Top Gear S21 Episode 7 (16th March)

colm_mcm

7/7. Part two of two. Having forded rivers, climbed mountains and endured a Burmese trucker stop, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May must now venture into the Shan state, an area riven by civil war and normally closed to Western TV crews, as they take their lorries toward Thailand and their final challenge; to build a bridge over the River Kwai. Last in the series.

Radio Times

Myrddin

Not sure what Clarkson was tweeting about, I can't wait for this to be over...it's just awful.

colm_mcm

I guess it was better being there.

mike65

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqSiLL8U3vo

The Black Oil

Too long. First portion of second half was ok, but hard to see justification for the bridge bollocks.

Great landscapes.

mike65

**** it it was worth it for the last 5 minutes, and plenty of stuff along the way, which is the whole point of these specials.

Red Kev

I thought it was very good, not sure if the truck drives over the river were scripted or not but they were very good, genuinely a bit nervewracking.

I've seen documentaries on Shan, so that whole thing about them being the first crew there was nonsense and mentioned a few times too many.

5/5 anyway.

cdeb

Didn't really do it for me. Some fascinating snippets of info (mainly in the first part), some stunning views, some genuinely funny japes (don't care if they were scripted; I got a laugh from the tent over the river bit), but as last week, it was missing something. Didn't really bond with the vehicles, didn't entirely engage with the locals, I dunno what.

Also worth noting that the River Kok is in NE Thailand, while the River Kwai is in west Thailand. They're hundreds of miles apart. I know the thing is scripted (and it has to be, to an extent), but that seems to be stretching it a bit much to get a Kok joke in.

delthedriver

Very enjoyable

guttenberg

Not the best road trip they have done but still a decent enough episode! Amazing scenery and some funny bits. I'd love to know how many people they actually used to build that bridge, can't imagine the scale of planning involved in one of their roadtrips.

Mycroft H

Top notch, best of the series.

Honestly thought Hammond's lorry was not going to make it.

And some bridge as well. Great design.

colm_mcm

Mycroft H wrote: »

And some bridge as well. Great design.

Would have been impressive if they had designed or built it. I fear the locals had more of a hand in it than was shown. I wonder if the lads really spent 15 days at it?

Mycroft H

colm_mcm wrote: »

Would have been impressive if they had designed or built it. I fear the locals had more of a hand in it than was shown. I wonder if the lads really spent 15 days at it?

Yea, I'm not honestly sure whether they did or not. It's pretty clear they had a hand from the locals but the design? Who knows?

mike65

Pity it wasn't blowing a gale and lashing rain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=as7AcALNTvI

pixelburp

Funny, my first thought when I saw the trucks cross the river was Friedkin's 'Sorcerer' too. Great movie incidentally. The use of the Kelly's Heroes credits was also a nice touch - and is another great movie (and theme song)

As to the episode, ah it was ok I suppose. I get fed up with the scripting as much as the next man, but I guess when there's great scenery and shots of foreign cultures I'm more lenient. I found myself wondering though, and not for the first time, if the show has just run out of ideas. There are only so many unique places in the world you can tour, and it felt like I had seen this getaway a half dozen times already...

I agree about the sentiments towards the trucks though, I don't imagine the trio fell for their vehicles in the way they have in the past. Certainly not May: he seemed to hate the thing by the end.

Noccy_Mondy

Anyone know where I can see this episode online. Was out and I missed it
Edit: Found a link, never mind

Ruu

Appropriate ending credits. Is that it for another season then?

IvySlayer

I'd love a taste of that Black Cock

Red Kev

Ruubot2 wrote: »

Appropriate ending credits. Is that it for another season then?

That's this season over. There is a rumour if a special one off show of the 918 vs McLaren P1 later on this spring. And (probably and urban myth) that they'll do a special head to head with the LaFerrari as well.


Now THAT would be special, 60 minutes of a proper assessment of the cars and not the usual ..."but can you use it as a heli-pad" kind of thing.

If I was producing it I'd also give a bit of time over to a comparison between the 918 and 959 and the P1 and F1. Could be 60 minutes of the greatest TV ever !!

C.K Dexter Haven

If even 1/2 of this was real, it was a very good show.

Absolutely desperate first half but last nights show was very special. The scenery stole the show but the bridge building was excellent.

corkgsxr

The deflection as they drove over the bridge was huge. Im surprised they made it.

inforfun

Liked it, no doubt about it.

But for me the standard they set with the South America and Vietnam specials wasnt met with this one.
After those 2 specials i had this "I-really-need-to-go-there-one-day" feeling.
Dont have that with this one.

Probably was the trucks that took it all a notch down for me, although Clarkson's truck had something cool.

dave1982

Well done to richard building a build with a sprained wrist

Al Capwned

I find that there may be a case of some people actually looking too hard into episodes of TG now to find something wrong with it.

Granted, it's scripted and a rehash of previous programmes and a whole lot more besides, but I find that I enjoy it when I just don't take it seriously!

Stinicker

Why not get three normal vehicles besides these absolute junk boxes the choose. The whole breaking down thing and repairing was just annoying when you know it is scripted and they don't repair it themselves.

Tzar Chasm

I liked it.

tell ye what, to all those complaining about the choice of trucks, you try and buy one sight unseen in Burma for less than 2 grand. post the results here

I've found a list of Dealers, but they all promise a Stock list 'coming soon'

then the local papers available online are in Burmese.

fryup

will be repeated on TV?? or has it already?

Buffman

I liked the episode overall, building that bridge must be one of the biggest things they've attempted, along the lines of the Robin Reliant space shuttle. At least the bridge didn't end up exploding!

The bit of scripting didn't bother me, most of it was humorous enough, like Mays swinging tent and Clarkson getting tipped out of his bed.

You could tell at times the lads were very tired from all the driving.

fryup wrote: »

will be repeated on TV?? or has it already?

According to the website:

Sat 22 Mar

• 18:55 BBC Two Northern Ireland only
• 20:20 BBC Three
  

bnt

I wonder how many folks noticed the song the guys were singing at the party .., did they really do the whole thing? :eek:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IkOT1-vd6A

The lyrics are very NSFW, and I'm still not sure I understand what they all mean ...