Misty Crom

Hadn't been sure about this show, but decided to try a few episodes last night, and wound up watching the lot. There a few elements I think need to be changed going forward that I'll come to, but it was a lot of fun, it's an absolutely fantastic idea, and for a first season especially, and for a show that has nothing to really take any cues from, was, as evidenced by my bingeing the entire season, overall, very, very good, and a lot of fun. Now, onto those issues. Some of these might be spoilery, so if you're reading this wanting to know whether to watch it... well, yeah, watch it! It's great. just... can be better. First, and what to me might be the main thing, is the challenges such as 'The leveller' and the moving targets. They need to go. The way the leveller was used initially was not bad. but the penalties were far to much for it even then. There's too much luck involved, and in some cases felt frankly rigged in favour or detriment to certain drivers (not saying that's necessarily the case, but if luck is such a factor that that can feel the case, then it's a problem). Oh, and maybe test events to make sure they're not quite as deadly as one or two of those were (seriously, if that water had gone onto the convertible instead of what was likely a factory modern Mercedes windscreen, I don't even want to think how bad that might've been) Next, the format of the show itself. First, the way they show all but the last run of a group, and then that run at the start of the next episode? I know you want to encourage 'oh, I need to watch the next one now' but that's just silly. But the main issue, which again, affects the fairness of the contest itself is that drivers in the first group had a much, much better chance than others because they'd get to go again and again. Have those who were in the middle 6 groups compete in separate rounds to get to the knockouts - as in a round or two purely of those who'd been in the middle 6. Also, the overall nature of the event... It seemed to want to be a test of all elements of tarmac racing, drift, drag and circuit, but there's no way anyone other than a drift driver could have won. The drivers also, I felt unbalanced, with professional drift racers, people who've next to no track experience, all the way to an actual self confessed criminal and some wally who I suspect gets lost in his own home. The hosts weren't too bad to me, but someone who actually knows cars would be nice. And, to end back on the positive (because despite all the above, it really is a great show, just one that could be better if it learns from its mistakes). It was nice to see a lot of drivers from Europe, and a good number of female drivers out there. Also had no idea until seeing her on screen that Charlize Theron's executive producer. Nice one.