The Grand Tour - General Discussion

[lynxfx]

One of the best episodes of either Top Gear and TGT.

Really impressed with this season. 

[Steff]

I feel like they really hit their stride this season.  No more gimmicks, no more trying to find a way to recreate, but not exactly, old Top Gear formulas.   Conversation street has been really entertaining and funny each week.  Hammond's horse rant should go down in history it was so funny the way he went on and on and on.   IMO the Mongolia episode was the cherry on a very very good season sundae. 

[lynxfx]

2 hours ago, Steff said:

IMO the Mongolia episode was the cherry on a very very good season sundae. 

And there is still one more episode next week!

[emma675]

I'm amazed John didn't break down once considering they built it from scratch in a field and the Mongolian terrain. That was an amazing episode. I do worry about the guys in these types of episodes, though. These are extreme conditions and they aren't getting any younger or in better shape.

[Cherry Cola]

Do you think they had real meals off camera? 

[Lisin]

16 hours ago, emma675 said:

I'm amazed John didn't break down once considering they built it from scratch in a field and the Mongolian terrain. That was an amazing episode. I do worry about the guys in these types of episodes, though. These are extreme conditions and they aren't getting any younger or in better shape.

Same! I mean usually on these trips when it's "normal" cars they bought they break down multiple times but John didn't break down once!! Truly amazing.

[Writing Wrongs]

Funeral For A Ford

This was a bittersweet episode. I was surprised that Jeremy was the one to break down. I'm glad they are getting rid of the tent and track. I have always preferred their trip and adventure segments best.

[Cherry Cola]

11 hours ago, Writing Wrongs said:

Funeral For A Ford

This was a bittersweet episode. I was surprised that Jeremy was the one to break down. I'm glad they are getting rid of the tent and track. I have always preferred their trip and adventure segments best.

Jeremy almost made me cry! I really do love watching these 3 guys. I am so glad the adventures will continue.  I won't miss the tent either. But I would be sad if it were all over. So glad it isn't!!

[lynxfx]

I loved the tent this season because it was only used for chatting and conversation street. I'll miss that the most next season. The track times for new cars will also be missed.

Excellent season and I do enjoy the road trip adventures the best so season 4 should be epic. 

[emma675]

Jeremy breaking down so hard surprised me. If I hadn't known they were continuing on with road trip specials and were beginning filming this summer, I'd have been really worried.

I think he adores the interaction with the live audience and that ending after 17 years is difficult for him. I feel like James and Richard enjoy it, but don't live for it like Jeremy.

I loved the shots of ordinary people with their old cars and old photos. That was really cool.

[Steff]

7 hours ago, emma675 said:

Jeremy breaking down so hard surprised me. If I hadn't known they were continuing on with road trip specials and were beginning filming this summer, I'd have been really worried.

I think he adores the interaction with the live audience and that ending after 17 years is difficult for him. I feel like James and Richard enjoy it, but don't live for it like Jeremy.

I loved the shots of ordinary people with their old cars and old photos. That was really cool.

I read an interview with him, I think on their Drive Tribe site, where he said it hit him harder than he thought in the moment & he felt like it was a lot of leftover emotion from Top Gear.  He never got to really reflect on it, say goodbye to it & get closure. 

[Lisin]

Jeremy made me SOB! I was not expecting that at all. Then this week I randomly started crying again because I realized there was no new episode and it made me think of Jeremy crying and I started crying again lol! (Full disclosure I have the flu and a 101 degree temperature so that may have had something to do with the second round of crying...)

[Steff]

On 4/18/2019 at 1:15 PM, emma675 said:

Jeremy breaking down so hard surprised me. If I hadn't known they were continuing on with road trip specials and were beginning filming this summer, I'd have been really worried.

I think he adores the interaction with the live audience and that ending after 17 years is difficult for him. I feel like James and Richard enjoy it, but don't live for it like Jeremy.

I loved the shots of ordinary people with their old cars and old photos. That was really cool.

I found the article I read.  

https://www.grandtournation.com/thegrandtour/clarkson-reveals-why-he-teared-up-at-end-of-the-grand-tour-season-3/?fbclid=IwAR08VDr69VNCnRAjXH4YGw64jLwCqwgsXeyWyDZnVqds2lqVL56repto0Hc

‘In 2002 I came up with the Stig, then an audience with a track and all that stuff. So, you know, you do something for 17 years and then it goes,’ he told the website.

He added: ‘The truth of it is, I think, I never got the chance to say goodbye to Top Gear. One minute I was there and one minute I wasn’t. It was like, did the show and then never did another one.

‘Never said goodbye. Never got a gold watch. Never got a retirement speech. Nothing. So this was almost as though we were saying goodbye to Top Gear as well. That’s why it was so emotional for me.’

He wasn’t the only one who felt the feels as they said farewell, though, with ‘man of wood’ co-host James also letting his emotions out, as Jeremy said: ‘…behind the scenes were quite a few quivery lips. People who I’ve worked with for 20 years or so.’

[Aulty]

The Seamen special was a bit boring, wasn't it? Three old men on boats and nothing happens - besides them swearing a lot and the odd engine malfunction or fowled prop.

Clarkson could have done with a hovercraft in those weed fields.

[emma675]

I actually liked most of it, although there were some boring bits. The end made me really tense, though, that short ride through the sea looked brutal. 

[Steff]

I enjoyed it, but I could watch these 3 read the phone book & be entertained.  I liked Jeremy's little Viet Nam history lesson as he went along too.  He's really good at that & I can honestly say I always learn something about the country they are in. 

[Eve93]

20 hours ago, emma675 said:

I actually liked most of it, although there were some boring bits. The end made me really tense, though, that short ride through the sea looked brutal. 

I know. I felt really bad for Hammond at the end.

I don't understand why they just had to cross the sea part. Why couldn't they just turn around when it started getting difficult??🤔 

And I really would have liked to see a bit more after they reached the end. Maybe just 5 more minutes of them relaxing and talking about stuff. It just ended with them reaching the end point kinda abruptly. But I did enjoy the final line: And on that terrible disappointment... For Top Gear... Totally EPIC!!! 😄 Can't wait for the next special!! 

Edited December 14, 2019 by Eve93

[Steff]

4 hours ago, Eve93 said:

I know. I felt really bad for Hammond at the end.

I don't understand why they just had to cross the sea part. Why couldn't they just turn around when it started getting difficult??🤔 

And I really would have liked to see a bit more after they reached the end. Maybe just 5 more minutes of them relaxing and talking about stuff. It just ended with them reaching the end point kinda abruptly. But I did enjoy the final line: And on that terrible disappointment... For Top Gear... Totally EPIC!!! 😄 Can't wait for the next special!! 

I'll have to see if I can find the video, but Jeremy made a short video right after they came home from filming & said that James (and a film crew) had to be rescued at the end.  It ended abruptly because they lost equipment and James (and the crew) were pretty shaken up by it.  Health & Safety pulled the plug on them.  Jeremy said there was a planned "epic" ending that had to be entirely ditched because the "rain" was actually a monsoon & people died.  Richard also contracted a bacterial skin infection early on during filming.  His legs and feet gave him problems the entire time filming.  

found the video.  Part about filming starts at 1:22

[Steff]

and for those that just love anything these guys do, James and Jeremy both have their own shows coming to Amazon.  James has "Our man in Japan" which premiers in January and Jeremy has "I bought a farm" but no idea when it comes out. 

[Cherry Cola]

It was fun to see the guys in boats.  James aka Captain slow always does his own thing.  Makes me laugh. I like the new name of Hammonds boat. 😄 

Love having new episodes. It was entertaining!

[Fireball]

On 3/7/2018 at 3:13 PM, halopub said:

I can go without any future Long Way Round, Ewan McGregor references. The Grand Tour couldn't have anticipated that the actor would go through all that personal drama after their trip but how he's handled that mess has ruined my love of those two motorcycle shows.

Off topic: I know, but What happened? I watched both Long Way Round and Long Way Down. Feel free to PM. 

[Eve93]

Any update on when the next Special will be? I read somewhere it could be released anytime during the year...😅

[lynxfx]

On 1/26/2020 at 10:48 PM, Eve93 said:

Any update on when the next Special will be? 

Clarkson mentioned recently that the next episode is ready to go and it is now up to Amazon to release it. No word from amz. 

[Gummo]

Next episode December 18th!

Trailer:

 

 

[Aulty]

They dropped the episode a day early, its already available if you need something to watch tonite 🙂

The setup with the pirate story was good, I thought, but it turned into an hour of them slugging along bad roads and James doing some symbol sudoku. No side-challenges and, surprisingly, no moaning about the local wilflife, poor accommodation or tinkering with the others' cars. Very nice scenic shots though.

Edited December 17, 2020 by Aulty

[Cherry Cola]

Hi! Has anyone watched the Lochdown episode? It was good! I know they can only prioduce the specials so fast, but I am always wanting more when its done.  

[Aulty]

I watched it. It was vintage Top Gear stuff, entertaining, but a bit predictable.

My biggest quibble with the last 3 specials is that they are too long. There is a point, usually around the halfway mark where they run noticeably out of steam and try to patch the dry spell with some sort of stunt. This time it was the Prince Andrew Pizza Express and straight forward shooting weekend bit. Imho they need to either cut it down to an hour or re-think the way they put it together.

How many bridges have we seen them build these past 15 years?

[Quilt Fairy]

There is a new TG special on Amazon?  I'm surprised Jeremy had time since he had to be filming Clarkson's Farm at the same time. 

[Gummo]

We watched it last night and really enjoyed it. It was a throwback to classic Top Gear silliness with some actual car talk thrown in. It was fun to see Clarkson looking so tan knowing he was working so hard on the farm at the same time. 

James May is looking old, Richard Hammond is looking grizzled. Time waits for no one, I guess.

[Daff]

I liked the Lochdown episode so much, I watched it twice. I laugh hysterically whenever they mock “caravans”. It reminds me of Robin Williams in RV. I also got a real kick out of Clarkson’s Farm. 

[Aulty]

Anyone watch the new special about French cars? I didn't even make it halfway through. It was one for the car connoisseurs, I guess.

Edited December 30, 2021 by Aulty

[Quilt Fairy]

8 minutes ago, Aulty said:

Anyone watch the new special about French cars? I didn't even make it halfway through. It was one for the car connoisseurs, I guess.

It was OK.  It took me a few moments of "Why are they driving on the left side of the road in France?" to realize they weren't in France at all. 

[emma675]

I watched the latest special, A Scandi Flick, this morning and it was really good. Classic Grand Tour, I cracked up several times. The boys trying to walk on sheets of ice, Jeremy setting his car on fire, typical pranks. Richard trying to get up a ski lift had me rolling. 

But good lord, James is lucky to have walked away from this one intact. His crash was scary and violent. I can't imagine what kind of insurance premiums Amazon has on these three.

Be sure to watch the credits for some funny pics.

[QQQQ]

It's refreshing to see tv personalities aging like real people.

[Quilt Fairy]

I thought the first half was kind of slow.  It's hard to match a true wilderness trek through the desert or the jungle with a trip across a remote but still quite civilized area of Scandinavia.  But in the second half I have to admit I was laughing out loud.

That crash of James May's though, ouch.  But that stunt driving down the tunnel was too stupid for words. 

[Aulty]

I thought this was one of the better ones. Their specials have become very formulaic, especially the predictable 'lets build somewhere to sleep' or 'we've camped in the middle of a road, track, exhibit' bits, but when they package it right, it is still entertaining.
Because I worked in motorsport for a bit, I've actually driven all 3 cars (my boss had the Audi as his private car and he often sent me out in it to run errands). I always liked the Evo (8+9) best.
James was very lucky to walk away from that crash with just a couple of bruises. How were they allowed to do this without helmets??

[SVNBob]

[BetterButter]

Amazon Likely to Part Ways With Jeremy Clarkson After Final Commissioned Shows Go to Air; ‘Grand Tour’ Host Sent Email Apology to Harry & Meghan

[Aulty]

13 hours ago, BetterButter said:

Amazon Likely to Part Ways With Jeremy Clarkson After Final Commissioned Shows Go to Air; ‘Grand Tour’ Host Sent Email Apology to Harry & Meghan

I am not surprised, although I think is down to money, maybe age, not just his controversial remarks. 3 seasons for the farming show is plenty, I can't see how he thinks he can sustain that for much longer. TGT must be a nightmare to insure by now.

[Welshman in Ca]

They knew who he was when they hired him & this may well all blow over by the time his contract is up. If they were that upset they would have just fired him & paid up his contract.

[BetterButter]