Reviewed by Neil Davey
Stars Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May, a Fiat 500, the Bugatti Veyron, Simon Cowell, Lewis Hamilton,
The Stig | UK certification E | UK RRP £19.99 | DVD Region 2 | Runtime 270 minutes | Directed by Various
There's an obvious benefit to a Top Gear DVD slipping through the letterbox at Screenjabber Mansions. It's a not-so-subtle reminder that Father's Day is imminent, because dads obviously like nothing more than watching Clarkson et al mouth off about cars they will never own...
Which makes him like the rest of us. Or, to be more specific, some eight MILLION of us because that's the size of the audience that has taken Clarkson's petrol-scented, anti-geological stance in their stride over the past year or two. What's the appeal? Well, part of it, I'd suggest, is the chemistry of the presenters. Then there's the aspirational nature of the show — even if you could afford to splash £90,000+ on a car, would you? There are regular enjoyable strands, such as Star In A Reasonably Priced Car. Most of all though, there are the challenges which, while frequently gleefully stupid, are the show's calling card.
This new issue DVD contains seven of these challenges in one easy-to-digest hit, from the hilarious sequel to the earlier "build an amhibious vehicle" to the boys attempts at entering a 24 hour race. They may not be the most ecologically-sound moments of programming ever but, thanks to the hosts and the creativity of the researchers who came up with the ideas in the first place, they're all guilty pleasures.
EXTRAS ** Extended interviews with Lewis "Is-he-The-Stig?" Hamilton and Simon Cowell, and a run around the test track with The Stig that will, finally, enable you to use that multiple-angle button on your remote.