PROVING GROUNDS’ JUMPS RIGHT INTO THE ACTION

There’s no shortage of televised car content -- from drama-laden restoration shows to shows about driving and adventure like “Top Gear.” That means it’s hard for a new show to enter the world and carve out its own identity. Well, the new kid on the block -- NBCSN’s Proving Grounds borrows some tried and true car show staples -- namely three hosts with varying degrees of driving experience -- but gives the viewer a different enough experience to make them want to come back. The most surprising part about Proving Grounds' first episode is that it jumps into the action immediately -- instead of introducing the hosts and navigating through some arbitrary team-building exercise that forces the viewer to learn about the hosts’ history, the group pits a Ford Interceptor police car against its track. After a short discussion about the Leh Keen’s lap in the cop car, the group moves onto the Honda Civic Type R, which will run the same course. There’s a brief introduction of the car that explains why it’s such a capable front wheel drive performance machine. Then, like the cop car, Keen puts it through the paces. The formula follows for the remaining cars: a Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid and a Porsche 911 GT3. Sam Smith and Parker Kligerman do a quick road drive, and give context to the cars and Leh Keen rips them around the track. Though formulaic, the show offers enough difference through the subject matter alone to keep .......

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