What Top Gear Really Meant

Top Gear is one of the most bizarre shows to ever exist. Not because of the quality of the show or anything, but rather because of how it evolved over the course of its existence. What exactly is it about Top Gear that makes it so special? Well, watch the video and find out.

Or don’t, I’m not your mother.

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[aididan]

So apparently I pronounced Tiff Needell's name wrong in the opening.
I'm American, what can I say. 😅

[dulerabbit]

Vietnam is the best episode ever. Jeremy being a hater of motorcycles and riders has an epiphany at the end where he says he still doesn't like them but understands why people ride. It's so wholesome and honestly so pure it truly feels like an honest reaction and not something scripted.

[DDRPriest]

The moments such as during the Patagonia special, where Clarkson spoke of his father or had a tribute to a dying car make or model, always hit you in a deep way. Beyond the banter and the car talk you had real emotion come through the screen. Those moments are few and far between in mass media today. Truly a special show and a special trio of presenters and the crew behind them making it happen.

[Johnthecardboardsmileyface]

I believe in regards to James's Dacia being reversed into was scripted but James was not aware of the skit so his reaction is legit.

[markmartin]

Top gear was the peak of television and we will never get anything close to it, ever again.

[DavidKD]

The show, Jeremy Clarkson mostly, was so unique and intriguing, that my daughter from around the age of 11, until about 14, would watch it with myself and her older brother. It was possibly the only such bridge between her girl world and car based idiotic humor that could have and will ever be. I greatly appreciated the unique and very unexpected bringing of us three together at the time and look back with fond memories. It served the adolescent girl well too. Men were presented in a hilarious but ultimately competent fashion, as she needed to get up to speed with the often obtuse and obscure for which she had no reference whatsoever. Another small step on the way from the loins of an uneducated single father to the university of Cambridge. Thanks Top Gear. And for what it is worth I have not and would never watch the continuation post departure of our trio version.

[jamesfrost]

Top Gear with Jeremy, Richard and James was the best tv show ever. So funny, even my 80 year old mum enjoyed watching it, RIP Mum. I think the Vietnam Challenge was the best of all of them. I had no idea Vietnam is so beautiful.

[Number]

One thing to mention is Top Gear arguably became more beloved because of the non stop replays on Dave/uktv meaning everyone who wanted could watch every episode, knew every funny moment so every reference became universal, similar to how everyone would stop and watch classic Simpsons episodes.

[jeffrichards]

Jeremy, James, and Hammond had the best chemistry of a cast ever. They were hilarious.

[ad]

The more I think about it, the more I think that the reason Top Gear was successful was that it was a great example of healthy masculinity. The relationship between Clarkson, Hammond and May is something guys all over the world crave. A group of mates who love each other as much as they hate one another.

On most of the specials, they spend the first two thirds of their journey generally annoying and insulting each other. May's car getting rear ended until he pulls out a machete. Hammond's seat being moved all the way back and the fuse removed because he's short. Clarkson's sumptuously modified vehicles being dirtied and dismantled.

But then as the end of the journey draws near, the three of them are given a nearly impossible task like building a bridge or converting their vehicles into boats. Despite their constant bickering and messing with one another, they band together and accomplish something remarkable.

It's something you rarely see on TV anymore, and I think that formula really resonates with the audience.

[Ammar]

The show has a special place in my heart. Consistently gave me laughs. I discovered it on tv in Canada in like 2008 and had been watching ever since. It wasnt Top Gear necessarily and that was evident when the Golden Trio left and started the Grand Tour. I realized it was those three that brought the magic. A great mixture of beautiful cinematics, great writing, a unique humour that could only be recreated with Captain slow, the Baboon and the Hobbit. They slowed down from the comedy at the right times to tell amazing stories of motor racing/history, they brought us on hilarious adventures nobody else would ever try during those times, and created a show that yes was about cars, but they made it so much more. I have a lot of good memories watching the show. At a time in my life when there arent any good memories to be made, when I find myself being consumed by memories that used to be happy and now bring nothing but pain and regret, this show manages to bring me back to when I was happier, with no context to ruin them. I still watch older clips and they manage to put a extremely rare smile on my face, I watch the trios new specials and again, Im able to smile and forget the shit life around me. It might all sound a bit extreme and an over the top description, but in the end the show made me happy. And for that, it will always hold a place in my heart. When the three officially do call it a career, itll be a sad day. Till then though, hopefully (or regretably at this point) ill still be around to see whatever else they do.

[corb]

These 3 guys had an undeniable magic, based on friendship and a true love for all things mechanical. Watching it was a perfect escape from the madness of the world. Plus, all three are accomplished actors and writers (all having written very enjoyable books, with a few misses here and there). There is no TG after they left.

[cologne]

Top Gear was the final blast of old British humour.
Back in the fifties, radio comedy on the BBC was written and performed by people who had served in the forces and brought much of the forces' humour with them
.
The style of comedy, (Hancock's Half Hour / The Goons / The Navy Lark), was dry, often surreal and inevitably ended in something blowing up - often for no adequately explored reason.
This was carried on in the seventies by The Goodies and then ultimately in the form of Alternative Comedy.

In an era when Health & Safety was trying to ban anything like this, Top Gear was the last show to carry on in this vein.
Because it was a car show it somehow slipped under the radar and nobody really seemed to notice.

We knew that once its current iteration of CHM ended that it would then be the end of the era - and it was.

[compwiz]

I remember the Botswana special, and yes, I rooted for Oliver the whole way. I love that the little survivor is still around and being cared for.

[brokensmilephoto]

I remember one night coming home, coming up the stairs to my moms house, and there she is, watching Top Gear. My mom is not a car person, so I was a bit baffled. I can't remember exactly what episode it was, but I do remember it being one of their challenge episodes. And sure enough, she was laughing along with the show. That was the moment, I realized Top Gear in the mid-teen seasons was truly on a tier of its own, and would probably never be topped by any other show. I know as I'd sit and watch old episodes back when it was available on Prime, I'd enjoy the early series, laugh my ass off in the mid series, and as you neared the 20 series mark, it just didn't feel as special anymore with the exception of the specials (like South America). In a way, it was a good thing it came to a end, and they rebooted. Because The Grand Tour really brought back some old time feels. And the specials with GT were great as well. And I also love Clarksons farm, and Our Man In With out quitting the BBC, we'd probably never get this. But I'd love to see James revive Toy Stories, and Jeremy do some more WWII Documentaries.

[markdschedler]

You did this phenomenon justice. Well written, presented and edited. Your journalistic approach, with an appropriate comment about your own experience here and there, was perfect. You kept the focus on the subject(s). Thank you for not tarnishing my memories.

[adamfrancissmith]

Really interesting video, especially to see it from an American’s perspective.

One thing I think you did miss out though is any mention of how famous Clarkson already was before “new” Top Gear in 2002. He’d already made “old” Top Gear pretty much synonymous with himself (and Tiff) before leaving, and had plenty of other shows - including his own chat show, VHS tapes, other newspaper columns and other media appearances in the 90s and around the millennium. Everyone knew who he was and his “character” was already well established, while the other presenters were plucked from relative total obscurity. Even if James was originally James’s replacement on “old” Top Gear!

[terryhayward]

The three presenters are just big kids having fun, just the way we all wish we could . A totally brilliant show .

[anders]

I can't describe how much joy and laughter these three have brought me over the years. Their chemistry is truly one of a kind.

[kpgames]

Just something to point out is in the Vietnam special the music that played out of the little box that came with the back up vehicle was not originally the American national anthem, it was originally aired with Bruce Springsteen song Born in the USA, if I'm correct its to do with the music licensing for some of the music they use in the show.

Very good video though! Nice to see an American perspective on Top Gear. I know it was a wildly watched show on an international level but its always pretty cool to see other perspectives outside the UK.