TOP GEAR SEASONS 11 AND 12
BBC America / Region 1 / Released January 12, 2010 and available to buy separately
Just what is it about Top Gear that makes us all love it so, consistently one of the most popular shows around the world you wouldn't think that a show featuring three middle aged men pontificating about supercars none of us could ever afford would strike such a chord.
Of course seasons 11 and 12 (which are available separately but both released this month) prove that TG is so much more than that. In fact the talk about is just a fraction of the entertainment. The three presenters Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond make a great team, with enough antagonism and good humour to make their on screen camaraderie seem totally believable. Yes every episode does feature tje trio road testing the latest cars but never in a straight forward way and always on hand to push to the very ragged edge of their limits is the mysterious character known only as The Stig (his identity has long been a closely guarded secret - we know of course but unfortunately we can't tell you), there is also the segment known as Star in the Reasonably Priced Car in which a celebrity tries to post a time around the Top Gear test track and best of all each week the trio go on a madcap challenge from a cross country fox hunt with a car driving Jeremy as the prey, a series of tests to see who is better at driving - The Brits or The Germans, a great race across Japan with a car versus public transport theme, driving from Switzerland to the UK on just one tank of fuel and a truly epic trip from San Francisco in specially adapted muscle cars.
Truth be told it is these travelogue moments that make the series such a hit, especially the ones that take up a full episode of the show. In fact we'd be quite happy to see a whole season of such specials. Top Gear is classic telly, hugely enjoyable and perfect for the repeat viewings at the heart of the best DVD experience.
Season 11 is a two disc set and season 12 is a four disc set.
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