Top Gear Australia

The original UK Topgear took a bit of time to find its feet, the first season was very little like it would later become. In season 2 they dumped the big guy who did the used car prices bit, (few even remember him) over a couple of seasons it evolved, the last few seasons (with the original hosts) continued to evolve. Till the BBC killed the golden goose, firing Clarkson led to the other two hosts leaving as well as the producer/creator. The UK version floundered after that with a string of hosts trying to keep it alive. There where also German, French, Italian, Chinese, Korean, Russian and American versions most, only lasting a season or two with the American version lasting longer than most, but still just a pale copy of the original.

The Australian version floundered from the start, a couple of seasons on SBS Australia, replacing most of the cast each season, then channel 9 had a go but despite putting in a lot more money even importing the UK hosts for the pilot with just 4 episodes in that first season, 9's second season was just 6 episodes, then they cancelled it.

Then a 12 year gap to the current version, now on it's 3rd host (Paramount+), coming out the same year as the BBC finally cancelled the original version, this new version is just the same tired old copy of what the original was doing at it's peak well over a decade ago, now in fact it's also going to air on free to air network 10, which will come as great news to anyone who actually paid to see it on Paramount+. With the ending of the Grand Tour (also really just Topgear) this year, the Australian version is now the last version of the show, and sadly doesn't look like it will last long either. With the drastic changes coming to the car industry over the next few years, you would think someone could come up with an original idea for a car show.

I've stuck to the CHM era of Top Gear pretty much my whole life, thinking every other variation or era of the show simply wasn't good. True for the most part, but after giving the 2024 reboot of Top Gear Australia a chance, I'd say it comes fairly close to the old Top Gear we love. That's not to say it's perfect, it still has some faults, but for what it is it's pretty entertaining. My only real complaint so far is how the humour is sometimes, not all of the time, a little forced feeling. But not every joke comes off that way, so it doesn't derail the program like some of the Evans era humour does.

I don't think Top Gear Australia can serve as a full replacement for classic TG. That show was unbeatable lightning in a bottle. But as a new, fresh edition of an old format, it's pretty alright. Fun to watch alongside the oldies or for something a little different.

Gad, what an abomination. They hold an open casting call, creating the impression they're actually looking for good presenters, and instead they overlook all presenting ability and go for 3 dreary motoring columnists with all the wit and charm of Peter Lorre and all the dashing good looks of George Formby. Where was the humour? All we got was three ill-at-ease middle aged twits with no personality hooning around on some sand dunes, pretending to enjoy themselves and guffawing hysterically at every whimsical comment. How about Charlie explaining the technical details of a car's transmission by doodling a diagram in the dirt? I mean really, does your average Top Gear fan give a Peter Luck how the car works? And what exactly was the point of the shark stunt, and what did it have to do with cars?? About the only joke I can recall from the entire show was some nauseatingly unfunny quip about Victoria Police "busting a cap in someone's ass", which was followed by a round of self-congratulation and an appeal to the bemused audience for applause. Oh and of course there was the obligatory attempt to imitate some of Clarkson's outspokenness, by taking a cheap and unfunny shot at the government over their luxury car tax.

Maybe if they'd tried to do something a bit different, rather than just imitating all the personality traits of the original hosts, it might not have looked so bad. As it is, they look like really bad Cliff Richard impersonators in an Elvis impersonator's competition. The bloke who plays Richard Hammond, Steve Pizzati, got on my nerves too. I can only imagine how grating that whiny soprano and irritating cackle will be by the end of the series.

I was actually considering auditioning for the James May role when they had the casting call, but I wouldn't have gotten it as I'm way too funny.

I'm sure the BBC execs are sharpening their axe as I type. It's rather amusing that the only original segment was titled What Were They Thinking, as it summed up my reaction to the BBC's decision to commission this steaming pile.

The presenters are just not funny. The main guy is OK but the other two are just terrible. They they speak they try way to hard to be cool as if they are better than the UK crew. They are horribly wrong. The worst thing about them is that they THINK they are funny. They laugh at the littlest things they do. While the rest of us are sitting there with our pet crickets.

Now on to the show itself, too much budget went into this show you can tell by the way the presenters do the test driving and challenges. Every time they do the doughnut burning those tires it makes me want to weep. Every time they crash a nice new car into something, my heart tightens. They have absolutely no respect for the cars they drive.

AND They almost always use new cars in their challenges which IMO is stupid. 80% of my love for Top Gear IS their old junk challenges. Top Gear Australia is a huge disappointment. Major modifications needed.

My review is based on TG Australia First Season.

With great expectation I awaited the arrival of our home grown version of a wonderfully entertaining programme. Lo and behold what we got was a gallingly scripted piece of bile. Sure looking at cars that we can purchase here was interesting, prob more so than the exotic versions tested by the English counterpart, there however ended the enjoyment. Where did they dredge these presenters (well two of them anyway) up from, Charlie COOK, the Jeremy wannabe, without any presence, any semblance of humor, quite frankly he would be better suited to hosting one of those makeup shows gracing our screens mid morning. Steve Pizzati is immensely annoying, and dare I say it, that is prob his most redeeming feature. He constantly clamors for camera time, interrupting the others with feeble attempts at humor, then having the audacity to laugh at the unfunniest of unfunny jokes. Is that whining voice of his natural, surely not. I found Warren to be the most likable of these characters, shark stunt aside. On the face of it he appears to be the only candidate available with an ability to ad-lib. I can only hope that when a pecking order is established within this trio that they can then stop competing with each other. "What were they thinking" is original, and prob should be explored further on the programme. I know it is early days and I sincerely hope that these issues are addressed, if not this show could be destined for the "also rans" bin very quickly, a shame given the lack of a decent motoring show in this country since the halcyon days of "Torque" with Peter Wherret