The Grand Tour

[MR E30 325is]

Overall impression after two episodes is slightly above "meh" but I will wait and see what the 3rd episode brings in. Even having the E30s spinning in this episode was just ok

Exact same boat for me. Was not overly impressed, and the military training stuff was laughable to say the least.

Definitely not enough car stuff in the episode.

And I am not a fan of Mike Skinner.

Hopefully episode three is better.

[Stanley Rockafella]

Remind me never go to S.Africa

FTFY

trust me, I'm from there and would never visit again

Oh and Grand Tour is lame, getting worse with each progressive episode. It's just a warmed over version of stale Top Gear. Jokes are just as ho-hum as they were on Top Gear

[jdt10768]

The whole military "Shave the Queen" thing dragged on forever, ugh - boring
But I will give it a few more chances

all in all: 6.25/10

[Mr. Burns]

I feel this is what happens when you give Clarkson full control.
they're flexing the budget and getting away from the meat and potatoes of the show.

god I miss when they were given a budget to buy a shitty car and have adventures with them...THAT'S the kind of show I was really looking forward to seeing again.

Shooting up stuff, saving the queen, a barebones review of an Audi S8 isn't cutting it for me.

[Jb325is]

I just watched the 2nd episode and it was not good, IMO. I enjoyed the Vulcan test, but it was pretty short and the rest of the episode was mindless drivel. I don't watch much TV, but if I really having nothing else to do I think I'll just stick to watching Chris Harris or old F1Archives videos... I didn't watch the re-vamped British Top Gear but I can't imagine it being any worse than the 2nd episode of Grand Tour, regardless of who is hosting.

[squidmaster]

I thought this show was going to be about cars? And Clarkson has passed from entertaining jerkass, to bumbling tallywag dipwad (am I just making words up?)

[redsubdivisions]

I thought this show was going to be about cars? And Clarkson has passed from entertaining jerkass, to bumbling tallywag dipwad (am I just making words up?)

That's the British way of doing things; invent words that sound proper but borderline insulting. lol

[ST1G]

Someone on the GT sub reddit said they were at the live filming of a episode coming up and that it gets better, and the second episode was not like the episode they were a part of. Hopefully it gets better.

I wasn't very impressed with the military bit either. It went on and on. If it was maybe 4 minutes it would have been fine, but it took like 20 minutes.

I do love their new test track and driver though. I liked episode one a lot.

[twiggletwaggle]

god I miss when they were given a budget to buy a shitty car and have adventures with them...THAT'S the kind of show I was really looking forward to seeing again.

This. The absolute best part of TG was the "buy three cars for X amount of money and partake in hooliganism" segments. The car reviews were wonderful too and satiated my "car guy" appetite, but what gets me to re-watch the seasons over and over are the three car challenge bits.

And yes, the 2nd episode was pretty lame...I was cringing when the military bit kept dragging on and on. It was like watching a stand-up comedian bomb hard for 20 minutes.

[DEV0 E30]

I got excited with the second episode intro, I thought it was going to show an overland special featuring the three vehicles in the beginning - traveling through South Africa. Sadly that wasn't the case. Need more crazy specials. We have to remember that not every TG episode was an awesome special... but we could use some more Grand Touring, when the show is called Grand Tour. As long as they bring in more GTing, it'll even out I think. Rehashing of jokes not about cars over and over isn't a good precedent, hopefully that fades away.

[HennaE30]

I watched the first episode over the break, but have yet to watch the second episode. I feel the first episode was a bit cheesy, but still funny because the three of them together is just going to be hilarious regardless.

Has anyone watched Chris Harris On Cars? I watched the first season of it and really enjoyed it. Chris Harris is a very educated and talented driver, and his insight on the cars he tests are very well structured, and i feel, on point.

I think The Grand Tour will find its flow after awhile, and it'll be pure comedy and cars we've come to expect from the three.

[E30 Wagen]

So far I'm not enjoying it. It just hurt watching those e30s get beat on, that "spinning" crap is so dumb.

I'd much rather watch Chris Harris review cars. I'm also enjoying some of the /Drive features such as that tuner contest and especially the "Inside Koenigsegg" episodes.

[Aleman]

So far I'm not enjoying it. It just hurt watching those e30s get beat on, that "spinning" crap is so dumb.

Yeah don't they have some old Miatas to beat on instead?



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[Nader393]

Finally got through Episode 2. Here's what I remember:

Watching Clarkson's drawn-out death scene was pretty okay. I don't mind watching him die. Slowly.

They brought in a South African home-made Mercedes race car, and didn't even pop the hood (?!).

They spent more time sitting around a table blabbing about stuff I've already forgotten.

Clarkson called an Aston Martin with flappy paddles, roll cage, giant wing, and swathed in carbon fiber: "Old Time Rock-n-Roll." He left it in neutral and was surprised that it rolled backward with his foot off the brake.

Here's the real Mike Skinner from a few years back:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsqQds8gRs4

Not such a redneck, huh? He's from California, BTW.

The e30 segment was unfortunate.

My opinion is that they've simply aged themselves out of really fun, enthusiastic car activities and reviews. Years of wealth, entitlement, and comfort will accelerate the process. Think Baby Boomers. I'm Gen-X, and I already feel it happening to me...

I think this is the best that the trio has to offer, as they're trying to attract viewers. I predict you'll be viewing more of the same type of content.

Agree that the new Top Gear will be more refined and more appreciated.

[djjerme]

Finally got a chance to watch the last episode last night with the wife..

Truth be told, she watches Top Gear a lot more than me (I know, I know, what's her deal? Right?)

:)

But we both agreed, it wasn't THAT bad of an episode. It still felt like a Top Gear Episode with the flow and production. Sure, some of it was a little weak, and maybe the military thing could have been cut down a bit, but there was still some fun to be had.

Stuff I liked:
-The track corner names still make me giggle for stupid, childish reasons
-The parts of the military training where they had to keep doing stuff over and over. I don't know why, but to me I thought it was funny that they had to keep "acting" like they were in great peril each time..
-The fact James kept killing or trying to convince the Queen to change.
-Mike Skinner. I like the act, it makes me laugh.
-Hey, there were E30's at least, yeah, they treated them like sh*t, but at least it was airtime.
-The intro. I really liked the short, quick intro. Once they get the show dialed in, I think it will make more sense.

What I thought needed improvement:

-The Celebrity Brain Drain segment. I think it was a test, and I would be really surprised if it showed up next week. The joke kinda died on the vine.
-Editing. I still see some segments that could be edited a little tighter, but then that would require more content. (Maybe give them a chance to bring back the "Cool Wall?")
-The Spinning bit seemed very tacked on. It seemed like there could have been more to it that maybe got cut? It was just like "Here's James May with some Hooligans, it's so wacky.."
-Seriously, lose the Goatee Hammond. It's not 2002 anymore.

Probably the most frustrating thing for me, was knowning that one of those E30's used in the Spinning could very well have been a 333i or 325iS Evo's.. Both models that are next to unobtanium now. :(