The Grand Tour Show To Be Streamed In Over 200 Markets as Amazon Prime Video Goes Global (mashable.com) 70
For years, Amazon's Prime Video on-demand streaming service has been available in limited regions, such as the United States and United Kingdom (along with a handful of other markets), but that's changing now. Amazon is expanding the Prime Video service to more than 200 new markets. The announcement comes via The Grand Tour motor show, which premieres in select places Friday. Earlier this week, show's hosts -- Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May -- posted on Amazon website that their new show will be streamed in over 200 nations (pretty much everywhere where BBC's Top Gear is broadcasted and streamed). Speaking of which, fans of the Grand Tour will be able to watch the show worldwide starting next month, and once Prime Video is available in their region, they will be able watch new episodes at the same time as others. The move comes months after Netflix expanded to 130 new regions in January this year. Netflix is available in roughly 200 territories as well.
Back to the old model (Score:3)
Re:Back to the old model (Score:5, Insightful)
There was a discussion about this several months back, and the conclusion is exactly as you suggest - theres little to no binge factor with these style of programs, so Amazon gets more PR value from releasing them weekly than all at once. So thats the model chosen for TGT.
As for the show itself, while it certainly is going to take a few episodes to adjust to the its-not-Top-Gear-no-its-really-not new feel, there was nothing in this first episode which really jarred or felt ... uncomfortable. They had some obvious "this is intended to be stupid" moments, and some "lets take the wee out of the last season (Evans) of Top Gear obviously stupid" moments (I don't think that the mind test segment will return, it was just a McGuffin to take the wee out of some of the abysmal changes in TG post-Clarkson).
Over all, definitely looking to the next episode. This does seem to have what it takes to be a success from the moment it hit the ground.
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I'm vaguely aware of the other show they mentioned, Top Gear, but other than hearing the name, I'm not familiar with the show....from the context I'm guessing it is a British show?
Are these shows like soccer..something Europe watches, but not so much here in the US?
Re:Back to the old model (Score:4, Informative)
Just because you haven't heard of it, nor heard about the reasons surrounding it, doesn't mean it isn't bigger than your perception.
Put it this way - if it were a sport, its more like soccer, which is watched the world over, than it is like American Football, which is hardly watched outside the US...
Re: Back to the old model (Score:2)
"I'm vaguely aware of the other show they mentioned, Top Gear, but other than hearing the name, I'm not familiar with the show....from the context I'm guessing it is a British show?"
Top Gear was produced by the BBC, and the live portions of the show were filmed in the UK, but many segments and a lot of the 'special' episodes were filmed in other countried including the U.S.
In many other countries, Top Gear (prior to the last season where Chris Evans was the main presenter) was the 2nd most popular show, sec
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Speak for yourself. I often binge-watch old TG seasons.
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When you've got a host who during production of the season might punch a producer and you have to cancel the show, you want to immediately air the shows you've produced ASAP. Too big of a liability to sit on those episodes and hope Clarkson doesn't punch anyone while filming the rest.
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I doubt very much that he'd do it again, but from watching the first episode last night it seems clear that thankfully, any remaining BBC peeceeism is now out the window and the boys are finally allowed to be their true selves.
Given that I'd be surprised if Amazon would give a shit if Clarkson did punch someone else. It seems that they'd actually be more concerned about getting it on film to include in the next show.
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Amazon's lawyers give a huge shit about Clarkson's capacity for future violence in the workplace. Hiring someone who is known to have a propensity for physically abusing co-workers produces a huge legal liability for the employer. If he punches someone on the set of the new show, that person will sue Amazon and in court, there will be a huge claim paid by Amazon for criminal negligence.
That's really why he got fired from BBC
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I'm sure they'd have security/bodyguards hidden off to one side anyway not specifically for Clakrson.
It seems more than a bit ridiculous to have a "conflict resolution expert" there.
Re:Oh wow, streaming TV content? AMAZING. (Score:5, Insightful)
Top Gear was the most watched non-fiction television show in the world when these three were the hosts. It stands to reason that there would be interest in their newest endeavor, even if you personally don't have an interest.
Re:Oh wow, streaming TV content? AMAZING. (Score:5, Funny)
I just realised I referred to Top Gear as nonfiction with a straight face.
There isn't enough content (Score:3)
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Agreed, me too.
I Joined Amazon Prime yesterday just to watch TGT, but will only renew when there's new TGT content, because the rest of their content, almost without exception looks like low-budget low-IQ shit.
There's only 186 countries (Score:2)
Article states "over 200 countries" even if you count breakaway territories in Spain, Romania, California and Ukraine you're going to come up short. Good luck with that.
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The UN recognises 193 member states, 2 observer states and 11 non-member states. Which adds up to 206 states recognised by the UN.
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"Recognise" a state. lol.
Whenever I hear that, I always picture a bunch of UN bureaucrats looking at an atlas and wondering what the names of most of the countries are.
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The UN recognises 193 member states, 2 observer states and 11 non-member states. Which adds up to 206 states recognised by the UN.
So "over 200 countries" basically means "everywhere except North Korea".
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BBC Answers .. "It was the Politically Correct Move. We really couldn't see any other way past being Politically Correct. blah blah blah blah ... principles"
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It was the right move, he assaulted a coworker. That's it that's all. The only reason he wasn't charged is because no one would honestly talk to the cops as they would never work again.
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And BBC's "Top Gear" will inevitably fail and get cancelled because the new cast sucks.
They're going to try changing the cast first. Although why Matt LeBlanc is still there is a total mystery. Chris Evans is pretty annoying, but at least he didn't always look as though he was reading (badly) from an autocue.
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The BBC had a very love/hate relationship with Clarkson's version of Top Gear. Love, because it was their biggest success ever. Hate, because they didn't like the carefree style and often controversial statements from Clarkson on the show.
They did the right thing, he shouldn't have assaulted a co-worker. He was in a bad position in his life when it happened, but that's no excuse.
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He did stricke a co-worker and berate him in a very unfortunate way (several slurs against said co-workers Irish heritage).
Clarkson had just been divorced, he had a possibly-malignant tumor on his tongue, he was being hounded by the BBC leadership because of previous gaffes, and he was drunk. It was a bad situation in general.
But there's really no excuse, and from Clarkson's behavior afterwards, once the dust had settled a little, seems to show that he's sorry for his actions and the mess he created.
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...and this another great example of why Political Correctness needs to hurry up and die like every other stupid fad.
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...and this another great example of why Political Correctness needs to hurry up and die like every other stupid fad.
If "not being allowed to thump someone at work and get away with it just because you earn a lot of money" is political correctness, then I'm all in favour of political correctness.
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If that person deserved to be thumped they should be. His only mistake was doing it while still at work.
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So, BBC, what do you think of your decision to fire Clarkson?
When he started being violent toward other employees, they really didn't have a choice.
Actually... (Score:2)
What's the point? (Score:1)
No Matthew Leblanc? What's the point?
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I really hope for your sake that was sarcasm.
TGT is Best show ________ in the world! (Score:3)
That said The Grand Tour is probably the BEST show
in the world!
I honestly can't remember the last time I enjoyed watching a show more than TGT though. My face hurt after smiling for over an hour straight. Knowing they have 3 seasons [at least] really makes me happy and I just know Amazon is smiling all the way to the bank.
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I agree that GT is awesome but can't agree with you on the Evans version of TG. It WAS bad. VERY bad.
TG only has one capable car-show presenter among them and thats Chris Harris. With the possible exception of Sabine, the rest can't drive half as well, don't know half as much about cars and are painfully dull and boring.
Since the BBC are apparently about to cluelessly fuck up yet again and give season 2 to the remarkably un-funny Joey from Friends, it seems TG is destined to be an ongoing disaster of shit s
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It was Top Gear, just a bit less funny, forced jokes, worse track, uninteresting cars... I'm sure it will get better, but the first episode felt like it was trying too hard.
Re:But it still ontains CLarkson (Score:4, Funny)
I watched the first epsiode last night. Personally I think it was brilliant but you'd better be careful to avoid accidentally seeing any of it, because I can already see how it will have sensitive little flowers like you running for your safe spaces because of its even more non-peecee content.
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You're a clearly a nutjob.
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Top Gear Clarkson != real life Clarkson.
He's a rabid buffoon on the show, but he's actually a rather reasonable person in real life. Tory supporter, yes. But not in a shitheel kind of way.
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That's certainly not what his behaviour in he last few weeks at the Beeb suggest. Assault on a colleague is definitely ground for dismissal, as a shitheel.
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There were a bunch of factors involved when he assaulted his colleague, and although none of them can excuse his actions, they can at least explain some of what was going on.
He had just been divorced, he had a possibly-malignant tumor on his tongue, he was already in hot water with the BBC for previous remarks. Had it been any other person, they would have been put on leave for a couple of months. But the BBC had wanted to get rid of him for a long time, so he got fired and it turned into a big deal. Accord
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Excuses not accepted.
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Quoting from my own post: "none of them can excuse his actions".
I've got prime (Score:2)
I checked yesterday and the sneak peek episode 0 is there and looks really cool. They also have a teaser episode of the Tick, supposedly coming soon. I really like prime, even with the increase to $99 I get much more than my monies worth in shipping, the kindle library and music streaming.
I just wish they'd carry programs from Dave network as well. I REALLY want Red Dwarf...
Regions and territories (Score:2)