# Top Gear goes to Iraq (and Turkey. And Syria. And Jordan. And Israel)



## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

I'm a late-comer to the show, having seen only a handful in the past year - but Episode 1 of Season 16, their Christmas Special, is a must-see. The Top Gear crew drive across the Middle East to bring Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh to the baby Jesus....

 (Autoblog)

Laughed my *** off all the way through... which is probably why this is one of my favourite lines from the show:



> My ass!!! I've lost an entire buttock!!!


Here's the YouTube link, for however long it stays up...





+
YouTube Video









ERROR: If you can see this, then YouTube is down or you don't have Flash installed.






Resolution isn't the greatest, though - if you can catch it in HD, do yourself the favour. Some pretty gorgeous countryside in this one.


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## John Clay (Jun 25, 2006)

Indeed, one of my favorite episodes yet.


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## boukman2 (Apr 6, 2009)

so irreverant. so great! and, oddly, probably about as accurate a look at the middle east as anything i've seen...


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## Andrew Pratt (Feb 16, 2007)

I'm a rather hugh TG nut (see Avatar) and can't wait to view this epp. If you haven't seen their previous specials watch Polar and Botswana...both are amazing in their own right.


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## John Clay (Jun 25, 2006)

Andrew Pratt said:


> I'm a rather hugh TG nut (see Avatar) and can't wait to view this epp. If you haven't seen their previous specials watch Polar and Botswana...both are amazing in their own right.


Bolivia*


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## kloan (Feb 22, 2002)

im impressed with james's mechanical skills... he repaired that bmw way quicker than any mechanic normally does. head gasket in one night? what the heck.... wish i had those skills!!

anyway, yeah great episode and a really interesting look at the middle east.


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## Greywolf (Oct 7, 2010)

I have not seen that episode but love the show, those guys get paid to do those things . . . very nice for them.


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## boukman2 (Apr 6, 2009)

*HD version*

think they heard you cuba... there is an HD version up now:

YouTube - Top Gear Season 16 Episode 1 -- "The Three Wise Men Christmas Special" [720 P HD]


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

The bit where they cross the Syrian desert is just too much....  ....and am I the only one surprised at how tough the Mazda turned out to be? And what a disappointment for fans of BMW...


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## pcronin (Feb 20, 2005)

Watched this last night. Good stuff.. I loved how they all wore the helmets and flack jacks and then felt like knobs when they were in the city. 

I liked it, but it didn't have quite the ... penawsh... as the other specials. I'm very glad the original version is ramping up for another season, the USA version just isn't doing it for me.


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## Andrew Pratt (Feb 16, 2007)

The US version is getting better each episode and the UK version wasn't what it is today when it first started...but that said it is like watching a bad remake of an old classic. Hopefully they are given enough time to let it mature and grow.

We just finished watching the new special in HD and it was fun...silly and IMO not up there with their very best but considering where they went you have to applaud their guts! Funny that it took a BBC car show to show the world what Iraq really looks like.


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## CubaMark (Feb 16, 2001)

Reading through Top Gear's show blog, and I'm surprised by the vehement criticism offered by the show's Turkish viewers. I remember the Turkish border crossing, but I don't recall anything particularly offensive. Will have to go back and give it another viewing...


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## Andrew Pratt (Feb 16, 2007)

Quite the hostile crowd over there


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## John Clay (Jun 25, 2006)

Andrew Pratt said:


> The US version is getting better each episode and the UK version wasn't what it is today when it first started...but that said it is like watching a bad remake of an old classic. Hopefully they are given enough time to let it mature and grow.
> 
> We just finished watching the new special in HD and it was fun...silly and IMO not up there with their very best but considering where they went you have to applaud their guts! Funny that it took a BBC car show to show the world what Iraq really looks like.


I gave the US version a try for a few eps, and was thoroughly unimpressed. They've copied everything to the point where it's almost a mockery - they've got the content and the studio down, but the hosts are rubbish.


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## Andrew Pratt (Feb 16, 2007)

John what's the last epp you watched? The last two were actually decent...though again mostly copies of TG:UK.


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## John Clay (Jun 25, 2006)

Andrew Pratt said:


> John what's the last epp you watched? The last two were actually decent...though again mostly copies of TG:UK.


Last week's episode, forget the number.


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## tilt (Mar 3, 2005)

I watched this episode y'day and I was frankly bored with it all. The only redeeming portion was the baby Stig in the manger.

I have been watching TG for very many years now and I miss the days when the old team was there - Tiff Needell, Vicki Butler and Quentin Whatsisname with Jeremy Clarkson. Then they actually tested cars and gave their honest opinions about them,e specially the negative ones, they reviewed cars after having had them for a few years and saw how they held up etc., and also did a bit of crazy driving for that bit if adrenaline rush. Plus Vicki Butler was a total dish!

Nowadays, it is all like a regular talk show with guests and also like a travel show with these three clowns driving all over different parts of the world etc. I have lost interest in the show.

I want Top Gear to go back to what it was - a car show with reviews that are not paid for (in any way - cash, kind or favourable treatment) by the car manufacturers - reviews that are not just regurgitations of the marketing literature.

Cheers


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## pcronin (Feb 20, 2005)

tilt said:


> I watched this episode y'day and I was frankly bored with it all. The only redeeming portion was the baby Stig in the manger.



Jeesh! spoiler alert!


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## tilt (Mar 3, 2005)

pcronin said:


> Jeesh! spoiler alert!


Oops, a thousand apologies! Sorry, I did not realise that there might be others who had still not watched the program!

Cheers


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