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Enthusiasm can be entertaining
Generally speaking I watch TV to escape - top of my list is usually dramas that entertain me where I"ll happily suspend all disbelief or those that provide an emotional resonance. Few fit my exacting standards but a comedy that makes me laugh is always welcome and "light entertainment" (quiz shows or a few of the more wholesome reality shows) are fine for keeping the noise going while I do something else. But no sports, no soap operas (although I'll admit to a few past addictions) and no factual programs or documentaries ....... except over the last few weeks I have been more and more drawn to two "factual" programs, Mythbusters and Top Gear. I put factual in quotes because neither show gives you reams of facts you can quote around the Watercooler, or indeed provides much information you could ever look up on the internet or in reference books [the last episode of Top Gear I watched claimed they "hadn't given a fact in over five years"] but I can't immediately think of another way to describe programs that deal with real-world things now that "reality" programmes has come to mean totally artificial game-shows.
Watching Mythbusters is your fault - you the Community - because I had heard good things from several sources here so one time when it was on I thought I would just have a look-see. And irritated as I am by the constant "what'll happen next" and "stay tuned for x" announcing style, the program itself is fascinating due to the enthusiasm of the participants.
But am I the only one who does a mental double-take everytime they say Cary Grant is going to do something? 
Top Gear on the other hand is a program I have known about for years (it started in the UK in 1978) and never had any interest in - after all I'm not "into" cars - in fact I can hardly tell what any car is without checking the badge or the name on the back. But I left the TV on while I finished some sewing the other day and there it was - and despite a few bits of technical gobbledygook, it was fun. Yes, Jeremy Clarkson is obnoxious and arrogant at times (I would've compared him to Simon Cowell, but Cowell was on one ep & JC was definitely the nicer of the two) and some of his jokes are definitely near the knuckle but that just makes it more fun when he gets egg on his face during some of the challenges. And basically, the whole-hearted enthusiasm he & Richard Hammond have for the show and the cars makes it fun because you can see how much they are enjoying themselves. [Only someone who really loves what they do would suffer the sort of horrendous incident Hammond did 18 months ago and just keep on doing the same thing.]
I hear that one of the US networks is thinking about their own version of "Top Gear". Would I watch it? Probably not, but I might if they can learn the lessons that the presenters don't need to be chosen for their looks but for their personality and enthusiasm for the subject and that they need to be free to express honest opinions, not be hampered by whose advertising dollars speak the loudest.
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Mar 30, 2008 5:42 PM
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Hi AdWatcher. I'm a big fan of Top Gear and have been for the past year or so. My brother's a big gearhead and I watched a marathon with him during a long weekend and I was hooked. It's really Jeremy, Hammond, James, and Stig who make the show for me. My knowledge of cars is fairly limited, but they are just so funny that I hate missing this show. Loved the season premiere where they raced each other (in bike, boat, SUV, and public transportation) to City Airport and Hammond won the race on his bike!
I'll probably watch the NBC version of the show at least once or twice. But because what I love most about this show is the cast, it would really depend on who NBC cast in the US version. Some of the challenges are fun (and a little bit scary though) so if the challenges are exceptional I may keep watching it. Unless it's up against one of the shows I'm already watching or recording.... Then all bets are off.
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Mar 31, 2008 2:55 PM
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