- Top Gear's ratings on History have improved significantly during its second season.
- This has led the cable network to extend the number of episodes it will air during the second season.
- The new episodes will debut early in 2012.
HOLLYWOOD, California — Whether or not the American version of Top Gear on the History cable channel is an artistic success is open for debate. What's no longer in question is whether it's working business-wise. After a successful second season that saw the show's ratings climb, History has decided to extend the second season with an order for additional episodes from BBC Worldwide Productions.
"We're very happy with this," said Executive Producer John Hesling in a phone conversation with Inside Line. "Our big challenge has been learning how to keep the audience through the commercial breaks. Of course in Britain, the original Top Gear doesn't have that challenge since it's on the BBC and they don't have commercials. We now keep a story arc across the commercial breaks that holds the audience."
Through the second season, Top Gear USA averaged an audience of 1.9 million viewers, with about 1.1 million each in the commercially desirable Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54 demographics. Particularly satisfying to History is a 24-percent increase in audience size for the Adults 18-49 demographic that has helped Top Gear draw History's youngest audience ever.
The additional eight episodes will extend Top Gear USA's second season into 2012. Among the wacky antics planned are the three hosts attempting to chauffeur celebrities to the Emmy Awards in bizarre limousines and finding dangerous ways to recharge electric vehicles while they're still moving. All three hosts — Adam Ferrara, Tanner Foust and Rutledge Wood — will continue with the show.
"I don't think it was clear who the hosts are and what their attitudes are in the first season," adds Hesling. "But the stories now are exciting and big and driven by the hosts' personalities. You need people to love the hosts and that's what we're concentrating on."
Inside Line says: More is better. But the show still needs to be funnier and smarter.
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mustangfun101 says:
09:08 PM, 09/29/2011
Very sick of this. You can't compare a 60+ minute TG UK vs. a 42 minute TG USA. As for the presenters....I like Tanners driving skills although he could be better in front of the camera. Rutledge is funny and knows cars. Adam is the every-man, he is like 90% of us who would jump in and review a car and loves cars, he also is the best on camera because he is use to being in front of the camera on TV and movies. As for Adam Carolla of "Tire Rack" owned "The Car Show".....he is annoying as hell with his arrogant attitude. Also, if you like Carolla..it's because his teeth and their color are the closest to Jeremy Clarkson. You live in the USA Carolla....we have dental improvements here. Whiten that stuff. I'm happy to have alot of car shows and just think how boring it would be if you didn't have either TG USA or any other 3rd rate (The Car Show) car shows. I am looking forward to season 2 part II of TG USA.
chikoo says:
07:19 PM, 09/29/2011
In the first season, I was doubtful.
But with the second season, I actually do not even feel the need to tune in to BBC to watch the UK Top Gear.
Good Job History Channel. Wonderful chemistry between Adam, Tanner and Rutledge!
tenta20 says:
07:03 PM, 09/29/2011
As much I like to crap on the British and their society, I must say that their version of Top Gear is vastly better than the US version.
froggersjc says:
06:33 PM, 09/29/2011
I am happy to see the show continue. The second season was much better and I was sad to see it end. I can barely make it through an episode of "The Car Show" as there just isn't much entertainment value to me.
rage028 says:
01:25 PM, 09/29/2011
Try watching Top Gear Australia and tell me Top Gear U.S. isn't funny.
viss1 says:
09:19 AM, 09/29/2011
TGUS is OK at best. The only guy I've been impressed with is Foust - in the first season, I thought he had some type of brain deformity that left him devoid of any personality whatsoever. But in the second season, he's actually exhibited a sense of humor and is really the only one who is suitable to host a show. Wood continues to be slightly creepy, and Ferrara continues to be cluless about cars.
Count me as one of the people who would much rather see Adam Carolla as the "ringleader" of TGUS and Dan Farah as the Rutledge Wood replacement.
roscoe108 says:
08:46 AM, 09/29/2011
Yeah, it's a different show for a different audience, but it was obviously a huge marketing ploy to call it Top Gear in the first place, knowing full well that American viewers would immediately have thought of the original British show and made that connection, tune in, and have the expectation of similar enjoyment. But the enjoyment isn't there because it's not hosted by Clarkson, Hammond, and May (i.e. three of the biggest reasons why TG UK is so popular in the first place).
So I don't think that the comparisons between the US and UK versions are unreasonable because it's the networks that deliberately created the atmosphere for comparison in the first place as part of their PR for the American version. If there was any integrity in the entertainment industry, they would have given TG US a different name altogether. But ratings are king, so they called it TG, and the inevitable comparisons began in earnest.
It's not our fault...
throwback says:
05:49 AM, 09/29/2011
I liked the 2nd season, Im glad they are extending the show. There can never be enough car themed shows on TV for me.
ocramidajzj says:
05:35 AM, 09/29/2011
Ahhh, TGUSA is just a poor rip-off of TGUK and none of the hosts are funny or interesting. I've tried to watch it MANY times just becasue I like cars, but those idiots ruin it for me. The Car show is MUCH better despite it's low-rent/Tire Rack whoring production values. Sally is the only one who is throw-away. The chemistry between Carolla, Neil and Fara is akin to three buddies hanging out and shooting the shit, rather than three lain-brains reading poorly and woodenly from a script (aka TG USA).
ed341 says:
04:58 AM, 09/29/2011
"I would not expect this show to be the exact same thing as the original TG because we are not the exact same culture as Great Britian. Remember; we kicked their butts out of our country several hundred years ago."
Umm, isn't it the exact same thing as the original? Also, careful with that beaten dead horse since it appears the History Channel still answers to the BBC on Top Gear related matters. :P