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For Sale Apr 2, 2026 at 3:53 PM

Top Gear's Botswana Special is one of the best bits of television ever made.

Posted by Finbarr-Galedeep

Despite the US and North Pole specials technically coming first (there are arguments for neither of those being "true" Top Gear specials), Botswana really set the tone for the Top Gear Special format going forward. Three c**** old bangers blasting across the extraordinary African landscape. Some later specials suffered from poorer writing, pacing, or the scripted jokes being too obvious, but Botswana got it bang on with amazing locations, situations, and at times, a genuine sense of danger. Producer Andy Wilman, who was really the mastermind through all the Top Gear and Grand Tour years always maintained that the cars in these films should be seen as characters and heroes in their own right, and in all the specials, you do find yourself cheering them on to make it to the end, as much as the presenters themselves. The Top Gear Specials almost created their own genre of television; part-car show, part-comedy, part-travelogue, and part-adventure film. And anyone who has seen both this special, and their last ever one, will know how poignant the decision was to end The Grand Tour at Kubu Island. EDIT: And even if it was totally scripted, James and Jeremy being reunited with their original Botswana special cars in the last ever Grand Tour was a nice moment.
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Valhallaback_Girl Apr 2, 2026 +316
My nephew is named Oliver specifically because of this episode. I’m partial to the Vietnam episode but this one? God, it was lightning in a bottle.
316
InfiniteJestV Apr 2, 2026 +176
The Vietnam one is spectacular in its own right.
176
Fadedcamo Apr 2, 2026 +91
Is that the one they used bikes? If so, it was amazing. I can't get enough of Jeremy finally getting comfy in his little scooter moped and then eating pavement immediately after.
91
richlaw Apr 2, 2026 +21
James May riding thru Vietnam singing Little Honda will live rent free in my head forever.
21
poktanju Apr 2, 2026 +16
To me that song will now forever have Jeremy shouting "I hate you!!" in it, just like "now Number 5" in "I Want It That Way".
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xXxPUSSYFUCKER69xXx_ Apr 3, 2026 +1
you might want to check out c90adventures on youtube..
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Fracture90000 Apr 2, 2026 +15
Yeah! The one where the bikes kept braking so they introduced the mandatory replacement bike, "born in the USA bike" 😂
15
venicecello Apr 2, 2026 +49
I can't stand Jeremy usually, but in that episode, he's riding through Vietnam and he calls the road a ribbon of perfection... And I thought, I wish I could use words like that
49
Bloody_Nine Apr 2, 2026 +54
He’s a c***, but a damn charismatic one.
54
meand999friends Apr 2, 2026 +15
Remember when he got sacked from the BBC? James May did an interview and said "as much as I think he's a knob, I quite like working with Jeremy" (I actually went to the youtube video to quote this) That sort of is my opinion too. I think it's fair to say some of us have friends who some people think are knobheads, but we like them because they do actually have redeeming qualities. I can handle a harmless knob (oooh madam) over someone who is genuinely spiteful.
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InfiniteJestV Apr 2, 2026 +7
Accurate and fair assessment.
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meand999friends Apr 2, 2026 +3
Thank you. This is one of my redeeming qualities 😂
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Sloppykrab Apr 2, 2026 +5
Don't forget he's playing a character on Top Gear.
5
Finbarr-Galedeep Apr 2, 2026 +25
And that's not even one of Jeremy's best metaphors. Man is an amazing writer.
25
RecordingSilly6118 Apr 2, 2026 +6
His review of the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante is probably my favorite review he has ever done. Just describing it in ways I can't imagine myself writing.
6
Valhallaback_Girl Apr 2, 2026 +12
The escalating gifts sealed it for me. Just king shit
12
gallivanter11 Apr 2, 2026 +2
Jeremy Clarkson....Fail!
2
ExtraGloves Apr 3, 2026 +1
Tha ep got me to buy a motorbike in Vietnam and do their route. Fantastic.
1
iPAD67 Apr 2, 2026 +29
The Vietnam episode was pure gold
29
DanHero91 Apr 2, 2026 +9
It's been like 20 years, maybe even longer, and I can still hear "OLIVEEERRRRR!" so clearly in my head.
9
screamingcheese Apr 2, 2026 +6
Im glad to know I'm not the only one that did this.
6
Fracture90000 Apr 2, 2026 +6
Vietnam is my #1 as well. Albania was pretty good also! Honestly every special was awesome!
6
ChainMarkov Apr 2, 2026 +5
Our first cat was named Oliver for the same reason!
5
Sloppykrab Apr 2, 2026 +3
I... I... I love yaaaaaa
3
SpaceGerbil Apr 2, 2026 +2
Everytime I saw a tiny car on the road for years after this I just had to scream OLIVER!!!!!
2
NotKeno Apr 2, 2026 +60
They’re all great, but Vietnam is unfuckwithable
60
NickRick Apr 3, 2026 +14
I like the boating Vietnam one. Showing up with a custom built PT boat was so f****** out of hand. 
14
Voltae Apr 3, 2026 +3
"I've bought you a present!"
3
PurpleLamps Apr 2, 2026 +57
To me the coziest piece of television ever is the source of the Nile episode. Them working together and playing explorers is so fun. I used to put it on when I had trouble sleeping.
57
dageshi Apr 2, 2026 +10
It's a great episode, I love the night drive on that terrible road that was destroying the cars.
10
SpaceCaboose Apr 2, 2026 +3
Top Gear/Grand Tour travel specials are all perfect comfort TV. Can’t sleep, sick, not sure what to watch, etc. Perfect for all that and more
3
OhNoItsGodzirrah Apr 3, 2026 +2
That's the Mongolia special from The Grand Tour for me. Just so serene the three of them in John traversing a beautiful but desolated landscape. That said, the Source of the Nile episode has one of my favorite Top Gear/Grand Tour bits of all time. It's when Jeremy posits that the Victorian explorers were just taking a government-funded gap year/vacation in tropical Africa but making it sound as if they were doing super difficult work. Hammond has some great quips playing on that concept. "'They toiled for six long months to cut the plastic bumper.' Write my loved ones and make sure to include a lion and some fever." Or "Dear Mrs. May, James has suffered a terrible back injury wrestling a lion. He will be home... in maybe five years. Please send money." It just conjures up such funny imagery.
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baidu_me Apr 2, 2026 +95
My wife and I bonded over the specials when we first started dating. After watching Botswana, Vietnam, and Bolivia together and practically being in tears laughing, we knew we had the same sense of humor. Bolivia’s first 25 min is one of the funniest segments in Top Gear history IMO
95
Finbarr-Galedeep Apr 2, 2026 +110
>Bolivia’s first 25 min is one of the funniest segments in Top Gear history IMO "Are we right on the equator" "Can't be, we'd see it, big dotted line."
110
TroublesomeTurnip Apr 2, 2026 +22
Oy, you haven't parked it!
22
Montaron87 Apr 2, 2026 +22
I'm partial to the Bolivia special as well.
22
knifetrader Apr 2, 2026 +29
Is that the one where they have to take V***** to deal with the altitude sickness?
29
Montaron87 Apr 2, 2026 +14
Among other things yes.
14
Sloppykrab Apr 2, 2026 +5
"stiff neck"
5
Finbarr-Galedeep Apr 3, 2026 +1
We could bury him and have a ready-made tombstone.
1
2008and1 Apr 3, 2026 +2
Bolivia special was the first one I saw. Will always be my favorite
2
cafe-em-rio Apr 2, 2026 +5
Hammond: What kind of party are they planning?
5
mwm5062 Apr 3, 2026 +1
Same here! Had never watched Top Gear. My wife knew I loved England so she suggested we watch the Botswana special because it was her favorite and I've loved the three idiots ever since
1
dageshi Apr 2, 2026 +31
Top Gear had such a mix of adventure, spectacle and humour, I just don't know that it can ever be recreated. At least partially because they went everywhere and did everything, they invented the format and then fully exhausted it. Some of the best tv ever made.
31
TheJoshider10 Apr 2, 2026 +14
Yeah there was no topping it. Even The Grand Tour couldn't match it and had to make unnecessary changes to distance itself from Top Gear. I do like that the three leads found their own niches and successes individually both during and after the shows ended. They all got involved in some interesting projects that catered to different audiences.
14
dageshi Apr 2, 2026 +21
The Mongolia special was right up there with the best they ever did at Top Gear, I'm glad they did the grand tour for that episode alone. But you're right, they couldn't keep up the same magic from the TG days, but then it was probably impossible, there's only so many good ideas in a format.
21
DJCzerny Apr 2, 2026 +9
For me the first 1-2 seasons of Grand Tour really lacked the magic of Top Gear and it felt too corporate. But the trio got back into their groove after that and I think those later seasons hold up.
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Humdngr Apr 2, 2026 +10
When they got rid of the tent format and just went on adventures it was 100% better. I could watch those 3 do anything and it’s pure comedy.
10
lotsalotsacoffee Apr 2, 2026 +32
Years ago, a friend of mine insisted I needed to watch Top Gear. I asked him what it was, and he replied "a car show". I told him I wasn't that interested in cars. "Trust me", he said, and put on the North Pole episode. Immediately hooked. The Vietnam special was also absolute fire, though for me TG's standout moments were the Toyota Hilux and Ford Fiesta episodes.
32
donGaboz Apr 2, 2026 +12
The Hilux is the stuff of legends.
12
Weird_Finance2568 Apr 2, 2026 +60
That special was absolutely perfect, the way those old cars just kept pushing through everything Botswana threw at them was incredible. The Lancia especially became such a character by the end - you're genuinely invested in whether it's gonna make it Never found another show that captured same feeling of adventure mixed with comedy, those three just had perfect chemistry for this format
60
anotherredditvirgin Apr 2, 2026 +15
James just did a bracket on his YT channel of all his specials cars. When the Botswana car first came up he made a comment about how it's been long enough since it aired he can be honest about how that special is basically a filmed holiday for them
15
Aimless_Gamer1 Apr 2, 2026 +6
Hammond kept Oliver
6
Cdog923 Apr 2, 2026 +28
OLIVER!!!!
28
Noname_Maddox Apr 2, 2026 +69
They are all scripted. You can tell the genuine moments though. I’m very partial to the America one. The cow on the roof had me doubled.
69
confusing_roundabout Apr 2, 2026 +45
There's a fantastic write up from one of the Vietnamese crew on the filming of the Vietnam special. I'll try to link it here but it goes through exactly what happens when filming, how they traveled etc.
45
thejesse Apr 2, 2026 +49
https://exploreindochina.com/top-gear-vietnam-special/
49
Deanybats Apr 2, 2026 +9
A great read, thank you for sharing!
9
Valhallaback_Girl Apr 2, 2026 +12
Oh this is E V E R Y T H I N G. Thank you so much for sharing!!!!
12
doctor6 Apr 2, 2026 +23
Features one moment, along with the Argentinian one, where they genuinely feared for their lives
23
ImGonnaImagineSummit Apr 2, 2026 +10
James May looking down the barrel of the shotgun, immediately after being handed one in the Artic special, was definitely not scripted.
10
DrAuer Apr 2, 2026 +8
I’m always surprised at the love for the American one. Maybe it’s because I am American but I felt like they picked a really bad route for it. There’s a lot better/more beautiful routes they could’ve picked for it and still gotten the rural American jokes in
8
Finbarr-Galedeep Apr 2, 2026 +21
Tbf they did a lot of other US road trips in various parts of the country in other episodes.
21
DrAuer Apr 2, 2026 +5
That’s kinda what I mean, those episodes are a lot more interesting and entertaining to me than the US special. Whereas there’s nothing really that compares to the Bolivia, North Pole, Botswana specials. I also felt the “attack” could’ve been edited better. It never felt to me like it was as serious as they played it up to be when it was just essentially a lady telling them off for being obviously offensive, yelling at them for Jezza peeling out of the parking lot/spraying gravel everywhere, then some trucks passing them on a 2 lane highway without doing anything. None of the rocks or people shouting “go on, get” were filmed and the noises themselves were pretty clearly added in post. Especially when you compare it to Argentina, where the people felt actually angry and the danger was clearer. Like compare these directly and you’ll see what I mean: https://youtu.be/pKcJ-0bAHB4?si=Dv7tjS-kdvmUOzKs https://youtu.be/JFl1AalH81Y?si=gSvVaP9zA-AtQg9g
5
nsfwthrowaway5969 Apr 2, 2026 +4
The flip side of that is the fact they were legitimately unsafe just for driving their cars through that part of America with some controversial (but not particularly extreme) writing on them. Most parts of the world wouldn't have batted an eyelid, and didn't when TG rolled into town. That, combined with the ending in New Orleans was pretty poignant and showed a very different side to America compared to the usual New York/LA stuff mostly shown. Argentina is a different case entirely, as they were essentially in the most hostile part of the world for British people possible. They went to literal war zones and were safer than in the American south which is wild. Don't forget after that they conveniently had 'issues' with visas/filming permits for their next American road trip- I wouldn't be that surprised if it put someone's nose out of joint somewhere.
4
DrAuer Apr 2, 2026 +4
I don’t think they were actually unsafe is my point. I think they played it up in the edit to make it feel that way. If you listen to what the lady actually said, she was angry that they looked like they were trying to provoke a confrontation with people in a “hick town” and that they could get their wish if they pushed it with the wrong people. Then she just yelled at them for Jezza making a mess of her parking lot by peeling out. Nobody actually ever threatened them, the threats they claim were all added in voice overs and the part where she was going to get “the boys” was never recorded even though you could clearly hear the rest of what she said. Same with the chase scene. It was blacked out with just walkie talkie talk that only said “these trucks that were at the gas station sped past us” which happens everywhere in the south. The thrown rocks they said happened never actually damaged any of the cars because they never showed it after so I’m guessing again didn’t happen but being stoned by the locals makes it feel more exciting.
4
GotTheJoeyJoeJoe Apr 2, 2026 +1
I think some of the draw is also in that it is the first true special, they dont really know what they are doing, in the episode and production wise, kinda just winging it, the cow on a roof joke is also very memorabel. In a funny serendipity one of the top post right now on this sub is Brian Cox, the first guest on after the special, and he even said "what did you expect" and laughing tone about the "attack", writing dumb stuff like that on a car driving in the south.
1
BullAlligator Apr 2, 2026 +1
people like it because it's funny
1
Noname_Maddox Apr 2, 2026 +2
The American one in Florida was one of the first road trips. I enjoyed everything about it.
2
Amish_Rabbi Apr 2, 2026 +1
Yes it’s very near the bottom of my rewatch list of specials
1
Carrot42 Apr 2, 2026 +1
We're gonna have to... peel it.
1
youranswerfishbulb Apr 2, 2026 +1
It really is the best one of all of them
1
trashcount420 Apr 2, 2026 +9
Watch when clarkston hits the tree to stop. A monkey falls out of it. Cracks me up every time
9
Bladestorm04 Apr 2, 2026 +7
Counterpoint: Top Gear Bolivia
7
badwhiskey63 Apr 2, 2026 +6
Some say……
6
Skreeethemindthief Apr 2, 2026 +5
Very much agree. TG was such a special show. Hell, my wife lives it too and she couldn't care less about cars. It was a special trio, plus the producer/mastermind. Fantastic camera work, silly comedy, and awe inspiring landscapes.
5
Catch_022 Apr 2, 2026 +4
Agreed
4
cafe-em-rio Apr 2, 2026 +3
Bolivia, Burna and Botswana are my all time favorites. Rewatch them all the time.
3
monkpunch Apr 2, 2026 +2
It was so crazy to me (and everyone else apparently) that they decided to not do any for the first season of Grand Tour, when that was clearly the most loved parts of the OG Top Gear. I wonder if the stars didn't want to or if it was an executive decision. I'm glad they completely flipped that by the end though
2
nsfwthrowaway5969 Apr 2, 2026 +4
I think at first they had to make it very legally distinct from the old format, and the specials were probably a grey area. As time went by the rift healed somewhat and there was probably less legal pressure.
4
Sola-Nova Apr 3, 2026 +2
Vietnam is the one I rewatch the most and enjoy personally. But with the exception of the India one the travel specials are great.
2
Prefer_Not_To_Say Apr 2, 2026 +3
Add me to the list of people who think the Vietnam one is perfect. It's a better travel documentary than *actual* travel documentaries, since all three guys are as blown away by the experience as the viewer would be. It's funny, like all Top Gear specials are, but it's beautiful too.
3
BasiliskXVIII Apr 2, 2026 +2
If you haven't seen it already, look up "Road Quest" on Youtube. It's not the same as the Top Gear specials, but it was inspired by them and shares a lot of the same DNA. It's a series of 10 episodes that follows 3 cars on a trip from Victoria, BC to Dawson City, Yukon
2
mcwobby Apr 2, 2026 +1
Yup, it really is. I recreated that road trip (with quad bikes for most of the Magkadigkadi portion) and it was stunning. The tracks from the Top Gear cars are still there too. Then I did a Mauritania road trip, and they mostly recreated that, so we’re even.
1
Thxjash Apr 2, 2026 +1
Where can i watch/buy?
1
ShortHandz Apr 3, 2026 +1
Still upset they never cross Canada 🥲
1
happy-cig Apr 3, 2026 +1
Going to the South was funny af. 
1
NeriusNerius Apr 3, 2026 +1
I don’t think it was “totally scripted”. I think someone from the crew genuinely found them, gave them a call to head through there. I listened to Andy Willman’s book, but a while back so don’t remember exactly. But it was a great listen as well.
1
partiallycylon Apr 3, 2026 +1
As a longtime fan of (both) shows, I am sad that I never got to work on them. It was always a career goal to be part of the crew on a special.
1
dacrookster Apr 2, 2026 -6
This show was in its prime before the scripting got too obvious. There was usually always an element of it but when you get things like intentionally crashing into each other and playing it off as an accident it's just not funny after the 18th time. The early races, Botswana, America, even Vietnam were just really, really good TV.
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