Filed under: Etc., Euro, First Drive
BBC America to air full Top Gear episodes for seaon 8
Final Gear is reporting that the BBC America will start airing full episodes of the 8th season of Top Gear later this month. No more of those watered down 30-minute "specials" we saw on BBC World. No more downloading overseas episodes from the net. No more American Top Gear with no recognizable connection to the real deal. Just the same one-hour episodes they get in the UK, piped straight into our homes via BBCA. Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May engaging in stunts and challenges, celebrity guests trying their hand at lapping in identical, moderately priced vehicles, and The Stig wringing the most from the latest crop of hot hatches to supercars -- it's all there. The new episodes will start airing August 20th at 8PM ET. We can't wait.
Jay, thanks for the tip.
[Source: Final Gear]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Racer Jay 3:35PM (8/09/2007)
Three chears for BBC America! Huzzah!
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teknokracy 4:12PM (8/09/2007)
I'm aslo looikng forwrad to this seaon!
DW 3:37PM (8/09/2007)
2 words
hell. yes.
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irctire 3:42PM (8/09/2007)
The 8th season of Top Gear is from TWO YEARS AGO!
I don't know about you, but I'll continue downloading the most recent shows rather than wait for them to be rebroadcast in the US
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paul 3:45PM (8/09/2007)
at least its a step forward. maybe in a year or 2 we'll get the same episodes that air in the UK
Tomas 4:19PM (8/09/2007)
Season 8 is not from 2 years ago - Season 8 consisted of 8 episodes that aired between May 8, 2006 and July 30, 2006.
Linky: http://www.tv.com/top-gear/show/27682/episode_guide.html?season=8&tag=season_dropdown;dropdown;7
clevershark 5:24PM (8/09/2007)
Well not exactly two years but two seasons ago, if you count the one that started with the Polar Special.
Mark 4:13AM (8/10/2007)
the one that started with the polar special hasn't started yet, it was a special, not the beginning of the series. The series starts in October
Curtis 3:43PM (8/09/2007)
That's great! but too bad I just cancelled satellite service, so now I don't get BBCA...
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Tom 3:45PM (8/09/2007)
Does BBCA actually not have commercials? I didn't know anything here in America would be broadcast without having to cut out at least 16 minutes for commercials.
If it is indeed the full hour with no cutting...that's pretty sweet...even if it is season 8. Gotta start somewhere.
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Jon 5:19PM (8/09/2007)
They may or may not play the full length. They do have commercials but they don't always follow the typical 30 minute blocks so it may just be an hour and twenty minutes instead of an hour.
Jonathan Webb 3:45PM (8/09/2007)
Awesome news. It's about time. I've gotten everyone who has ever watched it online with me hooked. Calling my brother-in-law right now.. thanks BBC!
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tim d 3:47PM (8/09/2007)
I download episodes from the net and fastforward through the british celebrity interview parts because I don't know who they are, I dont get their cultural references and I can barely understand their english sometimes. I dont get what so interesting about them driving in the moderatly priced vehicles either. So, the 30 minute american version isn't so bad for me.
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felipe 3:47PM (8/09/2007)
omg,
i think i wanna cry.....
such a great show, even my 'non-car' enthused wife used to look forward too before they yanked it.
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felipe 4:44PM (8/09/2007)
the schedule
http://www.bbcamerica.com/tvschedule.jsp?showsList=266
Shiznet 3:54PM (8/09/2007)
Wot
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DWillms 4:04PM (8/09/2007)
Any word on if BBC Canada is doing the same?
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canajien 4:08PM (8/09/2007)
i think bbc canada has been airing full episodes on sunday evenings for some time now
DW 4:09PM (8/09/2007)
Apparently I've been downloading episodes for too long :-)
Mehul Kamdar 4:11PM (8/09/2007)
BBC America is such an insipid load of trash that I am surprised that they even bother to run the channel. And, to reinforce this, they decide to bring in two year old episodes of one of their most popular shows. If this is not arrogance of the "you don't deserve the latest and most recent shows out in the colonies" kind, it is probably something even worse.
There's a fat lot of good this is going to do wither for Top Gear or for BBC America. Yes, the post about watching the latest episodes on the net is spot on. Someone in London needs to remind the BBC commissars that if they woke up and put some hard work into showing their latest shows, they might not only sell advertising and make some money, people in the US would actually watch their channel.
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