Top Gear as a Cultural Phenomenon

I watch too much Top Gear, but nevertheless, it’s rise to the forefront of British culture, so much so that it’s now considered somewhat of an institution, is incredible. It’s quite an achievement, with the programme having the unique ability of making a subject for a niche market appeal to a wider, mainstream audience. I have little interest in cars, can’t drive, never idolised them as a kid, and don’t gorp at the latest Lamborghini with a twisted sense of mechanical lust, so in theory I should not like this programme. Bizarrely, I have a pretty good knowledge base for all things automobile without intending to or having any really passion for, all because of Top Gear, so I’ve been thinking about why.

Of course, the inventive use of challenges and other items are designed to appeal to our inner 13-year-old, but I think it’s more carefully constructed in other ways. It’s hard to guage exactly how scripted it is but the ”comedy of errors” formula is a well crafted device, mostly due to the presenters’ performance, and crucially, editing. I think a larger proportion of people tune in for it’s entertainment/comedy value.

Top Gear, I think, the new definitive ”Light Entertainment” for the 21st Century. So, let’s compare it with Morcambe & Wise: well, there is the celebrity guests obviously, but also Top Gear has used a similar format of a “live” studio cut together with location “sketches”, if you will.  But, most importantly, it is how the audience responds to it: it really is a family affair, appealling multiple generations of a family, often settling down to watch it as a family as well as individually. Also, the way we discuss it afterwards, (“I liked it when Richard Hammond said this…”) and, of course, everyone has their favourite “sketch”. Shows like X-factor (do not get me started on those, they’re evil) have been said to be the new light entertainment, but I think top Gear is a better example. (and less destructive to society)

But there’s more that adds to Top Gear’s appeal, being the three presenters, Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, which I think is the most important construct of the programme: yes, there is the sense of familiarity to them, that see that they appear to be friends (whether that it is a purely an on-screen performance I don’t know) butwe can relate to them as individuals and see them in our own relationships with friends: everyone has their favourite, whose personality you can see in your self. To speak on a personal level, I share a similar sensibility (tragically) to James May, and, interestingly, within the dynamic of the student halls of residence flat I stayed in last year, I can identify a similar dynamic between a few of us and corresponding personality types and how we relate to each other. So, the fact that we see ourselves and our friends in the presenters is, unconciously, a comforting and familiar aspect to the programme.

Additionally, The Stig is an incredibly successful creation. We all like a good mystery, and he/she/it exemplifies this perfectly. I always took a little pleasure in pretending that if you took The Stig’s helmet there would be nothing there and the racing overalls would drop, lifelessly, to the floor. Once, when bored, I googled “who is The Stig?” and duely got (almost) confirmation of who it was, which has kind of spoiled it for me to be honest. It was fun discussing who you think The Stig is.

Finally, I think credit to the directors, editors and crew is fully deserved as, especially the road tests, are vuisually stunning: many a time I have tuned out of how many break horsepower whatever super-car is on show and enjoyed the visual specticle, as after all, we are visual creatures.

So, the lesson of this story is that you shouldn’t spend this much time musing about a TV show about cars. You have been warned.

Explore posts in the same categories: Politics/ Media/ Culture, TV

Tags: cars, comedy, culture, james may, jeremy clarkson, light entertainment, Morcambe and Wise, richard hammond, television, the stig, top gear

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