[SiFi]

Thank God that lot have gone  

Thanks for the venue! Hopefully the neighbours didn't complain too much......

As for the show, I found it totally underwhelming. Almost as if there was a contractural arrangement not to divert from the TGUK script by demonstrating any hint of individual personality by the presenters. The editing of the Porsche and track segments could give susceptible people epilepsy, or be considered subliminal images, such was the shortness of the actual cuts. Almost as if they took 30 seconds of Porsche tassie footage then cut it into five minutes of segment.

It would be nice to say things can only get better, but as it looks like a lot of the location shots have been recorded, I'd imagine they have all been done to a similar formula. 

[flamestone]

Sounds like we're all looking at this in a similar way.

I guess the most important thing for them is that it sounds like we'll all be watching it next week and giving it a chance (despite the Ford vs. Holden rubbish).

[AshSimmonds]

The track - Camden Airport, near Oran Park: http://maps.google.com.au/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=Camden+Airport,+Australia&sll=-33.866665,151.209534&sspn=0.019242,0.019441&ie=UTF8&cd=1&geocode=FTGd-P0dsFf7CA&t=h&ll=-34.038667,150.688348&spn=0.012607,0.019312&z=16&iwloc=addr

[jim501]

Here has got to be one of the worst articles ever written, wonder how this journalist manages to get paid.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=639129

[Aircon]

i quite liked it.

it was just as crap in some places as the original...and good in others.

[SiFi]

A second series is now being planned......


http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24425336-12377,00.html

Idol left in Top Gear's dust

Print By Katherine Field | September 30, 2008

A SECOND series of motoring TV show Top Gear Australia is already in the pipeline after its premiere won over audiences.

About 933,000 viewers around the country watched the debut last night, giving SBS its highest ratings for a locally produced television program ever.

SBS head of TV Matt Campbell admitted he was disappointed not to crack the one million mark, but was still happy with the figures, which were higher than any season premiere of the British original.

"It was always going to be a tough call but to come in better than the UK series is quite an achievement," Mr Campbell said.

A second series is now being planned, he said.

"We're in discussions now. We'd like to roll on, obviously, from a production perspective," Mr Campbell said.

"It's been a big challenge. Series two will be a much better series. It always is because you learn so much in the first one."

Last night's episode featured a guest appearance from Australian actor Vince Colosimo and new cars tested such as the Lotus Elise, Nissan GTR, Porsche 911 PDK.

Despite the fact the series came third in its timeslot behind Seven's Border Security and Nine's US hit Two And a Half Men, media experts applauded it as a success, especially after it beat Australian Idol on Ten.

Leading media buyer Harold Mitchell said "it's got a very strong and large following which will continue" while Vincent O'Donnell from Melbourne's RMIT University said the figures were "really encouraging".

O'Donnell said its success would lay with whether hosts Warren Brown, Charlie Cox and Steve Pizzati could keep differentiating themselves from the British hosts – as well as win over females.

"The test of the Australian program will be, will it repeat the success of the British program of getting a large female demographic, because in this case, Australian automotive advertisers are going to love it," O'Donnell said.

Campbell said he hoped to crack the one million mark next week with it's Ford vs Holden stand-off and guest appearance from actor Steve Bisley.

"If that doesn't bring in the petrol heads, then there's something wrong," he said.

He also announced actor Jack Thompson would guest star later in the series.

The Australian version is the first outside Britain.

[scud]

hey ash, you should ring them, see if they want to do an EITOB style show for next year, they could pay for some of the freight.

[AshSimmonds]

hey ash, you should ring them, see if they want to do an EITOB style show for next year, they could pay for some of the freight.

  Been thinking...

Ash  - Now would be a good time to write a letter / email to Oz Top gear to 'Promote' the website.  This site fits the bill pretty well with regard to what the show would like to impress onto their viewers.    Send some nice quality 'Eye Candy' pics of the last NT run.

They might make you a roving reporter. 

Yeah - when the idea for the show first came to light I thought it might be good to have a Top Gear themed section of the site - maybe an "official" forum, but figgered I'd wait to see if it didn't suck first.

Good idea though.

[S4Simon]

  pessimist

[flamestone]

About 933,000 viewers around the country watched the debut last night, giving SBS its highest ratings for a locally produced television program ever.

A peak of 303,000 viewers across the country watched as a new trio of Australian hosts

So which is it I wonder?