The central premise of Speed is an intriguing one, that human beings are the only species capable of exceeding the speed limit that nature intended. Clarkson sets out to explore both what compels us to pursue these limits--often at considerable risk to our own safety--and what effect the quest has on us. The result was an immensely engaging series, a few highlights of which are collected on this video. The best moments are those that find Clarkson sticking to the brief: interviewing the aristo-twit tobbogganeers of the Cresta Run; trying to understand why he, an experienced driver, will never be as fast as Michael Schumacher or Colin McRae; a musing on the qualities needed to be a fighter pilot; an examination of the extraordinary sport of speed-skiing, in which cat-suited kamikazes hit speeds of up to 150 miles an hour. Unfortunately, the editors of this video have over-emphasised the occasional altogether pointless stunts that punctuated the original series: doubtless driving a car down a ski slope and participating in a mock dogfight over California were a tremendous wheeze for all involved, but they do nothing to illustrate this fascinating subject.
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