Chris Barrie on Carbug News Posted by Jonathan Capps on 25th March 2009, 12:27 Excellent. You’d think after the SURPRISE early week rush of brilliant things, that Dave might be giving the traditional Wednesday update a miss… well, not so. The frankly stunning publicity campaign continues with a lovely little video of Jeremy ‘Chris Barrie’ Clarkson and Carbug… It all seems so obvious in hindsight. Considering Ellard and co. deemed it fit to greet the release of a DVD quiz with an expansive online ARG then why *wouldn’t* they do the same when we have brand new episodes in the offing? It’s been a hectic start to the week and we’ve not had a real chance to take a step back and catch up with the seven minute documentary preview and the various clips popping up here and there, but it’s worth pointing out just how perfectly this has been handled and how well produced it all seems to be. As fans of The Dark Knight or even Doctor Who (especially back before series 1) will attest, the joy of a well executed build up to broadcast is almost as great as sitting down and watching the episodes themselves. Sure, it helps that the clips of the episode released yesterday gave me a warm, tingly feeling in my tummy making me feel like everything is going to be ok, but the trickle of information over the last weeks have walked the line between inventive rabble rousing and out-and-out spoilers perfectly. So, back to the Carbug video. The thought process from “let’s do a video introducing Carbug” to “but let’s not do a normal tour of the car, let’s get Chris to do an impression of Clarkson and present it like a Top Gear segment” and the decision to him finishing reading the (very funny) script and looking to camera at the end is wonderful. This is something you get more from the videos than the images we’ve had over the weeks* … you start to see the care and attention that’s going into all aspect of the production. When even the teasers are well put together you can’t help but feel reassured that everything is in good hands. (* Speaking of which, here’s four new behind the scenes pics, the latest offering from the ARG. Well, three new pics and one old one, anyway. Look out for another “data” “unlock” at around teatime tonight…) I have and continue to possess deep reservations about Dave’s public face, but the way they and GNP have handled this build up so far has been utterly and completely pitch perfect. This has been a sickly sweet update from G&T. Vomit bags are located under your chairs.
What I find particularly strange is the reaction it got when Carbug originally appeared: Horror and abhorration. Now we can’t get enough of it!!
>What I find particularly strange is the reaction Carbug originally appeared: Horror and abhorration. Now we can?t get enough of it!! Well, I’ve always wanted a Smart, myself, so Carbug was never a problem for me. I’m surprised the four of them can all fit in it though – Robert in costume especially.
A very nice touch to the whole Carbug experience! I wonder if next week Kryten valets it? Ooh I appear to have sucked up a tree shaped air freshener…
It should be said that we grabbed the Carbug footage while it lurked at the studios await its next big scene. And that I scribbled the Clarkson-isms being spoken. Wasn’t Chris fab!
> It should be said that we grabbed the Carbug footage while it lurked at the studios await its next big scene. And that I scribbled the Clarkson-isms being spoken. Wasn?t Chris fab! Good work!
> I scribbled the Clarkson-isms being spoken. Not that you’d ever blow your own trumpet though, right? ;)
> > GNP really do fucking spoil us, don?t they? Tsk. Foolish boy. GNP has been lying to us fans for years. Norman let us in on it a few years ago.
Carbug has grown on me exponentially, and that was fantastic. Chris doing JC should really be enough for me until I die, but more is to come! And well done, Andrew.
> Have missed Chris The Impressionist :D Sat and watched Smeg Ups the other day – his Kenneth Williams was outstanding, wasn’t it?
Did Chris do Clarkson in his Spitting Image days? Been trying to find a clip on youtube to compare, but so far it’s eluding me.
New Quotes quiz on Dave – “You scored: 12/12 Excellent work. If ever any of the crew drop out we know who to come to for an understudy.” Hell yeah.
New Quotes quiz on Dave – ?You scored: 12/12 Excellent work. If ever any of the crew drop out we know who to come to for an understudy.? Hell yeah. Andrew Ellard?
Following Andrew’s revelation that he scripted this piece, I see this is also noted on the Dave site now…
