The BBC’s Top Gear, whose sixteenth season (or series, depending on the side of the Atlantic on which you reside) is a rarity in the genre of shows devoted to cars.
First of all, let me preface this review by noting that I am not, by the even the widest, most liberal definition, an autophile. I have what amounts to a six-month-old’s understanding of how my car works.
And yet Top Gear, hosted by charming Brits Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May, works for even the most car-illiterate folk on the planet. It’s a show that, for a fleeting moment, leaves me with the impression that I’m a car guy; a feeling bolstered by both the enthusiasm and inventiveness of its stars and producers.
With most of the auto-centric shows I’ve seen, it’s all about numbers, and as a result my eyes tend to glaze over – I might as well be watching a documentary on the inner workings of a toaster.
But here’s a brief list of the things that set Top Gear apart:
In the first episode, Clarkson, Hammond, and May take a tour of the states with their cars of choice (a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, a Ferrari 458 Italia, and a Porsche 997 GT3 RS) before engaging in a race through the busy streets of Manhattan. The following week, Clarkson makes the case that a Skoda Yeti is the best car in the world by putting it through a series of tests, including attaching a helipad to the roof and having a helicopter land on it. The next episode sees the UK stars in a contest with their Australian counter parts, including a challenge in which a car is stacked on top of another car, with the lower vehicle controlling the accelerator and brakes and the other controlling the steering.
In the season finale, Clarkson is challenged to drive the entire width of England. The twist? He has to start at sunrise and finish by sunset. The other twist? It’s the shortest day of the year. It’s a challenge that Clarkson dubs a “race against God.”
The show also features in-studio segments in which the trio delivers their own tongue-in-cheek updates on news in the automotive world as well as a weekly celebrity interview.
And while you can throw a rock and hit a show with a celebrity interview, it’s rare to see a series in which those celebrities (including Danny Boyle, Boris Becker, and Simon Pegg and Nick Frost) take a lap around a racetrack in a reasonably-priced Kia. Even the most boring of interviews (and there are a few in this collection) are energized by the introduction of the racing element.
Now I don’t know the difference between a Maserati and a Mitsubishi, and the antics of this show had me hooked.
High-Def Presentation
BBC Video brings Top Gear to Blu-ray with a 1080i AVC-encoded presentation that doesn’t look fantastic, but isn’t terrible either. The in-studio segments are vibrant and colorful, and the control of blacks, particularly in regard to the studio audience, allows for some excellent depth. The video presentation’s flaws come to the fore when the show heads out into the field. As with most British programming I’ve seen (and take into account that I haven’t seen a ton), there’s quite a bit of noise whenever the boys take the cars out of the garage.
In regards to sound, the 448 kb per second Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo mix brings the roaring engines and screeching tires to life, but it’s all coming through your front speakers. It’s hardly an immersive experience, and something the BBC folks need to work on for future releases. The content of the show alone is enough to suck an audience is, but the audio potential of the series is too great to rely on such a weak mix.
Beyond the Feature
Pre-Series Chat (3 minutes) – Clarkson, Hammond, and May discuss their new haircuts. Trust me; it’s funnier and more entertaining than it sounds.
USA Road Trip (52 minutes) – An alternate version of the first episode on Disc 1 featuring additional scenes, minus the in-studio segments.
Middle East Special (76 minutes) – By far, the single greatest reason to acquire this BD set is a special episode in which the gents are tasked with retracing the Three Wise Men’s journey from northern Iraq to Bethlehem. Of course, the Magi weren’t equipped with a Mazda MX-5, a Fiat Barchetta, and a BMW Z3. This particular episode will also introduce the phrase “Old Testament NASCAR” into your vocabulary.
Behind the Scenes – Top Gear Production Office and Studio (10 minutes) – A literal behind-the-scenes look at the machinations that make the show happen.
Bishop Celebrity Lap (5 minutes) – The full version of comedian John Bishop’s turn in the show’s signature Lap in a Reasonably-Priced Car.
Nick Frost and Simon Pegg Laps (6 minutes) – The Shawn of the Dead and Hot Fuzz pair go for the Reasonably-Priced Car record.
John Prescott – Jezza vs Prezza (1 minute) – A few outtakes from the in-studio interview with former UK Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott.
Clarkson and Hammond Joking About James’ Death (3 minutes) – Not much ambiguity in the title of this feature, which is funny but rather pointless. (Pseudo spoiler: James isn’t really dead)
End of Series 16 Chat (3 minutes) – The three chaps take a few minutes to talk about their antics from the 16th season. It’s an entertaining enough feature, but –again – pointless. The post-season chat has always been a problematic feature for me when it comes to TV collections. Television (even reality television) is all second act; the point of an epilogue to what was neither a beginning nor an end has always eluded me.
All special features are presented in high definition, and while there are plenty to choose from, the only one I found really engrossing was the Middle East Special.
Top Gear is a show that surprised the hell out of me. I had no intention of enjoying it, and I came away as a fan. Having said that, however, it’ would be more worthwhile to start watching the show on BBC America than it would be to pick up this Blu-ray collection.
As engrossing an entertaining a program as Top Gear is, the 16th season collection is lacking in terms of its shelf life. Start DVR-ing the show, and you’ll get the same quality in terms of presentation. Plus, you’ll be spared the let-down of the special features.
The program itself is running strong, but the Blu-ray presentation tends to sputter a bit.
