- 6,515
- Southampton
- RacingAtHome
That my friends is how it should be. I enjoyed the 45 minutes of them having a car built and trying to get out of the desert. Enjoyable to watch and without 'The American.'
The Amazon Prime Not Topgear Show That From Now On Will Be Called "The Grand Tour"TV
- Thread starter fortbo
- 1,115 comments
- 108,275 views
- 87,561
- Rule 12
- GTP_Famine
That was really boring. Also:
They can't possibly drive up sand dunes and have to find a gap in them before they get swallowed by the sea... which they miraculously find. Then they go and drive up sand dunes.
No food (apart from a solitary fish they caught with a rod from a beach, because of course that happened) or water and barely any sleep for three days but they're all just fine.
More than 60 hours of driving three cars with 40 litre fuel tanks in the middle of nowhere with no access to fuel.
44 minutes of sand and bollocks.
They can't possibly drive up sand dunes and have to find a gap in them before they get swallowed by the sea... which they miraculously find. Then they go and drive up sand dunes.
No food (apart from a solitary fish they caught with a rod from a beach, because of course that happened) or water and barely any sleep for three days but they're all just fine.
More than 60 hours of driving three cars with 40 litre fuel tanks in the middle of nowhere with no access to fuel.
44 minutes of sand and bollocks.
- 4,992
- Nowhere special
- SweetLilPoppet
- SweetLilPoppet
It was an entertaining premise let down by the fact they didn't really do anything. They just drove in the sand....saw a couple of semi-interesting things and......that was about it.
Part 2 looked better from the preview.
I agree that TG was never to be taken seriously but somehow it never felt this obvious it was all a charade. I mean right from the off, nobody was going to believe them when they said "I" built this, then the entire premise of being lost yet somehow they got to the start point just fine.
Part 2 looked better from the preview.
I agree that TG was never to be taken seriously but somehow it never felt this obvious it was all a charade. I mean right from the off, nobody was going to believe them when they said "I" built this, then the entire premise of being lost yet somehow they got to the start point just fine.
- 4,992
- Nowhere special
- SweetLilPoppet
- SweetLilPoppet
- 6,776
- Florida
- gtamann123
Eh, I wanted to believe they were struggling out there and not all is a charade. But too much of it felt convenient, very little "Shock and awe". Though the second part preview looked a bit more promising, nevertheless I am not holding my breath.
Honestly his series just culminated in the effort of how and what the trio and Wilman can do with millions of dollars of budget. Nothing more.
Honestly his series just culminated in the effort of how and what the trio and Wilman can do with millions of dollars of budget. Nothing more.
Another thing that I found odd is that in the past the joke was that it was Hammond who would blame misfires, now it's apparently May.
You mean Mr Wilman? Andy Wilman? Is it Andy Wilman's intention? Sorry, I just can't help notice how he keeps getting namedropped now when it was always just "the producers" before.
Everyone knows what they're doing is always scripted and planned but most of the TG films still had the feeling of a little spontaneity.
You mean Mr Wilman? Andy Wilman? Is it Andy Wilman's intention? Sorry, I just can't help notice how he keeps getting namedropped now when it was always just "the producers" before.
Everyone knows what they're doing is always scripted and planned but most of the TG films still had the feeling of a little spontaneity.
- 87,561
- Rule 12
- GTP_Famine
When writing a good fiction, it's important to ask the consumer to suspend as little disbelief as they can. No food, no water, little sleep and no fuel for four days of driving isn't that. Nor is not being able to drive up sand dunes to get to the sand dunes they were driving over.
They could have easily chucked in some fuel peril skits to break up the monotony of driving over a desert for 40 minutes. There was a little time for fishing, a little time for the faeces mine and the ship, but no space for anything else, because all the driving over sand was so important?
Also noticed that none of them brought more clothes, but Jeremy had two pairs of sunglasses...
- 6,963
- South Africa
...Finally, I've caught up. Avoiding all the spoilers in this thread was no joke. Whew.
On average, I've enjoyed the show so far although there were clear DOAs mixed in there as well, like that Edge of Tomorrow-like film where I kept on yawning throughout the proceedings.
And coincidentally, having seen the teaser for the next year's TG, I'm now doubly interested in how the two of them will compete moving forward. It seemed to me BBC is defo going with the "three dudes arguing and falling over" routine as well.
I'm sitting here rubbing my hands in anticipation....
On average, I've enjoyed the show so far although there were clear DOAs mixed in there as well, like that Edge of Tomorrow-like film where I kept on yawning throughout the proceedings.
And coincidentally, having seen the teaser for the next year's TG, I'm now doubly interested in how the two of them will compete moving forward. It seemed to me BBC is defo going with the "three dudes arguing and falling over" routine as well.
I'm sitting here rubbing my hands in anticipation....
- 12,900
- Cambridge
- Moglet85
- Moglet
Ugh, that was hard to watch. 45 minutes of fairly boring footage of 3 buggies driving about in sand dunes with a weird bit about fishing in. That entire first half could have been condensed down to 10 minutes or less. I understand that it's scripted and it's meant to be that way but they could have at least tried to make it appear like they were going to run out of fuel or something.
As Famine mentioned the bit about not being able to find a gap and then driving up sand dunes 5 minutes later was just plain bad writing.
As Famine mentioned the bit about not being able to find a gap and then driving up sand dunes 5 minutes later was just plain bad writing.
- 6,515
- Southampton
- RacingAtHome
With your complaining, Part 2 is better and an hour.
- 13,827
- Down under
Pt1 was alright in that it had some unscripted parts, but it being more and more the 'Wilman Show' and the horrendous sound dubbing of them "screaming whilst driving down big dune" were negatives. The latter was really jarring.
Would have also been nice if they had said more about that ship in the middle of the desert (which was The Edouard Bohlen for anyone who is interested).
Would have also been nice if they had said more about that ship in the middle of the desert (which was The Edouard Bohlen for anyone who is interested).
LeGeNd-1
Premium
- 7,264
- Australia
- GTP_LeGeNd-1
I quite liked it. I was expecting a totally boring film because it's just sand everywhere and they weren't using beater cars, but it got me chuckling a few times. Certainly the element of danger is scripted and they will never run out of food/water/fuel/sleep (what do you think the camera car is for?), but during the show those thoughts didn't enter my mind, so for me at least the entertainment has achieved its purpose.
For those wondering how the Edouard Bohlen ended up so far inland, I looked it up and apparently the wreck used to lie out in the sea, but the desert migrated out seawards over the years and now it looks like the ship got washed inland by a giant wave.
For those wondering how the Edouard Bohlen ended up so far inland, I looked it up and apparently the wreck used to lie out in the sea, but the desert migrated out seawards over the years and now it looks like the ship got washed inland by a giant wave.
- 15,400
- TRAPPIST-1g
- ProjectWHaT
Overall it was pretty good. Nothing like the classic Top Gear challenges though. I thought the first part was really good. The second half of part two was pretty bad.
- 503
- Germany
- 12,900
- Cambridge
- Moglet85
- Moglet
It would have made for a more interesting episode. On a side note the reactions to people expressing their opinion on part 1 have generally been hilariously OTT. I've expressed how boring I thought it was both on here and other websites and have immediately faced really angry posts from people. It's like we're not allowed to think it's boring just because it's Clarkson, May and Hammond.
The fact is that about half of the 1st episode was spent with the crew re-tracing their own route. It started to pick up by the 2nd half of episode 1, and I've yet to see episode 2 but from the sounds of it I might enjoy it more.
- 15,532
- Cairo, Egypt
- GTP_SEMS
The cinematography is drop dead gorgeous I say wow. It was a bit underwhelming though, nothing really happening, also did people really expect them to sleep under their cars in the desert? 
LeGeNd-1
Premium
- 7,264
- Australia
- GTP_LeGeNd-1
I thought episode 2 was more boring tbh. The whole show was basically just May and Clarkson complaining about the road and breaking down. Also the ending, I would've preferred if all 3 of them makes it instead of the clearly scripted (and predictable) end. Not funny in the slightest. Cinematography is absolutely jaw dropping though. They should do Nat Geo specials when they retire from GT lol.
Joey D
Premium
- 47,504
- Lakes of the North, MI
- GTP_Joey
- GTP Joey
Wasn't the best xmas special they've done but it was enjoyable enough. Namibia is a bucket list place for me and seeing it again on film only made me want to go there even more, except with a Land Cruiser since that would probably work a little better than some buggies.
- 87,561
- Rule 12
- GTP_Famine
- 13,827
- Down under
Apart from the first 15 mins and last 10 mins, I actually didn't mind that episode. The camping shopping also seemed a bit pointless given they used none of it.
- 9,295
- Duisburg
The special was decent overall, but I do agree with @Famine in that they went way over the top with the whole "fake danger and hardship" thing. The bit that stood out most for me was when they "slept under their cars" in the first part. That was just trying way too hard.
I was genuinely happy they didn't mess with Hammond's car, who was, by far, the most reasonable throughout the special (surprisingly).
Heck, I'd actually like to see something like this, just attempted honestly. Without the fake danger, but also with proper preparation instead of messing about. Which isn't very Top Gear / Grand Tour like, but still.
I was genuinely happy they didn't mess with Hammond's car, who was, by far, the most reasonable throughout the special (surprisingly).
Heck, I'd actually like to see something like this, just attempted honestly. Without the fake danger, but also with proper preparation instead of messing about. Which isn't very Top Gear / Grand Tour like, but still.
- 12,900
- Cambridge
- Moglet85
- Moglet
I just finished watching part 2 and enjoyed it much more than part 1. There were some genuinely funny moments, amazing scenery and more interesting driving. The bit about trying to find poachers felt a bit too forced and the ending was a bit cheesy but the rest was great.
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