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Top Gear: The Complete Season 16
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray ALL - America - Warner Home Video Review written by and copyright: Ethan Stevenson (30th August 2011). |
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The Show
 Allow me to put on my Hipster Hat™ for a moment and say: I liked “Top Gear” before anyone else in America. I’ve unashamedly gushed over BBC’s top-rated “motoring programme” ever since I first saw it, recommending the series to basically anyone who’ll look in my general direction. Why? Because, it’s damned good: the cars are fast, the wordplay is faster, and the three presenters are undoubtedly one of the best ensembles on TV. Okay, that thing about me being “first” may not be true. In fact, I can guarantee with absolute 100% certainty that it isn’t. The terrific folks over at FinalGear.com had already built up a wonderful little online community dedicated to what is arguably the U.K.'s greatest export by the time I discovered the misadventures of “Top Gear” (2002-Present) and its trio of ambitious-but-rubbish hosts – Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May – in 2006. What is true is that the series was pretty obscure on these shores when I found it in my quest to ingest anything and everything English (what can I say; I’m an Anglophile in the worst way). And to say I was quickly charmed by the infectious trifecta of presenters would be an understatement. I love “Top Gear” – to a fault, really. For the uninitiated, Clarkson, de facto showrunner of the series with executive producer Andy Wilman, is a buffoonish loudmouth, obsessed with horsepowers and making provocative statements almost always intended to offend some group (his favorite targets: the Germans and the environmentalists). But, as brash and unseemly as he might appear on the surface, Clarkson is also wittier than most and an incredibly sharp writer/presenter. Quick with his words, he’s always ready to handout some scathing social commentary, always in an unbelievably funny way. Richard Hammond is a boyish speed freak: essentially, a teenager in a forty-five-year-old body. With his feathered hair, freakishly white teeth, and fashionable clothes, Hammond – aka the “Hamster” – stands in stark contrast to Clarkson, the middle-aged fat man, and the man from the Middle Ages, James May (who’s probably one of my favorite people, on TV, ever). May is a longhaired intellectual: oddly, quirkily, oblivious, but endearingly so. Clever, uniquely unusual, and very, very smart (he’ll give you a lecture on most anything mechanical or mathematical, much to the chagrin of his fellow presenters). He’s the antithesis of his two, more extreme, colleagues, and brings a balance to the group. His nickname is Captain Slow; he has a terrible sense of direction and the fashion sense of your grandfather; he lives with his cats and likely has a crippling case of OCD. A fourth, less important, presenter – the mysterious and iconic white-suited and whiter-helmeted racing driver whose image appears on so many TG-trademarked things – is simply known as "The Stig". He sets lap times for the TG leader board, and teaches guests how to drive fast in a segment I’ll describe later. Fans already know that a big part of season/series 16 is the introduction of a new Stig, after the old one (who was revealed to be Ben Collins) got sacked for writing a tell-all book. The show may primarily be about cars – and usually über-expensive supercars (Lamborghinis, Aston Martins, Porsches, and even the occasional Bugatti Veyron) at that – but the time spent reviewing them in any practical sense is rather limited. Sure, Clarkson may jet around the TG test track (a fully functioning airstrip, complete with a Boeing 747 Jumbo) while rattling off statistics in mid-powerslide at least a couple of times a season. The trio is also often trotting the globe: this season, to Albania, the East Coast of the U.S. and, inversely, Iraq, each time putting three cars trough rigorous, if often absurd, tests of endurance. And yet another frequent facet of the series is the “Cheap Car Challenge”, where the presenters buy second cars and compete against each other in a should be simple set of tasks back home in the U.K. This season has Clarkson, Hammond and May buying convertible Beemer’s from the 80's – all in various states of disrepair – to hilarious ends. Clearly, cars are involved and central to the “plot”. But to say that this series is something only “Petrol Heads” can enjoy is wrong: the show assumes its audience has no idea what things like understeer and torque are. The automotive jargon is all in layman’s terms. And the cars – as obscure as they sometimes are – really take a backseat to the complete and utter ludicrousness the trio do with and to them. When not on location or on the track, Clarkson, May and Hammond are in the massive studio – an emptied hangar packed with the TG loyal, who are invited to visit and serve as the live audience for the studio tapings – where they discuss the latest news and current events (both in the automotive world, and not). They bicker over which car is best in a segment they call “The Cool Wall” (yes, the cool wall returns this season, after a two year hiatus). Clarkson also busies himself by interviewing celebrities in a segment he likes to call “The Star In The Reasonably Priced Car”, where celebs set lap times in a cheap Kia Cee’d, and talk up their latest. In season 16 Simon Pegg and Nick Frost stop by to promote “Paul” (2011) and break their old records, Jonathan Ross talks about a bit of BBC controversy, and Amber Heard discusses co-starring in Nic Cage’s latest masterpiece, “Drive Angry 3D” (2011). There are, of course, others in the remaining episodes: each one of the main seven uses a review/challenge or trip/interview format. If you haven’t ever seen a single episode of this wonderful series, season 16 isn’t a terrible place to start (It does introduce a new Stig after all). And I hope that, like so many others I’ve recommended this to over the years, if you do start watching, you find total and complete enjoyment within. For those already familiar with “Top Gear” and the presenters: Season 16 is more of the same really, but that’s not a knock. Approaching the anniversary of its tenth year on the air, the series is still, unbelievably, excellent. The infamous TG-three are as loveable as ever; and their adventures are as stupidly entertaining as they’ve been for some time. The three-disc set includes seven episodes. Each episode runs about an hour (approximately 58 minutes), except for the first, which clocks in at a healthy 66-minutes. “Top Gear: The Complete Season 16” also includes two bonus “Specials” on disc three, running 52-minutes and 76-minutes respectively, to be discussed in the Extras section below. The episodes included on these discs are: - "Episode 1" - The first episode in the set isn’t really an episode of season 16 at all; it’s a Christmas Special that aired last December, a few weeks before the proper episodes began their run in January. In the studio the boys trade gifts and gift ideas, talk about the backstabbing Old Stig (and his off screen death), and Jeremy interviews director Danny Boyle for the “Star In The Reasonably Priced Car” segment. On location, Jeremy, James, and Richard make a trip along the American East Coast, traveling from NASCAR Country to New York City in a Mercedes SLS, Ferrari 458 Italia, and a ridiculous Porsche 911 GT3 RS. - "Episode 2" - Technically, the Nativity Special on disc three followed a week after the boy’s USA Trip. However, BBC has relegated that special to the extras and instead offers this episode as number two. And talk about deflated expectations: Jeremy does a joke review of the Skoda Yeti – a tiny little car that’s ugly and slow – while Richard drives yet another Porsche 911. Thankfully, James saves the day by making a rare trip to the track to test the V8-powered Ariel Atom, which is less a car and more a four-wheeled engine with a seat attached to it. Good news is James doesn’t get lost – this time. Although, his face might have been torn off from all that power. Comedian John Bishop is the “Star In A Reasonably Priced Car”. - "Episode 3" - The Ferrari 599 GTO is reviewed. It’s England vs. Australia in a TG showdown where James, Richard and Jeremy face off with their counterparts from Down Under. Tennis pro Boris Becker is the SIARPC. - "Episode 4" - “Top Gear” heads to Albania to test a Mercedes SL55 AMG, Rolls Royce Silver Ghost and a… Yugo? Yep; and it’s awesome. Jeremy reviews sporty hatchbacks. And Jonathan Ross is the SIARPC. - "Episode 5" - Jeremy bids farewell to the Pagani Zonda R and Zonda Tricolore in a fitting send off for two of the crew’s favorite supercars. Jeremy, James, and Richard are given £2000 to purchase four-seater convertibles. In typical ambitious-but-rubbish TG fashion, they all turn up with near-identical twenty-year-old BMW 325is. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are the guests. - "Episode 6" - Jeremy drives the BMW M3 “Competition Pack Edition” and Audi RS5, and talks about how he hates both. The boys head to Norway to solve the U.K.’s underfunded snow-covered roadway problems by converting a Combine Harvester into a Snow Plow. Seriously, how hard could it be? Amber Heard is the SIARPC. - "Episode 7" - Jeremy races the rotation of the Earth in a Jaguar XJ, traveling across England from sunset to sunrise. Richard tests his boyhood dream cars: a Porsche 959 (hey, at least it isn’t a 911) and the fantastic Ferrari F40. James flies to America… to go to the moon. But seriously: he tests NASA’s new Space Exploration Vehicle and loves it. John Prescott is booed to death. Or, more correctly, he’s interviewed and debates Jeremy in politics, and sets the slowest lap ever as the SIARPC.
Video
Culled from a multitude of sources (both native 1080 HD, and 16x9 PAL SD videotape that’s been upconverted), “Top Gear: The Complete Season 16” offers an inconsistent, if generally agreeable, Blu-ray presentation. Each episode features a 1.78:1 widescreen transfer encoded in 1080i AVC MPEG-4 high definition. The studio material is just about perfect: colorful, crisp, detailed and clean. The location filming – due to the many low-quality, near-SD, in-car shots – is less impressive, and some of the location films are plagued by noticeable artifacts, moments of aliasing, and lingering traces of ringing and light edge enhancement. Fortunately, banding isn’t ever a problem – even with the show’s at-times harsh color correction – and the more overt issues are only present in select segments. For the most part, the many panoramic shots from the challenges and Specials have crackling detail and texture. Skintones are natural. Contrast is strong, and blacks are deep, if mildly crushing in spots. BBC/Warner’s transfer is far from perfect, but its faults don’t even begin to ruin the otherwise generally pleasing visuals.
Audio
“*For clearance reasons certain edits have been made.” That lovely little disclaimer is tucked away in the bottom left corner of the rear artwork, under a load of legalese and logos. And what it really means is – due to the unique peculiarities of certain contracts the BBC has with various record companies – the rights to the copious catalogue of popular music and film scores, which the producers of “Top Gear” are so fond of using, often only extend to the original U.K. broadcasts. DVD, Blu-ray and even International broadcast versions then are forced to use alternate, edited tracks with awful temp music in certain places. Of course, this is made even stranger by other bits of music – such as the AC/DC song in the opening minutes of the very first episode – that remain intact. Quibbles with the considerably worse music aside, I find little fault with the sound on BBC/Warner’s Blu-ray, if not much to praise either. Audio is delivered via an unexceptional English Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo mix (at a staggering 448 kbps). Dialogue is generally clean. Volume is balanced. Stereo separation is acceptable, if unremarkable. It’s just… there isn’t much else to the track; there’s no power (or, perhaps that should be “POWEEEERRR…” to use a Clarksonism) backing the rumble of an exhaust, nor any sense of immersion in the crowded studio pieces, or, overall, the sort of clarity that one might expect from a better, lossless, rendering. To be fair, there’s really nothing wrong here at all. The mix is just sort of bland; it gets the job done, but only in the most basic ways imaginable. Optional English subtitles are also included.
Extras
The behind-the-scenes featurettes and outtakes outlined on the back of the Blu-ray case amount to about a half-an-hour of bonus material. And, as cheeky and fun as that footage might be, if they were the only supplements on these discs, my grade for this section would be considerably lower. Two additional “Specials” – bonus episodes aired out of season – add two extra hours of TG goodness to the package and considerable supplemental value. All of the pertinent extras are included on disc three and are encoded in high definition. DISC ONE: The first disc has two pre-menu bonus trailers: a DVD and Blu-ray spot for “Doctor Who: Series Six, Part I” (1080i, 1 minute) and a BBC America promo (1080i, 1 minute 17 seconds) featuring the voice of John Oliver. DISC TWO: Again, just a bonus trailer: this time for the DVD and Blu-ray release of “Wallander” (1080i, 1 minute 30 seconds) starring Kenneth Branagh. DISC THREE: Disc three starts off with a pre-menu bonus trailer for Steven Moffat’s sublime 21st Century update to the Sherlock Holmes mythos, the simply titled “Sherlock” (1080i, 1 minute 54 seconds). The bulk of the “Season 16” extras are also on this disc, including the two “Specials”, which are found in the episodes tab. First up is “USA Road Trip” (1080i, 51 minutes 39 seconds). This bonus episode has Jeremy, in a Mercedes SLS, James May in a Ferrari, and Hammond in a stupid Porsche with red and yellow wheels, traveling up the East Coast of the United States. Sound familiar? Like really, really familiar? That’s cause it’s just an alternate edit of the season/series premiere found on disc one. With scenes exclusive to this shorter (52 minute vs. 66 minute) version, the piece is still worth a watch. But, it’s kind of an odd inclusion, and with so much overlap between the premiere and this “Special”, a bit of a disappointment too. Considerably better is “The Middle East Special” (1080i, 76 minutes 8 seconds). This second, much more bonus episode episode (a Nativity special, that originally aired the day after Christmas) has the boys traveling from Iraq to Bethlehem – each taking the place of one of the fabled Three Wise Men – in sporty convertibles. Their gifts for the newborn: Gold, frankincense, and… a Nintendo DS! Clarkson drives a Mazda MX-5, while May (always keen to mention The War) eventually turns his BMW Z3 into something more fit for Rommell’s Africa Corps, and Hammond’s Fiat Barchetta… well, it surprises the hell out of even him. This is without doubt the best episode of the season. “Pre-Series Chat” (1080i, 3 minutes 30 seconds) is a featurette with Jeremy, James and Richard where they tease what to expect in the new series, from the new Stig to… their new haircuts. Nick Dalton introduces “John Bishop Lap” (1080i, 4 minutes 33 seconds). View the comedian’s loop around the TG track for the “Star in A Reasonably Priced Car” segment in a behind-the-scenes interview and clip. “Clarkson and Hammond Joking About James’ Death” (1080i, 2 minutes 31 seconds) is another featurette. Jeremy and Richard talk about the first three episodes of the series, and the unfortunate and untimely “death” of their longhaired colleague. Hannah Young introduces another clip and interview from behind-the-scenes of the SIRPC segment, called “Nick Frost and Simon Pegg Laps” featurette (1080i, 6 minutes 23 seconds). Frost and Pegg are hilarious, and they both talk about getting used to the new car and trying to break their old records. “John Prescott – Jezza vs. Prezza” (1080i, 58 seconds) are a collection of outtakes from Clarkson’s interview with former Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State John Prescott. Richard, James, and Jeremy sit down for an “End of Series 16 Chat” (1080i, 2 minutes 41 seconds), which is essentially a mirror of the similar “Pre-series” featurette. Favorite films of the series (Albania for everyone), the new Stig, and the return of the “Cool Wall” are all discussed. ‘Behind the Scenes: Top Gear Production Office & Studio” (1080i, 9 minutes 48 seconds) is a brief featurette that was originally available online. James introduces viewers to the tour of the TG offices and studio that is soon to follow: Nick Dalton showcases the offices, manager Rob Smith heads a tour of the studio, and director Brian Klein offers a look inside the control room.
Packaging
“Top Gear: The Complete Season 16” includes all of Clarkson, Hammond and May’s exploits from the series sixteenth iteration in a nifty three disc package from BBC Worldwide, 2 entertain and Warner Home Video. Three dual layered BD-50 discs come packaged inside a single Viva Elite case. The set is marked Region Free.
Overall
That “Top Gear” is still any good at all – and hasn’t gone stale after ten years – is remarkable. Or, perhaps not: May, Hammond and Clarkson’s dynamic is why the show works, and that has always been true. “Top Gear” is a rare car program that can be enjoyed by those not the least bit interested in four or two-wheeled monstrosities, simply because James, Richard and Jeremy have such undeniable chemistry. BBC/Warner offer a pleasing package that I think most fans with find more than acceptable. Video is inconsistent but has the ability to be quite striking, while the stereo audio is serviceable and two additional “Specials” add value to the supplements. Recommended.
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