the specials have always been the biggest draw, across namibia, the veyron truffle race, ferrari to verbier, off roaders across peru.
but even then, some have more than a whiff of the nasty attitude that underlies their brand of humour....witness the miami to new orleans episode, and the deliberate baiting of the locals along the way....i get the feeling that trying to pull of something similiar in downton baghdad, whilst showing a pair of steel balls the size of the titanic, would properly result in a stoning.
some of the smaller segments, transit round the ring, jackie stewart teaching james to drive a track, even being present in studio to see jay leno being interviewed was quality.
btw: as an aside, Rutledge....a common american name? i only ask because for some reason a scene from the john cusack movie, "the sure thing" popped into my head....
Lady in Car: What are you gonna name it?
Alison Bradbury: What?
Lady in Car: The baby.
Alison Bradbury: [
realizing she's faking being pregnant] Oh, the baby. Well, if it's a girl, Cynthia, and if it's a boy, Elliot.
Lady in Car: Those are lovely names.
Walter (Gib) Gibson: Elliot? You're gonna name the kid Elliot? No, you can't name the kid Elliot. Elliot is a fat kid with glasses who eats paste. You're not gonna name the kid Elliot. You gotta give him a real name. Give him a name. Like Nick.
Alison Bradbury: Nick?
Walter (Gib) Gibson: Yeah, Nick. Nick's a real name. Nick's your buddy. Nick's the kind of guy you can trust, the kind of guy you can drink a beer with, the kind of guy who doesn't mind if you puke in his car, Nick!
[
Alison looks disgusted]
Walter (Gib) Gibson: [
to Lady in Car] Oh, vomit. I'm sorry. Vomit.
but that's me........