Review: Jeff Dunham’s The Cars That Drove Us “Vector W8/DeLorean”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Vector W8

The 1980s supercar explosion sends performers like the Lamborghini Countach, Porsche 959, and Lotus Esprit Turbo peeling out of Europe.  Detroit designer Jerry Wiegert entered America into the race with his jet fighter on wheels, the Vector W8.

DeLorean

While the DeLorean is best known as the time machine from “Back to the Future”, the true story behind the DMC-12 has more plot twists than any Hollywood movie; telling the tale of its inventor, John DeLorean, and his quest to create a new U.S. car company.

Our Take:

Jeff Dunham is known for his ventriloquist and stand-up routines featuring his raunchy, politically incorrect, distinctive puppets.  But did you know that he also collects automobiles?  Neither did I, at least not until this documentary miniseries.  After numerous stand-up routines on stage, Jeff Dunham is taking his inappropriate humor and puppets on the road as he explores the history behind the several vehicles he has collected.  The first two episodes of Jeff Dunham’s The Cars That Drove Us feature Jeff exploring the histories behind the Vector W8 and the DeLorean, the latter of which made its grand appearance in the Robert Zemeckis sci-fi classic.  While I’m unfamiliar with the former, “Back to the Future” was my first introduction to the DeLorean, so it was interesting to see that there’s more to that car than just a time machine on wheels, thanks to this documentary miniseries.

Regarding Dunham’s brand of humor and puppetry, I’d assume we’d expect his raunchy style and his puppet allies to drive its documentary structure to new heights.  However, the first two episodes of The Cars That Drove Us don’t appear to be the case.  Jeff’s iconic puppets do appear in the miniseries, but only for specific claymation segments, including the opening sequence.  This is basically Jeff Dunham’s show, as he combines archive footage, interviews, and stop-motion animation to highlight the unusual stories behind the distinctive vehicles.  Speaking as someone who hasn’t watched Dunham’s comedy skits, I do appreciate his attempt to evoke charismatic flair into his narration and humor, even if his supposed risqué jokes were toned down to reach out to a broader audience.  Besides that, it looks like a basic yet somehow intriguing automobile documentary series, with Dunham’s appealing narration offering enough moments to keep the engine running.