Review: SUPER TURBO STORY TIME “Old Timey Car Tales” ; “Fantastical Failures of Automotive Ambition”

I am not what you would call a “car guy” per se. I drive a 2017 Chevy Equinox that typically I take to a Midas to get an oil change and fix whatever is wrong with it. I’ve got AAA for emergencies, and I’ve driven enough bombs in my life that when I hear shit going wrong I can usually guess what the issue is, or at least related to. That’s about the extent of what I know.

That said, I am a sucker for docu-series with a historical context and SUPER TURBO STORY TIME both feeds that element as well as my constant need for new animated content. Produced by Daniel C. Katz of Deep Space 69 fame (and hopefully for the upcoming FOX series Ocean Village), SUPER TURBO STORY TIME probably has more in common with Drunk History than it does anything you would see on the History Channel. Two guest hosts bring with them a story about cars that usually has a comedic bent to it, and Titmouse animates a bunch of the highlights, not unlike most animated docu-series you may have seen in the past ala Mike Judge Presents: Tales from the Tour Bus.

The debut week for Motortrend’s SUPER TURBO STORY TIME featured the likes of Colton Dunn and Derek Bieri giving us “Old Timey Car Tales” taking a trip back in time to the early days of the automobile, when the first enterprising car enthusiasts laid the foundations for the car world today. The second episode featured Jeff Glucker and Jarod Deanda in an episode entitled “Fantastical Failures of Automotive Ambition” where every so often a visionary comes along, and with their imagination, grit and perseverance, they manage to fail and leave a mark on automotive history.

So each episode features a theme that tries to lean in for comedic value, and the results are mixed. For my money, “Fantastical Failures of Automotive Ambition” is the kind of stuff I’m looking for whereas I felt most of the retelling told of “Old Timey Car Tales” was more akin to what I’ve already watched on History Channel, most namely in their own produced docu-series The Cars That Built America. “Fantastical Failures of Automotive Ambition” featured the funnier of the two sets of hosts, funnier cartoons, and the stories were quite a bit more interesting and not as previously cultivated.

That said, I think the show has some promise. It’s perfect for the Motortrend audience that is already passionate about automotives, and perhaps allows a younger viewer base to both get an animated silly take on historical topics that could prove educational as well. I’m not sure I’m recommending it to non-car lovers because right away I could tell my American Dad/Bob’s Burgers loving girlfriend would probably fall asleep watching the show, but if you’re into crazy car stories, this is a good one. In fact, I wouldn’t mind seeing some car stories that were both a bit more personal because you can even tell when the show sticks with the historical context, sometimes the hosts get certain factoids incorrect, so I’m thinking more personal stories could draw in a wider-net of an audience AND reduce hearsay.  Still a solid show!