Top Gear

[SteveO]

Was I alone in thinking that last night's new series of Top Gear was a load of cringeworthy rubbish? I know that Clarkson's blokeish and non-PC humour was not everyone's cup of tea, but after seeing Messrs Evans and Le Blanc's wooden, over-scripted and un-funny offering, I think it might have been better if the Beeb had let sleeping dogs lie for a while.

Steve

[Wonderwall]

I wasn't a fan of the original. That to me was over scripted and usually not very funny. I never got the Love  in with it all. It was never a show about cars, it was about clarkson and his two stooges . I realise I was in the minority of about one with that view!!

Last night didn't change my mind about the show. Chris Evans is a hard guy to warm too.

im not a fan of the show, I'm sure you've worked that out 

[BroadScot]

Always going to be comparisons to be honest. Only time will tell if it will survive. It certainly did not spark in any way. As for Chris Evans shouting all the time, I think all the years wearing headphones has ruined his hearing !

Iain

[Bound2Please]

All i can say is R>I>P top gear......................

[MauriceMynah]

I used to like it with the Trio, so I watched this new incarnation with interest. I dislike Evans and knew nothing of Le Blanc.

I enjoyed the show!

[Polly]

I thought Matt Le Blanc did well, Chris Evans didn't. 

[ranworthbreeze]

We all watched it, I did not like that they kept the same format, the few scripted comments and of course I have never liked Chris Evens. There was talk that Gut Martin was going to be a presenter, but he turned it down.

We will be giving it another go, but we will be buying the Amazon dongle.

Regards

Alan

[BroadAmbition]

I forgot it was on so only saw abut the last 15 mins of it.  From that short 15 mins it was too little for me to voice an opinion on whether the show with the new presenters is good or bad so I'll stick with indifferent.  Whatever -  it's a hard act to follow the previous three presenters, I enjoyed them, the show in general and especially their ballsy attitude not to be pc

Griff

[Guest]

The "successor" to the BBC Top Gear programme was always going to be an impossible act to follow for many viewers.

Not because the original trio were good, but because they had somehow become heroic icons of motoring, and their juvenile antics were revered by so many, so the content was far too centred on them, rather than motoring and cars.

I used to watch the original series a great deal, but only for the implied content itself, and tried to enjoy the marvelous locations and cars, despite the low IQ presentation that marred it so much.

In their efforts to sensationalize everything, they managed to slur classic performance cars to appear to be expensive bangers, and "accidentally" set fire to caravans and bring London traffic to a halt with ridiculously stretched and double ended cars that would never be legally permitted on public roads in this country, etc.etc...

The Evans/LeBlanc replacement appears to be just as bad, because they seem to be trying to emulate the same childish formula, which would only have appealed to the Clarkson/May/Hammond groupies, and they've got no chance with them because they will snub it in honor of their heroes.

[Gracie]

Don't know what all the fuss is about, if you're fed up with it I would suggest as an alternative try the shopping channels, great heels and summer dresses to be had on there at the moment, when I'm fed up with a particular programme, it works for me every time

Grace

[BuffaloBill]

7 minutes ago, Gracie said:

I would suggest as an alternative try the shopping channels, great heels and summer dresses to be had on there at the moment,

Mmmmm. Jenny wouldn't like me wearing them.........

[Bound2Please]

21 minutes ago, Gracie said:

Don't know what all the fuss is about, if you're fed up with it I would suggest as an alternative try the shopping channels, great heels and summer dresses to be had on there at the moment, when I'm fed up with a particular programme, it works for me every time

Grace

Grace darlin I look F@£&ing stupid in dresses and cant walk in heels..... ask the wench .....

Charlie

[FairTmiddlin]

2 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

I forgot it was on so only saw abut the last 15 mins of it.  From that short 15 mins it was too little for me to voice an opinion on whether the show with the new presenters is good or bad so I'll stick with indifferent.  Whatever -  it's a hard act to follow the previous three presenters, I enjoyed them, the show in general and especially their ballsy attitude not to be pc

Griff

Griff

That's what most people never got about the show. It was never a car show. It was more of a moving Lads mag of a programme that occasionally saw a car in it.

I personally gave last night a go but I'm afraid the ginger ex forklift driver from Warrington didn't have the charisma to pull it off.

[JawsOrca]

It was dreadful! I think the original did over step slightly and they needed winding back in a bit. Although yup this is dreadful and the should have reformatted at least. I certainly can't watch that ginger ....

Looking forward to the trio on amazon soon.

[Bound2Please]

[trambo]

Bring back Angela Rippon, never been the same since.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, FairTmiddlin said:

That's what most people never got about the show. It was never a car show. It was more of a moving Lads mag of a programme that occasionally saw a car in it.

You've absolutely hit the nail on the head there FT.

That's why opinions on it have always been so polarized as for and against.

Some people wanted to watch intelligent reviews and information about cars and motoring, whereas others enjoyed watching the juvenile antics of the trio.

Avid supporters may have regarded their heroes as being PC rebels, but their scripted sketches made an art form of stupidity as well, way below their own natural IQ levels I suspect. It demeaned the whole programme.

[Hockham Admiral]

4 hours ago, Strowager said:

The Evans/LeBlanc replacement appears to be just as bad, because they seem to be trying to emulate the same childish formula, which would only have appealed to the Clarkson/May/Hammond groupies, and they've got no chance with them because they will snub it in honor of their heroes.

Well said Strow.

I've just watched it all as I recorded it last night,,,,,,,, Appalling and puerile come to mind... who is that awful American? He's just as pathetic as Ginge.....

I shalln't bother to watch it ever again.     

[Baitrunner]

Had to watch it out of curiosity.

I loved the original trio's version, but then I do have a childish and stupid sense of humour - each to their own.

It came across as though Evans was trying to beat the crowd into enjoying all the time.

It never works when you try and keep the same show with new presenters after the years it had been running and I agree let it go and create a new show with Ging and Co.

Obviously if you dont like the presenter then the content isn't going to make much odds if you ask me. And I have never liked Evans and Le Plonker I find  - Im not sure, but he just doesn't seem right on there. And as for the German racing car driver - what was that about? I thought it was going to be a 3 person show, not the 2 idiots and someone who can drive having a guest appearance. There has to be something wrong with her driving though if she keeps making people throw up!!!

I think Guy Martin would have been excellent - he is totally mad and is a proper petrol head

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Mark,

Sabine Schmitz is a professional racing driver who drives for BMW & Porche, she test drives on the Nurburgring race track, she was featured on Top Gear a couple of years ago when she was trying to beat a record for the fastest speed for a Transit Van (somewhat stripped down) around the Nurburgring race track.

Matt LeBlanc (Joey of Friends) was just being himself, I didn't find him too bad.

No matter what the rating are my guess is that the BBC will try and keep it going, where as they should have just dropped it, the total fiasco has cost them a fortune in lost worldwide sales, they would have been far better eating humble pie, reprimanding Clarkson and getting on with the job.

Regards

Alan

[BroadAmbition]

I think Guy Martin would have been excellent - he is totally mad and is a proper petrol head

Gets my vote - He would have been excellent imho

Griff

[SueH]

HWMBO watched it, but won't again.  

Unfortunately despite being a 'ginger' myself just cannot warm to C. E.  So I found something better to do, from all accounts didn't miss much.

S

 

[VetChugger]

Some strategic thinking at Channel 5 might result in another outing for "The Classic Car" Show with Quentin Wilson and Jodie Kidd.!

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

3 hours ago, VetChugger said:

Some strategic thinking at Channel 5 might result in another outing for "The Classic Car" Show with Quentin Wilson and Jodie Kidd.!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, NEVER EVER AGAIN.

That show was absolute rubbish, and whoever dreamed up such crap purely to give someone a job should be shot.

Love them or hate them, the original trio made top gear one the biggest selling procrammes around the world, and the BBC more money then most of the highly successful period dramas put together.

The BBC have lost the plot, no matter what others think. They`re so far down the PC road, they were desperate to get rid of JC, but the others stood by their colleague, leaving the BBC as the biggest losers, or should that be US "license payers", as we`re the ones who are paying for Sundays farce.

Pesonally, i think it will continue, as the BBC won`t admit to losing face.

Now all we`ve got to do is try and incite the whole cast of Eastenders to punch the producers in the face, then hopefully they`ll pull the plug on that diabolical crap.

 

[Warp]

I loved the original although it was clearly getting tired two seasons before the final blow. I thought it needed new presenters before it blew up.

I watched the whole show it made me cringe several times. I thought getting the staff from the local takeaway to sit on a car to represent downforce was worse for its tokenism than actual bigotry from Clarkson.

I liked Matt Le Blanc I really wish Guy Martin had accepted and I can't believe they have effectively left Chris Harris benched on a pointless iPlayer tag along. But I knew the BBC megalomaniacs had struck the killing blow when I heard they had signed Evans.

If they want to save the show they need to let Matt lead it, bring Chris Harris into the main show and then they need to find a good female host (assuming Sabine is too busy racing) - there are plenty out there. Evans while fun on TGI and into his cars etc is not suitable for this show. Then they need to let the hosts lead the show rather than all the special interest committees that have got their claws in.