The Grand Tour

Clarkson responds to criticism of The Grand Tour Episode 2

As we reported yesterday, the second episode of The Grand Tour received rather mixed reviews. Some people loved it, some people hated it, others simply fell asleep and some even started skipping through the show to speed it up a bit – which is sadly what I ended up doing towards the end of Operation Desert Stumble. Though it was rather fittingly named, I thought.

The negative reviews which flooded Facebook, Twitter and Reddit did not fall on deaf ears however, and Jeremy Clarkson has used their new automotive social media website DRIVETRIBE to respond to the criticism levelled at the episode.

“Hello everyone. Show two of the Grand Tour is very car light, and that happens again in the Barbados film later in the series. We do this on purpose to entertain the countless people who invariably say, when I sit next to them at a party, ‘I like your show but why do you put cars on it?’” – Jeremy Clarkson

Sound familiar? It should – because it is the same logic Clarkson and his executive producer friend Andy Wilman have used in the past to defend Top Gear. Their argument is that every petrolhead who tunes in to view car related content with a smattering of Clarkson, Hammond and May’s humor, several others are watching the show purely for a laugh and don’t care whether cars are featured or not. So with that in mind, The Grand Tour team have woven a few episodes into the first series to accomodate these viewers.

Did you love it or hate it? Please let us know in the comments area below.

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35 comments

grand tour season 4 May 12, 2022 at 10:02 pm

Me permites mencionarlo en mi blog… Muchas gracias Saludos

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Jolly December 3, 2016 at 12:37 am

I did always love the silliness of what the three chaps got up to on TG and “Operation Desert Stumble” was partly funny, partly over the top and rather than silly,it developed into being just plain annoying. The other not so good thing on TGT is the choice of racing driver. Like many others, I am not impressed. This guy does NOT fit in at all. Nothing he says is funny – it’s all just plainly annoying too. From one who is not easily annoyed, this is annoying! LOL!!

But beyond my comments above, I am enjoying the return of the chaps. Keep up the fun times and keep laughing at yourselves and at each other – those genuine heartfelt guffaws were always laughter invoking in me! More of that please. I’m hoping that in future episodes, there will be some old cars brought in – those episodes were the best. Most people have older cars, so being able to resonate with the problems, AND being impressed with the brilliance of cars. however old they get, was so much fun.
Thanks Amazon for making this all possible.

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Asif December 1, 2016 at 6:46 pm

I am a huge “ORIGINAL” top gear fan. I have seen entire series from 1 – 22. when I saw the first episode of TGT it was a feeling of reassurance , they are back. Honestly,, “American” is rubbish, his chat and jokes are not enjoyable to watch at all . “Celeb brain crash” got unfunny by the last celeb death of 1st episode. Operation Desert Stumble was scripted and forced.The chemistry was missing, the things that happens by accident..
I love The Grand Tour, with and without car details. I love the repartee between those three! It’s what I’ve been looking forward to since their announcement there would a new show. But episode 2 was a total disappointment..

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W November 30, 2016 at 3:26 am

I miss the celebrities racing the clock.
The segment allowed us at home to imagine how we’d do driving the track.

The NASCAR driver is repellent.

But we will watch again hoping for better.

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W November 30, 2016 at 3:18 am

Hammond and May seemed to be dutifully humoring the ape but not really enjoying themselves this episode.

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W November 30, 2016 at 3:16 am

The episodes glorified use of firearms, fake or not, makes light the world’s serious struggle with deadly terrorism.

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W November 30, 2016 at 3:15 am

An awful episode leaving us to wonder if the aged adolescent Clarkson is unfunny without some reasonable boundary or authority to push against.

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Tommy November 29, 2016 at 8:37 pm

I agree with a lot of the criticism – episode 2 was one of the least funny things I’ve seen the three of them do. It’s like they’ve forgotten it is supposed to be fun for the people watching as well as them.

Bring back more challenges. Bring back more pieces per episode. Keep killing celebrities – interviews were always extraordinarily dull!

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BBunsen November 29, 2016 at 3:24 pm

The Grand Tour isn’t working for me yet. Things seem forced, sometimes go on too long, and often just aren’t funny or entertaining, in my opinion. Admittedly, it’s the first few episodes of a new show featuring personalities who can’t use their old familiar bits because BBC owns them, so I expect a few teething pains. After all, how long did it take Top Gear to find its stride? The boys need to figure out how to fill the massive gaps caused by the loss of the Stig, Producers’ Challenges, and Stars in Cheap Cars. Celebrities falling to their deaths from high altitudes and retired NASCAR drivers aren’t going to do it for me. I wish them luck.

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Mumble Happy Feet November 29, 2016 at 3:07 pm

Episode 2 was laugh-out-loud funny! Staged? Yes. But who cares? Most of the Top Gear we loved was just as staged.

I loved watching the boys blundering about in desert camo. And that last scene with Jezza was hilarious! I laughed my ass off with the “Day After Tomorrow” reference as well with James repeatedly making a run for it. As for those who think the boys weren’t good actors, well, they were not! And they weren’t trying to. They never have even with the old Top Gear. That’s what’s hilarious about them! They’re goofy!

Folks the bottom line is if you’re looking for a “real” car show (and I do mean someplace where all they talk about is cars, literally) then I suggest you go get your fix someplace else. However, if you’re looking for an hour of sarcasm, goofs and “three middle-aged men falling down a lot” (as they like to be described) with cars squeezed in between well then keep watching!

To Jezza, James and Richard – well done chaps!

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Theisman November 29, 2016 at 9:01 am

Just a meh episode for me, the boys all have a good chemistry and you can tell they have fun, but im one of the people who prefer it to be about cars or at least have car related bits in it. Still won’t stop me watching the next one.

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Chris November 29, 2016 at 8:25 am

What I propose is bring back the days of Top Gear Seasons 6 to 15. Those are the shows when they were at their best. Challenges galore with cars and comedy.

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Delvin Nelson November 29, 2016 at 6:21 am

I thought the 2nd episode of Grand Tour was one of the funniest things I have ever seen on TV and as an avid fan with no real interest in cars I would like more of the same please. Also, Grand Tour the Movie anyone?

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Hugh Douglas November 29, 2016 at 6:03 am

Episode 2 started off well, and just got worse and worse. I found that instead of presenting for an hour, the trio turned into actors, and not very good ones. I know that the old Top Gear was staged, but nothing like this. It feels as though they are trying too hard.
I think they should focus on cars, rather than trying to make them do “funny” things. I would much rather watch the BBC’s Top Gear regardless of the fact that Jeremy, James and Richard Aren’t there.

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Hugh Douglas November 29, 2016 at 6:07 am

And are there actually going to be any Celebrities, because its taking the piss how they all just die. It would actually improve the show tenfold if they got people to interview.

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Kayleigh white November 29, 2016 at 5:53 am

I loved it 🙂

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John Wighfield November 29, 2016 at 12:03 am

Loved it. !!!

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Mike jones November 28, 2016 at 11:35 pm

Found it rather repetitive dragging the gag out long after it ceased to be funny. The yank is a def turn off. Like a giraffe taking its first steps, it seems ungainly but at times funny to watch.

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Al Andrew November 28, 2016 at 12:34 pm

If you didn’t get the humour of this show then you are fast asleep !
They are entertaining in true original style !
Just enjoy it !

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Andy November 28, 2016 at 7:50 am

I was laughing my nuts off and so was my 13 year old son and 12 year old daughter….well maybe not her…but she was laughing. Anyway keep up the good work and….err carry on

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Bazza November 28, 2016 at 6:53 am

I haven’t seen it yet and the negative comments are definitely NOT putting me off watching it. It’s the interaction between jezza, hampster and capt. slow that makes it for me, with some car info thrown in on car’s l can never afford.

Keep up the great work boys….don’t let the b@#$%&+s grind you down…

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Tyzza November 28, 2016 at 11:20 am

I’ve never cared too much about the cars either, but that show was so staged… The chemistry that was always the charm of TG seems to have been lost in a world of powerful camera’s and scripts.

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Tyzza November 28, 2016 at 11:21 am

In this episode at least… I hope it returns in future episodes

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Stu November 29, 2016 at 8:57 pm

I’m a huge fan of these guys and always will be, but I agree, most staged thing I’ve ever seen, just took there stupid fun out of it, it was them acting to be hopeless, rather than just having a crack being hopeless and filming the results, just trying abit hard..

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Ilikai November 28, 2016 at 6:43 am

loved Operation Desert Stumble… it was a good laugh and showed them poking fun at themselves…

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Chandan November 28, 2016 at 4:05 am

Loved it, specially when Hammond says, ” James electrocuted himself”

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Anthony Wilkinson November 28, 2016 at 3:45 am

I liked it, it’s just entertainment with a bit of car info thrown in for good measure

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Lee November 28, 2016 at 2:48 am

Hated episode 2. The show put me so off after 12 minutes, I read a book on snails. It was not that there were so few things to do with GT and cars and all that bit, it was that the show projected a comp0lete loss of personality, of what to present, of how to present it, and when the writers had no material let, just shoot James over and over.

I thin that the world – the world outside Jeremy’s mind set, is just fed up and tired of war and death and killing and terrorism and having to bury friends and care for the massively maimed. A staged terrorist plot is just hideous.

Then, second worst and growing fast on the list of useless, is the American and the scripted 1st grade jokes. I hope this just goes away with a sudden crash.

Then that bit with killing (killing again) a visiting celebrity in some messed up cameo of sudden brutal death – its like watching jaws jump out of the water repeatedly – first time was a little funny, but even that ended with the writers not knowing how to get out of this kindergarten situation.

I worry that with episode 3, I will run out of snail books to read, and just turn the tele off.

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W November 30, 2016 at 3:28 am

Yes.

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Sam November 30, 2016 at 7:36 pm

2nd yes.

“American” = rubbish chat and not enjoyable to watch.

Desert stumble sketch was tedious and far too drawn-out. If they had to do it, they should’ve made it half the time.

“Celeb brain crash” got unfunny by the last celeb death of 1st episode. Found myself saying to myself as they introduced the feature again on 2nd episode “If they kill them again I’ll be seriously pissed off…”.

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Marc November 28, 2016 at 2:28 am

Laughed my heart out!

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Mike Gibson November 28, 2016 at 12:50 am

I, for one, still loved Operation Desert Stumble. I’m a diehard fan of the Top Gear crew, and it’s good to see the boys back together again!!

Keep it up, gentlemen!!

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HB Fields November 27, 2016 at 11:05 pm

Forgive me, I am an American and I have been a huge fan of top gear the elder for many years, having been introduced to the program in Namibia where it is quite popular. I’ve gone so far as to purchase the British versions of the show along with a region 2 DVD player. Imagine my despair at viewing the long awaited Amazon – Hammond, Clarkson and May show, which in my opinion lacks the spontaneity and charm of the original. I mean, the Jordan skit was just that, so staged….
My disappointment is quite deep and I am hoping beyond hope that the boys can work out what’s off. Also, no harm meant but wasn’t the SA show’s audience a bit unbalanced?

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bob smith November 28, 2016 at 11:13 am

Unbalanced?

You mean as in mentally fragile?

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Stacey Nadeau November 27, 2016 at 10:04 pm

I love The Grand Tour, with and without car details. I love the repartee between those three! It’s what I’ve been looking forward to since their announcement there would a new show. ?❤️

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