New Top Gear

[Guest]

It was the old show with different presenters. Middle aged men trying to be 20 somethings.

 

When will people tire of watching cars that cost about 10 to 15 years average salary getting ragged around a race track?

 

This.

[Chairman Meow]

Some of you dislike your little rainy island's conservatives, yet you seem to really like crarkson, evans et al. 

 

These individuals and their behaviour are the epitome of conservativism.

 

Speaking of tired acts. 

[Nightcat]

Speaking of tired acts.

 

and hypocrisy too.

 

I thought the proletarians used to entertain the upper classes, not the other way round.

[magicrat]

Some of you dislike your little rainy island's conservatives, yet you seem to really like crarkson, evans et al. 

 

These individuals and their behaviour are the epitome of conservativism. 

Really , what insight.   

[Frankenhooker]

Some of you dislike your little rainy island's conservatives, yet you seem to really like crarkson, evans et al.

 

These individuals and their behaviour are the epitome of conservativism.

Fairly certain Evans is a staunch labour supporter, but why let facts get in the way of your inane rants.

[Naz17]

Poor result. Clarkson et al were brilliant at presenting Top Gear and the 3 of them had a great relationship. This was a poor substitute.

[stringvest]

Poor result. Clarkson et al were brilliant at presenting Top Gear and the 3 of them had a great relationship. This was a poor substitute.

 

 

Naz, the first series of Top Gear when Clarkson and the small chap were presenting is not repeated as the presentation was so clunky and there was no chemistry between the presenters.  These things take time to develop.

[Pidge]

I thought both of the big VT sections (the Lake District bit and LeBlancs being chased by paps) were as entertaining as ever, possibly a bit better as it didn't do that really forced cliffhanger moment at the end.

[JohnnyH]

Old Top Gear was enjoyable. The fact the presenters were fannys added to it.

 

The new one was decent. But it'll take time to settle and find its own format. A decent start. Lots of people will hate it even if it was the greatest show ever. I think the second season will be very good again.

[General Dryness]

I won't watch it until Matt le Blanc crashes a rocket powered car and his injuries leave him permanently slightly strange, like that other fella.

[Mark M]

I enjoyed the old top gear there was a good connection with the presenters I felt.

After last night I probably won't bother with it anymore. They've kept the exact same format but made a mess of the presenters. (That was a big part of what made it work for me) Matt le blanc just has very little In the way of personality and Chris Evans is a bit meh!

[Rico1304]

It was pretty much the same as before - no real drama.

 

I read something on Twitter earlier that if kids can handle Blue Peter presenters changing why the fuck can't grown adults handle this. Fair point.

[cochyn]

The show was already tired, so they're up against it - and a lot of people liked it because it happily confirmed their nonsense politics.  Evans always tries to force the tone so that might put people off, and it feels a bit scripted, but as it settles and they build some chemistry it should improve.

 

Still got 4.4m watching live, which is a lot more than the readership of any of the "papers" which apparently matter so much.

 

Just got it on iPlayer now and think they need a third presenter, there's no competitiveness between the presenters and two guys taking the piss out of the third is a much better way of breaking tension and building that atmosphere than anything else.

 

Pretty much this. The last three+ series of Top gear were a fucking shambles saved only by the odd 'special'. Also, why get le Blanc in when most other countries produce their own versions of the show?

 

Anyway, he done OK and I think Evans will need time to get a handle on it and make it more his own: I suspect  the majority of the old production team have stayed on board so it'll take time to mould the show into something else. A solid 6.65/10 from me. 

[Rico1304]

I've also read that when filming a series they don't do them in order, so they'll film episodes 2 & 3 first so the crew and cast get used to eah other and the first one isn't weak. If that's the case here don't expect lots of change for the next couple.

[Tony Moanero]

Top cunt.

[redheart]

Twas shit before and still is

 

[Nightcat]

I've also read that when filming a series they don't do them in order, so they'll film episodes 2 & 3 first so the crew and cast get used to eah other and the first one isn't weak. If that's the case here don't expect lots of change for the next couple.

Interesting news mate. The world is holding its breath. Can't wait etc..

[Sputnik1]

Of course the old Top Gear was shit, I stopped watching it years ago. But a lot of people enjoyed it, and let's be honest it stopped being a motoring show many years ago, it just became a cross between Grumpy old men and The last of the summer wine. It became habitual viewing for millions who would mainly tune in to see in a world restrained by political correctness; who Clarkson would insult next. 

 

By letting obvious insults through and by leaking others it maintained its profile, one of the BBCs highest earners and sold worldwide. Just because many don't like it doesn't automatically make it shit though, there's a lot of stuff many like that I think is shit but I'm not stupid enough to believe the world revolves around my likes and dislikes.

 

The whole assault thing just became part of a soap opera, there's a massive disconnect between reality and fiction among the masses these days. A coping mechanism maybe, more likely a decline into ignorance. Like a soap opera many want to see the villain make a comeback. 

 

Love or hate Top Gear you cannot deny that the three previous presenters have a chemistry, this is something that any new show cannot easily replace. When you replace Last of the summer grumpy men with a motoring show, well you're doomed to failure. 

[dennis tooth]

Who cares?

[thegreatelephant]

Who cares?

pricks, in the main.

[Naz17]

Naz, the first series of Top Gear when Clarkson and the small chap were presenting is not repeated as the presentation was so clunky and there was no chemistry between the presenters.  These things take time to develop.

Fair point.

[G Richards]

I was pretty excited when it was on BBC America over here, as it is a taste of home and I enjoyed watching it before.

 

My verdict is that it was OK, but hopefully it will get better. The chemistry between the three presenters helped it before, whereas now we have to wait and see if that develops. I've no problem with either Evans or Le Blanc, but perhaps they need a third person in there too?

 

The German lady is a talented driver, but I'm not sure if she can carry the role as one of a trio of presenters.

 

I didn't mind the overhaul of the star in a car section. Adding the rally cross part will add another discipline of driving and it will help to differentiate the times a bit more between the people who can really drive and those who can't.

 

Anyway, 6/10 for me. I want to see it develop a bit more before fully deciding.

[Trumo]

I haven't seen the new one yet but the point about the previous trio taking time to build chemistry is a valid one. If memory serves, it was initially just Clarkson and Hammond, with May and some other bloke doing seperate pieces about used cars. Clarkson and Hammond took the piss out of May a fair bit, and the whole dynamic as a trio took off from there and the show went in a slightly different direction to its initial premise. They started to produce more car-based challenges to get the trio competing against each other. What was originally more natural (if scripted) banter slowly gave way to more obviously-scripted shenanigans, and what made the show work eventually became tired and lazy programming. It was at this point where they started becoming more controversial to maintain ratings since the show was the BBC's biggest money-spinner worldwide.

 

Sabine Schmidt had filmed a number of segments for Top Gear before so she is known to the show's audiences over here. She was also a presenter for Germany's equivalent of the show so that aspect is nothing new to her. The presenting style of Chris Evans might take some time to get used to on a car show because his most successful TV presenting ventures have been somewhat anarchic. He is a known car enthusiast though and he has also appeared on Top Gear a few times before. Matt Le Blanc is the real unknown quantity because although again he is a car enthusiast, TV presenting is a new thing. He is also in the position where everybody still sees him as Joey regardless of whatever else he has gone on to do since Friends.

[Duncan Clench]

Well I'm in the minority as I didn't think it was at all bad, and certainly better than the old show. Admittedly, I was really tired of the old presenters. The 'Captain Slow' and 'Hamster Hammond' thing was very tired, and as Trumo said, it was becoming more and more controversial for the sake of ratings and it was dull.

 

I liked Le Blanc's little looks and gestures at the camera, I like the rally idea (and the fact that they didn't get people who were clearly there to plug their upcoming movie/book/album), and didn't they even hint that next episode they'll be driving a normal car? Like, one that somebody watching might actually be able to afford? 

 

If you liked the old presenters, then they're making a program that you can watch. I'd take this on its own merits and doing that, it was decent.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

I thought it was the same old shit.