‘Top Gear’ Recap: ‘Season 29, Episode 2’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 2902 of ‘Top Gear’.
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It wasn’t all that long ago, that we spent a little time discussing how Top Gear really does do an excellent job of celebrating the wonder of the car. Because this series really does keep finding new ways to remind us that automobiles are exciting and awesome and this concept is outright relevant to our discussion today, and worth revisiting, simply because it is obvious that the series is going to make that celebration a huge focus of show's newly revamped format. And for proof positive that this is going to be the case in season 29, then look no further than last night’s episode.

Because every single segment in this edition of Top Gear was focused around how cars are just freakin’ awesome and fun. Which in turn led to some jaw-dropping moments, some of which came about during the first segment of this episode. For a grand celebration of the first supercars to go to 200 m.p.h. led to quite the unexpected faux pas on Paddy’s part. Because he managed to straight up total a Lamborghini Diablo. Which was heartbreaking to say the least, since that was a gorgeous ride that didn’t deserve to go out in such a simplistic manner, but it did, and the stunning moments didn’t end there. Because taking these ridiculously fast cars out to an airfield, motivated Freddie to see if his Jaguar XJ200 could still hit 200 m.p.h., a feat that Chris didn’t even want to try with his Ferrari F40, due to the age of these cars. But Freddie simply had to know and in a thrilling manner, he made it happen and it was downright incredible to watch an ancient ride come close to its top speed once again.

But while it was wild to see Paddy destroy a classic supercar and see Freddie coax a little life out of his, that part of the show paled in comparison to the celebratory fun that came about in the next segment. Because the producers and the lads decided to explore if it was possible for anyone to find an incredible ride, that has been written off by an insurance company. And well, what the lads got into during this challenge, led to some wild and hilarious moments. Not because of the cars they chose, no those were pretty in line with how the series goes. Instead what made this so great, are the challenges that these cars participated in. Such as a game of musical parking spaces, since it allowed for everyone to play a game of bumper cars as they jockeyed for an available parking spot and that led to some fierce competition. The kind that saw Freddie take his already busted Maserati and smash it up further in order to get the win. 

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Freddie Flintoff and his Maserati Quattroporte take on 'The Wall of Death'.

However, while we could have watched that contest go on for hours on end, since it did also feature the Stig’s feisty teenage cousins, there was still one incredible challenge left for these recycled cars to go through, one that we’ve never on the series before: the wall of death. Yes, you read that right, the final competition to determine which of these rides would win the write off challenge, would involve the lads driving their repaired cars up the side of a massive circular wall (pictured above), while flooring it to fifty miles an hour to hold their ride in that position, and this was just… pure adrenaline filled madness. Because you didn’t have a clue as to whether or not the lads would be safe in pulling off this wild stunt. But they all did it, and for the most part, the cars stayed intact, and this was about the coolest and boldest way to get the point across that cars are just plain fun. Because everything about this segment was just a blast to watch. 

In the end, this was just the biggest and baddest and most adventurous episode of the Flintoff-McGuinness-Harris era of the show to date. Because while they’ve done some wild stunts over the past few years and been to some incredible places by way of some epic road trips, they’ve never let loose and had fun in this manner, and boy did taking the show in that particular direction, pay off in spades. Because we were left in stitches thanks to some of the more hilarious and memorable moments in these adventures, and we definitely needed a moment to catch our collective breath after this week’s competition and that is just amazing when all is said and done. 

Because a show about cars shouldn’t evoke the emotional response that this one did, but it happened, and that is wonderful. For it just goes to show that our hosts and the concept of this series can accomplish wonders when both are allowed to just let loose, and everything that happened in this episode, leaves one eager to see what awaits us around the bend. Because clearly Top Gear is eager to genuinely celebrate every ounce of joy that comes from getting behind the wheel of an incredible ride and it will be amazing to see what kind of epic and wild moments and big time laughs we are going to share in, as this re-energized season, continues along. Until next time. ​

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