‘Top Gear’ Recap: ‘Season 29, Episode 1’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for season 29 premiere of ‘Top Gear’.
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Perks are a big reason as to why we take certain jobs. Simply because it is quite enjoyable to enjoy a little something extra at our day gig and truth be told, seeing our employer go above and beyond in keeping us comfortable and happy at work… makes us feel as though we made the right choice, career wise. But while perks are always a joy, sometimes they lack in quality since there is only so much money to go around and that’s okay. Because at least the employer is making an outright effort to show its employees that they are valued when they come to work, and that’s a rarity in this day and age. But of the many perks out there, there is only one that we truly love above all else, and fuss over when it comes to features and cost, and that would be… the company car.
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Because there really is something quite delightful and outright exhilarating about being provided with a vehicle by our employer and while we sometimes lament the lack of features available in that ride because… budget, we’re still happy to have it. But that lamentation is quick to return when the car gives us a little trouble, and it often leads to our imagination pondering upon what it would be like to drive a company car that wasn’t tied to a limited budget, and really, all of this is relevant to our discussion today, simply because the folks at Top Gear decided it was high time to examine that day dream. For the season 29 premiere of this magnificent show, took the time to examine what kind of high-end vehicle would serve as the finest company car out there, in the most unique and fun ways imaginable of course. 

Such as having a fierce competition in these the magical rides, the kind that would put these vehicles to all kinds of work-related tests. But before the battle for the finest company car could get underway, Chris and Paddy and Freddie had to select which ride they were going to spend the next twenty-four hours inside, because that was part of the deal and well, it took Chris and Freddie a mere matter of seconds to select the BMW Series 3 and Volvo S60 respectively. Leaving the Tesla Model 3 for Paddy to cruise about in and once the lads got comfortable in their new rides, they… had to wait for a little while for the competition in question to be ready. So, during their downtime; they got a tour of Paddy’s hometown and came to learn all kinds of goodies about Paddy’s past, and once the tour was over… the battle got underway. 

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One that featured, a team building exercise/fastest time race, a chance to see which car could make it to the top of a parking garage the fastest, who could last the night sleeping in their company car, and the grossest food challenge possible and that made… for one delightful and hilarious adventure with our hosts. Because the first race not only exposed Freddie in every way you can think of, he also crashed his ride into the side of the racetrack. Plus, Paddy flat out cheated in the next to last challenge. Because he purposefully chose a soccer stadium with a hotel attached so he could sneak out of his car in the middle of the night to enjoy a little comfort. And whatever fish the producers wanted these guys to eat… was clearly disgusting and foul and all of these moments, allowed for some serious laughs to take place. Because this one was all about the fun and focusing so heavily on this competition, allowed for the hour to just fly by.
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Plus, this episode also managed to surprise us. Because normally, there’s a break in the competition to allow for the Supercar Spotlight and for a celebrity guest to swing by. But this time around it was all about the competition and honestly, that’s just fine. For this change to the format really didn’t lessen the experience in the slightest since it put a grand smile on your face, and really, one has to wonder if this change to the format is going to stick around for the rest of the season. Because it really did make for a refreshing episode, one that oddly allowed for us to get to know the lads a little better, since we now know what kind of underwear Freddie Flintoff prefers and where there is a good place to eat in Bolton.

But what matters most in regard to this premiere, is that entrepreneurs are now fully aware of the fact that the Tesla Model 3 or the BMW 3 Series, make for the perfect company car. Since they offer comfort and style to folks on the road and hopefully this episode motivates a few CEO's and CFO's to purchase a fleet of those cars for their teams, because how awesome would that be? In the end however, this was just great way to kick off a new season of the series and hopefully this level of fun continues along as season 29 rolls along. Because this episode really was a blast and it definitely leaves one eager to tune in next week to enjoy more smiles and adventures with one delightful crew. Until next time.     

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