vader1

Don't know if anybody watched it. I just finished the final episode last night off of the DVR. I think my first impression was correct in that it was a bit of self promotion and heavy on the "What is it like to be superstar PATRICK DEMPSEY???!!!!" But if you get past that part there was some good stuff in it.

The final episode, the actual race has some really neat footage. Pretty intense. 200+ mph racing in the dead of night, 160+ racing in heavy downpours on a road course. It looks pretty scary from the cockpit of the car.

If you can get over much of the fluff you might find it worth your while. I don't even watch racing but I enjoyed the show.

onu2002

Watched it. Enjoyed it.

Mr.E.G.

I totally understand why the racing organization would want to make a big deal out of having a celebrity in their midst and how they would use that to promote their brand of racing. However, the whole thing feels very contrived. He comes across as someone who has no business being on the track as more qualified racers and who is so humble about the experience that his humility seems disingenuous.

It reminds me of listening to a drunk person talk about how fond they are of something. It just seems artificial.

vader1

Yeah, you just have to get past that part. I agree with you on "person who has no business" because in one of the episodes he ruins their whole race by getting a speeding in the pits violation right after he get a speeding in the pits violation. You are thinking, "How dumb is this guy?"

But he does hold on pretty good at Le Mans and is running some fast speeds on a tough track so he has some degree of skill. He is not a professional, but I think he probably has more skill than just about anybody on the board. Some of the racing footage is pretty good though if you can stomach the rest.

I think it was only four episodes, and if you don't want to watch it all, just catch the final episode.

onu2002

If he's too humble, he's disingenuous. If he's not humble enough, he's arrogant. Tough crowd!

Would any of us be any different? Especially if we loved racing and appreciated the history of it as much as Dempsey appears to?

I found it very entertaining, from the on-track footage to Patrick mocking and BSing the speaking appearance at the solar power conference.

And he obviously has the talent. They made it pretty clear that much of what he does wrong on the track is lack of seat time, but he's not lacking talent. Besides, didn't they mention in the last episode that it's common for teams to have at least one "gentleman racer?"

Maybe one's enjoyment of the show depends on knowledge of racing. Hard-core racing fans might see it as contrived selling-out. To a not-even-casual fan like me, who knows more about Grey's Anatomy than ALMS, it was good.

Mr.E.G.

It's not that anyone being humble is perceived as being disingenuous. Rather, the way HE plays the humble card seems very phony. It's like when the hottest girl in school gets nominated for homecoming queen and she acts like, "What? Meeeeeee? No way."

It's hard for me to articulate exactly what it is that bugs me about him, but it can generally be boiled down to him not seeming very genuine at all.

Mr.E.G.

And just for the record, yes, I know that his left nut drives better than I do and all that.

vader1

For me the final show was all about the in car footage. Going 200 miles an hour with only the headlights to guide you. Going 160 miles an hour with the rain pouring down and the wipers going as fast as they could. When Patrick talks about what a ballet it was driving that fast and watching the faster cars blast by in the dark like a ghost. That was really cool and well worth the hour. I was cringing at the look of the speed from inside the car.

It looks nothing like the sense you get from in car NASCAR footage of cars going in a circle in daylight. At 200 mph in the dark, a stray cat on the road could mean serious trouble. The footage of cars going off the track in the rain was cool. The Ferrari 430 going a bit airborne. Fun watch.

Mr.E.G.

I mean, I'll totally watch the show. I"m just saying he's a douche.

TheDonEffect

Saw it, enjoyed it, I felt he came off as genuine. He owns up to alot of the perceptions people have of him, he's trying to relate to the masses, but the masses will never let him get to their level. It's like oh that's great, you grew tired of your tough tough job of being a highly paid actor that you need to find a calling, a very expensive hobby, yadda yadda.
In any rate, this is sorta the reason why I don't like racing because in the end, it's all about deep pockets and therefore not relateable for me.