way.”

(from Mark McWhinney – DeTomaso Forum post)

Not only was every car a Ford, but the episode “Death Wish on Tantalus Mountain” featured a push-button Pantera…

“Oddities

There were a few oddities such as opening the front lid from the passenger side and a mechanic who checks the steering wheel fluid level. The best one is the giant box wrench used by the bad guy to loosen the half shaft bolts and whack the mechanic over the head.

Others I have found so far:
- windshield wipers that appear and disappear
- shifting from third to forth to go up a step hill
- my favorite — a 9800 RPM redline (not a typo)

An interesting note: although the episode was originally shown on Sept 19, 1972 there was already a fair amount of surface rust in the engine bay particularly on the bolt heads. The black coating in the engine bay also looked pretty bad. I had assumed that un-restored engine bays looked bad these days due to the affects of age, but it looks like they were made that way.”

(from Mark McWhinney – DeTomaso Forum post)

And I seem to remember an episode of the A-Team where they were driving cabs in L.A. on a covert mission and a s— load were destroyed. Forgot the brand – maybe Chrysler.

Don’t get me started on the Dukes of Hazzard – I’ll admit one silly show but a helluva lotta fun! I think they went through at least 2-3 cars per episode, mostly old ‘68-’69 Chargers.

Back to youtube and the torrents for the true grit.