this post was submitted on 31 Mar 2026
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Ive never watched an episode of Top Gear... Is it worth it and does it hold up?
If you enjoy racist boomer humor, then yes.
Im a fan of Blazing Saddles... It's got a lot of racism throughout and the Boomers loved it. But I cant stand The Big Bang Theory or Monk, and every Boomer i know loves those shows. Steve Martin is a comedic genius -- he's a Boomer and popular with the Boomers. I liked Dave Chapelle and that shit was racist AF. So I dunno where I stand anymore.
Is it worth it? I think so, I enjoyed it. Does it hold up? Complicated question.
The Clarkson-Hammond-May show ran for a couple decades and went through three major phases: journalism, shenanigan and adventure.
In earlier seasons they were more of a typical car show, they did more journalism relevant to the average driver...in early 2000s Britain. Top Gear isn't looked back on fondly for Richard Hammond reporting on viewer polls for new car reliability in 2002. They still made an entertaining show, the cool wall and things like that are entertaining, but I would start you out with later episodes and let you watch these later if you like it. Series staples like taking sports cars for a fast lap around their track to compare their times, and doing celebrity interviews complete with a racing lap around the same track in a compact car, the "Star In A Reasonably Priced Car" segment, begin here.
5 or 6 years in they started the shenanigan era, which is probably what peopel mean when they say "This reminds me of Top Gear." They'd buy three used cars and go do ridiculous things, like turn them into camper vans, or outfit them for racing, or make sports cars into ambulances. In the words of Richard Hammond, "What this was, was fun. And I think we're quite good at fun." If I can point to an episode to introduce new viewers to the series, it'd be the British Leyland challenge episode. The show really starts to shine in this era; the three hosts have great chemistry together and the shenanigans give them more opportunity to play off one another.
That gradually transitioned into the adventure era, as "three guys drive some old cars to the other side of London" becomes racing Veyron against a Cessna 182 across the length of Europe, or driving three old four-by-fours across South America or three ordinary RWD cars across Botswana. The show gradually abandoned the studio segments and became just, the three guys go somewhere in the world and drive some cars in interesting or spectacular locations. There's great stuff here, their Botswana trip is amazing, their Korea trip is amazing, their Nile trip is wonderful, their North Pole trip is NUTS. But I'd watch earlier cheap car challenge episodes first.
Wow. Thanks for the detailed write up and recommendation. I was graduated from high school when the show was first airing, but I just never took the time to watch it because i wasnt a car guy. Then i was aware that shenanigans were happening, but in my mind it was still just a car show. But now 20 years later, people are still talking about it. If I can find it, maybe i'll give it a watch starting where you suggested.
So yeah if "not a car guy" you might bounce off of the first couple of seasons. Here's a sample from the shenanigan era: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf7q8lWEd-o