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Top Gear New Series |OT| No Longer Starring Chris Evans

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LeBlanc's solo piece was decent enough.

Evans and LeBlanc's joint segments out of the studio were awkward due to the lack of chemistry.

The studio segments were the same lame enforced studio good time atmosphere that Evans was well known for on that other shitfest TFI Friday. The audience clearly hate it. A disgusting hybrid of witnessing the emperor's new clothes and a captured prisoner of war propaganda video.

If Evans gets a shot at presenting another series of Top Gear something is very very wrong.
 

Moongazer

Member
Evans needs to tone it down a bit during the studio segments. Fair enough that's its the first episode and all but he comes off as far too hyperactive. LeBlanc I thought was a surprisingly decent host and was probably the best thing about the whole episode. The Gordon Ramsay and Jesse Eisenberg part was awkward as fuck especially with Evan's presenting style. The studio segments are the thing that needs the most improving right now or a change in format which really should have been done from the get go instead.
 
3QO0oaU.jpg

Man its not top gear without all the pretty girls in the audience pushed to the front
CM5NscE.gif
 

v1lla21

Member
Shame isn't it, really wanted to see him and Sabine together.
Yeah :( Chris' YouTube channel was one of my favorite things to go through.
i want to say i read that even thought he and the other guy are in Extra Gear, they will make appearances in the segments for main Top Gear.
Ah okay. I didn't bother with any of the news for the show so this makes it better.
 

wetflame

Pizza Dog
I thought it was fine. Agree that Matt's solo segment was the highlight, and where he seemed most comfortable. Think it'll take a little while for the chemistry to build, I wouldn't write it off just yet though. They clearly were between a rock and a hard place in terms of format, change things up too much from the start and risk alienating the previous fans, keep it the same and people complain it's nothing new.

In terms of the interview/star in a car segment Jessie Eisenberg is notoriously awkward so I think Chris had things stacked against him there, but he definitely could stand to loosen up a little. I like the addition of the dirt segment though.

I'm happy to give it to the end of the series and see how it develops. They should bring the other presenters in though and take some of the weight off Chris.
 

Tu101uk

Member
Meh... It was serviceable, but then again it was the first episode of a reboot, it'll take a bit of time for things to gel...

Good:
  • Matt Le Blanc was probably the best part, loved his humour delivered from his trademark monotone voice, his Aerial Nomad segment was well done too.
  • Really liking the new celebrity race track, making it rally cross really changes it up whilst keeping the exciting parts of the iconic track intact
Bad:
  • Some of the writing and script seemed a bit forced and tried to ape the previous series, with varying degrees of success (and failure). Studio parts seemed especially bad.
  • Chris Evans tried way too hard at times, both in the studio and in the films. Seriously, he should stop trying to sound like Clarkson when describing things and be more natural
  • Aside from the new rally cross track, I was disappointed in the Star in Reasonably Priced Car segment, there wasn't much interesting interviewing
  • That Top Gun skit...
  • Where were the other presenters? Sabine's stint was short.
It really needs to be its own thing rather than trying to hark back what went before, they can't compete with 22 seasons worth of camaraderie and rapport out of the gate. Might check out Extra Gear to see how the other presenters did their thing, hopefully next episode we see more of them.
 

Xun

Member
I don't think it was terrible, but I certainly wish they changed the format more than they did.

Edit: Agreed with the above.
 

jelly

Member
It was okay, Matt was hit and miss but probably the best thing so far, not enough Sabiane, Evans grates sometimes but wasn't as bad as feared. Stars in the car was awkward, new track was cool but just do one star or one promotion. Segments are still of that shit fixed nature, they need more chemistry to get past that and hide it better. Overall, not bad, more of the same.
 

Archer

Member
Evans seems to keep using the same schtick that Clarkson wrote. He sucks and has no charmisa.

As everyone has been saying, kick off Evans and keep the rest.
 
Well, that was better than I thought it would be.

Matt Leblanc was definitely the highlight though. At least when he didn't have to interact with Chris.....sheesh.
 
I just started watching it and so far I just go from gringing to indifference and back again.
Also that catering jab...ugh. You are a minute into the show and you are already trashing the guy you just replaced? You really haven't earned that(and i doubt you will).
 
I just started watching it and so far I just go from gringing to indifference and back again.
Also that catering jab...ugh. You are a minute into the show and you are already trashing the guy you just replaced? You really haven't earned that(and i doubt you will).
Oh please. Clarkson deserved that joke, and a fuckload more besides.
 
Watched a few mins with Matt in the Robin on the back of the truck and Chris driving the other, both really struggled and seemed to be trying to replicate the previous style with the same editing. I will have to take word from this thread that Matt was alright overall. He really came across very poorly in this segment, as did Chris.

I couldn't take anymore so I just switched it off. Will try the iplayer later to watch the other bits.

Hopefully there's some good moments in the series. I love Sabine Schmitz, not sure how involved she is but she can add some light.
 
Catering joke 7/10
Blackpool bit: kinda ropey but endearing
Custody joke 2/10
Homeless joke 0/10

Tried my best not to judge it against the headlines, but they decided to bring most of the issues up like an insecure celebrity. Matt's commentary sometimes felt like a documentary voice over. But on camera he is quite personal.

Has potential. Like the new off road track. Disliked the dad humour.
 

Busty

Banned
Hearing 50 year old Chris Evans shrieking "baby" and "woo-hoo" was horrendous and cringe worthy in the extreme. Act your fucking age.

LeBlanc was good and showed a lot more charisma than Evans did in his segments. Of course it begs the question, if LeBlanc has a sitcom on CBS net year then what happens to his involvement in Top Gear?

All in all it wasn't anywhere near as bad as I thought and given it all comes down to "Is shitty Top Gear better than no Top Gear" I'll stick around for the rest of the episodes.
 
It got better as it went on.

Really enjoyed Matt's segment on the Ariel and the final part of the main Blackpool film was much better than the start.
 
Not a fan of it so far, they just don't gel together well and everything seemed really forced. Will keep watching in the hopes it gets better but think The Grand Tour is going to be much better.

Wonder if Clarkson will mention the new Top Gear at some point.
 

LilJoka

Member
Evans is so fake and annoying almost like a hyperactive shouting kid.
The guy from friends is decent.
Harris in extra gear is way better and so much more natural - he's not trying to copy the original crew and is being himself, it works a lot better.

And taking the piss out of clarkson wasn't funny at all after that display.
 

Tu101uk

Member
Yup, just finished watching Extra Gear, definitely had the better studio performance, it just flowed better and Chris Harris and Rory Reid are bloody naturals in front of an audience. It helps that Harris seems a bit zany and is a car freak, whilst Reid held is own and can actually present. This is what I want more of from a Top Gear reboot - something that's still a car show with hijinx, but with a little bit more individuality from its large and varied cast.

Moving the car news to the sister programme is a bit of a weird one though, why is it not on the main show with Harris and Reid? Why was it only Le Blanc and Evans in the main show?
 
Just finished watching the main show. After cringing throughout the first half i got used to it but then i almost fell asleep.Evans just feels so bland and I really feel like he drags Leblanc with him. Also the writing is just bad, almost every gag falls flat on its face.
Hopefully Extra Gear is better.
Chris Evans needs to be replaced with Chris Harris ASAP.
Pretty much this. Doubt that will happen though as they've spent way to much time massaging his ego to let him go now.
 

LilJoka

Member
Just finished watching the main show. After cringing throughout the first half i got used to it but then i almost fell asleep.Evans just feels so bland and I really feel like he drags Leblanc with him. Hopefully Extra Gear is better.

Pretty much this. Doubt it though as they've spent way to much time massaging his ego to let him go now.

For sure, they got to get something out their investment in Evans, I'm sure they paid him more than Harris. But they are shooting themselves in the foot. Oh well. We will wait for Grand Tour.
 

sk3

Banned
As an american, this is my first interaction with Chris Evans. Does anyone in the UK actually like this guy? He is insufferable.
 

Tu101uk

Member
Evans is a producer on this reboot, no? Yup, we ain't getting rid of him in a hurry...
As an american, this is my first interaction with Chris Evans. Does anyone in the UK actually like this guy? He is insufferable.
Yeah he's got a bit of a foot-in-mouth reputation and a controversial past, enough to fill many tabloid front pages. I'm not a great fan meself.
 
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