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Top Gear New Series |OT| No Longer Starring Chris Evans
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Memento Mori
Member
Maybe I imagined it but I think Chris Evans described someone else as "the most irritating man alive".
Pretty much the main problem with a few of their features this season (they didn't go much detail into the SUVs when they went to South Africa either).
I missed the first bits of the show due to watching some Dreamhack SFV action, but caught the start and end of the race to Venice, the celebrity laps and Rory Reid's bit on the electric SUV. It's still watchable, and Rory Reid is definitely carving out a position for himself in the new lineup. Matt wisecracking throughout was good, and I did like the end of the race even though it was a foregone conclusion at that point for Eddie. Need to rewatch to see Harris's supercar feature, but it was pretty decent this week. Dunno if that'll reflect well in the ratings though...
Reid's review of the tesla was the highlight for me. Fantastic. Harris's segment was solid and the Italy challenge had promise but I really find watching Jordan and Sabine (when she's not ragging a car around a track) a little cringy. Just uncomfortable. The interactions in the studio were horrible...
At the moment, Reid has been the highlight of top gear followed closely by Harris. I loved he sa trip in the second episode two but I think the interesting celebs helped.
At the moment, Reid has been the highlight of top gear followed closely by Harris. I loved he sa trip in the second episode two but I think the interesting celebs helped.
I think going up against the Group A Euro finals will impact it, but that'll be the case on and off for the next few weeks anyway.
JonathanEx
Member
Great episode, keeps getting better.
I do agree with the points about what the race film was missing, the passion for the cars and lines from them, they had to cover it in voiceover a lot.
But the show is finding itself as it goes on (shame it's taking time!) and again Rory is the unsung hero of it. Just watching Extra Gear too and it's a good one too.
I do agree with the points about what the race film was missing, the passion for the cars and lines from them, they had to cover it in voiceover a lot.
But the show is finding itself as it goes on (shame it's taking time!) and again Rory is the unsung hero of it. Just watching Extra Gear too and it's a good one too.
ClivePwned
Member
4 out of 6 episodes and they've finally cracked it.
Takes one to know one.
Both Chris Harris and Rory Reid have made a great impact for me since they've featured more regularly on the main show. I just watched the Aston Martin segment and it had everything you wanted in a Top Gear video - passion for, ability with and knowledge of cars from the presenter as well as some great car cinematography. Reid may not have the same geekiness that Harris brings to the table but he makes up for it with a likeable presenting style and being pretty convincing and "on the level" when talking about his vehicle. Hopefully a new season will give the showmakers a chance to centre the action around these two from the start.
It was good to see more of Sabine, as she has her funnier moments being the European fish out of water in the group. I knew Matt being on the bike would be a mishap for him from the start of that race. I didn't enjoy most of it though, only the climax.
The new show is still a bit clumsy, but it is getting somewhere at least.
Yeah. Before the Chris Evans that you're thinking of was a big name, we in Britain had Chris Evans; an intriguing mix of utter genius at live TV - It's easy to forget how utterly groundbreaking Big Breakfast was with him at the helm, and later both Don't Forget Your Toothbrush and TFI Friday - and, well, extreme irritant.
He's the redheaded guy in the middle in the OP's picture.
How does the UK feel about him? Just weird to see Matt LeBlanc of all people included in what I consider a British show.
JonathanEx
Member
Hit and miss. He's presenter of a wildly popular breakfast radio show, the biggest in the UK. But others tend to find him annoying due to being energetic and a bit loud.
I'd say his radio persona's a bit different from his live TV persona.
JonathanEx
Member
That's very true - depending on which you see him on you'll get a different view.
LoveCake
Member
Jezza once got a Volvo for a single pound This is how you do a cheap car challenge
Best thing yet again was Chris Harris, just going to tape it from now on and FFWD to where Chris Harris.
The races used to be the highlight, this was on a scale of all of them, the lowest, it really seems to show that the 'creative' people are no longer there, I think that the 'fun' has been sucked out of the show, Jezza was basically the defacto head honcho and when he heard/read something one of the team put out in a blue-sky meeting he was "Oooo that's an good idea (that will look fantastic on TV)" and that was that, all hands to the pumps and lets make it happen, I do remember once them saying at the last episode of one series that they had no budget left for this final show as they had spent it all on the others, so they just had to do what they could with the funds that were left, now I don't know if that is true or not, but it wouldn't surprise me, even with the BBC bean-counters looking over the TG teams shoulders.
So I really enjoyed the last 2 episodes. Definite improvement compared to the first two.
It's really clear that they moved Chris Evans to the back.
Reid and Harris continue to be the best part of the show.
I really like Sabine overall as well.
This week's challenge was all right. Obviously those races are always super duper fake but still entertaining to watch (man those views in Switzerland... I really need to go there at least once in my life).
The guest interviews and lap around the track continue to be, by far, the worst part of the show. It was barely watchable when it was Jeremy Clarkson doing it, now it's 10 times worst. It's WAAAYYYY too long. Having two guests at a time is useless. The mini competition between the two guests are useless and the lap is super boring. Also, as a sidenote, I realized today that the new Mini is automatic... I guess it would have been too complicated with the dirt section, hand brake turn and jump to ask the guests to also shift.
Anyway, I obviously still prefered the old hosts (and looking forward to The Grand Tour) but the new one is totally watchable now.
It's really clear that they moved Chris Evans to the back.
Reid and Harris continue to be the best part of the show.
I really like Sabine overall as well.
This week's challenge was all right. Obviously those races are always super duper fake but still entertaining to watch (man those views in Switzerland... I really need to go there at least once in my life).
The guest interviews and lap around the track continue to be, by far, the worst part of the show. It was barely watchable when it was Jeremy Clarkson doing it, now it's 10 times worst. It's WAAAYYYY too long. Having two guests at a time is useless. The mini competition between the two guests are useless and the lap is super boring. Also, as a sidenote, I realized today that the new Mini is automatic... I guess it would have been too complicated with the dirt section, hand brake turn and jump to ask the guests to also shift.
Anyway, I obviously still prefered the old hosts (and looking forward to The Grand Tour) but the new one is totally watchable now.
Hasn't LeBlanc been in some UK shows?
Lactose_Intolerant
Member
Episodes
How are we supposed to feel about a human Kermit the Frog, but one without any of Kermit's redeeming features?
Exterminieren
Banned
Ratings held steady again this week, opposite two football matches.
The ratings aren't matching the Clarkson era ratings, but given the circumstances and the competition I suspect the BBC will be quite pleased with what they've got over the past few weeks.
As for the episode, they really are figuring out what makes this incarnation of the show work right before our eyes.mits far from perfect (the interview portion of the Star in the Rallycross Car needs a top-to-bottom rethink), but the films are getting better, the balance of presenters is getting better, and there's cameraderie developing across the weeks.
The ratings aren't matching the Clarkson era ratings, but given the circumstances and the competition I suspect the BBC will be quite pleased with what they've got over the past few weeks.
As for the episode, they really are figuring out what makes this incarnation of the show work right before our eyes.mits far from perfect (the interview portion of the Star in the Rallycross Car needs a top-to-bottom rethink), but the films are getting better, the balance of presenters is getting better, and there's cameraderie developing across the weeks.
funkystudent
Member
First episode I watched since the first.
Was decent but man the studio segments are all awkward and all the live jokes are terrible and feel like it was the 5th take of the same line or something.
Was decent but man the studio segments are all awkward and all the live jokes are terrible and feel like it was the 5th take of the same line or something.
By male Germaine Greer do you mean Eddie Jordan? Former owner of an F1 team?
Thought that episode was good, steadily improving which is to be expected as they find their feet.
One thing my girlfriend pointed out is that Chris Evans has worn the same outfit (yellow tshirt with navy/black jumper, jeans and big boots) three out of four weeks. First week, then the last two weeks in a row. Bizarre decision that amounts to nothing really, but it's weird enough to draw the eye.
One thing my girlfriend pointed out is that Chris Evans has worn the same outfit (yellow tshirt with navy/black jumper, jeans and big boots) three out of four weeks. First week, then the last two weeks in a row. Bizarre decision that amounts to nothing really, but it's weird enough to draw the eye.
For continuity reasons maybe?
The studio portions of the last two episodes were recorded back-to-back, they mentioned it on the radio at the time.
Hm. I'll have to go back and scan over the previous episode to check but I don't remember Matt wearing the same outfit - maybe because Chris stood out more. Still, he could have worn something different from the first week if he knew they were filming two episodes back to back.
Anyone other than Evans needs to be the host. I'm glad LeBlanc took over more of the hosting duty this episode, probably why I enjoyed it a lot more than the previous episodes so far and I feel he's a better presenter for the type of show that Top Gear is. Funny but without the obnoxious shouting. I feels Evans stills remains the weak link in the current lineup and I feel like any of the other presenters could take his spot without anyone missing him. He brings nothing to show currently and his studio segments especially with the guests are worst part of the show. I feel like Harris and especially Reid really pulled their weight this episode. Both had great segments and no Evans in sight in either part thankfully.
Bam Bam Baklava
Member
The Artisan
Member
haha
Yeah easily. I thought they said up to £3500 from watching on iplayer, and for that money, I'd have got a VW Phaeton. Two in budget, one V6 diesel and one V6 petrol.
AlphaSnake
...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
That was a properly good episode.
Loved Matt just puttering on his bike (Hammond style) thinking he had a win in the bag. LOL
Loved Matt just puttering on his bike (Hammond style) thinking he had a win in the bag. LOL
OriginalThinking
Member
Jon Snow isn't at any risk of dying until his plot armour is stripped away. And that is... speculation
Until Bran returns to see what truly transpired at the tower of joy, he's going nowhere. The genius of this episode was that I was still on the edge of my seat watching the battle of the bastards even though I was 99% sure he was going to be the victor.
That his mother is Lyanna Stark and his father is Rhaegar Targaryen
Woah Top Gear does GoT.
firehawk12
Subete no aware
The perils of having multiple gaf tabs open.
AlphaSnake
...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
Yeah, but you're forgetting about the Jaguar F-Type SVR and the F12 TDF. There's nobody that can tame those two dragons, except Daenerys. She will ultimately rule the V8 and V12 kingdoms all at once.
DrForester
Kills Photobucket
Rolls Royce + Lamborghini = Jaguar
firehawk12
Subete no aware
Given that Clarkson hates Tesla and thinks climate change isn't real, I'm not surprised it took him being off the show for them to review a Tesla positively.
kutthoat5150
Member
I'm surprised they didn't even mention the model 3 when they criticized the X for being out of reach for many consumers
Well James did a while ago a car that ran on hydrogen i believe. So they were not fully against i think. Also they did i believe a full electric AMG ones.
Why is that? It's like buying a $60 game new when Amazon Marketplace has it at 50 cents. Is it that much of a gamble to buy second hand?
Clarkson is also a fan of hydrogen powered cars and sees it as the natural successor to petrol and diesel.
That was because the original Tesla because it was a bit shit.
Fwiw go back and watch the i8 review, Jeremy was very kind to it. He also did like the electric SLS too for the most part.
Typically higher repair bills if something goes wrong, and since they've usually got a lot more kit and tech on them than cheap cars like an Astra or a Focus, they do have problems.
That race might be one of the worst long segments in Top Gear history.
Rory Reid and Chris Harris continue to be the best part of this. Even between them though, the charm and wit is missing. Wit might be the show's biggest failing. Sabine has none of it, just cheesy line after cheesy line. Eddie Jordan is still a void of entertainment value, and contributes nothing to the show.
Hate how they've made SIARPC more of a promotional platform and the first/best car is tiring already.
Yet...
The Vulcan segment was beautifully filmed and very reminiscent of a classic Clarkson segment. I didn't even like the car's design until this segment and I've done a complete 180. That's Top Gear at it's core to me.
Same deal every episode it seems, one good segment from Harris/Rory/Matt, Matt gets a chance to flex his good humour in bits and pieces of a longer segment, usually one shared with Evans, and the rest is just a mound of disappointment or subpar execution.
Rory Reid and Chris Harris continue to be the best part of this. Even between them though, the charm and wit is missing. Wit might be the show's biggest failing. Sabine has none of it, just cheesy line after cheesy line. Eddie Jordan is still a void of entertainment value, and contributes nothing to the show.
Hate how they've made SIARPC more of a promotional platform and the first/best car is tiring already.
Yet...
The Vulcan segment was beautifully filmed and very reminiscent of a classic Clarkson segment. I didn't even like the car's design until this segment and I've done a complete 180. That's Top Gear at it's core to me.
Same deal every episode it seems, one good segment from Harris/Rory/Matt, Matt gets a chance to flex his good humour in bits and pieces of a longer segment, usually one shared with Evans, and the rest is just a mound of disappointment or subpar execution.
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