By: Owen Fugit

Media Production Editor

Released this past September, the most recent episode in a series of ‘specials’ from the hit car show The Grand Tour, gave new life to the series some considered doomed. This new release also raised some questions and concerns about the future of the series.

The Grand Tour has recently switched to a ‘specials only’ format. At first, these specials were doing well, bringing hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May to far-off areas like Vietnam. However, recently, these specials have had less cohesion and entertainment value than viewers expected. This recent episode, titled A Scandi Flick, was crucial in deciding the fate of The Grand Tour. Thankfully, it did not disappoint, netting an 8.9 out of 10 on IMDb. Clarkson, Hammond, and May start their journey in Norway, adventuring across icy roads and lakes to reach Sweden, where the men decide to build a ‘home on skis.’ This idea goes up in flames, literally, forcing Clarkson, Hammond, and May to venture into Finland, where May almost dies after his car breaks through a thin ice sheet covering a lake. Fortunately, the hosts make it home alive.

While welcomed, this special raises a few questions, such as how many more episodes will Amazon produce? All good things must come to an end, and while Amazon has the funds to put out many more of these specials, this may not be realistic. Due to the age of all three hosts, one of them will inevitably die either before, or most likely during, the filming of one of these specials. This is not something that viewers like to think about, but it is difficult to ignore as all of the hosts have aged visibly since the last special, and they have all commented on their age across multiple episodes of the show. In reality, Amazon will probably only be able to produce a maximum of two more specials before something prevents the hosts from filming. 

Fans have long awaited this special as it serves as a revival of what made Top Gear so good: the chemistry Clarkson, Hammond, and May create not just with each other, but also with the viewers. Top Gear and the Grand Tour have been so successful in part because the hosts know how to engage an audience and a fanbase while bringing in new viewers. Clarkson, Hammond, and May are icons, and their influence dominates the internet. Some may remember the video of May slamming cheese down onto a table, exclaiming “cheese.” It is almost impossible to separate these old, non-tech-savvy British men from pop culture. Clarkson, Hammond, and May have had some spectacular moments across their two-decades-long television career, and hopefully, more great moments are to come.

(Source: IMDb)