i fucking love this show. I've been following it since the 12th season(they've just started the 16th). Evidently the current host setup wasn't always so and before that, the show was quite dull. Clarkson actually is part owner of the company that produces the show, hence why he gets to drive the best cars all the time and has made the show as entertaining as it is now.
and for reference, Captain Slow is James May, Hamster is Richard Hammond(the short one) and Jezza is Jeremy Clarkson(the tall one).
They've done some pretty funny shit over the years and always manage to fuck it all up, which is the genius of it all. Best of all, they don't care who they piss off. I think that could be the reason that the US version isn't doing that well, they're shy to get after the car companies if they make a crap product(at least from the little I've seen of it)
Here's a few of my fav clips
my folks were in tears after watching these 3 fuckup a camping outing
another great feature is the Celebrity in a Reasonably prices car(Leno stole the bit from them)
Actors, musicians etc, mostly non US citizens, get into a compact and do a lap. You wouldn't believe how intense everyday mildly mannered people are and want to beat a certain person.
Here was a good rivalry between Jay Kay (who is fiercely competitive when it comes to this little car) and Simon Cowell
and more recently, they've got a new reasonably priced car(everytime they get a new car, the previous times are erased)
and on and on. They've got a youtube channel if you wanna get acquainted with some of the older vids.
oh, and of course, they've got
The Stig.
