UPDATE: January 3, 2012

I have a few things that I would like to add to this post.  I originally wrote this after watching the first episode.  I have seen every episode that has so far aired, and would like to recap some of my feelings, and update this post a bit.  

First, Top Gear America is not at all a flop, it is a wonderful translation of one of my all time favorite shows, Top Gear UK.  That said, the only thing that I see that would make this version become a flop is if the History Channel decides that it doesn't fit their model (whatever that may be).  There are no signs that this will happen, but you just never know in television.  There is a new car centric cable channel owned by Discovery called Velocity.  I could see Top Gear fitting in there nicely, but with the limited reach of this new network, and even more limited audience, this would be a death blow to the show.  Air reruns there maybe, but keep the first runs on History.  

Second, I honestly don't think Tanner Foust is the Stig (and while we share the same spelling of the same last name, we probably aren't  related, but there aren't a lot of Fousts in the US).  Tanner is a fine driver, really a fun racer to watch, but he has a completely different style of driving than the Stig.  Tanner can handle a car like few can, but pushing a car around the test track to achieve fastest lap time requires the skill of keeping the tires from spinning, and the car from drifting.  Could Tanner do that?  Sure, why not.  but again, that's not his style of driving.  The Stig is indeed still a mystery, but I am willing to step up here and say that he isn't Tanner Foust.

Next, Adam Ferrara.  I sort of blasted on him when I originally wrote this post.  I have come to like him for being The Wrecker!  His car choice is always leaving me thinking "Genius".  A lot of the cars I grew up driving were in the same vein as a nuber of cars Adam has picked for his challenges.  So Adam, let me apologize for not giving you a chance early on.  You have grown on me and I truly feel the show is better for having picked you.  If Top Gear had gone with Carolla, it would have been more the Adam Carolla Top Gear with these two other guys.  Adam F. fills out the line-up perfectly, and for that I am grateful that I have given it and Adam a chance.

Fourth, Rutledge.  I seriously find him the funniest guy on the show.  From his country-fied, down home way of talking, to his methodology for the cars he likes, Rutledge Wood really makes this show for me.  I get the sense that he is genuinely a nice guy.  And he knows his cars, even though it doesn't necessarily seem like it with some of his picks.  With Adam serving the northeast, and Tanner keeping the Hollywood set happy, Rutlege gives a big bear hug to middle America.  You can't help but like him.  I wish I had the Speed Channel so I could see him on TV some more.

So to wrap up this update, Top Gear US has come into its own, not rehashing the UK version in a toned down US version like they did with Coupling (UK version Great, US version lasted around 4 episodes, groan), but reinventing the show for the American audience (think the Office) by taking the best of the UK version and adding some New York pizza, Pinks hot dogs, and country fried steak to it.  I am glad I have continued to give Top Gear a chance, as it really entertains.  I really only hope that History is paying attention, and keeps supporting the show for some time to come.

I finally watched the Premier of Top Gear (USA) on History and while the cars are all really nice, and the formula is practically unchanged from the UK (original) Top Gear, there is just something amiss.

First, let me get off my chest the fact that I was really rooting for Adam Carolla to serve as main presenter for the US version of Top Gear.  For whatever reason Carolla didn't get the spot after the NBC pilot for the show was supposedly shot and canned.  This bummed me out, as I am a big fan of Ace.  But what brought me out of the doldrums was the fact that the entire show didn't get canned permanently

What makes Top Gear work for me

The concept mostly.  Cars, cars and more cars.  Throw that together with silly challenges, races, and the exploits of the presenters as they needle each other and bring us, the viewers, into the passenger seat as they get to drive cars that we can only dream about (and a few that we only dream we never have to drive).

Tanner Foust (no close relation to me) and Rutledge Wood are great picks for 2/3rds of the hosting trio.  With Tanner's racing and driving background, and good looks, he makes the show good for gear heads and girlfriends alike.  Rutledge knows his cars as his racing analyst background proves, and the fact that he is tied to NASCAR and a gool-ol'-boy makes him a good-ol' pick for the largely male demographic that watches History.

The Top Gear track looks like it would be a lot of fun to drive.  It has a lot of curves, and some pretty technical sections that will keep the Stig and celebrities alike in check.  I really enjoyed seeing Buzz Aldrin's collection of cars that he has owned through the years.

What doesn't work

Well, to start, the presenter picks are mostly locked in with Tanner Foust and Rutledge Wood.  But I really don't know what the producers were thinking casting Adam Ferrara.  Without getting into a total slam fest, let me just say that Ferrara doesn't do it for me (personality of a brick, Long Island accent...).  He may be well suited for stand-up comedy or parts in situation comedies, but as host for a car show, no.

The scenes where the hosts try to razz each other are almost painful.  It just isn't believable that they go out for a drink after work, and really know each other.  Of course, this opinion is only after watching the pilot episode, and maybe their on camera personalities will meld together after some time, but for now they just seem like they are reading from a script.  On that note, I am sure that the producers tell t he Big Stars who drive the Small Car to be verbal for the cut away shots during their lap, but Buzz Aldrin took that a little too far, commenting on everything that he saw as he scooted around the track.

The production of the show was a big issue for me while watching the pilot.  I really enjoy the high gloss production tricks that the UK Top Gear uses for their various stories. The US version almost looks like they are trying to hard to put the gloss on the show.  I compare it to the make-up gun that Homer Simpson invented.  It just looks like they set it to "whore" and pulled the trigger.

Where do we go from here?

Overall the show is about cars, and that is what will being me back to watch it week after week.  I am hoping that the hosts (yes, even Adam Ferrara) gel into their roles and begin to seem more comfortable on screen.  I also hope the gloss that the editors put on the show is toned down a bit.

The tamed racing driver, known as The Stig is a mystery (of course).  Is Tanner Foust doing double duty as host and The Stig?  In the pilot episode, you never see the two on screen at the same time, so it is a possibility.

UPDATE: In the second or third episode, where the boys have to take their moonshiner cars to out run a cop, the Stig shows up driving the cop car.  There is a moment when the Stig and Tanner Foust are on the screen at the same time.  The Stig is indeed kind of short like Tanner, but I am going to put this one to rest and just believe that Tanner Foust and the Stig are two different people altogether.

Will the show make it?  That has yet to be seen, but since it is on Basic Cable and not one of the big networks, the long tail effect may be enough to keep it around for a few years.  If they stagger the season to air first runs when the UK version is in repeats, and vice-versa, it will keep gear heads like me content for some time.