'Top Gear US: Season One'
(Adam Ferrara, Tanner Foust, Rutledge Wood, et al / DVD / NR / 2011 / Warner Bros.)
Overview: Join comedian Adam Ferrera, champion rally and drift racer Tanner Foust and racing analyst Rutledge Wood as they unleash Top Gear and explore the history of America, one lap at a time! Filled with wit and humor, Top Gear brings even more ambitious stunts, extreme challenges, humor and mischief in a series chock-full of high adrenaline action entertainment, car reviews and eccentric adventures.
DVD Verdict: Sorry, but for the majority of hardcore Top Gear fans this show was doomed from the day it was announced. It could never be as good as their beloved UK Top Gear.
Indeed, the US version of the show is pretty much painful to watch! It features a lot of embarrassing and awkward so-called jokes. The show is entertaining but nothing even close to the actual Top Gear; maybe they should have named it something else. And it is really embarrassing how they read their lines and try to laugh at their own jokes. Car comparisons are lame - why would you even compare cars made by the same manufacturer? And in different price ranges?
You really just can't replace James, Jeremy and Richard from the UK show. You simply just cannot. They are some of funniest people on TV. However Adam, Tanner and Rutledge are still solid hosts. Tanner is a professional Rally Car driver and stunt car driver; Rutledge is very funny as he is on Speed Channel's NASCAR coverage; and Adam completes the trio - and, basically just like his co-hosts is funny.
If you have not seen the UK version, you may be able to salvage some enjoyment out of this season. Most who have seen both will declare the UK version far superior. A few people may prefer the US version, but honestly, do yourself a favor and at least check into the UK version.
Celebrity guests take the wheel in the “Big Star, Small Car” segment including astronaut Buzz Aldrin, actors Ty Burrell (Modern Family) and Dominic Monaghan (Lost), musician Bret Michaels and skateboarder Tony Hawk. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Special Features including audio commentary, webisodes and more!
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