Clarkson, Hammond and May are back: The Grand Tour season 2 episode 1 critic reviews
THE CRITICS have begun delivering verdicts on the new series of The Grand Tour, which was published on Amazon Prime video last night.
As we know from Driving’s exclusive previews of Season 2, changes have taken place based on viewer feedback. For one thing, the idea of a travelling studio tent, that would pitch up in countries where local fans could get a taste of Clarkson, Hammond and May live, was consigned to the scrap heap due to the logistical complexities involved.
Another change was to sack The American, the not-so-tame racing driver from across The Pond whose constant bashing of any car without a V8 became irksome within a few episodes.
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The three presenters have continued touring the globe, however, with one already infamous challenge involving Richard Hammond turning an electric hypercar into a fireball, and shattering his knee in the process.
Here’s what the critics have to say (updates throughout the day).
The Times
“This is a show built on laddish pub banter and nearly dying in an accident is no reason to stop. Hammond didn’t even talk us through what went wrong. Maybe the insurance claim isn’t settled yet.
“These three work best when they are out on the road, unscripted, and not sitting around doing rehearsed repartee. Some parts were slightly flat (the museum visits) but mostly it worked, the production values remain high and it has clearly been hit with a juggernaut of money. The matesy bickering drove the episode as they raced three cars — one from the past (a petrol Lamborghini), the present (some kind of hybrid Honda) and the future (an electric supercar Clarkson called “the lady shaver” and which became a charred hairdryer).”
Carol Midgley (read in full)
“The presenters of The Grand Tour are not normal. They’re three florid multimillionaires in wallpaper shirts who only leave the Cotswolds for work and wouldn’t recognise a flat-roofed pub if they woke up drunk on top of it. And yes, they are anti-PC, instinctively sexist and inclined to laugh at people for things like ‘being French’, but none of that is ever the point. They don’t talk like this because they mean it. They talk like this because the alternatives are terrifying. They talk like this because life and existence is a gaping void of nothingness and we are all cold and lonely and going to die. All male conversation — cars, football, politics, woodwork, the merits of the M6 Toll, how you work a tank — is basically the same conversation. It is white noise. It blots out the fear.”
Hug Rifkind (read in full)
Jalopnik
“I can see why they put the crash in the first episode… there just wasn’t a lot there! They totally undercut the emotional weight, and it wasn’t as effective as the Top Gear Hammond crash. What a missed opportunity.
“I found the show shockingly mediocre! The new celebrity segment was better, but it ran on for too long. The F-Type on the unfinished course is good enough, I suppose, but still feels derivative. Though I do like the themed celebrity segments now, with “fastest former talent show host” being this week.”
Justin T. Westbrook (read in full)
GQ
“The banter. So much banter. The charisma and chemistry of Clarkson’s crew is undeniable, and there are some laughs, but they are coasting, and it is often witless, and endless. Throughout the show, serviceable jokes are milked, again and again, and the humour often seems like a defiant response to critics.”
Alex Godfrey (read in full)
Digital Spy
“The show feels like it’s finding its feet. While the first season allowed the trio to keep plenty of their quintessential Britishness, the on-the-road format necessitated a lengthy introduction of each new place they visited. Now, we’re back on home turf and the show has recaptured some of that (dare we say it) budget feel.
“Supercars and globetrotting aside (Amazon have a mammoth budget), the studio scenes feel more grounded and the presenters appear more laid back as a result. Small tweaks are being made everywhere – and it’s working.”
Catherine Pearson (read in full)
The Guardian
“‘I know people who eat this stuff,’ Jeremy says at dinner, miserably holding up some kind of salad leaf. ‘Do you know what they’re called? Women.’ Are there any treatments at the Park Weggis hotel for sexism I wonder?”
Sam Wollaston (read in full)
The Telegraph
“The writing is still rather ropey. Clarkson’s suggestion of a new nickname for May – ‘Dingleberry Handpump’ – failed to raise a titter even among the super-fans gathered for the London premiere.
“But for each wobble, there are just as many moments when The Grand Tour manages the clever trick Top Gear could pull off at its best: raising a chuckle while sneaking in a bit of serious journalism at the same time.”
Tristram Fane Saunders (read in full)
The Express
“There was no lingering sign of Clarkson’s pneumonia, Hammond’s knee injury or May’s food poisoning in a format that’s still alive, despite our three amigos’ fading physiques.”
David Stephenson (read in full)
What do the fans think? The reaction on Twitter
On social media, the response to the second season of the Grand Tour was also a mixed bag. Of course, Jeremy Clarkson seemed happy:
It seems like we hit the ground running with season 2 of the Grand Tour. Thank you New York. And thank you to the man who found me a seat.
— Jeremy Clarkson (@JeremyClarkson) December 8, 2017
And many of his followers were equally effusive:
Brilliant episode. You’re back and better than ever.
— Lori (@2happypeas) December 8, 2017
That was an excellent way to start off season 2, well done! Also, good call on replacing Celebrity Brain Crash w/ something better too. ??
— Isaiah N (@AsianStig) December 8, 2017
Within the first few minutes I was chuckling to myself fairly loud. It’s a pleasure to have you back on televisionweb & here’s to a wonderful season to come! #grandtour #gospel #essentialviewing
— Matt Bomber (@boomboxbombs) December 8, 2017
Epic first episode, loved it ?
— Danny Kraus (@Dannykraus9) December 8, 2017
Interested in seeing how many people got Amazon Prime today just for you guys. Our family did!
— Nadja (@ll_Aethyr_ll) December 8, 2017
@JeremyClarkson @RichardHammond @MrJamesMay absolutely brilliant guys! 10/10 got rid of the crap stuff and it’s all superb now. So good and better than Top Gear ever will be! ??????????
— Andy MorrisVO (@AGMRacing) December 8, 2017
Watching the Grand Tour. It’s not funny and the girl over Clarkson’s shoulder is distractingly attractive.
— TV Casualty (@TVCasualty) December 8, 2017
But others were less full of praise:
This is why the uk tv shows have gone downhill because shows like this are awful it’s not a car show it’s a banter show that wastes 30 minutes of people’s lives
— Dan Tromp (@Dantromp_) November 24, 2017
Whoever is in charge of the @thegrandtour tent set design, lighting, and cinematography needs to be fired. That was offensively bad.
— Angelos Tzelepis (@AngelosTzelepis) December 8, 2017
I just watched the first episode of the second season of The Grand Tour and oh boy.
The aerial shots were very pretty. But that’s the only good thing I have to say about it! I have a strong urge to kick these privileged assholes in the face!— Jules (@julesesthoughts) December 8, 2017
Yes @thegrandtour just improved my Friday morning. But I want a word about the new theme music… pic.twitter.com/jtjGM3RuHI
— MahdDogg – ???????? bastard (@MahdDogg) December 8, 2017
Watching the Grand Tour. It’s not funny and the girl over Clarkson’s shoulder is distractingly attractive.
— TV Casualty (@TVCasualty) December 8, 2017
Following on from the absolute crash crash S1. A new season is back and I’m here to warn you all, DO NOT WATCH. It’s so scripted, un funny and just down right awful TV. #TheGrandTour
— ㅤRob (@Rob_541) December 8, 2017
#TheGrandTour is terribly bad. Another Amazon failure
— Sleeping Dhoni (@cheapskate_12) December 8, 2017
And some were just mean:
@RichardHammond‘s eyes have more bags than a Tesco checkout on a Saturday@thegrandtour #TheGrandTour
— Marmite Shaun (@Foo_fan_Shaun) December 8, 2017
God jezzas looking old!
— Bri Lawson (@Bril89) December 8, 2017
Just watched The Grand Tour Season 2 ep 1 – proves that they’re still racist f*cktards (my wife is Croatian) and taking it up the arse from the petrochemical / fossil fuels industry. What a bunch of LOSERS! One less thing to watch – they’re not even funny any more…
— Richard West (@RiczWest) December 8, 2017
Of course, some people won’t even give it a chance:
If it’s got @JeremyClarkson in it then I won’t be watching it.
— Anubis (@MichelleAnubis1) December 8, 2017
