BBC Top Gear - Series 23 discussion thread

leaskovski · 8 Jun 2016 at 12:17

kitkat9933 said:
People saying that Jenson should be on the show. He's a multi multi millionaire F1 driver, he's a little out of the budget for the bbc, even with the astronomical salaries they pay for their turds like Chris Evans already.

Oh and the fact that he has a seat in F1.

Tysonator · 8 Jun 2016 at 15:21

kitkat9933 said:
People saying that Jenson should be on the show. He's a multi multi millionaire F1 driver, he's a little out of the budget for the bbc, even with the astronomical salaries they pay for their turds like Chris Evans already.

Well does not have to be Jenson, just some one similar to jenson who can drive, has some sound advice, and oh yes a likeable personality !

So far I do not like the 'Rate My car' game and the 2 episodes I have seen to date are boring and the canned laughter is a friends throw back !

Will Gill · 8 Jun 2016 at 15:29

pugheaven said:

Never noticed before that they disconnected his speedo in that clip

ZG002 · 8 Jun 2016 at 15:47

Tysonator said:
Well does not have to be Jenson, just some one similar to jenson who can drive, has some sound advice, and oh yes a likeable personality !

So far I do not like the 'Rate My car' game and the 2 episodes I have seen to date are boring and the canned laughter is a friends throw back !

They already have that, His name is Chris Harris. He needs to be on main show.

pugheaven · 8 Jun 2016 at 19:01

Greboth said:
I know it is early days but IMO that really shows the difference between Clarkson and Evans. A lot of people say Clarkson was shouty too, which he was but it was tempered with bits like that video which I cannot see Evans pulling off.

Yeah that's just one that stuck in my mind as a great article... sdometimes CLARKSON COULD... and I do mean COULD be humble and appreciate the times, surroundings, cars etc without being shouty. I'm not convinced Evans can do this. However, it's comparing apples and pears, at the end of the day I think new program i watchable, just with two poor presenters. Sort this, the program would be decent. However, I can't wait for The Grand Tour later in year to have my old team back. a lot of us loved them, and won't be ahppy with ANYONE hosting TG anymore...

Will Gill said:
Never noticed before that they disconnected his speedo in that clip

Neither did I will watch again ;-)

any excuse, one of my fave ALLTIME TG's features... just beautifully done as were a lot fo them including the Rolls Royce Phantom early in the revamp... great article.

Nasher · 8 Jun 2016 at 19:04

kitkat9933 said:
People saying that Jenson should be on the show. He's a multi multi millionaire F1 driver, he's a little out of the budget for the bbc, even with the astronomical salaries they pay for their turds like Chris Evans already.

Most of the F1 drivers don't continue earning any where near that kind of money after they leave. They earn a pile of cash and then usually retire before they are 40. Then do something else.

pugheaven · 8 Jun 2016 at 20:22

Nasher said:
Most of the F1 drivers don't continue earning any where near that kind of money after they leave. They earn a pile of cash and then usually retire before they are 40. Then do something else.

Niki Lauda does my roses in my garden... right now Alain Prost is tending to my Dahlias

Nismo · 8 Jun 2016 at 20:47

Surprisingly, Evans seems pretty quiet on Twitter this week

bayo000 · 8 Jun 2016 at 22:36

I have to say other than Evans (though he wasn't as bad in the clips) I did enjoy the 2nd episode.

Dogbreath · 8 Jun 2016 at 23:09

Nismo said:
Surprisingly, Evans seems pretty quiet on Twitter this week

Maybe he's learned that gifting your detractors large piles of ammunition isn't the smartest move. Or he's be told to stop being such an arse.

cainer · 8 Jun 2016 at 23:24

pugheaven said:
Niki Lauda does my roses in my garden... right now Alain Prost is tending to my Dahlias

you should see what i got Susie Wolff doing

Angilion · 8 Jun 2016 at 23:30

Longbow said:
Is this your opinion or do you have a source?

The BBC states 9 million total viewers for the first episode, i.e. a lot more than the 4.4m who watched it as it was being broadcast.

Getting accurate numbers has become even harder nowadays since people aren't tied to watching a program when it's broadcast, but it does seem like the gap is much less than it appears to be from the broadcast viewing figures.

4T5 · 8 Jun 2016 at 23:35

Apparently Matt Le blanc has been offered loads of cash to do a second series & be they want him to be Main Host, Any Truth in that or has it been covered 20 pages earlier in this thread ?

Think all of us including me said Matt did a pretty good job for his first show & should warm to it quite well.

Angilion · 8 Jun 2016 at 23:47

4T5 said:
Apparently Matt Le blanc has been offered loads of cash to do a second series & be they want him to be Main Host, Any Truth in that or has it been covered 20 pages earlier in this thread ?

Think all of us including me said Matt did a pretty good job for his first show & should warm to it quite well.

Probably just a rumour. His relaxed style has proven popular and many people have said the program would be better with him as the main host, so it's quite likely that "this should happen" has become "apparently this is going to happen".

However...is his style popular in itself or is it popular as an antidote to Chris Evans? Sort of like using plain yoghurt to treat thrush - it probably won't cure the problem, but it has a soothing effect that will reduce how annoying the symptoms are.

4T5 · 8 Jun 2016 at 23:56

I heard it was more along the lines that Matt is known & has a following Internationally where as Evans is only known over here.

Moonpie2 · 9 Jun 2016 at 04:37

Just been going back through some old TG (season 4) and MAN ALIVE how it changed

They were complementing each other on making good films and doing well in challenges with no hint of irony, and they even praised the Peugot 1007 for having funky doors. :eek:

byeo · 9 Jun 2016 at 07:01

4T5 said:
I heard it was more along the lines that Matt is known & has a following Internationally where as Evans is only known over here.

What about Clarkson, Hammond and May ? Before TG, these were all but nobodies, they built up their popularity through doing TG. I'm not trying to defend the ginger one as I can't stand him (btw).

No1newts · 9 Jun 2016 at 08:18

Tummy said:
I do not think that is necessarily a good comparison, although I understand the sentiment. There is a major problem in this country with a lack of innovative 'prime time' television; I mean if you look back historically on what was shown, shows like X Factor, The Voice, Talent shows in general are nothing new... Nor are chat shows and general entertainment stuff (the Ant and Dec Saturday night stuff).

It is catering to audiences, rather than trying to get audiences to 'evolve' their habits and expectations (in my humble opinion), and the fact that Top Gear was stale and when an opportunity arose to try something 'new' or even a slightly new format, the BBC opted to stay with what it new and try to replicate it.

I am not really in to cars, but Top Gear certainly became more 'entertainment' than serious car show; the mental bike racer (name totally escapes me, but an acquaintance made a documentary about the race he took part in? Guy something?) anyway; he seemed like the natural choice to be the new host. Knowledgeable, personable, and younger. The Top Gear image needed to change desperately from the 'old men down the pub chat', they have basically swapped Clarkson et al, out for a slightly younger equally as annoying (in a different way) imitation, who does not have the same background.

I still think the show needs time, I just think the worst thing is that it is a waste of a fantastic opportunity.

You keep saying it was "stale" and it "needed to change" high viewing figures points to the fact you were wrong.

El_Watcher · 9 Jun 2016 at 08:59

No1newts said:
You keep saying it was "stale" and it "needed to change" high viewing figures points to the fact you were wrong.

Old Top Gear was stale. Just go back through the old threads on the last few series and it was full of people saying it was boring, but people continued to watch it, on the off chance that the next episode would see something interesting, or a return to past glories.

Because one of the main things that kept people coming back (i.e. the unpredictable antics of the presenters) has changed for New Top Gear, those people that were on the fence before hoping for something from C, H & M have given up, hence the drop in viewers. Doesn't stop the fact that TG has been on a plateau for most of the last few years.

KiNgPiN83 · 9 Jun 2016 at 09:45

So i finally got round to watching it and here are my thoughts:

Evans - I've never really liked him or his presenting style so this was always going to be tough... However i tried my best not be too biased but he's just too shout and gets excited for no reason. Its like his volume knob is broken and some stuff is just suddenly loud for no reason!?!

Crowd - Someone is definitely turning the volume up as you here whooping and cheering but when you look at them they are just clapping/looking normal? Either they didn't do this before or they didn't make it this obvious.

CIARPC - Now this only really used to be good if Clarkson was genuinely interested in the guest but now it just seems a bit meh and i didn't really get much from it. I really didn't enjoy the rally cross track either but that was more because the 'jumps', water and handbrake turns gave Evans something to shout about.

MLB - I thought he was pretty good. He's a likeable guy, funny and didn't annoy me at all.

They had a real good chance to revamp the show into something else/something better. There's no point trying to copy the old formula as that's what Clarkson Hammond and May will be doing with GT to some extent. They could have avoided all the comparisons and taken Top Gear down a new and maybe better path. The other thing that's missing for me right now is the chemistry. Whether you liked the old guys or not you could appreciate that they were real friends and they had a genuine camaraderie and that is missing now. Obviously you cant just make it up and it will come in time but i just struggle to comprehend people actually being friends with Evans.

Maybe I'm just a bit harsh. Still it wasn't as bad as i thought but i definitely think Evans needs to be someone else. Still, it Eddie Jordan must love not being the most annoying guy in the room. Haha!