With the cancellation of Stargate Atlantis the slot for my favorite TV in the world was up for grabs. However I recently discovered the best show on TV, British TV.
Top Gear
Now I know what your thinking, me and a motoring show? Yes, I know it’s strange, but I will give you four reasons to watch.
1) The Hosts – Not since Bond has being British looked so cool.
Jeremy Clarkson – Speed freak
Frequently known for his unusual car reviews like outrunning baddies in a Corvette inside a shopping mall and mounting a beach assault with the Royal Marines in a Ford Fiesta. He is also known for his hatred of the electric or hybrid cars and his love of speed and power. If you think speed cameras are a good idea and you see Jeremy coming, run.
Richard Hammond- “Hamster”
Known for (at least in my opinion) for being the most level headed and practical of the trio. Recently he was referred to as a “Secret American” for his love of American muscle cars. It should also be mentioned that he recently almost died in a jet car crash, but returned to continue working on Top Gear. Now that is loving what you do.
James May – “Captain Slow”
James is the nerdiest of the bunch. He frequently thinks style, technology, innovation and luxury trump speed and horsepower. It is obvious he is an avid history buff as he seems to know many seemingly insignificant details about every car he tests, as well as the history of the brand. Just don’t get him started on the war. Or the Germans. How nerdy is James May? He calculated how many revelations his Porsche made in 20 years and keeps a brush in his Fiat Panda so he can brush the dust out of his dash. Naturally, I almost always agree with him.
The Stig – “Tame racing driver”/ International man of mystery
The identity of “The Stig” is a mystery. Every week after doing a review of a car it is handed over to the Stig for a high speed lap on the Top Gear test track. He has raced everything from a Bugatti Veyron and formula 1 cars to small Fords and Fiats.
2) The Races – Cars vs. Trains, Plains, Boats and Athletes.
Top Gear is known for it’s epic races such as racing a dog team to the north pole in a Toyota pickup and the Aston Martin DB9 vs the TGV 200 mph super train. To date, they are the only group in the world to drive to the north pole. They also raced the Nissan GT-R against the 188 mph Shinkansen bullet train in Japan. For a list of Top Gear races click here.
3) The challenges – Can you cross the british channel in amphibious cars you made yourself?
It’s Motor Trend meets Mythbusters. Some of the challenges include, Helecopter gunship evasion in a Lotus Exige, Can you turn a Reliant Robin into a space shuttle? (not kidding), Can you build your own amphibious car? and Can you drive a £1,500 two-wheel drive car across Africa? Here is a list of the challenges.
4) The Appreciation – They truly love the automobile.
I have always loved computers because I always loved how a single (sometimes incredibly simple) idea could change the world. It is obvious that they feel the same way about the car. The show has a real appreciation for science and engineering just below the surface. Sure, on the surface this show appears as a macho speed freaks only display of sheer testosterone. However I think this is Discovery Channel level stuff. Every so often this appreciation sneaks out. Don’t believe me? Watch this:
In conclusion, this is a fantastic show and you would be doing yourself a favor to at least give one episode a try. It’s available on BBC America in the states or you can go to FinalGear.com to find more ways to watch.
-TachyonXero
