Top gear

[Meldrew2]

It is like they have the recipe, but not the ingredients.

Anyone fancy Steak au poivre flambe, but made with a sausage, white pepper and flambe in lager?

No. Me neither.

The chemistry between Clarkson, May and Hammond can't be faked.

 

[grober]

Oh dear! After the first series I had high hopes for a new revitalised format for top gear with new presenters. Despite people's antipathy for Cris Evans his presence was missed. Never mind he might talk drivel his presence as a continuity/ link man was missed last night as the studio section of the programme threatened [ to use a motoring metaphor] to stall several times. The presenters did their best but it came across as forced. The sense of spontaneity of the first series seemed to have been lost somehow. These things may improve as the series gains speed but the most disapointing thing was it appears to be reverting back to being a clone of the old top gear. Some minor media "personality" driving a car round an airfield in the wet--- yet again--- different car same boring format. Driving some old cars across Kazakhstan had the potential, the immense backdrop , a Cosmodrome+rocket launch fer chr*sts*ke! yet had to revert to the seeming obligatory demolition derby in a quarry--yawn. So these cars had gone to the moon and back but nary a mention or glimpse of the engines under the bonnet---it is ostensibly a program about cars after all - a nod in that direction might have been nice. Sadly it looks as if the BBC producers looked at the viewing figures of the last series panicked and opted for the same tired old format to win numbers back. They should have continued with the fresher approach of the first season and carved out a new identity for the programme. Maybe that's why Evans left before he was obliged to morph into Jeremy Clarkson. Disappointing.

 

[Cyclone1]

Evans was an absolute disaster. He came across as pompous, arrogant and self obsessed and clearly thought the show was about him and not cars, this was a great shame as I think he genuinely wanted to take the show to another level but unfortunately it back fired. He knew he had messed it up and did the right thing moving on. I like his older shows (none cars), but he hasn't moved on and for him Top Gear just didn't work.

I thought the episode last night was fine and watchable, more so than the last series and to be honest as good as the last couple of series with Clarkson and Co. The last couple of series from Clarkson and Co had too many "none car" sections and some of the specials were becoming grating.

For a first show it was fine. A bit of the old recipe yes, but the FXXK section was excellent. The chemistry between the presenters will take time to improve and I hope they change the way they are guiding Harris though as he will be disliked, this will be a shame as he is by far the most "automotive" of the presenters.

 

[grober]

Extra gear??

BBC iPlayer - Top Gear: Extra Gear - Series 2: Episode 1

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Any show that doesn't have Chris Evans in is already 100% better so I was eager to see how the new dynamic would pan out and...

MLB did well as the anchor, his delivery is slightly stammered and hesitant at times but he is definitely watchable.

RR again stood out like a beacon of hope, very enthusiastic, great sense of humour and has a certain warmth to him, the kind that you know you could go out for a pint with him and have a good craic.

CH - oh dear - he looks so out of his depth I'm embarrassed for him, after being far from impressed when everyone used to rave about him as a YT "star", I've seen nothing since then to change my mind; the bloke is so awkward and damp he's really hard to watch without falling asleep. Yes, he's got a better background in motoring journalism than the others but he's a prime example of why journalists very rarely transform to the screen; they, by their very nature, are devoid of character.

On the whole though, the BBC have obviously been scared to death about the disastrous last series with Evans at the helm and have reverted to type and it's not worked; either veer more towards a 'car show' or 'entertainment show' but pick one or the other, last nights episode was a slop dosh somewhere in between.

 

[Dryce]

I agree that in the studio Harris is the weakest of the three - bit too much energy and clumsiness. But I think the time to judge is at the end of the series. He came across better in the cosier and lower key iPlayer stuff last season.

I'm more than happy seeing him in the cars.

The telling thing yesterday for me was that it felt closer to the old format - and the bit that really confirmed that for me was the watching of the rocket launch. It had nothing to do with the cars or the programme - but it was one of the tricks they used to pull - stop and pause and take in something actually unrelated.

The studio feels like a showroom. Sterile rather than offensive. But again see how that goes.

They just can't keep away from having celebs can they? I thought (hoped) they might drop the star in a car bit. But no. Ho hum. However .... The choice of the GT86 is a good one. I think the novelty of using a plain car had worn off. Making a point of going for a RWD driver's car is a decent revamp if they were going to keep the slot.

My feeling in all of this is that one who will really make a career if this works out is Reid. He can play up to the cameras as well as being serious.

I'm way happier after the start of this series than last series. So lets see how the chemistry goes on this.

 

[Rashman]

Whilst flicking through the channels last night, I saw that top gear was on.
I was amazed to see it still being aired.
I thought it would have been pulled a long time ago.

I always have respect for Chris and Matt but feel they are wasted on this poor incarnation.

 

[MancMike]

Why would it be pulled? It's still a popular show, there's far less popular shows still airing.

 

[Cyclone1]

I really want it to work as there aren't enough car shows on TV. Plus I get fed up watching re-runs of Top Gear, 5th Gear, Street Outlaws, Fast N'Loud, Wheeler Dealers, Chasing CLassic Cars etc etc. Lol

 

[C36fan]

I really want it to work as there aren't enough car shows on TV. Plus I get fed up watching re-runs of Top Gear, 5th Gear, Street Outlaws, Fast N'Loud, Wheeler Dealers, Chasing CLassic Cars etc etc. Lol

Same here Jules but I'm afraid the old top gear as dated as it was ,was way better than this new one and now isn't there Chris Evans for us to blame ...

 

[grober]

The Grand Tour had less than half of Top Gear audience | Daily Mail Online

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/feb/03/the-best-and-worst-of-the-grand-tour

 

[Flackadder]

No flow to program. Jokes seemed a little forced. LaBlanc's accent just does' not fit the program.

Nevertheless, a gazillion times better than the offering from when Chris Evans fronted the program.

Will I watch it again. Unlikely.....unless family tell me there was something interesting on.

New car 'reasonably fast', should prove interesting....for those that just must watch Top Gear.

 

[Spin_bowler]

I thought it was OK. There's much said about the famous chemistry of Clarkson, May and Hammond but that wasn't there in Series 2 of 'Old' Top Gear any more than it is for these three this time around. I seem to remember Hammond being properly annoying as he adjusted to his new craft. Clarkson carried much of the show for a good couple of series.

Harris is struggling in the studio and in the forced 'bantz' but I think he'll get there and he has proper petrol-head credentials. I think Le Blanc is a decent front man, far better than Evans and Rory Reid's OK.

I'll watch the series in the same way I watched the old one, on Sky catch up making much use of the fast forward.

 

[Dryce]

There's much said about the famous chemistry of Clarkson, May and Hammond but that wasn't there in Series 2 of 'Old' Top Gear any more than it is for these three this time around.

May wasn't even there to start with in old-TG. Anybody remember Jason Dawes from that first series? TG evolved a bit - ISTR that they 'adventures' and 'challenges' didn't really properly take route until they had a few series.

One of the remarkable things as regards TG now is it's lineup - who would have thought that two relative unknowns and Joey from Friends would be fronting the show. But then 16 years ago would had heard of May and Hammond?

 

[dejongj]

I didn't even realise it was on Sounds like I didn't miss much...

 

[dejongj]

The Grand Tour had less than half of Top Gear audience | Daily Mail Online

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/feb/03/the-best-and-worst-of-the-grand-tour

Seems a superb success; 2.8M viewers on a subscription internet channel from a single country whilst shown world wide.

£221M for just the prime subscription per annum from just one country. Then there is the potential for the same again for devices required to watch it. I recon that series made more than a Billion world wide for Amazon. Brilliant investment.

 

[Spin_bowler]

May wasn't even there to start with in old-TG. Anybody remember Jason Dawes from that first series? TG evolved a bit - ISTR that they 'adventures' and 'challenges' didn't really properly take route until they had a few series.

One of the remarkable things as regards TG now is it's lineup - who would have thought that two relative unknowns and Joey from Friends would be fronting the show. But then 16 years ago would had heard of May and Hammond?

You're right, I remember the Jason Dawes experiment. I think he was there as a nod to trying to keep some pretence of it being a consumer information service, wasn't he billed as there to talk about the trade and secondhand cars?

 

[Deleted member 65149]

Why would it be pulled? It's still a popular show, there's far less popular shows still airing.

True. Shows like Celebrity Big X-Voice :fail

 

[stwat]

May wasn't even there to start with in old-TG. Anybody remember Jason Dawes from that first series? TG evolved a bit - ISTR that they 'adventures' and 'challenges' didn't really properly take route until they had a few series.

One of the remarkable things as regards TG now is it's lineup - who would have thought that two relative unknowns and Joey from Friends would be fronting the show. But then 16 years ago would had heard of May and Hammond?

May was a presenter on old old old Top Gear in the 90's .

 

[Dryce]

Seems a superb success; 2.8M viewers on a subscription internet channel from a single country whilst shown world wide.

£221M for just the prime subscription per annum from just one country. Then there is the potential for the same again for devices required to watch it. I recon that series made more than a Billion world wide for Amazon. Brilliant investment.

Yup. I think Amazon will be happy with the GT.

And they can probably still sell the show on to other broadcasters or subscription channels if they don't want to keep it exclusive. (Dave ?)

Plus they're looking at a broader set of offerings - getting people on to Prime gets them business not just for video and music but also for their other goods and services.

However the BBC may be winners as well. People were consistently complaining that TG was on its last legs. They allegedly made money off the Evans series last year and if this one picks up and gets better perhaps manages a few seasons they get to extend the life of the TG franchise.