Jay Leno's Garage

Jay Leno is quick-witted and funny, but this production is mostly just the same Hollywood promotion talkshow apperarance, only in car seats instead of chairs. We saw this shift, the gameification of talkshows, with Ellen Show and next-gen late show hosts like Jimmy Fallon and James Corden.

There are some segments that only showcase cars, but mostly they're structured as a tiresome guessing game. I just want to watch car nerds talk about cars in a calm, adult setting -- this show is too hyperactive for me.

Hosted by Jay Leno, of course, this show features Jay's humor and his well-known love of vehicles. Each episode has a theme.

Anyone who loves cars will appreciate this show, which includes healthy doses of history and nostalgia. In one episode alone, which featured the California car culture, Jay rode with a San Francisco motorcycle club, drove an old route over the mountains in a 1915 vintage car, and piloted a 4-wheel drive beach vehicle that can ride on wheels or tank treads.

He also delved into hot rod culture (remember "Big Daddy" Roth's "Rat Fink"?), low-rider culture, and the history of the Japanese "tuner" phenomenon.

There was a visit to Petersen's museum, with its amazing collection of vintage and one-of-a-kind autos.

Jay's enthusiasm for cars is contagious and his knowledge of car history makes him the perfect host for this series that covers a lot of ground.

Add the beauty of the featured cars, and you have a show that entertains, educates, and provides examples of every aspect of the automotive arts. This show is immersive and should satisfy anyone who appreciates motorized travel.

Update 12/7/15: Now that I have watched about 8 episodes, I am increasing my grade to "10". I love this show. Jay's passion is part of it, but mainly it is due to the subject matter. Every part of every show has been interesting and informative.

I don't care much about cars. And the engines or the chrome finish seem boring at best. Yet Leno is active and knowledgeable and makes the whole show a pleasure to look at.

I like Jay Leno's garage. It's cool to see the different vehicles, he's informative but not too dry, and the celeb guest appearances are fun.

"Jay Leno's Garage" is the perfect show to watch when you just want a pleasant time-passer. In other words, you aren't always in the mood for a movie or commitment to a TV series and so this show about cars is great viewing in such a situation. The format is pretty simple and surprisingly enjoyable. Jay Leno introduces the viewer to a variety of people who love classic and unusual cars and, using his gentle humor and nice personality, explains about the cars and has occasional adventures. It's a reality TV show that can be enjoyed by folks like me who normally DON'T like reality TV. Well worth seeing.