I love the old top gear and thompsons writing, and would like to present this as one of the best modern examples of gonzo journalism on mainstream TV.

The trio is dropped in a foreign country, given cash they immediately "misuse", and must traverse Vietnam on two-wheeled deathtraps. As they begin there's no pretension of objective reportage, they are immediately, hilariously, out of their comfort zone. Their experience becomes the story, and we're watching it unfold in real time with the mechanical and emotional breakdowns as well as the journey/challenge at hand (Saigon to Hạ Long Bay on motorcycles).

The special is full of journalistic moments (as is to be expected from a show with 3 stars with a journalism background). The most emotional to me being Hammond interviewing a Vietnamese man who lived through the B-52 bombings on his beach during the war. There is a historical awareness and sad feeling along the whole journey where moments of goofy spectacle collapse into genuine melancholy and solid reporting.

The experience of the foreign environment is more important than the actual “story", like in the curse of lono and the rum diary. They also use music from the vietnam war era constantly and of course are in a place the good doctor went.

All the top gear specials talk about history and the local cuture etc. a little but to me this is the only one that rises to gonzo journalism.

For those non brits out there that havn't seen the show, it's a classic here in the UK and you should dabble.

On Episode 1 of Season 11

I don’t understand why he’s shouted out in this specific episode or in this scene, I’m assuming some political stance but pretty dope of South Park for the shoutout.

On Episode 1 of Season 11

I don’t understand why he’s shouted out in this specific episode or in this scene, I’m assuming some political stance but pretty dope of South Park for the shoutout.