BBC Top Gear - Series 23 discussion thread

[pepsilol]

I know very little about Chris Evans. He doesn't suit this role at all. Matt is funny and would settle nicely into the role but Chris is just awful for this.

 

[Kelt]

Will not be making an effort to watch TFI Gear. For me they should have Rory Reid, Sabine Schmitz and Chris Harris for the main show and dump Evans and LeBlanc totally.

Agree. And get some new ideas. And dump the star in a car rubbish.

 

[ianh]

Watched it again just for see if it gets better after an initial viewing - Nope - although Matt feels less wooden 2nd time around (he was quite good in the Nomad section) but his live studio sections could be better. Evans however just gets worse, his voice over during the challenges were "OK" at best but the studio section was truly awful with all the whooping and shouting like someone desperately trying to get a bit of excitement back but over doing it and annoying everyone.

I'll not be watching next week, I'll just let the show die away.

 

[Clearcut]

Sabine Schmitz is about as endearing as Angela Merkel on a unicycle.

 

[wesimmo]

For me, although Top Gear became more a car based entertainment show, the fact that the trio were car savvy journalists still came through.

Matt and Chris just sound like blokes who happen to be rich and like, and are able, to buy expensive cars, not true petrol heads.

Someone called it when they talked about the lap commentary, it sounded like your average woman talking about football (if that's not too sexist a thing to say) when they've never ever kicked a ball in their life.

I also like the description above likening it to a cover band.

If they were going to change the celebrity bit, rather than the rally cross, maybe use Sabine more for that segment. Maybe have a selection of cars to account for the different ability of the celebs and they have to try and get within 125% of her time on the day (or whatever is appropriately challenging).

 

[Skillmister]

Caught it from about half way through the interview with Gordon and Jessie.

Thought Matt LeBlanc was ok, it was like he was reading and acting out a script meant for Clarkson with the off road car test (e.g doing donuts then getting a face full of dust and ending with a blunt 'its dusty' or something along those lines). I could see myself enjoying watching him once he eases into the role and makes it a bit more natural.

Chris Evans, always disliked him and thought he was awful.

Will be interesting to see the viewing figures for episode 2 considering episode 1 had a figure below what Chris Evans said he would be disappointed with.

 

[Nismo]

Evans even shouts in his overly defensive, Rafa Benitez-esq Tweets...

https://twitter.com/achrisevans/status/737278995729895424

FACT

 

[Cosimo]

Sabine Schmitz is about as endearing as Angela Merkel on a unicycle.

Now Angela Merkel in an M5 would be a star in a car...

 

[ianh]

and they have to try and get within 125% of her time on the day (or whatever is appropriately challenging).

I thought the idea on old TG with the Stig in a police car chasing the presenter driving a van and they had to see how long they could escape for before being overtaken was a good idea for the "new" SIARPC" section, but the motorcross just looks a bit cack.

 

[Glaucus]

oh dear,


well then he doesn't want even acknowledge any downfalls and try and fix them.
wonder if rest of bbc think the same.

 

[Steedie]

Love how he thinks it's a success because it had high viewing figures. Course it did, people were interested to see how it would work compared to the last lot. I haven't read anything that suggests people enjoyed it though

 

[Skillmister]

Not sure whether his figures for saying this episode had 12% more viewing share than the last are accurate but viewing figures for last season:-

Patagonia Special P1 7.21M
Patagonia Special P2 7.38M
S22 E1 6.41M
S22 E2 6.56M
S22 E3 6.14M

etc...

 

[Type_R]

Stopped watching 15 mins in, cannot stand the shouting from Chris Evans and his blatant style of trying to copy Clarkson.

If the whole show was done by Chris Harris it might actually be worth watching!

 

[spudbynight]

Everyone said they wouldn't be watching Top Gear anymore.....official viewing figures for last night stand at 4.4 million

I think people were telling porkies

Down from 5.8million in the last series. Lets see what the figures are next week.

 

[RSR]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-36411819

It seems only 4.4 million watched it.

 

[spudbynight]

as mentioned on R4 this morning - first season of Clarkson era 2002, was so bad (before team melded) it is not re-shown any more on the tv , and viewing figures 3.5 million

That was when it had Jason Dawe instead of James May.

 

[TS7]

It is bit odd that Chris Harris has been relegated to the online only sister show. Yeah granted he is not the most known figure, but neither were Hammond or May when they started. Harris has also proved himself online with car reviews etc and has a good following. Even with LeBlanc and Evans he should be the third member of the team.

 

[Akagi]

Tried to watch it, Evans trying to mimic Clarkson's intro style made me want to turn it off before the titles had even finished, I then skipped through the rest of the episode watching about 5 seconds here and there, and closed the tab.

Truly truly awful, a total embarrassment.

 

[andicole0]

Down from 5.8million in the last series. Lets see what the figures are next week.

But Eddie Jordan is on next week, surely no one will watch that episode.
This week was better than I expected but Chris Evans needs to chill out a bit.
Andi.

 

[wingman]

My dad (in the black Mercedes Sprinter) made the cut at around 17 minutes in..



He was pretty chuffed when I told him he'd made it into Top Gear, although ironically he's not that fussed about the show (new or old).

He told me he'd remembered seeing "those two prats, I thought that they were enthusiasts filming something for YouTube".

Guess he wasn't far wrong.