[Seth_Horwitz]

NBC Orders Pilot Episode of BBC Television Series `Top Gear'

By Rob Golum
Jan. 15 (Bloomberg) -- NBC ordered a pilot episode of the
``Top Gear'' television series from BBC Worldwide America, a
show featuring super-cars, stunts and celebrity guests.
The series, which began in 1977, is consistently BBC Two's
most-watched program in the U.K. The show reaches more than 150
million households globally and made its U.S. debut on BBC
America in 2007, NBC, owned by General Electric Co., said today
in an e-mailed statement.

[oc24]

Sounds great.

[E90SLAM]

So its actually the Re-runs that we alreadyd downloaded???

Man..the screen-writer strike is really hitting the primetime hours...

[Couch]

Is this original Top Gear, or is this an Americanized version which has been rumored for years now?

[Game_Dev]

SWEET! I love this show. Hopefully it starts at 8PM so I can get home from work in time to see it.

[billspreston]

Sweet, hopefully we Americans don't fuck it up!

[noro]

Originally Posted by E90SLAM

Man..the screen-writer strike is really hitting the primetime hours...

I for one am not at all disappointed with this strike. Networks will have to go back to showing movies and educational shows that don't really require "writing" . Air-time will be less filled with junk... like shows about swapping wifes, cheating partners and fake reality BS.

[Stinger]

NBC will screw it up. Why? Look at the difference between the BBC The Office and the NBC The Office shows. The brits just have a more biting whit that just won't carry over to Americanized version.

American reviews are also too kiss @ss. The minute they start trashing a particular car, the advertisers and manufactures will not be so apt to give the show another vehicle to review.

Casting is of course a huge obstacle too. Who is going to play the token Brit?

Here are my guesses:
1.) Hugh Laurie from the show House (just the right mix of sarcasm)
2.) Ricky Gervais (his show Extras just ended, plenty of free time but a weak candidate though already affiliated with NBC.)
3.) Ewan McGregor (could play the Richard Hammond role, but will he do TV?)

Anyway, I'm seriously not against another automotive show and I'm sure I'll watch. But just like any copy it will probably disappoint from the original yet it is still better than most of the crap on TV and surely can't be any worse than MotorWeak.

[dth656]

i too predict that it will be horrible; although i really like the BBC version... i dont think much of jeremy clarkson's anti-american humor will be popular here.

[Game_Dev]

Did you guys see the Top Gear featuring the Bugatti Veyron? Man that was exciting just to watch it. I want a Veyron but need to win the lottery.

[JackMac]

I'm confused by the post. Is the a re-broadcast of the BBC programs, or a US clone version (like they tried last year but went nowhere)?

I receive BBC America, so I get the shows on TV now (rather than download).

The show is too politically incorrect for the US market in it's current form, no?

edit: Nevermind, it is a US version remake by NBC. Great, f*cking Mustangs and Camaros. Maybe even electric cars, since NBC is owned by GE.

[sparkyg]

Top Gear is awesome. Good laughs and really for car lovers.

Who cares if there are shots against the US, everyone takes shots at the US. It is a worldwide past time.

Top economy, best miltary, highest foreign policy visibility, kind of unavoidable.

Nov/08 things will change, it can only get better. Kinda hit bottom now.

[e90fanatic]

yea but its remade...not going to be the same

[AWD Addict]

Hopefully we just get simulcast of the brits version.

While the British "Office" was really good, I actually really like our version.

And as far as the writer's strike goes, F THEM. I hope the networks let them starve before they cave into this bullshit hijack.

[billspreston]

Originally Posted by AWD Addict

Hopefully we just get simulcast of the brits version.

While the British "Office" was really good, I actually really like our version.

And as far as the writer's strike goes, F THEM. I hope the networks let them starve before they cave into this bullshit hijack.

Do you have any clue what you are talking about? You are siding with the networks on this strike? Writers are the driving force behind all TV shows & Films and they are constantly taken advantage of and manipulated. How would you feel if you did all the work while some douchebag network exec rakes all the profits. I'm not sure if you guys have noticed, but the quality of all modern media content (music, movies, television) has been declining at an alarmingly rapid rate due to all these massive corporations.

[MTV]

Sick. Now I'll finally be able to watch it!

[bud001]

It will be beyond awful. The show would not be allowed to bash American cars (UAW picket, anyone?) and the stunts would become cartoonish and uninteresting. One of the things about the stunts was that the UK guys actually do it themselves but i am guessing the presenters in the US show would just read off the teleprompter.

[SteveMD]

Top Gear (in its present format since 2000 ish) is required viewing for anyone who considers themselves a car enthusiast.

Having said that, a US version just will not work. The BBC version has no commercial breaks, no stupid sponsorships and of course they have Jeremy, Hamster and James May.

Unless Jeremy and at least one of the other two do the show with a token Yank, IT WILL SUCK!

Go to www.finalgear.com for torrents of all the shows including the current series.

[Neurorad]

Know any car fanatic personalities that would make a good host?

I think it would have to be a 'nobody' to make it edgy enough.

I'm guessing it will suck, whomever they pick. Any well-knowns would avoid it.

[Gen_E92]

[In Clarkson's voice] Those damn Americans are too stupid to make the show any good. [In Clarkson's voice]

Not saying that's my personal view, but not denying either

[AWD Addict]

Originally Posted by billspreston

Do you have any clue what you are talking about? You are siding with the networks on this strike? Writers are the driving force behind all TV shows & Films and they are constantly taken advantage of and manipulated. How would you feel if you did all the work while some douchebag network exec rakes all the profits. I'm not sure if you guys have noticed, but the quality of all modern media content (music, movies, television) has been declining at an alarmingly rapid rate due to all these massive corporations.

Guerrilla negotiation tactics FTL.

[UltimateBMW]

Some bits might be a repost, but I think its paints a nice picture.
Source: www.finalgear.com

NBC has ordered a pilot for “Gear”, an American version of Top Gear, that will be officially announced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit (January 19-27).

I really hope they don't mess up how the Stig is portrayed. American remakes often lack the charm and appeal of the foreign originals, especially in television with the unnecessary suspense, censorship, and dumbing down of content. I also hope the reviews remain objective and its not just a elaborate 60 minute car commercial. They need to bash cars that have things wrong, not be positive to everything on 4 wheels like Fifth Gear.

Jay Leno might make an 'ok' choice... simply because he owns so many of the cars they might test drive so they won't be confined to only positive reviews by a auto company putting restrictions on their testing of the cars. I also wonder how much of the show would actually be about American cars, because them driving around in Saturn Skyy's and Pontiac Trans Ams would be a bit dull. Alot of the charm in the original version is seeing a car normally well beyond normal reach being thrashed and abused with the presenter laughing evilly while loving every bit of it.