Top Gear is a British television show about motor vehicles, primarily cars, and is the world's most widely watched factual television programme. It began in 1977 as a conventional motoring magazine show. Over time, and especially since a relaunch in 2002, it has developed a quirky, humorous and sometimes controversial style. The show is currently presented by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, and has featured at least three different test drivers known as The Stig. The programme is estimated to have around 350 million views per week in 170 different countries.
First run episodes are broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC Two, and since Series 14, also on BBC HD. The series is also carried on cable television systems in the United States via BBC America, in Latin America via BBC Entertainment and in Europe via BBC Knowledge. As of August 2013, twenty series have been broadcast.
The show has received acclaim for its visual style and presentation, and criticism for its content and often politically incorrect commentary made by its presenters. Columnist A. A. Gill, close friend of Clarkson and fellow Sunday Times columnist, described the show as "a triumph of the craft of programme making, of the minute, obsessive, musical masonry of editing, the French polishing of colourwashing and grading".
| Top Gear | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Motoring, Entertainment |
| Directed by | Brian Klein |
| Presented by |
|
| Opening theme | "Jessica" |
| Composer(s) | Dickey Betts (arr. by Christian Henson) |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 20 |
| No. of episodes | 159 (including 9 specials)(List of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executiveproducer(s) | Andy Wilman |
| Producer(s) | Lloyd Washbrook |
| Editor(s) | Guy Savin Dan James |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Productioncompany(s) | BBC |
| Distributor | BBC Worldwide |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | BBC Two BBC HD (2009–2013) BBC Two HD (2013–) |
| Picture format | (SDTV) 576i Anamorphic (Series 1–13) (HDTV) 1080i (Series 14–present & Polar Special)[1] |
| First shown in | 1977–2001 |
| Original run | 20 October 2002 – present |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Top Gear |
| Related shows | Top Gear (US) Top Gear Australia Top Gear Russia Top Gear Korea Stars in Fast Cars Top Gear of the Pops Top Ground Gear Force |
| External links | |
| Website | |
| Production website | |
No comments:
Post a Comment