AmaterasuOni
Banned
I loved Top Gear. Haven't had guts to watch the new one though. Can I just forget it and wait for Clarkson, Hammond and May?
-
Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.
Top Gear New Series |OT| No Longer Starring Chris Evans
- Thread starter Betty
- Start date
- Status
no harm in watching it (and especially Extra Gear!) you'd miss out otherwise.
It's a multi-million dollar brand. The BBC aren't going to let it go that quickly.
Yankee Ruin X
Member
Whatever they do I hope they get rid of the rally-x bit because it's rubbish. England's weather is too unpredictable to have a timed race with those kinds of variables. Just stick to the track with no off road bits.
Do the interview In the ralley car.
I watched for both. The trio's roadtrips and jokes in cars are what made it.
Which it shouldn't, it Leblanc is anything to go by. He was pretty much the force that pushed Evans out.
DrForester
Kills Photobucket
Got to imagine Clarkson is unbelievably smug today.
They need to reboot the whole format, not just recast the old format.
They need to reboot the whole format, not just recast the old format.
scorcher59
Member
Or flat out stop doing the SIARPC, it mostly worked on old top gear because of Clarkson's way of conducting the interview, but this time round it fell flat, can that shit.
funkystudent
Member
If they get rid of Jordan as well and maybe only cast 1 person to fill the gap of Chris and Eddie I think they might have something. The cast is a bit big.
Matt LeBlanc has been mostly great from the episodes I have seen so no matter what I hope they can keep him.
Matt LeBlanc has been mostly great from the episodes I have seen so no matter what I hope they can keep him.
HyperCroutons
Member
Why not.
That would definitely bring in the German audience.
Rory is fucking terrible. He reminds me of Jonny from 5th Gear. He can't drive for shit, and he's only there to appeal to the "younger crowd".
AlphaSnake
...and that, kids, was the first time I sucked a dick for crack
LeBlanc was brilliant in the Porsche 911R review. The sandwich bit was hilarious. Some of his antics are very Clarkson-esque.
DrForester
Kills Photobucket
I thought he sold those royalties a few years ago.
Either way, I don't think he's going to go out of his way to be public about the new show. He has his own thing, and he took a lot of responsibility for getting fired. He knows and seems to accept his own screw up cot him that job.
Dominican Power
Member
So the season is only 6 episodes? I thought it would be more than that. Matt was fine. Chris was meh. I enjoy Rory and Chris Harris.
From the hour or so I heard, Evans was very tight-lipped about all this on his Radio 2 breakfast show this morning. He did have to mention it a few times when reading out the day's newspaper headlines (as it was the lead story on a few of them), but there was no expansion or elaboration.
What a mess. All he had to do was realise it's Top Gear and not The Muppet Show.
I am kind of obsessed about his wardrobe though. Can't wait for someone to ask him directly about it.
What a mess. All he had to do was realise it's Top Gear and not The Muppet Show.
I am kind of obsessed about his wardrobe though. Can't wait for someone to ask him directly about it.
Chris Evans is a mate if his to.
EdwardTivrusky
Member
Yup, same here. I enjoyed the old three but I've found the current Top Gear really entertaining especially when Chris took a step back. I'm looking forward to see how Grand Tour turns out but i'm one of the lucky few who has two car shows to watch now.
Good times
I didn't ever watch Top Gear with Clarkson et al as I found them a little insufferable. Clarkson especially. I was pretty on board for the "reboot" as it meant I could watch the show with some new blood involved.
Evans has had his faults and there hasn't been a whole lot of chemistry between the leads, but the show's been improving and there's room for more improvement. I feel like Evans became the target for everyone who wanted to see a new Top Gear fail, and while I agree that he wasn't great in the role I don't feel like he deserves all the blame. The show was put together as pieces that didn't have a chance to fit together properly, and squashed into the same shape as the previous series, when they should have tried a little harder to make it it's own thing. Maybe they'll be able to move further in that direction in the next series - I can see why they wanted to keep it familiar as they'll want to retain the previous audience, the problem is a lot of the previous audience just didn't want to accept the show without Clarkson, Hammond and May, and this show didn't give an alternative to that trio that worked off the bat.
In terms of changes to the show I don't mind the competing stars in cars, nor the change to the track - gives each episode a little rivalry and lets them start a new leaderboard - but Evans wasn't great in the interviews (I think because of the forced format). Hopefully with Evans gone Reid and Harris will be in the studio more and can develop a bit more of a rapport with Matt. Some of the video segments they've done have been great though, so I don't see much of a problem with that. I'm sure they'll look at what worked and what didn't and try and fix things up. It'll be interesting to see how big of an impact Grand Tour makes.
Evans has had his faults and there hasn't been a whole lot of chemistry between the leads, but the show's been improving and there's room for more improvement. I feel like Evans became the target for everyone who wanted to see a new Top Gear fail, and while I agree that he wasn't great in the role I don't feel like he deserves all the blame. The show was put together as pieces that didn't have a chance to fit together properly, and squashed into the same shape as the previous series, when they should have tried a little harder to make it it's own thing. Maybe they'll be able to move further in that direction in the next series - I can see why they wanted to keep it familiar as they'll want to retain the previous audience, the problem is a lot of the previous audience just didn't want to accept the show without Clarkson, Hammond and May, and this show didn't give an alternative to that trio that worked off the bat.
In terms of changes to the show I don't mind the competing stars in cars, nor the change to the track - gives each episode a little rivalry and lets them start a new leaderboard - but Evans wasn't great in the interviews (I think because of the forced format). Hopefully with Evans gone Reid and Harris will be in the studio more and can develop a bit more of a rapport with Matt. Some of the video segments they've done have been great though, so I don't see much of a problem with that. I'm sure they'll look at what worked and what didn't and try and fix things up. It'll be interesting to see how big of an impact Grand Tour makes.
the_milkybar_kid
Member
Honestly, the first episode was very poor. But I'd say give the last 3 episodes a chance at least. The reporting has been just as good- if not better than before and Matt LeBlanc, Chris Harris and Rory Reid are excellent. Truly excellent at what they are doing.
I don't understand why people are unable to detach Clarkson Hammond and May from this. Yes it follows similar beats and needs to reach out a little bit more, but it's become more of a car show than a 3 middle age blokes pissing around show. The Grand Tour will accommodate that so we've essentially got the best of both worlds and 2 different car shows. That's definitely a good thing.
This new Top Gear is certainly heading in the right direction. Just get rid of the star in a rallycross car (it's an unfair test of the conditions, not the driver- not very entertaining either) and it's good to go.
I watched some old Top Gear this weekend where Clarkson bought in Matt LeBlanc to drive the Kia Ceed- which went on to become the next reasonably priced car. Was weird to say the least!
king picollo
Member
I quite liked the series, as soon as Chris Harris and Rory Reid turned up to do proper car reviews it got a lot better.
Now give those too a proper run at it and if they can work with Matt LeBlanc in a buddy kind of way, it should be golden.
More Sabine, ditch Eddie Jordan and they may actually have a decent format.
Now give those too a proper run at it and if they can work with Matt LeBlanc in a buddy kind of way, it should be golden.
More Sabine, ditch Eddie Jordan and they may actually have a decent format.
Dagobert Duck
Member
Hope Matt gets a chance, he is glorious...
peanutbutterlatte
Member
Just get Matthew Perry and call it a day.
the_milkybar_kid
Member
My god, could you imagine? That'd be glorious. All's I could thing during Matt's Porsche segment was "Joey finally got his Porsche".
formasymphonic
Member
When is he not?
S
Steve.1981
Unconfirmed Member
Looking at the viewing figures I really do wonder who thought it was a good idea to relaunch Top Gear a couple of weeks before the Euros kicked off. Although even Antiques Roadshow pulled in a larger audience this week, I guess it's now clear that people just aren't digging this new faces/same format thing.
If the Beeb want the show to continue, I think now is the time they need to take a risk and make some big changes.
If the Beeb want the show to continue, I think now is the time they need to take a risk and make some big changes.
Diablohead
Member
at this point sure why not, get mr.blobby in for the action too.
DrForester
Kills Photobucket
Maybe they intentionally put it against Euro 2016 as a ready-made excuse for the ratings.
Well, as the original host of Top Gear and the front man for a decade, he sure has experience.
http://youtu.be/OWuZyRsRxWU
PandaShake
Member
I watched the new episode 1 today and completely understood where everyone's coming from. Awkward from beginning to end. Gordan and Jesse were hilarious, but getting the audience to cheer was awkward. During the on the road segments, Matt didn't appear quick witted enough to know what to immediately say, but it also looks like he was putting up with Evans' set-up. I can still hear Evans screaching at me. Production values is still top-notch.
Wow, I saw some headlines they might get rid of him but I didn't know it was so close! I only watched the first 2 episodes and have no plans to watch more. I guess I might give it another shot if they reboot. Although honestly, all I want it is Jezza, Hamster, and Capt Slow...and I'll get that later this summer.
Diablohead
Member
I love old car doors, sounds like a tin can being flicked when they close.
Exterminieren
Banned
Of course Antiques Roadshow got better figures- the audience who would watch an Antiques Roadshow repeat don't generally care about the football, whereas there's a huge demographic overlap between Top Gear and the Euros. Top Gear suffers hugely more than Antiques Roadshow from such a clash.
Agreed. Fortunately I typically watched it on Sky+ so I could skip through most of those sections.
the_milkybar_kid
Member
Again, I'd implore anyone that has only seen the 1st, give the last 3 episodes a try. Or at least 1 of the last 3-4 episodes. The first episode was by far the worst
JonathanEx
Member
And now it's time for tonight's guest, is it [FIT WOMAN FOR ME TO PERVE OVER AS SHE SAID THE WORD CAR], or [MAN FROM OLD BAND THAT I LIKE BECAUSE I'M MIDDLE AGED]!
Mr. Pointy
Member
Get Chris Goffey back. That'll save the show.
Could this car BE anymore awesome.
WOOOPA!
Personally i think Steve Cougan would have been a perfect replacement over Chris Evans, or even better, get Tiff Needel on.
Exterminieren
Banned
Jeremy Clarkson, well known for his diplomacy and tact.
- Status