NBC is considering Jay Leno or Jerry Seinfeld for the host of the American version of Top Gear. I don't think either of these guys are good options. I don't think that anyone is going to be good as Jeremy, The Hamster and Captain Slow.

Discuss.

 

Agreed, and there's no way NBC will allow half of the antics those guys get up to let alone the verbal and physical bashing and trashing of many cars. Even 5th Gear can't compete.

 

I'm more concerned with the format than with the personalities. If the show is supposed to be politically correct, the TG hosts themselves won't be able to save it. If it's allowed to be incorrect, then all it needs is someone entertaining. Jay would be fine. I'm not a big Seinfeld fan, but how about Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs?

 

Mike Rowe... interesting!

What about Steve Matchett?

 

should be Tim the Tool Man Taylor IMO.

 

It would not be Top Gear without Clarkson, Hammond and May.

Anyone can talk about cars, but no one can recreate the magic of TG and the chemistry these three create. Fifth Gear is one example, as is the first season of TG; no show has ever come close to creating the same phenomenon as Top Gear. A U.S. version would be a fine car show, but never Top Gear.

 

That guy with the red hair from Street tuner challenge would be neat

 

Come on now, we could replace Captain Slow with just about anyone and it would be an improvement.

 

honestly american humor is quite lame.... those guys are genius's. they should just get airing rights and show it on american networks. There isn't a show that will have that style, and that history... (5th gear = not quite the same as top gear )

REPLY TO guy above me:
HONESTLY.. you can't replace captain slow...He's the OG!

 

Most Americans wouldn't get it and therefore it would bomb. Plus, the first time Jeremy let loose one anti-American jab, most folks would change channels. It's hilarious to those of us who are petrol heads, but just how many folks is that.

Dunno what OG is, but he's definitely a straightman, tho Richard does fulfill that role too. I don't see that Jeremy really needs two foils. Plus, if you want to provide someone for them to poke at, they should find a tree-hugger. That would be amusing...

 

I think people need to stop comparing something that doesn't yet exist to something it will not be. These shows are works of art, during season 9 the show received a lot more attention and press but the producers also played more into the ratings and many of those episodes suffered.

If it can be made it's own work of art that plays to entertainment, beautiful photography and cool cars (and can teach the masses what a corner is!) then it can beat out anything made for US market, and I'd watch it. Doesn't mean I'll stop watching the UK TG every Sunday night (usually beating the timezone shift)

"Permission to say c***"

 

hmm...guys you can watch Top Gear on the BBC Channel. As far as Seinfeld or Leno doing a US version, well that sounds really lame. I can't see Jay saying something bad about an american car along the line of "rubbish car", crappy interiors, or "I would'nt even buy this car for my Mother in Law"...ouch!
That kind of joke won't fly in "conservative america".
Solution: Just get yourself the BBC channel and enjoy the real deal!!!
= )

 

Top Gear should not be replicated. They are unique in their own way. A copy show would not compare.

 

Except the version that the BBC shows is edited to fit the time constraints and also to take out some of the more offensive pieces.

I've been a TG fan since Angela Rippon presented it Clarkson was pretty fundamental to making the show what it has become now and is almost a caricature of himself nowadays.

I really cannot see how copying the format could begin to be successful, because the format has evolved over the past 30 years and will continue to evolve I presume.

 

Unless you get the real BBC (do the cable and Sat companies offer it I haven't checked) and not the BBCAmericaJunk that shows it a season late and chopped up. I also know one of our club members is in the business of setting up cable box and DVR in the UK then allowing you to control them and watch your shows online.

 

You can also download the shows via your favorite p2p filesharing application. That gets you the true BBC broadcast.

 

Very true, that's the venue the majority of us get it, but the BBC is very different from BBC-A and not all of the programming is availible in p2p form

 

I frankly don't care if the presenters are funny. Jay Leno sure hasn't been for about 15 years.

It would be nice to have a car show where they don't recommend every car. That was what attracted me to Top Gear, they would compare cars, and actually PICK ONE! Just about every other car review show ends up being a watered down commercial that really does not tell you much.

I'm not holding my breath.

 

I definately think Tim Allen would be a better host than leno or seinfeld.

 

Have they said when the show is going to air, and on what channel?

 

BBC usually plays Top Gear on Monday evenings... I got my DVR set up to snag them automatically The new show? I have no idea.

 

In short, like all show ideas we rob from the Brits, it will SUCK.

 

Come now. It's not just the ones that we steal from the Brits. It's the entire process of dumbing down any concept to give it broad appeal. It would take caviar and turn it into bland oatmeal.

 

Tim Allen, Mike Rowe, and Kari Byron

 

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