Official Top Gear US Season 3 Thread: Starts August 14th.

[Maxvla]

Awesome. 16 shows is great! Thanks for the update, looking forward to them.

[Joe Cook]

Nice to see you back, Rut.

That non-studio thing is fine with me. Sometimes it just adds too much "fluff" at times. Hopefully it means more time out testing cars and doing more humorous comparos/contests.

Will be tuning in for the next season! I think you all have really hit your stride(s) now.

Joe C.

[Egz]

Thanks for keeping us up to date Rut!

[Rutledge]

Awesome. 16 shows is great! Thanks for the update, looking forward to them.

Thanks a lot! We're pumped...they've been really fun to do and I think that's going show.

Nice to see you back, Rut.

That non-studio thing is fine with me. Sometimes it just adds too much "fluff" at times. Hopefully it means more time out testing cars and doing more humorous comparos/contests.

Will be tuning in for the next season! I think you all have really hit your stride(s) now.

Joe C.

Thanks man...you know, it's tough because we've got 16 minutes less to work with than the UK show, so it's hard to really give the studio enough time to breathe. It wasn't very good for season 1 because they wanted us to stick so close to the UK shows format, but without the time to show our personalities, it didn't all translate on tv...and the big shock was it was a lot of fun to be there in the audience for that one, but it's a learning experience.

Crazy to think that at the end of this run, we will have done 46 shows. Holy **** that's crazy to me...it stil doesn't feel real to me that I'm on the show. Bananas.

Anywho, thanks for the support. I'll find out if they'll let me tell you guys what's coming up !

[Electioneer]

I'm glad to see you guys getting away from the UK format. As May and Hammond said in the video, us Americans have gotten used to your personalities and mannerisms. I think your producers tried to get people hooked during the first season by following the UK format but kind of saw it backfire when they realized how many people were familiar with the TGUK.

Also I forget that Rutledge lives about 15 minutes away from me here in Fayette County. I need to get the guy who details your cars to give mine a work over. Also, I waved at you during the PTC 4th of July Parade.

...

[bubbagti]

Can't wait for the season to start.

Can we expect to see a maserati biturbo this time?

[Rutledge]

Thanks for the wave man! I was up way late working on the float for my wife & we some how won most patriotic...that's her dad's store so usually they're using my car trailer to pull something. Thanks for not making fun of my gangster ass rims on the Suburban. Rims were free from a friend who took them off his ex-wife's escalade when she left him so only had to buy new tires

And no Bi-turbo just yet...one day my friend...one day.

[fircrest]

Is it weird that whenever I read a post by Rutledge I hear his voice reading to me?

[CBJ]

Rutledge, your fame spreads. I've been watching TG:US here in Southern Africa for the past couple of months. BBC is showing it here while TG:UK is on hiatus. Hope your contract gets you a % of the foreign income

[evosky]

Can't wait for the new season (also, Rut, you get all my e-props for consistently tweeting back to my shoutouts hah! )

I know there's been interviews by the UK crew talking about the US version and probably vice versa - has there been any talk of have a UK/US showdown like they did with the Australian crew?? That would make for an awesome special!

[neu318]

Is it weird that whenever I read a post by Rutledge I hear his voice reading to me?

I hear it too...lol

Rut, can't wait for the new season. Hope to see more old school VW on there...lol

[Time for a GTI]

Hooray.

Need to figure out DVR on my new setup NAO!

[Woodski]

Can't wait for the new season (also, Rut, you get all my e-props for consistently tweeting back to my shoutouts hah! )

I know there's been interviews by the UK crew talking about the US version and probably vice versa - has there been any talk of have a UK/US showdown like they did with the Australian crew?? That would make for an awesome special!

There'd be no competition, the US would smoke the UK crew simply because we have Tanner.

[NoDubJustYet]

There'd be no competition, the US would smoke the UK crew simply because we have Tanner.

But then the Brits would unleash the Stig... much like they did against the Germans who had Tim Schrick AND Sabine Schmitz.

[Woodski]

But then the Brits would unleash the Stig... much like they did against the Germans who had Tim Schrick AND Sabine Schmitz.

...and we have our own Stig too.

[cockerpunk]

...and we have our own Stig too.

who also is tanner

[absoluteczech]

who also is tanner

[Woodski]

too tall to be tanner

[Time for a GTI]

too tall to be tanner

The suit makes you taller. It's symbiotic like Venom.

[Woodski]

[Rutledge]

Rutledge, your fame spreads. I've been watching TG:US here in Southern Africa for the past couple of months. BBC is showing it here while TG:UK is on hiatus. Hope your contract gets you a % of the foreign income

HAHa...thanks man. It does not, nor do DVD sales, but it's great news for the BBC and the long term success of the show the more places it's shown. I think we're in like 15-18 countries...blows my mind. Some poor bastards have to translate what I'm saying into their own language. Now that's a hard job...

Can't wait for the new season (also, Rut, you get all my e-props for consistently tweeting back to my shoutouts hah! )

I know there's been interviews by the UK crew talking about the US version and probably vice versa - has there been any talk of have a UK/US showdown like they did with the Australian crew?? That would make for an awesome special!

Thanks man! Love me some twitter... I sure hope we do. We've talked about it many times. I've got my fingers crossed.

who also is tanner

HAHA...I don't want to burst anyone's bubble, but it's not Tanner. It's not. But I like conspiracy theories, so I'll let it roll...but unless he can be two places at the same time, it's not him...or i stood next to a Tanner clone while the real one was driving many times...

Of course, if you watch Ancient Aliens on History, you'd know that anything's possible...haha.

[choochoo]

Of course, if you watch Ancient Aliens on History, you'd know that anything's possible...haha.

yes, anything's possible

[RacingManiac]

Funny that the other History show also makes use of that meme....

[Lwize]

More show, less audience staged applause and laughter (wink wink)

[Rutledge]

More show, less audience staged applause and laughter (wink wink)

Hey man, it's not staged laughter...wink,wink. For real. If the edit makes you think that, I'm sorry, but if you talk to anyone who's been there, they'd tell you it's a lot of fun and we try to make stuff different each time we do it (because it's tv, we do more than 1 take).

They do clap when we come back from breaks, just like the uk show does.

I hear what you're saying, but I promise it's not like what you're imagining. There's no applause sign..we just try to have fun and make people laugh on that part....

But, there's no studio for these first 6 shows, so no laughter. Or applause.

[Aonarch]

too tall to be tanner

It is Tanner.

Hey man, it's not staged laughter...wink,wink. For real. If the edit makes you think that, I'm sorry, but if you talk to anyone who's been there, they'd tell you it's a lot of fun and we try to make stuff different each time we do it (because it's tv, we do more than 1 take).

They do clap when we come back from breaks, just like the uk show does.

I hear what you're saying, but I promise it's not like what you're imagining. There's no applause sign..we just try to have fun and make people laugh on that part....

But, there's no studio for these first 6 shows, so no laughter. Or applause.

Good to hear you guys aren't using the set for some parts.

I really do enjoy the show. I've been a Top Gear fan for over a decade and I am always excited to watch you guys!

My .02 cut out the cheesy celebrity pulling the car into the hanger bit. It just looks odd, also the audience standing on the track and them magically going on their hot lap. TGUK loves talking about how they were kicked off the course for being there so long, breaking the cars during practice, etc. It is way more realistic and less cheesy.

A+ show though.

[junk87gti]

Ok i have only one thing to ask about this season Rutt. How many episodes do i have to watch this season before i see you lose your cookies. all jokes aside can't wait for the new season

[Sportero]

Awesome, I love the US show as much as I like the UK one.

[Burnette]

Of the Top Gear USA cast, I knew only of Tanner. Well, Adam too, I guess from some obscure TV shows or him doing stand up. Rutledge I knew/know not, googled to find out his angle into the show. On screen they all have a weird follow the script vibe, doesn't come off as natural banter. And when it is natural, it's somewhat awkward. The escapades are just as silly as the UK show's are, which is good, I like that.
But for some reason I like to hear what Jeremy, James and Richard have to say about a car, the show is well written and the cast deliver it well. From Jeremy's rambling analogies, James' geeky mechanical obsession and Richard's dead pan on liners, it doesn't seemed forced.
With the US TG, Tanner has a way with the wheel but doesn't express the experince well verbally.
Adam, funny guy at times, but an odd choice, and he can't seem to do his thing and be funny in this format. I'm sure he loves cars, but it would have been better to cast someone who knew more about cars and was funny too.
And Rutledge seems like he would be more at home doing something like an Insideline or Autoweek type of show with structure and more factual and technical data. I would watch that show, he would be awesome in that. It seems a wasted to have him sit on a toilet seat over a hole for a flat joke that goes on too long. I didn't even know anything about the guy before this show but you can tell he has the potential to really do more, tell more, show more.
I do want to thank CJ318 for posting the video with James saying that when they first started, they had issues too. Made me think. I avoided US Top Gear after a few shows, but hey, we do need good car shows and it may get better with time. They should just let these guys be themselves. Tanner reminds me of Richard, wild and ready to race. Rutlegde holds his own, a techie like James. Let him drop that knowledge. They need a foil like Jeremy too though, someone who knows cars and even if you don't agree with him, he delivers his view with superfluous prose and much hilarity that you listen to him anyway.

[Maxvla]

Agreed with most points. I think Adam either isn't able to express his knowledge well or just doesn't have enough except with older cars. I think he's the best talker though, which is why I suggested he host all the interviews. Given time (and a lot of homework done by him) I think he could really grow into a great co-host. Right now I think he's a liability on a hardcore (as hardcore as network tv will support) enthusiast car show.

[Rutledge]

If you poke around on the TopGear on History Facebook page, I think you can find the description of the 6 shows...it's going to be fun

[PsyberVW]

I don't always need a studio segment in the episode. If there is a storyline to the show, I'd much rather keep following it - lie the way "special" shows are done. The studio portions fit the segmented format better, which in turn mean those episodes should have less story. For instance, I loved the GT3(?) segment Tanner did in LA. Those kind of short bits can be fun and informative, without a complicated challenge or witty script. I think it's fun once in a while to let the cars be "stars" too. Wouldn't even mind seeing Rut do a "real world" style review of a Prius V or Sonata Hybrid for instance. Or maybe have Adam narrate a historical segment on a car or make.

At any rate, I look forward to each episode and am way past trying to compare to the UK show. For what it's worth, I think the show is doing a good job of being accessible to people outside TCL - such as our significant others - which means we can share the experience instead of segregating to separate television sets during that hour.

Great job, keep it up!

[92skirmishgti]

TG:US stig is Travis Pastrana...

[MCTB]

TG:US stig is Travis Pastrana...

What? Why would they choose someone who isnt a real race car driver? I honestly think it would be someone like Paul Tracy. You know, someone who is actually known for being a good, successful driver...

[92skirmishgti]

What? Why would they choose someone who isnt a real race car driver? I honestly think it would be someone like Paul Tracy. You know, someone who is actually known for being a good, successful driver...

They don't like A-holes....