Its not just the middle aged Clarkson thats been a downer for me, but more so the below par challenges. I'll give you some examples, now I'm not sure about all of you but two blokes in a four door (who would have thought this would be even allowed on Topgear) Porsche Panamera, racing against a letter isn't exactly my cup of tea. Perhaps the two chaps falling asleep one after the other was a hint to the producers of the morbidity of such a challenge.
Now, just like a poppy R&B Album has the perceived chart topping hits in the beginning, the producers or directors of Topgear decided to put the most expensive and most difficult to make challenge in the first episode. I was absolutely pumped before watching the first episode of the last season. Was I disappointed? Well just a tad. After watching the Vietnam Special I was so turned on by bikes I felt the urge to get a postie bike, but not so much after watching Hammond's Vincent Black Shadow. It seemed like a bike just isn't suited to a Western country where the passion and sense of imminent death from riding a bike is gone.
Then came the atrocious rear wheel drive coupes. Now as a poor uni student I am all for cheap care challenges. I mean we all can't afford Aston Vantage V12s? (Yes I will get to it) But how is testing old cars on a snow track the ultimate means for testing their dilapidated rear wheel drive systems and proving it supreme?
But I felt Topgear rekindled the season by a hairs thread after the rally in Mallorca. I felt that the team was back. I felt that past triumphs such as the Botswana challenge were showing through.
But, then came the Aston review? What was the point of that? It just showed how contemptuous the producers have become. Its almost as if they expect us fans to tune in anyway. Well they will, and I certainly will.
Season 13 has proven the law of diminishing marginal utility. I am hopeful the crew will get their act together and produce another TG season which includes legendary challenges like the Botswana, America Trip, Cheap Alfa's, Lambos, supercars etc that fans have cherished for the past few years. Please get back to the basics guys, more cheap car challenges, less Hollywood Blockbuster type challenges with trains, snipers etc and Topgear will again be supreme. Eagerly awaiting season 14!
Season 14 of Topgear will air 15th November 2009 in the UK. BMW 760i and Mercedes S63 AMG will be reviewed. The challenge will be 'Finding the proclaimed world's best driving road in Romania' Eric Bana will be the guest. I will post a youtube link for people who don't live in the UK and will review the episode.
Happy topgearing!
