The Grand Tour (2016– )

I consider myself a car enthusiast even if I'm not a true gear head. To that end I enjoy car programs. What an unexpected delight it was to discover Top Gear back in the early 2000's. It quickly became one of my favorite shows. And no surprise that it became such a monumentally popular show. That success had NOTHING to do with cars. Lamborghinis and Ferraris will only net you so many viewers before the masses nod off. No, the secret to TG's success lies squarely on the dysfunctional relationship between the three hosts. The cars, the excellent cinematography, production, music, etc, are all just icing. This could be a show about kitchen appliances and would still be just as entertaining given the same chemistry between the hosts.

Fortunately Clarkson, Hammond and May recognized that and have played to their strengths. Yes, TG could at times come off as too contrived and it suffers for it when it happens. That is a tricky balance that the three will have to juggle as they carry forward with GT.

The first season of GT was a little lumpy as it worked through whatever non-compete arrangements it had to make with the BBC. The American test driver was a still-born idea, reportedly forced on them by Amazon themselves. Lesson learned and wisely dropped for the second season. Same for the completely idiotic Celebrity Brain Crash. Interesting to see that in the third season the celebrity guest segment has been dropped all together, which has always been the weakest element in the show and should have been discarded long, long ago even while the show was still TG.

Clarkson, Hammond and May knew well to simply keep on keeping on. That they are doing and GT is a success for that. There may come a day when their schtick grows tired, but considering much of their humo(u)r is based on being curmudgeonly old men, they should be golden for some time to come. Sit back and enjoy. GT is your old TG with a new shirt but the same old smile.