Top Gear / The Grand Tour

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A man stayed-put
Joined: Thu Sep 23, 2010 9:21 am

Re: Let them eat cake ...

#76 Post by A man stayed-put » Sat Dec 03, 2011 9:22 am

TMDaines wrote:
Lemmy Caution wrote:Calling for the murder of political protesters and then laughing it off deserves condemnation in my book. Just an awful thing to say in public.
:roll:

Jesus Christ, it's a figure of speech. He didn't call for anyone to be shot. This isn't China.

Clearly both he and I overestimated how many people have a decent grasp of the English language and realise just how much of it is made up of idioms, metaphors and figures of speech.
I was disappointed with a film i watched the other day. Everybody who worked on it should be executed in front of their families.
I look forward to using this figure of speech more often.

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TMDaines
Joined: Wed Nov 11, 2009 1:01 pm
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Re: Let them eat cake ...

#77 Post by TMDaines » Sat Dec 03, 2011 9:26 am

A man stayed-put wrote:
TMDaines wrote:
Lemmy Caution wrote:Calling for the murder of political protesters and then laughing it off deserves condemnation in my book. Just an awful thing to say in public.
:roll:

Jesus Christ, it's a figure of speech. He didn't call for anyone to be shot. This isn't China.

Clearly both he and I overestimated how many people have a decent grasp of the English language and realise just how much of it is made up of idioms, metaphors and figures of speech.
I was disappointed with a film i watched the other day. Everybody who worked on it should be executed in front of their families.
I look forward to using this figure of speech more often.
Sure. If you want to be pedantic and sound like you have a bad grasp of English, go ahead.

Just google the quote and you'll see the wide range of articles it has been used in.

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A man stayed-put
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Re: Top Gear

#78 Post by A man stayed-put » Sat Dec 03, 2011 9:38 am

I'm not disputing that 'taken outside and shot' is used as a figure of speech. I am saying that the addition of the 'executed in front of their families' comment is not just a figure of speech and clearly quite a few people have found it distasteful. You seem to be something of a Clarkson fan and i think our differences stem from this.
Anyway, I hope the storm, whether you see it as justified or not, results in some self-reflection on his part.

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TMDaines
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Re: Top Gear

#79 Post by TMDaines » Sat Dec 03, 2011 10:17 am

A man stayed-put wrote:I'm not disputing that 'taken outside and shot' is used as a figure of speech. I am saying that the addition of the 'executed in front of their families' comment is not just a figure of speech and clearly quite a few people have found it distasteful. You seem to be something of a Clarkson fan and i think our differences stem from this.
Anyway, I hope the storm, whether you see it as justified or not, results in some self-reflection on his part.
Meh, a fan? I think Top Gear is a great TV show but that's about all. It's not as if I watch the show religiously though either.

You're probably right about the distaste but the comments being replayed completely out of context (without the previous lead up to the satirical point about balanced views on the BBC) on every TV station is what has done the damage. Furthermore if the presenters had acknowledged the farcical joke, which it clearly was, instead of doing the typical BBC thing of living in fear of offending anyone ever, then this wouldn't have even beem a news story. The way it has been spun is like he said people should literally have been shot, but anyone who watched the show would have seen this clearly wasn't the case. It was simply a farcical statement about balance on the BBC, and, moreover, he actually thought the protests were great: if only for selfish reasons!

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A man stayed-put
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Re: Top Gear

#80 Post by A man stayed-put » Sat Dec 03, 2011 10:40 am

I do see your point about the balance aspect and it does seem that was the joke he was trying to make. It's the way he expressed it that was the problem, along with it being said at a time of general hostility against the public sector (which has been enthusiastically propagated by the government and media).
Just a stupid thing to say at the time and the comments regarding suicide in his column this week display the same level of bone-headedness.

Napoleon
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 6:55 am

Re: Let them eat cake ...

#81 Post by Napoleon » Mon Dec 05, 2011 7:31 am

Lemmy Caution wrote:Calling for the murder of political protesters and then laughing it off deserves condemnation in my book. Just an awful thing to say in public. You can lamely try to re-contextualise it to sporting events (where it still seems pretty inappropriate, but the hyperbole is at least clear). But there has been a history of violence against the labour movement, and people protesting their gov't are being shot and beaten these days (in countries the Brits used to control), and even peaceful US protesters being pepper sprayed and tear gassed and arrested.
Talk about taking the ball and running with it! Are you sure that Clarkson didn't also make a veiled reference to bringing back the gas chambers while you are at it?

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matrixschmatrix
Joined: Tue May 25, 2010 11:26 pm

Re: Top Gear

#82 Post by matrixschmatrix » Mon Dec 05, 2011 9:17 am

Yeah, how dare you compare a call for protesting workers to be shot to violence against the labor movement

Napoleon
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Re: Top Gear

#83 Post by Napoleon » Mon Dec 05, 2011 11:21 am

Ha ha! Comparisons between modern day British public sector workers and the labour movement are so tenuous that you invite ridicule.

Deary me. I'll be chuckling about that all day now.

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Re: Top Gear

#84 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Sat Dec 17, 2011 11:14 pm

It was a boneheaded thing to say, but that's his shtick. If you're not familiar with it and his work, and take that quote at face value, of course it's going to piss a few people off. The part about the families sounds like a textbook embellishment to an insult you'd hear him say on the show. As I've said before, I can sit fine and easy with his rhetoric (if you even want to call it that, it may very well just be shtick) compared to our conservative TV personalities* who have no sense of humor (or worse, people like Glenn Beck who think they're funny) and say things like this on a daily basis with no humor whatsoever.

*I read somewhere that during an interview with the hosts of the American version of the show on Fox News, the interviewer stated that Jeremy Clarkson hated America. So think about that, that even the other side takes the more outrageous things he says to heart.

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Re: Top Gear

#85 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Thu Dec 29, 2011 11:24 pm

I have mostly mixed feelings about last night's India special, it was entertaining and thrilling in spots but I know I would have enjoyed it more if it were a simple race, like last year's specials. I also felt it was a bit rushed, despite being the longest episode of the show to date (nearly 90 minutes).

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TMDaines
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Re: Top Gear

#86 Post by TMDaines » Fri Dec 30, 2011 5:12 pm

Yep, I agree. I watched it with the missus earlier and I think we both felt the same. It was probably the weakest of their specials so far for me. It's usually the interaction with the locals that makes the Top Gear specials great and this didn't have too much of that. The cricket thing was cool but the rest of it consisted of ten Indians staring with blank faces, not understanding a word they were saying. It was by no means bad though, just a little dull at times.

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Re: Top Gear

#87 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Tue Jan 24, 2012 5:28 pm

Season 18 tease, looks like Hammond is going into directing now.

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Re: Top Gear

#88 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Sat Jan 28, 2012 1:05 am

An extended look at the new season (or series), starting Sunday.

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Re: Top Gear

#89 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Sun Jan 29, 2012 8:44 pm

Tonight's episode was a solid 10, and miles away from the problematic India special. Got my fingers crossed the rest of the season will be able to match up.

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Re: Top Gear

#90 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Sun Feb 26, 2012 11:09 pm

Tonight's show was okay, highlighted by a fascinating film about the history of Saab, as it's finally gone out of business. James and Jeremy seemed quite moved by the end of it.

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Minkin
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Re: Top Gear

#91 Post by Minkin » Thu Aug 23, 2012 2:10 am

No, there isn't a new season about to air (that won't be until the end of 2012, since there won't be a summer series this year).

But, I was wondering if anybody knew about the Top Gear season releases (Blu ray) in the US - whether they are the full, unedited versions, or the BBC America cuts (commercial breaks). I had heard that the earlier DVD seasons were just the BBC America edits (thus missing the news section and other portions of the episode) - and I thus refuse to purchase any of them unless they are unedited (I'm surprised they've never been released in the UK). I can't seem to find this information anywhere online (regarding the Blu ray releases), so some help would be lovely.

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Re: Top Gear

#92 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Thu Aug 23, 2012 5:53 am

I believe they are edited for Blu-ray. As much as I love the show and WOULD buy the uncut show, sadly it isn't the case for whatever reason. And why I stick with FinalGear.com for the source.

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Minkin
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Re: Top Gear

#93 Post by Minkin » Wed Aug 29, 2012 12:39 am

flyonthewall2983 wrote:I believe they are edited for Blu-ray. As much as I love the show and WOULD buy the uncut show, sadly it isn't the case for whatever reason. And why I stick with FinalGear.com for the source.
Well, I just saw this review on Amazon:
Still has great content and looks great in HD. It is a bit short though, only seven episodes, but they are 59 minutes each unlike in the U.S. where an hour show is only 42 min. Definitely worth the money.
So, I went ahead and purchased Season 15 Blu as part of the BN sale today, and to my great surprise, the episodes play for the full hour -so not BBC America edit!

I think what happened: Season 10 was released on DVD and they did a terrible job with it, and only had 42-45 minute edits of the episodes. Season 11 and 12 were apparently better, but still trimmed the episodes to 55 minutes. I think all of the Blurays are therefore completely full (except for Season 15, which is missing the entire Senna tribute - since it included so much copyrighted footage - that they weren't able to get the license for home media). Regardless, all of the Bluray seasons should be fine then. They also include the specials and some bonus content (which I've seen online - like bloopers and extra footage - although I just noticed that they are missing the Poland race with the German cars).

One annoying thing though, it looks like these might not have sold very well, since season 18 was released on DVD only - and without any Bluray being forthcoming. I blame the initial mixup they brought upon themselves with the season 10-12 dvd sets, as I would have otherwise bought these in a heartbeat. Since they appear to be fine and the full episodes, all Top Gear fans should indulge.

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Re: Top Gear

#94 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Sun Oct 14, 2012 3:58 pm

The next season won't start until January, but there is going to be a special hosted by Hammond on the cars featured in the James Bond movies coming out soon, for both the 50th anniversary and the release of Skyfall.

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Re: Top Gear

#95 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Mon Jan 28, 2013 9:31 am

Last night's episode is up on FinalGear.com, and is on BBC America next Monday.

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Re: Top Gear

#96 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Mon Jun 24, 2013 4:50 pm


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Minkin
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Re: Top Gear

#97 Post by Minkin » Mon Jun 24, 2013 7:28 pm

flyonthewall2983 wrote:Season 20 teaser
Excellent! After last year's schedule, I completely forgot that they did a winter and summer series.
Looks like it starts this Sunday (June 30th). Can't wait!

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Re: Top Gear

#98 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Wed Jul 31, 2013 2:48 am


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Re: Top Gear

#99 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Thu Jan 23, 2014 3:56 am


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Re: Top Gear

#100 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Tue Feb 11, 2014 10:25 am

The first two episodes have been good so far. And this interview with Andy Wilman ups my expectations quite a bit now.

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