Series 11 episode 4

[lew]

I agree one of the best, though I'm going to watch it again later to comment further as I seem to miss so much the first time around ;D and only James can (as someone said further up) get away with a shirt like that ;D

[lymaze]

I can see why people do think it's a set up at times. It always seems very convenient that something goes wrong, but as we all know, things do go wrong especially with public transport. Even in Japan, and if you don't understand the annoucements etc I can see how it would happen. They were probably off to do some silly shot of Richard attempting to find food and it all went wrong.

[lew]

Well they can think what they like, that race was a good, infact brilliant, had me in stitches and on the end of your seat, so well done whoever planned that. Now on the news, the bit about the most stupid signs, well the one James introduced for Chigwell, Stanford Rivers and the underground bunker, i drive pass that at least a million times a week, never actually thought about it until it was on last night ;D

[PP]

Fair enough - I just have a suspicious mind Still a fab race no matter

[lymaze]

I have a suspicious mind too and it did go through mine. It often does I'm afraid. But in the end, it's the best entertainment around by miles.

[maibee]

Think Andy talks about the fact that people always think the races are contrived in his blog. But Ly is right, best look at all of it in the light of pure entertainment.

PP has a point about the 'beaver' remark. It is, after all, the height of bad manners to speak about someone in their presence in a way/language they can't understand, and in retrospect I wonder whether the point of the humour was to laugh at the attendant or at Jeremy's impudence/audacity (granted at the poor woman's expense); I think the latter. It was all a bit 'Prince Philip', but having said that it was the bit I laughed at the most. Shame on me! (Let's hope most people take it as lightly as it was probably intended and we don't have angry licence payers creating another media storm, after all Little Britain get away with much worse in their humour.)

[lymaze]

I think Jezza is the first to send himself up and make himself look foolish etc. I think if someone said that to me I would laugh anyway. ;D Having a sense of humour tends to help in this world but no doubt someone will have to complain.

I wonder what Bill Oddie makes of it all. I'd love to see him on as a SIARPC. ;D

[PP]

I didn't say it wasn't funny, just a bit...I'll shut up now

[maureen]

I really need to see this one and see if I recognise any of the areas of Japan that they go though on it. I'll have to look it up on YouTube and add it to my TG challenges play list when I get a free moment.

[Liz]

Excellent last night again... loved the bikes James and Richard were on... Richard looked ok, but James was far too big lol!! ;D Loved the Bill Oddie mask... I too would love to know what he makes of all the 'Bill-bashing' Jeremy does?? As regards the camera crew with Richard on the train, I suppose if Richard had gone off to the vending machine, even if it wasn't highly exciting, there was probably more chance of capturing an amusing moment than staying behind and filming James just waiting for his return??

[maibee]

LOL Ly, Bill Oddie strikes back as SIARPC. Sure Jezza would accept the challenge - especially if he came on with Kate Humble!

[lymaze]

I was thinking that actually. They don't do boy v girl in the stars thing and they should. The one last night would have wiped the floor with most of them.

[bayleaf]

Jul 14, 2008 10:11:53 GMT lymaze said:

I think Jezza is the first to send himself up and make himself look foolish etc. I think if someone said that to me I would laugh anyway. ;D Having a sense of humour tends to help in this world but no doubt someone will have to complain.

I wonder what Bill Oddie makes of it all. I'd love to see him on as a SIARPC. ;D

Agree with all this

They should definitely get Bloddie on. Hopefully he finds it all amusing.

[mayniac]

one of the best top gear yet, was it me or did James look a bit lost in his blair witch cam moment. Another great episode, but only two more to go in this series.........nnnooooooooo

[Wyvern]

I'm going to watch the episode again before I make any deep comment, but I suspect I was just too tired to enjoy it properly last night. The race was brilliant (they couldn't have gone to Japan and not done that, really), the SIARPC was great (how good was Ms Silverton?) but at the moment I've got reservations about the 8c film. It could be that my concentration wasn't what it should be, and it's possible that I nodded off part way through, but it seemed a bit confused and also slightly over-produced. The conclusions were, I suspect, absolutely spot-on (it should come with bits of Blu-Tac on the back etc.), and Jeremy's commentary was typical Clarkson, but there was too much mucking about with the colour etc.

But I had just come home after a long day and I was feeling rough as a badger's, so my judgement may be off.

[Deleted]

I feel Wy, your about right on the 8c film, it was in the wrong programme really. It should have been in a programme where it could have been appreciated more, as the race takes over. (I'm also watching it again)

[Deleted]

And stick with your instinct as it will be almost certainly right!

[Deleted]

I'm sorry can't help it, but do you think Richard enjoyed being a bit taller than most of the Japanese people

[Liz]

Jul 14, 2008 20:11:46 GMT @maygrail said:

I'm sorry can't help it, but do you think Richard enjoyed being a bit taller than most of the Japanese people

lol!! ;D ;D ;D ;D

[adco]

Finally got to see the entire episode!
I think that the 8c film seemed a bit....over edited I think. Would have worked better in an episode where it wasn't overshadowed by a big race.
The race was amazing. Camera work, music, everything was spot on.
My family really laughed at the "beaver" comment, but that's kind of an inside joke with us. It is rude to make comments about someone in a language they don't understand, but like I said , I still thought it was funny.

[aaurora]

It was an epic race, that's to be said. But not my favourite, which is a shame, considering Japan is such a long way from their home and it could have been...better? I don't know....But it was brilliant to watch, though. Jeremy was a laugh with his Bill Oddie mask. And the ENDING! Gah! On the edge of my seat. I loved how it was sooo close. Brilliant.

PorschePolo, can I say I agree with your thoughts? I also have a feeling that James and Richard getting separated was a bit of a farce, but I don't really care. TG is not completely unscripted, we all know this, but continue to watch and love the show never the less

I admit I think I liked last weeks Alfa challenge better! I found it funnier (yes, yes...I know I should watch it for the cars, not the laughs or the gorgeous men).

Still, not going to complain, would never complain about TG. Watching it made me feel brilliant, having had a terrible day.

[glam]

I have to say I loved the Japanese petrol pump attendant's uniform.

[adco]

I thought the pump attendant's uniform was cute too. Very futuristic and retro at the same time. Not sure how that's possible though.

[maureen]

I put the You Tube ones in my TG Challenges playlist, if anyone wants to watch them again. Your reviews are very good. Maybe I'll get to see the rest of it later tonight, hopefully. I only saw the first part so far.

[bayleaf]

Jul 14, 2008 21:34:54 GMT @adco said:

I thought the pump attendant's uniform was cute too. Very futuristic and retro at the same time. Not sure how that's possible though.

Me too. Japan is top of my travel wish list. In a former life I was a designer and I used to work with a sub-editor who had lived in Japan for years and married a Japanese lady. He was forever bringing in Japanese snacks and we would fight over the packaging. (And eat his "sandwiches" prepared by his wife - pickled plums in sticky rice wrapped in seaweed - he didn't eat them because he always had a liquid lunch )

[maibee]

My ex to be has/had loads of Japanese clients. We always had all manner of Japanese food goodies sent to us. And the amount of green tea in pretty caddies! We have a Japanese gift cupboard full of fans, table runners, sets of 5 napkins (they do all crockery/tableware x 5 there), lacquered boxes, traditional shoes, kimonos, handkerchiefs, origami paper sets, etc that we couldn't use, but didn't quite know what to do with. My daughters had everything Hello Kitty, 10 years before it was ever heard of over here.

Went there once. Spent three or four days in Tokyo while 'he' was on business, a la Lost in Translation, using the metro and matching the symbols! Then took the Shinkansen to Kyoto and spent the next four days in a traditional inn, with tatame. We walked everywhere seeing all the gardens and temples.

Like the petrol pump attendant, the characters that stood out were the white gloved taxi drivers (you mustn't open the doors yourself, they do it at a flick of a switch); the uniformed lift girls, who welcome you at every floor, bowing and reciting the goods available; the train snack sellers who walk backwards reciting their wares.

[Wyvern]

Jul 15, 2008 12:51:24 GMT @maibee said:

Like the petrol pump attendant, the characters that stood out were the white gloved taxi drivers (you mustn't open the doors yourself, they do it at a flick of a switch); the uniformed lift girls, who welcome you at every floor, bowing and reciting the goods available; the train snack sellers who walk backwards reciting their wares.

Did you see Tom Ford's article on the Nissan Cedric taxi on TG.com? He mentions driving it and having to wear the white gloves on his "oversized gaijin hands" to "remain honourable". Mentions the doors, too

[lymaze]

www.guardian.co.uk/media/2008/jul/14/tvratings1

5.2 million unofficial figures for this episode.

[lew]

Thought it may have been a tad more, still very good for a bbc2 programme, even if it were on 1 still excellent

[Wyvern]

Not bad for a pikey/pokey little motoring show on BBC2!