Love the radio show, the tv show was realy bad!!
PACING, PEOPLE! The storylines were OK, the animation was OK, the jokes were a bit scarce, and, most importantly, the pacing was horrible. I’ll second the opinion that the directors and/or writers were new to this. If this were on commercial tv, it would be DOA. I liked the occasional references to NPR personages. Please see the comments a few posts down by Dave G., who knows of what he speaks. Your writers need to spend twice as long per episode to develop enough story and jokes. Your directors/editors need to speed up the responses. In real life (as in the radio show) things are much faster-paced, more spontaneous and people talk over one another. As Dave G. asked, just what demographic would want to watch this? Maybe the dim-witted and slow among us would find it fun, and that is probably an under-served group. I’m a bit sorry I watched the whole hour, but I SO wanted this to succeed (and still do).
I love you guys on the radio and in the papers.
Unfortunately I was disappointed with the TV show. I am 60 and have been a listener to your radio show for many years. I guess either my expectations were higher or you were targeting a different audience.
Regards
Mike
IMHO stick to the NPR talk show and weekly newspaper article. ‘As the Wrench Turns’ was embarassing to watch. Stick to what you two do best.
I watched for the entire hour. I laughed once during that hour. On the other hand, I listen to Car Talk on the NYC Subway and get stared at all the time b/c I’m laughing so hard. I love you guys, but the TV show … drive a stake through its heart, cut off the head, and stuff the mouth with garlic.
Here is a thought. Broadcast your talk show on TV, and loose the cartoon. Brilliant!
While I agree with most of the other comments that the show so far is not very funny and far below what we?ve come to expect from you and your crew, I don?t agree that you should simply ?stick to your radio show.? I still applaud you for looking to bring your humor to television, but in order to make that transition work, I respectfully suggest that you need to completely ?overhaul? the subject matter of the show.
Why does the tv show almost completely omit the heart of what has endeared you to us on the radio? You guys have made us laugh for over two decades by letting us share your witty efforts to help thousands of people solve real (and often silly) problems with their cars and their lives. THOSE are the types of stories that should be the subject matter of your shows, not absurd contrivances about you running for president (the most absurd point, by the way, being that you would get zero votes!), or ham handed attempts at social commentary (sorry, Doug) about outsourcing. Your show does need IN-sourcing, insofar as you?ve been stocking your own comedic motherlode for years. Start mining there for your stories!. Also, by bringing your work to a visual medium, you can do even more to continue teaching people practical tips every now and then about auto safety and maintenance.
In short, keep trying, and best of luck!!
oh my god , was that considered funny in Boston ?
it was;nt down here in dc.
its the downfall of civalization.
are we not men ?
I really enjoyed the new tv show. I watched both episodes twice and I actually liked it better the second time. There are a lot of subtle things going on, and though I didn’t feel the first time through, it was a blockbuster program, it definitely is growing on me. One thing I noticed is that near the end of the second show - “Outsourcing” - there appears to be a line or lines that Ray is saying, but it sounds like it is really Tom’s voice. Was that a “blooper” that was put in the show on purpose for some kind of trivia game later on? No matter what, I really like the new show and am looking forward to it each week. I hope it stays on the air for a looooong time…
I was thinking about the show some more, and I think the reason some people don’t like it, is that this IS different than the radio show. The radio show is about Tom and Ray and the caller, with Tom and Ray doing their thing 90% of the time. With a tv program, there are more characters and actually a story. So, enjoy it for what it is… a funny cartoon show with a pretty funny story line…
I agree with the others, what happened!!! I was so trying to like to show but OMG it was really really really bad. We were so excited to see your new show but I am sorry drop the show, it was awful. But I do Love Car Talk. The timing was so off and the jokes not funny, please please please don’t show again. Get new writers. You have lost some of your fans with this show but will continue to listen to my favorite show Car Talk on Sat. mornings.
Ha guys. Look at the bright side. If you have recorded the TV shows like I did, you have an instant collectable item here.
I think the show would have been better if you had outsourced it.
Who are the secondary characters and why didn’t you develop them in the first episode? And who can remember the names of the others. Is that Tom’s hair or is he wearing a hat?
Was there a plot or even a point to this (mis)adventure?
I’ve been a Cartalk fan since the beginning of the program. Your TV show didn’t live up to my expectations.
Not very funny. Not very well done.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I’d give it a…well a “one” at best.
I’m very disappointed guys…
Have you ever seen Howard Stern? All he did was to expand on what worked. (for him anyway, personally, I think his show rates on the negative scale!)
If you’re gonna do this thing right, it has to reflect what you guys do best, AND be what is expected by your audience.
I will likely watch it next time (if there is one), only out of hope and respect for you guys.
While I look forward to Saturdays and listening to every minute of CarTalk, I tuned in this week to As the Wrench Turns. I watched the first 15 minutes and couldn’t take any more so I turned it off. After a 5 minute break I went back thinking it has to be better. I watched another 15 minutes and it had only gotten worse. The show reminded me of sour milk in the refrigerator. You take a drink and it’s sour so you put it back in the frig and then try it later and it’s still sour. I love CarTalk but I think it’s best to cut your losses right now on the cartoon.
I have not had the opportunity to see the show, yet. I just got done reading the reviews. It sounds terrific! I can’t wait!
Do not fear and never give up! These comments are on par with what was written about Mickey and Donald when they made their debuts. Please note that both Mr. Mouse and Mr. Duck went on to fairly successful careers and even landed some “serious” roles.
Noticed Doug Berman was listed as writer. Remember the writer’s strike. Professionals like Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert needed professional writers! So does this show!
Been a fan of ‘Car Talk’ for over twenty years and was eagerly anticipating ‘As The Wrench Turns’.
As most viewers I was expecting an animated version of ‘Car Talk’.
I am baffled as how to classify "As The Wrench Turns’ other than pretty darn awful !!!
It reminded me of those 1930s movies where some wide eyed bumpkin visits a Hollywood studio and observes a few major stars [ie Laurel and Hardy] doing shortened versions of their signature bits, while the main plot of the movie is about the bumkins’ romantic misadventures in Hollywood.
Of course all the publicity emphasizes the major stars !!!
That what "As The Wrench Turns’ was, Click and Clack doing maybe five minutes of classic Click and Clack bits and 20 minutes of being supporting characters in I don’t know what !!!
Tom and Ray should do one more episode in the style of the late great Jackie Gleason where they spend the entire episode apologizing for the previous episodes and then pull the plug on the whole benighted mess !!!
No offense, but you might want to hire some real writers. It sounded like it was written by people who have seen a lot of sitcoms but have little or no experience actually writing scripts.
One of the things that makes your radio show so much fun is that you guys are having so much fun. Your laughter and attitude are infectious. I didn’t get a lot of that sense of fun from the TV show – which makes sense, given that they are completely different enterprises.