My latest television obsession is the BBC car show Top Gear. Go figure.
On our trip over to Africa last Fall, my brother was watching episodes of the series on his netbook, and I saw a bit of it, but kept forgetting to check it out once I got home. Until a few Sundays ago when I was grooming the dogs, and my husband turned on the TV for me. It happened to be set to BBC America from the previous night’s episode of Doctor Who. I caught the end of the Gordon Ramsay cooking show (man, does he have a foul mouth). Followed by two episodes of Top Gear. And I was hooked.
My brother is a car nut. I am not, although I do have strong feelings for my New Beetle Convertible, which I bought in 2003. And have always had a certain affection for the Ford Mustang, Triumph Spitfire, and MG Spider and Midget convertibles. The classic ones. And I like Jaguars although I would never buy one.
Uh Oh. More of a car nut than I thought.
Which explains why this show has hooked me. Because it’s about cars, but it’s more than cars. It taps into how we feel about cars. I have a 2005 Toyota Highlander as my primary car because I need something to lug around kids and dogs, and wanted a hybrid. I have a New Beetle convertible because I love driving with the top down and have happy memories of a Bug we had when I was a kid.
Top Gear hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May love cars. They also love to entertain, and get a certain amount of pleasure about putting one over on each other. It’s gorgeous TV, and you don’t need to love cars to love this show.
Check it out.
Bonus: Do you remember all your cars? Here are mine: Chevy Impala, an Audi of some sort (didn’t have it long), Dodge Colt (my first standard car), Nissan Sentra, Dodge Neon, Jeep Grand Cherokee and currently the Toyota Highlander and my convertible.
Doug Getgood says
The Audi was a Fox- http://www.cartype.com/pages/1889/audi_fox
Yes, I do actually remember the car model.
And I won’t post the full list of cars, trucks (and motorcycles) I have owned…
Susan Getgood says
I quite liked the Audi. Would have kept it longer if I hadn’t cracked the block rear-ending a box van on Route 9 in Needham.Remember — it was towed into the lot when I picked up the Dodge Colt. A four speed. Which as you recall, I didn’t know how to drive at first.
No guts no glory. I bought a standard car at age 21 even though I couldn’t even test drive it myself because I trusted my brother and mother that I would like driving standard.
They were right. I still prefer it, but the big SUVs have to be automatics unfortunately.
Doug Getgood says
I had forgotten the cracked blocked although I do recall other things about the Audi Fox;
inboard brakes and the mechanic who had the car for a few weeks “fixing” them yet never even touched them, for one.
I remember the Colt and still think that buying a car that you can’t actually operate (well) yet was a pretty ballsy thing to do.