I lasted fifteen minutes (at the first attempt) this time, which wasn't as good as the 30 minutes that I managed during the first episode. If McGuinness and I were stranded on a desert island together, one of us would definitely be shark bait within a couple of days.
Flintoff kept reminding me of all the empty-headed long-limbed sports bullies I remembered from my school days. Okay, I'm not a sporting type, but I've worked regularly with cricket pros like Alec Stewart (most-ever capped England player, very dry after-dinner wit), and I know damn well that not all of them are as stupid as this one.
Chris Whatsisname was just about keeping it together, but he plainly knew he was flanked between a goon and a sports goon, and there was something rather like workplace bullying going on. "Gwarn Chris (thump), where's your sense of humour (thump), can't take it eh, (thump)?" Clarkson and May laying into Hammond was at least witty; but this really wasn't.
Still, the subject matter (electric cars) seemed okay, as far as it went, so I skimmed the rest of the programme this morning on iPlayer. And I'm pretty glad I did, because with hindsight it disqualified itself from being taken very seriously at all. Certainly as far as comparisons were concerned. Complete waste of time.
First off, because Harris drove the (alleged) rear wheel drive 200 bhp Tesla through London, commenting on how smooth and boring and well-fitted it was, without telling us (until much later) that it was actually the 450 bhp model with twin motors and all wheel drive, and probably higher spec all round.
And secondly, because it turned out at the end of the programme that Flintoff's Tonka truck was carrying a full engine (and presumably a gearbox and other ICE gubbins) as well as the electric setup. Of course, that actually made its performance all the more impressive in retrospect. But what the hell use is retrospect when you've just spent the programme making comparisons that are now useless?
Oh well, I suppose I'm taking it all too seriously. Bargepole TV. Good luck to all who sail in her, I suppose.
BJ