The Grand Tour (TV Series) The Grand Tour: Sand Job (2022) User Reviews

The beginning of the end of the road

[TheBabayaga · 9/10 · 16 February 2024]

Unsubtle scripted moments and ridiculous set pieces aside, this latest journey from the ageing trio, across the desolate country of Mauritania, is a welcome return to form and is quite possibly their most wholesome special since their adventure across Mongolia all the way back in season 3.

No words can emphasise the masterclass of cinematography on display here, whilst the Jag, Aston and Maserati all deserve to become vehicle icons of The Grand Tour. And twenty years later, Clarkson & Co still continue to entertain with their dependable chemistry and old-school wit, two things subsequent and desperate iterations of Top Gear have woefully failed to replicate.

There are very few surprises in this for sure, but Sand Job serves to remind us why there is still no replacing the likes of Clarkson, Hammond and May, even after more than twenty years. Each special (yes some are better and worse than others) offers that overly familiar warm feeling, like reconnecting with good friends you haven't seen for some time.

The worst part is knowing all this is coming to a dead end as there is only one episode left. However, I do think it's time to end The Grand Tour and for them to drive off into the sunset. I really hope the final episode is a culmination and celebration of everything that has made The Grand Tour and classic episodes of Top Gear so memorable. I think this penultimate special is the start of that culmination.

Nothing special, but an oddly comforting ride.

[jbkzfhmh · 7/10 · 17 February 2024]

I've loved watching these guys for literal decades. And there's always been highs and lows. When they switched over to the only grand adventures format, ditching the tent, it made me happy, as my favorite parts of Top Gear and later, Grand Tour, have always been the big trips.

This episode landed pretty much in the middle for me. Way better than my least favorite (Massive Hunt), but not as good as my favs (Seaman, Eurocrash , Scandi Flick).

The one weird detail that kept bothering me was Jeremy Driving around with the top down, and no head protection, when it was supposed to be 48-50 degrees Celsius out, with a damned near equatorial sun overhead. I lived in a desert for 5 years, and whether it was real, or just a bunch of establishing shots put together, it was hard for me to imagine a 60-year-old who's got thinning hair, not getting baked to a crisp in that scenario.

Great fun, classic adventure.

[timmynovak-55570 · 8/10 · 17 February 2024]

After quite a lot of enjoyment of the adventures of Clarkson, Hammond, and May, I am sure we all regard their escopades as a fun and enjoyable trip. This episode fits that bill, and I am very happy to see that the trio still has the vigour and chemistry to make it happen.

This special is very enjoyable if you enjoy the little bits of their relationship that makes them unique. Of course, like any other episode, it has its prepared jokes and fun elaborated gimmicks. However the setting and goal is quite captivating. The cars are great cars, relevant enough to be cool. And the cars are old enough to be (somewhat) affordable. Modding these cars makes for a very relevant and exciting take on their old formula of adventures.

I recommend a watch. For sure. Very enjoyable, and quite a fun experience. I only wish I could be in the places they were (one in particular, but for the sake of spoilers I won't name it). But just to behold quite a beautiful and unique landscape with their modified semi-old GT cars must have been a wonderful time for them.

They continue on in to their last episode. If this is any hope of the ultimate episode then I am looking forwards greatly to the last. As sad as it may be.

The bits of bad are overshadowed by the good

[jackvandelee · 10/10 · 16 February 2024]

There are many things I can say about this episode that I would have done differently. The stunts all feel very staged, which is something this show struggled with from episode 1. If you've seen this show, you'll know what I mean. I feel like many fans watching will see those bits as the ones to get through. The reward for tolerating those scenes however is very very very much worth it. I rated this 10 stars because you simply don't find adventures, chemistry and scenery this good anywhere else. I've looked, haven't found it. Mauritania is the most incredible place they have been (yet), the cars are just the coolest ones they've used in any of their roadtrips, and the final few minutes might be the most beautiful scene they've ever released. Just the sight of the Maserati, Jaaaag & Aston racing across the Sahara will be on my mind for the rest of my life. I can't imagine looking at that and not being desperate to one day do what they did here.

Getting emotionally ready now for the final one. Zimbabwe better be good, but at the very least, the penultimate episode of Clarkson, Hammond & May was just beautiful. The critic in me would rate this lower, but I just know that by the end of this weekend I'll have watched it at least 4 times. After I'm done typing this, I'm immediately starting the special all over again.

Great return to form

[zfwjzvpv · 9/10 · 16 February 2024]

After a few recent lacklustre attempts at these specials, Sand Job is a very welcome return to form. It really did feel like an old Top Gear adventure where they didn't take it too seriously and looked like they really had fun with it. Yes, there are a few stupid bits, but nothing felt too forced or overly scripted.

In the most recent episodes the trio seemed like they'd become caricatures of themselves, overacting and trying to live up to the expectations they'd created but this was much more like what we've all wanted to see.

Definitely give this a watch, it's well worth it if you're a fan.

The Trio Never Fails to Disappoint

[unknown3000 · 10/10 · 16 February 2024]

I've been a fan of the trio since childhood in the early 2000's, and they have outdone themselves once again. I waited for this episode for a long time, and it was certainly worth it, with a captivating story of the three greatest car enthusiasts in perhaps the entire world going through the barren landscape of Mauritania. I gladly would've watched two more hours of their adventures there.

The production quality is top notch, with exceptional footage of a country very seldom seen on TV. While the episode was perhaps slightly less light hearted than what is usually seen with the trio, they still manage to be incredibly entertaining for the entire 2+ hours, especially considering they spent most of their time driving through an empty desert. I'm astonished how they manage to fit so much entertainment in something so otherwise uneventful.

This might be one of my favorite episodes of The Grand Tour, and I wish to see as many more episodes as they're possibly willing to make.

2 Hours and a Quarter of Great Fun!

[TimesOfJoy · 10/10 · 16 February 2024]

As always, the boys delivered an exceptional performance. The ride was thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish, with stunning photography capturing scenes such as the train, the sinking town, the eye, the oasis, the beach, and the azure skies. It's remarkable that Clarkson, May, and Hammond continue to produce such high-quality content at their age. Some scenes are literal cliffhangers, causing genuine concern for their safety. However, all good things must come to an end, and it's saddening to know that there is only one more special before the show concludes. This was inevitable, as the show is physically demanding, and the boys are not getting any younger.

Another fun episode but...

[twanster-1 · 8/10 · 17 February 2024]

I've watched the trio since their first season together on TG, was happy they left the BBC as it was the last program I watched on TV so them leaving meant I cancelled my TV tax! Anyway that aside this is a fun episode, I wouldn't say it's as good as the others, there's parts where you feel like this one is a series filler episode as it doesn't quite feel like a special, we don't get to see them modify the cars, the cars themselves aren't that interesting and the country has pretty moments but it isn't the breathtaking scenery we've come to expect from the Grand tour, other than the heat there doesn't seem to be much of a challenge involved other than hammonds unreliable car and the river crossing. Its a nice episode and no doubt I'll watch it a few times because it is fun to watch but it did kinda feel like this was more of an obligation special, its no secret they all have other projects with smallest cog and Clarksons farm and May's travels so maybe they just needed to get this one out. There wasn't much banter but moments like the river crossing were fun to see. All in all I'll rate it highly because I don't think they've ever made a bad special but I hope there's another one, especially as there's talks of them stopping the Grand Tour and this special is definitely no way to end their journey.

great fun

[jonny-33369 · 9/10 · 17 February 2024]

At over 2 hours was expecting this to drag, but it didn't, greatly enjoyed it and left wanting more. Always think the Gran Tour specials are released at strange times. They feel best suited to holidays, perfect xmas to new year viewing so would have prefered an easter release date. Probably released now as Presidents day is due int he USA.

As ever parts of the show feel overly staged, this has always been an issue with the trio but not a major detraction. Still feels special and stands out amongst other viewing fare. Easy viewing that's more than worth it's full run time, sit back and let the adventure wash over you.

A Bland Job

[waynehansford · 6/10 · 19 February 2024]

It pains me to say negative things about three presenters that normally deliver television gold, but alas, the latest Grand Tour was just the Same Tour, in a different part of the world. The format simply hasn't changed, remote location, adapt three cars, they will breakdown and one of the team will get left behind, they'll play trick on each other and have a drag race.... This used to be filled with belly laughter moments, but they clearly couldn't get them across the border into North Africa so left them in the production room never to see the light of day. It was simply a bland job. Such a shame.

A return to form.

[chunkylefunga · 9/10 · 17 February 2024]

Now this is what the show was always about, just three lads having a good time mucking about and up to shenanigans.

Some of this show has at times been just ok as it became to heavily scripted and the boys were forced to act out clearly over prepared and regimented sections but this episode felt fresh and unpredictable.

It's great to see them on the open road with an air of anything can and will happen.

Such a shame the grand tour is ending as this episode was just spot on and it would have been great for many more to come.

Be interesting to see who picks up this show as only an utter idiot wouldn't give these three guys a show.

Hmmm you can tell the end is nigh

[denright-42277 · 7/10 · 17 February 2024]

I love all things, Clarkson, Hammond & May and was really looking forward to this penultimate adventure. However, there was just something awry. Not sure what, maybe it was the forced set pieces or the added length of the episode (normally 80mins, pushed to 120).

Just felt forced and a little too formulaic, which is a real shame, it would be a shame to let the comaraderie fizzle out and taint the strength of the previous tours.

I am actually sad that the lads are disappearing away into the dusty horizon after the last episode but maybe it is time to look back and remember the good times we had with them.

Boring

[ibezjak007 · 5/10 · 20 February 2024]

It pains me to say this bit this is the most boring special the trio made. You can clearly see that they have no more ideas or the will to to it.. It's sad but understandable and it's good that we'll get only one more episode and that's it.. I thought that I don't wont them to stop filming but everything must come to an end. When you'we done everything what's left more to do, and they did absolutely anything imaginable with cars.

The jokes are just not that funny anymore and everything feels forced.

I hope that the they'll go really all in in the last special, but I fear that wont be the case. They are still the best presenters...in the world but it is the end.. And it's boring..

An epic adventure for the most part.

[MiloSuperSpesh · 9/10 · 17 February 2024]

This penultimate special seems to be a love letter to true fans of these 3 idiots escapades, It takes many of the critisisms on board and has come up with a nicely balanced wholesome 2 hours and a 14 mins of them being less of the ' characters they have made and more of themselves.

Yes there is scripting, yes there is some painfully staged skits, but it's done with a lot more effort and care than many of the grand tours early episodes and later top gear.

This special has minimal bloating, we get to see more of their chemistry and larking about with glorious shots and views, slow mo, panning shots, expertly shot drone footage. It's a feast for fans.

The music is mostly good, a welcome return of the a team theme, but later on it's goes for a different vibe around half way that i didn't really vibe with. (But that is subjective)

I was tempted to give it all 10 but the editing lacked some polish,like the iron ore train for example could have been halved and nothing would have been lost and then james revenge prank on hammond with the roof / tent rack was frighteningly dangerous not to mention malicious. Yet clarkson the usuall ring leader in pranks gets away with it ?

And the ending !

I pray the final episode in zimbabwe follows this formula but leaves out the pranks that could easily go wrong.

Final thoughts, good jokes that don't overstay their welcome, the chemistry on full display, the longer run time gives a better view of the trip and the lil snippets in to their moods, random events.

A return to form!

[gordonroxon · 9/10 · 17 February 2024]

Look, I know that The Grand Tour is basically Last of the Summer Wine with a bigger budget, but I still love it.

Sand Job is a return to form and thoroughly enjoyable. More importantly, you got the distinct impression that they enjoyed making it. That this time the scenery was awe inspiring, the cars were pleasant to drive and everything seemed like fun.

The concept made sense too, can you make your own budget Dakar supercar, the answer clearly was yes.

Can't believe that I have to write more, but the counter wants another 100 letters!

Great people were born in 1960! And that should be enough.

CLARKSON! Lose some weight!

[CriticsAreUs · 9/10 · 26 February 2024]

Classic Clarkson,Hammond and May (alphabetical order), a bit contrived but fun anyway. I mean come on, are we expecting a documentary? What kind of random events do you expect to occur in a desert?

The thing that worried me in this episode is that Hammond is now more muscular than Clarkson, the latter looking like he spent the last 2 months binge drinking pale ale at the local and breathing like a coal miner on his second pack of B&H.

One thing I do want in my life is more Hammond, May and Clarkson (fitness descending order) and more such specials. So please, Mr Wilman, make the next special a crash course with the special forces or something. We need our fave people in survivable shape!

Hope it continues

[kkloldi · 10/10 · 17 February 2024]

It is a shame this series will not continue, i will genuinely stop my prime subscription as the show is the only reason I pay for it. Crazy that a part of so many people will be void because of sensitive people. When this all started people did not think the way these sensitive people think today and we still do not, thats why it does not make any sense to put an end to all the joy experienced throughout this journey. It was all jokes, every bit of it and people can not seem to grasp this. Just adding filler words at this point because of the requirement for a certain amount of characters needed to post.

Good old classic TV untainted from new agendas

[mgicnick · 10/10 · 18 February 2024]

Clarkson, May and Hammond have been blessed with the luck to live the dream fantasies of so many men by having fun with cars, fooling around and traveling around the world experiencing new adventures all while geting paid good money to do that, and we have been privileged enough to live vicariously through their outlandish adventures. Not many people know it even though it has been only a few short years that under their helm BBC's Top Gear was the biggest "factual" TV program on the planet, that franchise never recovered their departure and it has now been suspended.

The "sand job" (an obvious play with words) proves that the magic is still there, the chemistry between them, the excellent sceneries and cinematography, the immature foolishness all work harmoniously in a high level production of good old TV, just a bunch of men and their cars driving towards glory and the end of their successful careers. Highly recommended.

We want to see real SUVs.

[aoa3060 · 8/10 · 17 February 2024]

Why aren't real SUVs used in such episodes?

In such locations it was an opportunity to experience the Land Cruiser, Nissan Patrol, Range Rover and Grand Cherokee.

This episode was just a comic comedy, because such cars are not used in such places and were not made for that.

The time between each episode has become very long so we are hungry for the episodes of this wonderful program, but the right cars must be used in the right places.

Such cars are used on paved roads, and these cars, however, are not popular in the world, unlike other four-wheel drive cars that are mainly used in the rugged, mountainous and desert areas.

Mixed feelings

[earendil-BG · 6/10 · 21 February 2024]

Gone is the sincere laugh I had when watching top gear of the old.. I hated some scripted things which were actually wrong. It is the eye of the Sahara, not the eye of Africa. It is also northeast of the town of Chinguetty, which is completely the opposite direction of what they were supposed to be driving.. Also the reveal of The cars was missing.. When everyone would justify their choice and one would be a very strange choice.. They were just some cara in front of curtains.. even the pranks were somehow unsurprising and not funny..

Maybe it's just too much of the same..

I would watch them again anyhow, but not with the same excitement and anticipation.. They are getting old. So am I probably..

Fans & newcomers both enjoy a more relaxed, let-the-lines-breath editing style.

[dainschneck · 9/10 · 16 February 2024]

--Totally enjoyable 2 plus hour run time!!--

In my opinion the very best content from this crew was around the 2007/8 era, Vietnam, North Pole, Southern USA, Bolivia, Amphibious Cars (both episodes), any Cheap Car challenge, Motorhomes, Cop Cars, Cheap Trains.....etc etc. It's all so good!

But aside from Mongolia and Lochdown, most of Grand Tour's grand tours are over processed, over packaged.

See, huge, massive companies can not be authentic or funny. Neither can Huge production TV shows. Too many hands in the pie. Budgets thats you have HAVE to use or lose. The result was Amazon's leviathan Grand Tour was churning out episodes for 8 year old boys watching YouTube. Think Dude Perfect, but somehow less authentic.

However, in Sand Job, SOMEHOW, WIlman has made this old formula FEEL again. The guys FEEL real again.

This new special has slowed down a bit. And it's much better for it. The scenery gets a beat to take your breath away. The dialogue is gets space for comedic timing, and most times, feels authentic.

It's exciting to see that as they put this lifelong thing (T. G & G. T.) that we cherish so much behind them, Wilman and the gang are going out on top,

Guys are getting to old, cars are getting too good.

[dmytrvolkov · 6/10 · 21 February 2024]

It is rather painful to watch the show is sinking. How all the things we love it for are falling apart. Chemistry for them is not working, puns they've always had for each other are really lame. Jeremy is a biggest star in worth way - he won't get anything done to his car from James and Richard, he will (for sure!) win drag race (and that's the only competition).

And cars... Are just good (except for Richard), they will endure without any trouble and just behave, so Clarkson and May will just cruise in different locations. Modifications are normal, the only ridiculous updates were too ridiculous (it was always so cool to see their ridiculous updates but with some sense) and after 5 minutes even those weirdos just have gone for good.

And chemistry again - they did not have it for cars too. You simply won't get that connection with a car that merely survived but did it's best when your car was just working. You won't get some climax point at the finish when all you were doing was just regular driving on good roads, bad roads, little offroad in some beautiful location.

Some say, they've run out of ideas. But all we know is that guys are getting old and it is too obvious.

Boring, contrived, cliché, poorly scripted

[jamesdeanearllevans · 4/10 · 18 February 2024]

Two hours of pretty unstimulated boring scripted "dilemmas" that are obviously not real scenarios. It is pretty clear that this series has ran out of places to film and the ideas to sew an interesting show out of it. They move from one boring scenario to another in predictable, substanceless, dreary dialogue. Very few moments of intrigue or suspense, if any at all. It's just 3 old blokes pretending they are in moments of peril when you realise they are definitely not. They play along as best they can buy you don't ever really believe it and you know they don't either. Very few moments of actual fun despite them trying hard to make it interesting. Unfortunately, this is just cars in the desert with nothing much happening. Just a lot of standing around discussing fake and unconvincing problems to solve. I think it's time to return to Top Gear guys.

Just simply wonderful .

[dchchaman · 10/10 · 4 March 2024]

These three are the only reason i subscribed to amazon prime . I find them funny , entertaining and just simply wonderful . I can just sit on my couch after a tough day , switch off and mindlessly enjoy these three getting on a car and go through the desert or the sea or .... They are simply wonderful. I wish we just had more of them , i hope they live long and prosper to continue making these . I wnjoy clarkson farm but grandtour is just different. I am looking forward to the next episode . I hope they do more adventures like this. Ok i am done writing why is the minimum review requirement so long .

Like The Best of The Previous Show!

[AudioFileZ · 9/10 · 26 February 2024]

As would be totally the norm, our three intrepid car enthusiasts have chosen quite inappropriate cars for the task at hand. Obviously the cars require modifications which, again per the norm, aren't quite extensive enough or as robust as needed. Would we expect anything less? The question of are those modifications good enough is constant.

Just getting the cars to someplace named Mari-something proved to be the easy part as they arrived in a most memorable ridiculously long coal/ore train. Surprisingly, James spearheaded what turned out to be a proper vehicle extraction off this weird delivery. Of course, that's a good thing as they'll be plenty of opportunities to breakdown and wreck the cars in due time on the "road" to Dakar. That said, there's plenty of hardships with the proper measures of problem solving and horseplay.

The "Sand Job" is a highlight returning to the old, iconic and fantastic adventures (i.e. Misadventures). This is the entertainment factor that made a car show an institution and is a most welcome return. Absolutely fantastic episode. Oh yeah, the cars. Amazing that all three made it and pretty much spot-on as to which I might imagine faired the best and worst. Plus, we get the obligatory explosion in a most clever way!