Top Gear

[SPEEDTRIPLE]

The one thing that was missing, even though i have`nt watched it, is a panel of good motoring journo`s. Matt LeBlanc is an actor, Sabine Scmidt is a raer, and Chris Evans is a c..k.  (edit if you need to)  So how many high performance cars have the team road tested at high speeds, and for which car mags etc, their history is`nt cars. No, the best thing to do in my mind is scrap the rest of the series, and forget all about it, unless they bring back Clarkson and co .

[Warp]

If they had kept it as Le Blanc Chris HARRIS and another presenter like Jodie Kidd or Sabine or a compete unknown then people would give it a chance to reboot. They are not going to give the infliction of Evans a chance because they already know full well that they can't stand him or like me know he's completely wrong for the show. 

[Hockham Admiral]

[Guest]

Rather than trying to replace "them", the BBC should have replaced Top Gear with a show focused on cars and motoring, rather than trying to emulate the Prima Donna and his two stooges.

[BroadScot]

9 minutes ago, Strowager said:

Rather than trying to replace "them", the BBC should have replaced Top Gear with a show focused on cars and motoring, rather than trying to emulate the Prima Donna and his two stooges.

Strowy could not agree more, but, sadly, the BBC are set in their ways, many of their programmes have not changed the format in decades. 

Iain

[Mark]

The real  test for the  new Top Gear will come after this run has finished and the threesome  are back in the Autumn via Amazon on "Grand Tour"  as a comparison can then be made.

Will this fire up Amazon prime sales ? like  albeit it on a much grander scale,  football fired up Sky in the early days back in the 90,s   If enough people are prepared to fork out for it then GT  will be considered a success.

The puerile Evans who treats the audience  as children with shrieks  of "WASNT THAT GREAT"  (er No !) and his celeb  culture orientated take is never going to win over the majority of the old shows fans, so its  a question of can he raise up  a  new set of fans  that are sufficient  for the Beeb  to invest further (it was previously their  best overall  global selling product  I believe ?)  and will the current fans of the old show  put their money where their mouths are and pay to see the threesome.  Remember also that  we are talking  global viewing figures  and not just UK.  For me , I  just cannot see Evans persuading too many  in or outside of the UK... 

[ranworthbreeze]

Did any of you catch this report on EDP24? What I liked was the number of Marmite comments  after the article.

http://www.edp24.co.uk/going-out/stacia_briggs_on_new_top_gear_at_least_there_s_no_clarkson_1_4562455

Regards

Alan

[unclemike]

should have been brian johnson  ex ac/dc instead of evans

[Broadsword]

On ‎31‎/‎05‎/‎2016 at 8:13 AM, Strowager said:

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.

And therein lies the problem... The Beeb are still trying to work with that format, which IMHO was already weary... Early on the threesome were a bit different; their non PC schoolboy humour somewhat refreshing compared to the dullness of other similar motoring programmes (including the earliest incarnation of TG... However, the more they tried to live up to their own press and laddish reputations, the more silly, repetitive and unwatchable it became.  They always had the potential to be brilliant, both in their perceptions about cars and so on and in their presentation of very well filmed specials. Sadly, they too frequently settled for sniggering mediocrity.

Having made the decision to sack Clarkson who, frankly, had it coming, and in light of the others stepping away, the Beeb should have left well alone and gone away to produce something else... Like a motoring show perhaps?

[ScrumpyCheddar]

The only way to save Top Gear is the BBC to eat humble and get rid of Evans and his clowns.. And bring back Clarkson Hammond & may.. And let them do what they do best .. A funny entertaining fantastic show.. 

That's why I've bought an Amazon firestick to watch them and I can't wait..

[Polly]

I think the BBC will have to come to the acceptance that they no longer have a nice little earner in the new Top Gear and re-examine the format or better still, go and do something else.

I loved the 'blokes having a laugh' aspect of TG and their cheerful disregard for PC. I did think they went too far with the 'slope' thing, looking a second time, I thought they knew what they were doing and it was needlessly nasty

Was TG in need of refreshing? Definitely, yes. Could it have been successfully improved? Very probably.

We watched the fatal pre-punch episode, Clarkson was way beyond exhausted trying to get his car up out of a ditch. Production was at fault for not calling a halt earlier in the interests of H&S, that was a person pushed too hard. This  was followed by a daft address to a well-fed black tie dinner audience. If I then found there had been inadequate provision for an evening meal made for the presenters, I would have been pretty unimpressed. No there should not have been 'the incident' yes discipline was inevitable, but the factors leading to it went some way towards understanding where the pressure had built up.

Whatever the rights and wrongs, BBC has lost a world beating product.

[BroadScot]

19 minutes ago, Polly said:

Whatever the rights and wrongs, BBC has lost a world beating product.

Agreed, and, just a thought, with more and more, or less and less viewers to the BBC, why do we still have to pay them a licence that as each year goes by, is very poor value for money IMHO.

As for the Amazon product, I will wait and watch to see the feed back for their "new" format prog will be like.

Iain

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Iain,

We have bought Mike the Amazon stick, so I will report back what its like in due course.

Regards

Alan

[BroadScot]

3 minutes ago, ranworthbreeze said:

Hi Iain,

We have bought Mike the Amazon stick, so I will report back what its like in due course.

Regards

Alan

Excellent Alan, so if its garbage, we can blame you for the viewing figures !

Iain

[Polly]

o
I sent this to the Top Gear Office, probably pointless but never mind 
This show, when it works, has its own energy, so...
1. Please stop Chris Evans shouting and treating the audience as his cheerleaders.
2. Please drop the canned laughter.
3. Please employ Jensen Button, alongside Matt Le Blanc and Eddie Jordan we would get the dry wit back AND proper car understanding.
4. Tiny Tempah and Matt worked brilliantly off each other, great! 
5. The 'other' Chris on the spin off show has a massive following online, can he replace Chris Evans?
6. Matt Le Blanc...excellent judgement of show and audience.
7. Fix your office phone!!!!0208 752 4969 as on website is useless.
Best wishes,

[BrundallNavy]

Is anybody else fed up with Evans telling us how rich he is. The whole show needs a rethink, last night was ok but spoiled by Evans and Le blanc.

Doug.

[Liberty]

After last week, I did't bother this week.  

[JawsOrca]

I watched it.. but only because I really enjoy those car crash shows.. I'd say it was an improvement on last weeks show.  I'd probably keep watching it but it's really not working and I'm sure it will be pulled..

What's the deal with Amazon then.. do I need to subscribe to amazon prime? Is the app installed on the Playstation 4 already like netflix? 

[Polly]

I watched the good bits and went to the washing up during the rest....it was preferable!

[Broadsword]

Well, I watched it...

Conclusions (IMHO as they say):

Lose Evans - as quickly as possible. He's so rich it won't really upset him much

Don't use Jordan too much - he tries too hard... use him for what he is really good at. Which is not humour...

YESYESYES get Jensen on board as key presenter alongside Matt Le Blanc

It may never be what it was before, but it would help to try fresh new ideas instead of regurgitating the old... So, drop the 'we call him the Stig' routine; the fastest lap board routine with the bits of white paper and unconvincing 'pause for effect'...

I might watch again, but even I could be more tempted by the ironing...

[SteveO]

I thought yesterday's offering was better than the first one, but I would agree with many on here that the sooner they ditch Mr Evans the better. 

Steve

[ScrumpyCheddar]

I thought I would give it another go... Ummm after 10 unbearable mins I had to switch over.. It's just Awful.. 

It would be like trying to do a new version of "Only Fools and Horses" With different actors it wouldn't work .. 

Good news any way Big Brother starts tomorrow ha ha ha ...

[Mowjo]

If they want a winning show just sack the lot of them and bring in Guy Martin and a couple of his nutty mates,,,

[smellyloo]

Top Gear had and now has run it's course.

The beeb seem unwilling to stop / revamp a show. until it has bored the pants off it's audience.

You can never replace the presenters (who had become the main attraction of the show) with another bunch trying to imitate their antics.

However I have to agree Chris Evans is definately not the man to host this or any other show IMHO. He, like top gear, needs to be retired from public gaze.

[ranworthbreeze]

3 hours ago, Mowjo said:

If they want a winning show just sack the lot of them and bring in Guy Martin and a couple of his nutty mates,,,

They asked him but he said no, I can't say I blame him.

Regards

Alan