Poll: Will Top Gear Australia meet its great expectations?

Anything better than the car shows that channel 9 roll out would be good. Who cares if it isnt as good as the UK version, as long as it is better than anything else we have in Australia then people will watch it. People still watch 5th Gear in the UK and that is arguably a poorer show than Topgear.

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The test drives will probably be an endless stream of Holdens and Fords, with the odd Evo or WRX thrown in. No Thanks.

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I am hopeful and don't really expect it to be a clone of the UK Topgear. As noted by others we Ozzies are unique. Should I had that I have fond memories of Peter Werret's programme of which I have forgotten the title. Good luck I say, I will be there.

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You have to have a dynamic between the hosts. Even Top Gear UK didn't get that right in the 1st season and it took 3-4 years to get the dynamic going... that was with three very talented, expert media savvy hosts. Three guys (pictured) who look like they'd rather talk about the latest product from Nivea for men than the latest HSV just seems wrong.

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To answer the original question in a word: No. Maybe if the BBC version hadn't been shown here and *then* SBS made an Aussie version based on the UK one (like so many other TV shows are franchised around the world- have you ever watched the Malay or Thai versions of Wheel of Fortune? Wow, thats some compelling viewing -NOT!). Then and only then it may have worked really well. But problem now is not that the show won't be any good (It may well be great), it's just that expectations are soooo high. I wish SBS luck and a steady stream of exotic cars through their doors. I will be giving it a watch....

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I'm sure they'll do their darndest. I do, however, reject the implication that Naomi Robson's collected works are in any way superior to 'Sunday Arts'. Or a fencepost up the cladge for that matter.

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Coming from a straight man, "dem are three ugly dudes".

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lets hope there are no fords and holdens, this country is going back in time with these petrol eating rust buckets..

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I am eager to see how SBS handle this. Yes Aussies are divided between our two main marque car makers, Ford and Holden. Comparrisons to other cars will be limited in relevance, but that may not matter if its done well. My worry is that we won't get the newest cars from the market offshore till long after they have been tested on the Uk programe

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Did a blind man choose the presenters? if ever any three blokes "Had a face for radio" its those three, no personal offence intended but really...

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Well, Clarkson and May aren't exactly Garnier models themselves but they've done alright. Of course they'll look at Fords and Holdens, they have to. They'll be shot down in the streets if they don't. Some people still have the cultural cringe but admit it - the last versions of the two locals are up there with the best of them. They might not be the exotica normally associated with TG, but comparisons with Subaru, BMW etc would not be bad viewing. It won't be the same at TG UK. It's can't be, we're totally different environments. Their tastes are different and hey can get European exotica easily - France and Italy are just a short drive away (as well as no restriction on LHD/RHD markets). And we can't compete with their London-to-Monte Carlo races - there's only so many times you can go from Sydney to Perth before it gets boring. I'll be watching, and more than just the first episode. Please SBS, do it justice. We don't expect it to be similar, just good.

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To the red neck who says ford and holden rule, Get a Life!! Yes true they are the most unpleasant sight for TV but they are not advertising Bonds undies! this will be a car show (with some humor) for guys and girls, The crew will need to demonstrate how this car will perform in fuel, on road, on track, interior, also styling, not to mention our own test driver? We do have some great roads here in oz we hope they can close down for the test, we'll just have to wait and see, Maybe also at the end of the segment they can do a motorcycle test. Good luck SBS don't stuff it up because we really need a decent show like this Local!!

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I don't get it. I love Top Gear (UK) so I don't understand why we need our own? It isn't like the UK Top Gear only reviews UK cars, they review all kinds and the hosts are perfect so what reason do we have to watch this other than its home grown?

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After having seen the winning entries All I can say is they are pathetic.They did not address the main criteria of the video part of the application as in the SBS web page guidelines to begin with and relied more on cut footage from Moto GP as an example and expensive camera work. As for the stunt of trying to follow a 4WD on a unipod, well that was farsicle.. that guy might be able to drive , But he is as funny as an overturned school bus. Speaking of buses what was the deal with the cartoonist's application.. how imagineless was that? Racing one of his firetrucks against a double decker bus.. good camera work but where is the originality in that.. I saw him on the Einstein Factor the other night and he is sooo lame. Thinks he is funny but alas, what a fool believes.It seems coincidental that 1 Millionaire and 2 Celebrities seem to have gotten to the rarifed atmosphere generally occupied by men of talent (with respect to doing a passable tv show). Quite clearly given the auditions as an example SBS will fail dismally to even coming close to the success of the parent show. I dont think SBS had any plans to use a "civillian" for this show. If you check out the application form, Much more space was dedicated to Media experience than anything else like talent and passion and ability to write. I think the whole contest was in fact a demographic exercise in that it tapped in to the most likely viewers of the show and will programme accordingly. I believe it was a flawed "competition". It seems the stars were in fact chosen and that no one else had a chance. Ah well Money talks. I wont be watching it, in fact i think I may well be boycotting SBS altogether as I feel the ethics suck on this. Just remember tis only my opinion, draw your own conclusions I implore you too. I remember great experiements of the past.. You try to Manufacture the Beatles and all you get is Monkeys... more later

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After having seen the winning entries All I can say is they are pathetic.They did not address the main criteria of the video part of the application as in the SBS web page guidelines to begin with and relied more on cut footage from Moto GP as an example and expensive camera work. As for the stunt of trying to follow a 4WD on a unipod, well that was farsicle.. that guy might be able to drive , But he is as funny as an overturned school bus. Speaking of buses what was the deal with the cartoonist's application.. how imagineless was that? Racing one of his firetrucks against a double decker bus.. good camera work but where is the originality in that.. I saw him on the Einstein Factor the other night and he is sooo lame. Thinks he is funny but alas, what a fool believes.It seems coincidental that 1 Millionaire and 2 Celebrities seem to have gotten to the rarifed atmosphere generally occupied by men of talent (with respect to doing a passable tv show). Quite clearly given the auditions as an example SBS will fail dismally to even coming close to the success of the parent show. I dont think SBS had any plans to use a "civillian" for this show. If you check out the application form, Much more space was dedicated to Media experience than anything else like talent and passion and ability to write. I think the whole contest was in fact a demographic exercise in that it tapped in to the most likely viewers of the show and will programme accordingly. I believe it was a flawed "competition". It seems the stars were in fact chosen and that no one else had a chance. Ah well Money talks. I wont be watching it, in fact i think I may well be boycotting SBS altogether as I feel the ethics suck on this. Just remember tis only my opinion, draw your own conclusions I implore you too. I remember great experiements of the past.. You try to Manufacture the Beatles and all you get is Monkeys... more later

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After having seen the winning entries All I can say is they are pathetic.They did not address the main criteria of the video part of the application as in the SBS web page guidelines to begin with and relied more on cut footage from Moto GP as an example and expensive camera work. As for the stunt of trying to follow a 4WD on a unipod, well that was farsicle.. that guy might be able to drive , But he is as funny as an overturned school bus. Speaking of buses what was the deal with the cartoonist's application.. how imagineless was that? Racing one of his firetrucks against a double decker bus.. good camera work but where is the originality in that.. I saw him on the Einstein Factor the other night and he is sooo lame. Thinks he is funny but alas, what a fool believes.It seems coincidental that 1 Millionaire and 2 Celebrities seem to have gotten to the rarifed atmosphere generally occupied by men of talent (with respect to doing a passable tv show). Quite clearly given the auditions as an example SBS will fail dismally to even coming close to the success of the parent show. I dont think SBS had any plans to use a "civillian" for this show. If you check out the application form, Much more space was dedicated to Media experience than anything else like talent and passion and ability to write. I think the whole contest was in fact a demographic exercise in that it tapped in to the most likely viewers of the show and will programme accordingly. I believe it was a flawed "competition". It seems the stars were in fact chosen and that no one else had a chance. Ah well Money talks. I wont be watching it, in fact i think I may well be boycotting SBS altogether as I feel the ethics suck on this. Just remember tis only my opinion, draw your own conclusions I implore you too. I remember great experiements of the past.. You try to Manufacture the Beatles and all you get is Monkeys... more later

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it will have to b prety special to take me away frm UK topgear! nd thy rnt off to a good starts coz those guys hurt my eyes (no ofence guys)

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Can someone please tell them Australia doesn't stop at the NSW border.

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Warren Brown is an evil, whining, lecturing **** I would rather belt sand my face than listen to him again.

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Good luck to the show - I am sure that with top production suport and the aussie touch it will be more relevant to us in aussie than the European focussed BBC show - anyhow Warren's humour will certainly add something that is lacking in the BBC show. A balance of content is vital covering to-day, to-morrow and motoring history - there are thousands of old aussies and many young ones who are involved in veteran, vintage and historic motoring

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I think it wud be good but it shud be the guys of top gear in britan there unique and no one can match them, i think it will be hard to test cars and not clash with british test car listings, will we have our own STIG? most of all it none of this for n holden crap im sick of the ford and holden competition rivalry.

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Looks like another Sydney centric television show, now doomed to embarassment.

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We just don't need TG Australia! I think the original covers pretty much all of it. As CJL said "there's only so many times you can go from Sydney to Perth before it gets boring" And as for an Australian Stig? I just don't know why I would bother watching when the original is already good enough.

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By the sounds of it, it is just going to be an exact replica, having The Stig and “Star in a Reasonably Priced Car”. Sorry it just wong be the same. NO NO NO!!

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Please dont do it. Stop before you make us all look like idiots. Top Gear cant be remade. Top Gear is popular because of the way the hosts interact, the Australian version will not be able to match this. Also shows that use the exact same format as another show always FLOP! Thats exactly where this one is heading, i just hope they continue to show BBC Top Gear as well as the Australian version.

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Aussies, stop copying shows from other countries and start creat your own.

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Where will the interesting supercars come from for testing.With the aussie nanny state import regs there is only one so called supercar allowed into Aus. I for one watch Top Gear for the exotic cars so I can dream of the day I can go OS and drive one or two AND to watch the presenters. That sort of energy cant be got from applications and auditions ..Like Bert Newton and Graham Kennedy Any two people could read their lines but all would fail in comparison.. I thought when I first heard that TG was "going down under" that the original crew would be travelling to aus to do a series of shows But alas not to be . So I think it will fail dissmally. Hope i am wrong, but very few copied shows like this make it ..

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I wish this show well BUT it will have to appeal to the women just like Top Gear UK does to be a hit. And those guys except for perhaps the younger one look as boring and conservative as the past filed Aussie shows. The show needs to be entertaining, interesting and funny as well as focusing on cars. I don't feel they need all the super cars, but seriously they need someone who has the guts to make outrageous calls with wit. They could also use the show to talk about issues affecting modern day drivers. ie speed cameras as revenue raisers, right hand lane hogs, driving more efficiently, people buying cars far too large for them, the stupid fuel guzzlers that this country makes (and why Ford don't have a wagon) comparisons with older cars <1990, the road toll and what has historically affected it, another angle on "hoons", car clubs etc. Now get off your **** and hire me SBS. It's true we could EASILY have a successful car show from this country as aussies love cars. Unfortunately usually they pick the wrong ones for the purpose. And why isn't there a female on that show? I know one who would be perfect, do they really need 3 presenters just because the UK show has 3 ????

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why does Australia need to have its own version? the 60+ other countries who air BBC TG don't need their version and Australia doesn't even have their "own" cars, note: FORD and HOLDEN are American... The real supercars such as ferrari, Lamborgini and those other European's are either going to have to come to TG Australia (how are SBS going to afford that) or be excluded at the cost of offering 2nd rate asian imports. The whole basis of UK TG is for one to see what the average joe can't have, supercars, prestige European's, and have them road-tested and picked apart by clarkson, hammond or May... I only hope that the Oz Version doesn't become to plain and boring, as some people have mentioned already, it needs to be more of an entertainment program than a car enthusiast show, it needs to be aimed at the family rather than the teenager with his hooned up jap import. The BBC have cash, and lots of it. TG Australia already have an expectation, and im afraid that unless they can bring at least some of the attributes of the UK TG, they're doomed from day one. I only hope they continue to show UK TG as well rather than replace the show altogether. I feel the first 2 or 3 episodes need to bring the familiarity that we are used to with the UK TG, if that doesn't happen, I think this show could well be doomed.

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I am not sure when Holden and Ford will start making more refined cars! At this rate they will never match with Japanese or even Koreans! leave alone Eurpoean!

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saddening to still see the huge levels of cultural cringe that we Aussies have.

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Lets get some reviews on things that normal Aussies use like Work utes and what vehicles us thousands of grey nomads are best for towing caravans around Australia. Why are there no women on top gear there are a lot of women who drive cars and perhaps the program can help them to choose a suitable vehicle

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Very sad to read such a pile of negativety about a show which hasn't even aired yet, give them chance to get the show on the road and develop it, it won't be another UKTG because of the personalities involved but there's no reason why AusTG can't evolve either. I DO believe Mr Warren has either his tongue very firmly in his cheek or has missed the point of TG alltogether!!

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http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=smw95AK_ib0

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It is going to suck monkey balls. No way it'll be as entertaining as the real thing. Why the hell did we have to have this show anyway? Sure..just like us to take a good thing and screw it up (like all other Aussie TV shows..ALL OF THEM SUCK). Pity that we'll miss the real thing now because of this crap.

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Top Gear UK is brilliant. OZ version, just a waste of money. Watched first 20 minutes and fell asleep with boredom. Host's are pathetic and booring

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I watched it... did not like it, maybe they (the hosts) have to grow on you?!

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Thank you, TGA, for making me yet again thankful for being British, not Australian. TGA is a squirm-inducing embarrassment, devoid of cleverness and any trace of humour. Cox cannot even pronounce Porsche, but he can probably manage Holden. And the audience ........ are they paid for their raucous gushing over nothing at all?

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put the UK show back!!!!

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And the verdict is in. The show is a shocker. SBS should remove it as it is an embarrasment. Where did the over the top Aussie accents come from. Mercedes lent them a Maybach because they have not been able to sell it for months (so they thought what the hell lets give it to Aussie Top Gear) and my Grandmother drove faster then Aussie Stig. Take it off the Air quick before anyone in the UK notices

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WHAT WERE THEY THINKING Top Gear Australia was terrible Its been done no originality The Stig ?? come on and what was that crap about a moke shark made no sense you might as well put an outback dunny in a cage and dropped it in the ocean Oh I hope i havn't spoilt next weeks story! Come on fellas leave it to the proffesionals you might hurt yourselves

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boring... fell asleep

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It was crap. Three Aussie yobbo wankers trying to be Clarkson, Hammond and May. Sorry but I have gone from being an obsessed viewer to turning off til they bring back the poms. The Aussies just did not cut it for me.

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TOPGREAR AUSTRALIA: MORE EXCRUCIATING THAN WATCHING YOUR GRANDMOTHER MASTURBATING!!! Shame on you Topgrear UK for WHORING the TG brand and pushing this pathetic $CAM!! Brown lookes like a B Grade Porn Star, Pizzati is a Ferrit and the presence of Cox just made me angry at the fellow that invented Seat-Belts! Neither of which could find a camera if it were amply coated with Butter and Inserted into their Elementary Passage!! As far as substitutions go, it left me reflecting, no longing for the old Rat for Chicken KFC myth. So, next time I'm tempted to for a little of the Finger Lickin' Good-Stuff, I would gladly prefer to find them stuffing my Family Bucket with Liberally-Spiced-Rat, than ever be exposed to another millisecond of TopGear Australia!!

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Well having jst watched the show i dont know what to think. The show was a carbon copy of the UK with hosts trying to fill the unfillible shoes of Clarkson, Hammond, and May. Some quick fixing and putting some real Australian touches to it will see it come good but keep airing that crap i saw tonight and I will be forced to read a book on a Monday night. FIX IT NOW OR GET RID OF IT!!!!!!!!!

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THE SHOW IS ****

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It strikes me as odd to this day that Top Gear Australia was ever produced. I recall writing to Jeremy Clarkson, BBC and co just a few years ago and suggesting Top Gear be produced in Australia. I suggested Managing the production and recruitment of cast and crew in Australia only to be advised by some “BBC body” that it was uneconomical, too costly to run, would be too unpopular and they never envisaged it would ever likely to be put to air in Australia. Ummmmm ! Whose idea was it??? I bet Jeremy Clarkson can not even recall my correspondence, but I can because, I’ve kept copies… Top Gear Australian was today, a ratings "flop" its Australian Premier. Had Clarkson & Co / BBC / SBS placed it in the hands of my Company, it would have been a truly Australian concept and a brilliant production. I noted that Top Gear Australia did not even acknowledge "Who's idea and concept the Australian Show originally came from" ... There’s a lot to be said for Top Geared originals! Perhaps Jeremy Clarkson & Co. and the BBC / SBS might think it all over one day?

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And next week we will show you how to change a tire .Now what am i going to watch 7.30 next monday not this crap

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Oh dear, what a dissapointment,what were they thinking.

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Warren Brown is only slightly less funny than a brain tumor!! Seeing him last night made me wish I had one!!

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A very disappointing start to Top Gear Australia. Out of four thousand candidates, they've chosen these? Charlie Cox has all the charisma and personality of a walnut. Terrible presentation skills. For a so called motoring commentator he is pathetic. The over the top ocker-speak of Steve Pizzati is just plain embarrasing. Of the three Warren Brown is the best (of the worst?) but in his segment on the Maybach.. after enthusing about all the buttons in the back seat , he shows us some headphones (plug- in no less!) and then bails out of the story moments later, leaving us unaware of what all the other back seat features might be! Warren you can get rear seat headphones in a Holden..and they're " wireless." The **** weak track at some local airport was awful...very few corners to demonstrate anything, and it was all over in a nanosecond. Good grief guys..lift your game or bring back Jeremy C !!!

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Wow, TGA was absolutely terrible in every way. Boring hosts, pointless segments, completely humourless ‘comedy’, lame test track. What was the point of the Maybach story, a quick drive down Eastlink to show us some headphones? I was looking at the clock every few minutes wondering is it over yet? Please SBS, bring back TGUK asap!

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I don't think I have EVER watched anything as boring or unfunny in my life.. even worse than the Footy Show though I suspect that is for another forum altogether!! BRING BACK THE ORIGINAL!!!

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= MY 10 CENTS = 1. Where's the Aussie flavour? It's just a UK rip off. Very unoriginal! 2. Why were there cars in the studio on display like they mean something? The props in the UK have MEANING and DESERVE to be on display. Why could we not start off fresh? 3. What's with the personal jokes between the hosts? We don't know them from a bar of soap, you're jokes are not funny. 4. Why are the hosts portrayed like Jeremy, James and Richard? Don't Aussies have their own personalities 5. Why was the race footage so short? Where's the fun in that? Was it recorded several times and spliced? 6. Why did that luxury car with the 5 minute introduction and soooo many gadgets and we only saw 1? Why wasn't he driving it? 7. Why are we racing a Proton Satria? Couldn't we dig up a Ford Fiesta or a Holden Berina? 8. How come there wasn't more emphasis on the actual cars themselves, the functionality in today's world and comparison to other models, AUSSIE cars in AUSSIE conditions their pros and cons? Normally I want to run out and buy a new car after watching the show. 9. WHY WAS THE UK VERSION TAKEN OFF THE AIR??? Back to back episodes would have been NIIIICE! 10. Why was Vince Colosimo such a $%@&? Or is he always like that?

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The "challenge" (their words) with the soft-roaders lacked direction - just some random driving around. Also, there was no mention of the handling of the Porsche - just a long spiel about the gearbox. The shark segment was equally weak. Damn, and I really wanted to like it :(

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Oh **** surely this is a joke? Steve Pizzati is a total tosser, how the hell did he get picked as a presenter? It was as pathetic as expected. Bring the REAL Top Gear back and get rid of these wannabes.

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LOL ... proof once again that Aussie's are pros at wrecking good overseas shows. Pathetic Australian TV at it's best! Stick to AFL, NRL and Centrelink..

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oh dear!!!

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top gear last night was a bit of a disappointment, i was looking forward to it having 3 youngish blokes who are mad for car and know how to use them and know how to get the most power, how to hot them up and to pull them apart, not just driving through some large puddles on the beach and really enjoying themselfs that's just weird, yes we all like driving through poddles but we don't start giggling like young girls and saying that driving though surf is fun, it maybe the best thing in the world but to me it looks weird having 3 old blokes giggling while driving through the surf at a beach. the other thing is that watching it last night everything is almost the same as the UK series, they even had the same filming techniques and to me that is really weird, it works in the UK but that is in the UK not Australia yes they started the colonies but things that work over in the UK don't work here do they? (sorry to any poms reading this) they are all in love with the queen and up hold anyone high, but us aussies bag the PM and all the polies when they do something we don't like, we pay them out about anything, the way they talk, they way they look, WE ARE NOT POMS! we are aussies and we have are own ways, we have large open roads and it gets past 20 degrees and it doesn't rain that much. therefore we have no need to copy TGB word to word, action for action, we should be known as top gear australia not copying every single move as the brits we should have are own ways and all that, and sorry to who ever picked the 3 guys to host the show they aren't the every day aussie are they? i think at least one of the presenters should of had little or no experience with cars a bit like 'may' just to bring sometime else to it. last night will not be the last time i watch TGA but i think that the hosts have to made it there own you could tell that they where reading scrips they just where not fluent and really didn't pull it off, i think they may need to sit down and think out what we can do as aussies that all aussies would like to see and would understand and want to see, was putting what ever is face is into shark infested waters was good and aussie we need that abit more, also how goes from the surf to the snow anyway? it was a interesting start and from here it can only get better, the hosts just have to find where they are comfitable and have the right balance, and from the UKs series this took a number of yrs and series Aussie top gear may get there we will just have to watch and see! all the best with it

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Yeah really terrible, I was actually embarrassed. The shark cage? who the hell are these guys kidding it was awful. Thankfully they'll be out of a jobs soon.

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it was a hollow badly made copy. a pale imitation. they reimagined nothing. very weak, very boring, and the hosts had zero charisma or chemistry.

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TGA had a cringe factor of 1 million. I hope it is never shown overseas. So embarrassing.

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Having watched the first issue of TGA, why oh why have the producers seen fit to try and clone the TGUK presenters - doesn't work - it's embarrasing - and I'd be embarrassed if I were them...let 'em be themselves and see what develops. There is only one Clarkson, one Hammond and one James May.

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well i just finished watching the episode of top gear with the smart car as a hearse! im sorry but why? its australia. if you wanna show footage of a smart car, show the dudes on youtube that put a hayabussa motor in one of the little buggers. now thats a smart car! and people wanna see aussie cars. wheres the kingswoods, gt falcoons (if i see another xr6 turbo ill spew) the datsuns, the laylands, t-buckets, old plymouths and the list goes forever! not even mentioning all the crossbreads, front cuts and modifiers gettin around. thats what aussie motoring is about what we've made our own! not bloody smart cars turned into hurses. and the big issue with the presenters is that their laying it on too thick! no aussie ever acts that fake, unless they want a beer, a feed or a shag. summernats would be a good start for em! but if the shows gunna survive that need to keep us interested, and appeal to aussie walks of life instead of mimicing the uk show. and like aussies making certain cars our own. make the show our own as well.

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make it aussie not pommie

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stupid show Australians should be better than that, are you?

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The second show was better than the first, I will keep watching, the presenters are getting the hang of things and appear to be more themselves -keep it up boys.

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