I’ve made no secret that I’m a car nut. It’s been a problem.
For the past many years, I’ve been enjoying a show from across the pond about cars. Sure, the subject caught my attention, but only because it’s more than just a show about cars. It’s pretty funny, and it’s got a very good production value. Bottom line, it’s entertaining.
If you didn’t already know, the show is called Top Gear, and it’s the most popular show in the UK.
You read that right. A show about cars is the most popular show in Brittan. If it were just about cars, then it would be relegated to weekend programming obscurity.
But this show about cars takes it to a whole new level. Exotic locations. Big celebrities. Cinematic level shooting and editing. Explosions. Lunatic challenges. The illusion of reality TV (we’ll get to that later). Here’s a link to a 60 Minutes story on Top Gear…
So it’s no surprise that the US trying to get the same level of popularity in a television show about cars using similar formulas. There is currently not one, but two efforts are underway at a weekly show centered on the automotive arena. One is a licensed off-shoot of Top Gear aired on the History Channel of all places. The other is the aptly named “The Car Show” aired on the more appropriate Speed Network.
To put it bluntly, the American shows suck so far. Only moderately interesting locations. Minor celebrities (and non-celebrities). Few explosions. So-so challenges. Mediocre production value. They’re only moderately entertaining.
How does Top Gear USA not stack up to the show it was based on? The biggest problems are that it has sub par production value and the hosts have no comparative chemistry. One of the three hosts has no case to be on the show, but he’s always there being a Tony Danza wannabe. I can see how they are trying to re-create the same formula wherever possible, but it just comes off as a sophomoric attempt.
The Car Show is even worse. It has four “co-hosts” and some format changes to make it more US friendly. The problem is the hosts. The main host can’t refrain from making dick and sex jokes all the time. His shtick gets old. The automotive journalist is just soooo stif and not funny despite all his attempts. The ex-NBA star is out of his element. The last guy is good, but he can’t make up for the other shortcomings.
A weird part of this American automotive show duopoly? Adam Corolla, the dick joke co-host of The Car Show, was originally supposed to be a co-host on Top Gear USA in place of the Tony Danza look-alike.
So, how come the US can’t pull off a car show? I have a few theories.
One is just the pure chemistry that the UK cast has. It came about on its own over many years, and not forced. We can’t jump into chemistry like that, and these shows won’t last in this ratings culture.
The second is kind of unfortunate. Top Gear (UK) is scripted. While this fact is itself unfortunate, it’s also how the American shows are. The simple fact is that the scripts for the American shows are boring. There’s no humor that tests the boundaries of humor, political correctness, or automotive journalism.
They either don’t have the budget to try and keep up with the BBC production, or they have mismanaged their budgets into a place where they never will compete.
The bigger part of it has to do with the automotive culture in Europe. Not only is there a much different climate in terms of makes and models, but there are distinct differences in the automotive nature of countries that are only as far away as our states here in America. To be honest, the big three have ruined the basis of the American automotive climate. Our import laws don’t give easy access to so many of the important, economical, truly exotic and captivating cars that are produced outside America.
There’s a reason that F1 is the first or second most popular sport globally.