Amazon Prime Video has a reputation of creating some of the most critically acclaimed shows in recent years, such as The Man in the High Castle, Bosch, and Sneaky Pete. One of Amazon’s newest shows, The Grand Tour, is no different. The show features former Top Gear hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May in the instant cult-classic. The trio travel the world in every episode, travelling to cities such as Los Angeles, Rotterdam, Johannesburg, and even Nashville. Since the premier in November, The Grand Tour has reached near-immediate cult status. It’s well deserved, too. In 2013, Top Gear was the most-watched factual show in the world, largely because of the exciting, entertaining, and thrilling hosts. 

The first season of The Grand Tour was exhilarating. It was everything Top Gear was good at- the commentary, chemistry between hosts, humor, and gorgeous cinematography- and amplified it by ten. Since Amazon is a private broadcaster, it isn’t held to the same censorship standard like the BBC is. Because of this, Clarkson, Hammond, and May are allowed to say almost anything without repercussion from agencies from the Federal Communications Commission. The only thing holding them back is their own conscious and Amazon’s guidelines. For many, the lack of guidelines have opened the floodgates for the trio’s humor.

Though The Grand Tour is one of the most entertaining shows available, it is not perfect. One segment, Celebrity Brain Crash, is obviously a parody of Top Gear’s “Star in a Reasonably Priced Car” which features various celebrity guests. However, whenever a guest tries to get to the tent, they always meet an unfortunate and disastrous fate. For instance, Jeremy Renner, who plays Hawkeye in the Avengers movies, was “killed” when his parachute failed when jumping into the tent from an airplane. Brian Johnson, front-man for AC/DC, was trampled by a Pee Wee football team approaching the tent in Nashville, and director Tim Burton’s submarine sunk with him inside in Loch Ness. The segment isn’t unfunny, it just doesn’t have the same surprise and humor expected of the trio.

Another criticism is the driver for lap times, The American. The American is a professional racing driver used to benchmark lap times for cars, played by Mike Skinner, an american NASCAR driver. His persona is brought in both to appeal to Americans, a market Top Gear lacked in, and to directly contrast the anonymous and silent driver for Top Gear, The Stig. In my opinion, The American is very hit-or-miss. Most of his jokes are targeted towards rural Americans, bashing traditionally “classy and European” cars like BMW i3’s and Porsche 911’s, preferring traditionally american cars, like Ford trucks and muscle cars.

This isn’t to say The Grand Tour isn’t great- the show’s humor is hilarious and very tongue-and-cheek. Even the show’s track is laden with snide humor. One section of the track, “Your Name Here” features many blank advertisement banners, referring to the relatively low budget Jeremy Clarkson claims the show runs on. Another spot, “Old Lady’s House”, features an old and run down house, which the presenters claim is inhabited by a senile old woman who constantly complains about the noise of the track.

One segment, “Conversation Street”, is one of my personal favorites. The segment features Jeremy, Richard, and James sitting around a plain table in front of the audience to discuss car news. This segment has provided some of the most memorable moments, since it features the pure and unadulterated personalities of the presenters.

Jacob Hasenyager, car enthusiast and team manager for Bob Jones Patriot Racing, said, “I think it’s an awesome show of three idiots having fun with exotic cars. I can’t wait for the next season. I really love Conversation Street. It’s the best.”

Blake Young, the lead driver for Patriot Racing also said, “It’s a really enjoyable show for car enthusiasts. My favorite episode was the special where the three drove across Namibia in dune buggies. I loved Hammond’s car because it was vintage.”

The Grand Tour is definitely one of the greatest car shows in television history, and hosted by some of the best hosts in television history, too. The show’s lack of censorship, tongue-and-cheek humor, and world-class entertainers. If you enjoy cars, comedy, or cinematography, The Grand Tour is a must-watch.