Top Gear - Back in the Fast Lane : Best of BBC Series 1 & 2

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Having ceased to take itself seriously, Top Gear has now become the definitive weekly fantasy fix for petrol-heads everywhere. This compilation from the first and second series of the revamped show is mainly a chunk of four-wheeled fun that descends, more than occasionally, into downright silliness. Who would have it any other way? Unusually though, the cars are very nearly upstaged by the string of surprisingly good celebs who are wheeled on to fill the guest slot. We get Jay Kay, Harry Enfield, Jodie Kidd, Anne Robinson and many other luminaries. Several make genuinely funny contributions to the show, such as Jamie Oliver (who sends himself up something rotten while trying to prepare a salad in the back of a VW camper van as it careers around a test track), Patrick Stewart (Clarkson: "You're the most famous guest we've had on". Stewart: "This must be a terrible show, then.") and Boris Johnson, who admits to once having used a mobile phone while riding a bicycle. In the midst of all this, the programme still somehow gets around to beating seven colours of brake fluid out of assorted Jags, Lambos, Astons and so on.

There are some show-stealing stunts-cum-sight gags, too, such as the reversal of Eddie Kidd's classic bus-jumping bike stunt that sees a bus being "jumped" over the same number of bikes. Buses, of course, stay in the air the way bricks don't. The caravan-towing speed record attempt is almost serious, except Hammond checks the small print and sees there's no restriction on what you can use to move the caravan. He chooses gravity and drops it from a crane.

On the DVD: The Best of Top Gear also includes a fact file that gives the spec of each vehicle and a rather unexciting photo gallery. --Roger Thomas

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2007-02-19 rating:
Hammond
I don't think I have ever seen this particular DVD but have the best intentions on seeing. I think it would be brilliant though based on the fact that Richard Hammond is gorgeous!!!

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review by: Kim'll Fix It date: 2005-01-31 rating:
Top Gear!
There is absolutely no doubt that Top Gear is one of the greatest shows on television. There are so many reasons for this that it would be impossible for me to write them all here, so I'll sum them up.
Firstly, this show is beautiful. As a camera operator, I can say that Top Gear has been a real inspiration to my work since the new style of the show started. The articles on the show are always visually stunning, with fantastic soundtracks. This is a creative producer's dream.
Secondly, the show is hilarious. The producers knew that they had to get a wide audience without losing the 'boys toys' element of the programme, which is why so much silliness happens. But it's great, because every responsible driver on the road needs to let their hair down, and to see Richard Hammond destroy a caravan with gravity is a light-hearted stunt to make even the most stiff-upper-lipped driver chuckle.
Thirdly, the guests are great. Even if they're not particularly famous, the viewer warms to them instantly with the simple "Star In A Reasonably Priced Car" section. Seeing a famous person in a tight helmet driving a Liana round a track is humbling, even to Patrick Stewart (who was excellent). Jeremy Clarkson, whether you love him or hate him, is great with the guests and always gets a laugh.
And, my final point (for now), the combination of Clarkson, Hammond and May on a show dedicated to honouring great cars and laughing at bad ones is spot on. A show that brings together great presenters, interesting cars and tremendous production is a hard thing to achieve, but Top Gear does is perfectly.
Buy this DVD and immortalise this pristine show on your shelf; it's worth every penny.

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review by: date: 2004-01-04 rating:
Fantastic
We don't get Top Gear in Australia, so I was lucky enough to be sent this DVD for Christmas and it really is good stuff. Not like your usual car crap, these guys really have fun throwing fast, high priced cars around on the track coupled with that trademark British dry wit.

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review by: chrisconey date: 2003-10-19 rating:
Not enough
I dont know about you but i dont think that this DVD should include any of the celebrity interviews. I have a recording of each of the top gear shows that i put on DVD. The problem with having the celebrity interviews on there is that they are quite topical. If you are gonna be forking out £12 i want the DVD just full of end to end car review films.


review by: date: 2003-10-12 rating:
Cars Mania!!!!
This is fabulaous footage of Top Gear. The presenters (especially Jeremy Clarkson) are very entertaining and all have good things to say. There are mad car tests and celebrity gests.

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