Top Gear

(Previous topic was archived)

Did anyone else spot the continuity error with the "Star in a fast car" segment tonight?

After Clarkson read out the time, he stood up to put the time on the board...
http://home.vis-is.co.uk/data/grabs/topgear_c_1.jpg
... then (after a couple of close ups), sat down again, and the time had disapeared...
http://home.vis-is.co.uk/data/grabs/topgear_c_2.jpg
... another couple of close ups, and the time has reappeared!
http://home.vis-is.co.uk/data/grabs/topgear_c_3.jpg

All this after bringing up the fact they had the wrong end board on the programme the previous week in the "News" section.
http://home.vis-is.co.uk/data/grabs/topgear_endboard.jpg

Observe closely, and you'll notice that Alistair glances in the direction of the base of the Lap Times board. In the next shot, a female audience member can be seen looking inquisitively towards the floor, as if she's watching somebody pick something up. Alistair then lurches to the side because his line of sight has been obscured. A shadow briefly passes over Alistair, accompanied by a simultaneous grunting noise, as if a short person has jumped up to replace the label...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00t0yw2/Top_Gear_Series_15_Episode_2/?t=40m00s

I conclude that the label fell off.

Chie, Can I ask you an honest question? Did you really work that out from watching the episode on iPlayer or did you read it somewhere else? If you really did work it out yourself then I think you should change your name to Sherlock Holmes. For what it is worth, I think you are right. Further detective work reveals these subtitles that were not on the original broadcast and do not represent what was actually said in the final edit but were some how included in the iPlayer version. They seem to backup your deduction.

I give you, EXHIBIT A...


See for yourself, http://bbc.co.uk/i/t0yw2/?t=40m11s.

Yes, I worked it out myself. Thanks for the supporting evidence.

I'm struggling to tell if you're both being serious or not...?

I've watched the said clip, and it cuts from the time being placed onto the board to a wide shot with Jeremy and Alistair, giving no time for it to fall off. The grunt sounds most likely to be Jeremy - if a short person was trying to reach up that high, they'd either fail to do so or it'd be very noticeable.

The editing has made the sequence look seamless, but in reality there must have been a second or two between Jeremy placing the label on the board and the wide shot, giving enough time for the label to peel off and flutter to the floor.


Jeremy doesn't need to jump though. The board isn't very tall anyway, it just looks massive compared to the audience because they're standing on the floor, which is considerably lower than the stage.

I think it must have been Jeremy who said "It can stay there." He obviously couldn't be bothered to go and pick it up.

By the way, watch the three young women standing behind Alistair immediately after the shadow and grunt - they look very surprised at something.

It was *this big*

Yes, if only there was some way that you could check for yourself!
http://bbc.co.uk/i/t0yw2/?t=40m00s

There isn't.

It says, "Subtitles not available".

Might you be using the iPlayer beta? I wasn't, I just switched to it and I got 'Subtites not available', switching back to the normal iPlayer (link at the bottom left of the beta home page) solved the problem.

Why yes, yes I was watching on beta.

This place is turning into a convention of super-sleuths.