The "Top Gear", Season 24/25/26 thread

[kindai]

The problem with Rory and Chris really is that they both occupy the same "slot" (as in like having 2x Richard Hammond instead of 1x Hammond and 1x May) albeit appealing to different demographics and both of them are quite Marmite in that people either love or hate them.

I actually found Rory quite good on Extra Gear but never really gelled with him on the main show.

Rory and Sabine always felt to me like checkboxs to keep the PC brigade happy.

 

[Mr Jack]

And it will never be Top Gear because it was only Top Gear with Clarkson Hammond & May.

Except Top Gear predates Hammond and May, and even Clarkson. Top Gear doesn't need them. What it does need to do is find a new format that doesn't feel so much like the ghost of Clarkson past.

 

[AndyCr15]

But what were the viewing figures before Hammond, May and Clarkson? I know I never watched it before them.

 

[Mal X]

Eastenders was first aired in 1985, probably before you were born.

As for lacking in fresh ideas how about all these, are you saying that all these epic shows created by the BBC were not fresh and new and worth watching ?

Sherlock
Night Manager
The Office
The Fall
Luther
The Honorable Woman
Peaky Blinders
London Spy
Planet Earth
Strangers
Killing Eve
McMafia
The City & the City
Collateral
Requiem
Bodyguard
Line of Duty
Taboo
The Missing
The Last Kingdom


To name just a very few.

The BBC still turns out some world beating dramas, and is worth every penny of the license fee.

quite a few there are ok but these aren't broadcasted often enough, just look what's on regularly.......Eastenders, Holby City, Casualty, Apprentice, the one show....loads of cooking shows, and finally the worst of the lot, Strictly.........all of these are tacky mindless air head garbage, these are the run of the mill BBC shows that are simply ``fill in`` to waste time. these are there because dramas that they CAN PRODUCE aren't produced nearly enough, so we have this mindless junk instead.

the Evening News, on twice a night (which is simply a tiresome repeat to waste time), is now very immature and reflects Twitter style ``social media`` , it is too lightweight and doesn't discuss any issues in any depth, they've tried to sex it up with cliche buzz words and Social media graphics facebook/twitter garbage.

i don't know where the hell you get the idea that the BBC is quality, because you can clearly see that it's light weight populist ``Daily Mail`` style junk.

 

[Combat Fighter]

quite a few there are ok but these aren't broadcasted often enough, just look what's on regularly.......Eastenders, Holby City, Casualty, Apprentice, the one show....loads of cooking shows, and finally the worst of the lot, Strictly.........all of these are tacky mindless air head garbage, these are the run of the mill BBC shows that are simply ``fill in`` to waste time. these are there because dramas that they CAN PRODUCE aren't produced nearly enough, so we have this mindless junk instead.

the Evening News, on twice a night (which is simply a tiresome repeat to waste time), is now very immature and reflects Twitter style ``social media`` , it is too lightweight and doesn't discuss any issues in any depth, they've tried to sex it up with cliche buzz words and Social media graphics facebook/twitter garbage.

i don't know where the hell you get the idea that the BBC is quality, because you can clearly see that it's light weight populist ``Daily Mail`` style junk.

Your talking out of your backside.

I hardly have time for reality TV shows but. . .

Strictly is a top quality show and I enjoy it (along with millions of others).

You clearly don't have the brains to appreciate what they are doing, professional dancing is very hard to master.

It's light years ahead any show like the X-Factor etc.

 

[Mal X]

dont even go there, it's garbage tv fact......... just look at the rubbish presenters and the pathetic dialogue. it's the sort of programme an old granny would watch in an old peoples home, it's light weight entertainment nothing more.

millions watch it, yes they're all pathetic too, 80% of this country is populated by pathetic and useless people............this is what's going wrong with the U.K, we're a nation of weak minded apathetic couch potatoes with a massive rise in our obesity levels etc, we are a country with massive social and economic problems.

 

[Combat Fighter]

dont even go there, it's garbage tv fact......... just look at the rubbish presenters and the pathetic dialogue. it's the sort of programme an old granny would watch in an old peoples home, it's light weight entertainment nothing more.

millions watch it, yes they're all pathetic too, 80% of this country is populated by pathetic and useless people............this is what's going wrong with the U.K, we're a nation of weak minded apathetic couch potatoes with a massive rise in our obesity levels etc, we are a country with massive social and economic problems.

Fact is your just talking ****.

 

[james.miller]

strictly is just x-factor with dancing. It's no better than x-factor in any tangible way but millions do watch and enjoy both so i can just agree to disagree. I just can't sit there and watch the fake drama, fake judges making bad decisions, drawn out results announcements because 'moar drama'...it's all trash IMO.

 

[Nasher]

Except Top Gear predates Hammond and May, and even Clarkson. Top Gear doesn't need them. What it does need to do is find a new format that doesn't feel so much like the ghost of Clarkson past.

One of the reasons the old Top Gear died was because Clarkson left and it got dull

But yea the reality shows, panel shows, the numerous "talent" contests are trash TV. But it's cheap to produce and draws in the social media zombies, so they keep making them. Back in the 80/90s it was cheesy game shows.

 

[Mal X]

Fact is your just talking ****.

cant be bothered... or yea' whatever

 

[jpaul]

had a look at what is the purpose of the bbc
and thought top gear was probably this purpose

To reflect the United Kingdom, its culture and values to the world
High quality, accurate, impartial news coverage will be delivered to international audiences, aiding understanding of the UK as a whole

whilst Strictly

To reflect, represent and serve the diverse communities of all of the United Kingdom’s nations and regions and, in doing so, support the creative economy across the United Kingdom
The lives of the people in the United Kingdom today will be accurately and authentically portrayed in the BBC’s output and services to raise awareness of different cultures, contribute to social cohesion and invest in the development of each nation’s creative economy

?

 

[Mal X]

what a load of rubbish the BBC says, unfortunately this isn't the right thread/ area of the forum to really talk about this...

 

[Conscript]

Rory and Sabine always felt to me like checkboxs to keep the PC brigade happy.

I heard this opinion expressed before when they were initially announced to host the new series. How depressing that a light motoring/entertainment show hires a presenter/journalist with an interest in motoring and technology and a professional racing driver, yet people still see it as a box ticking exercise because one's black and the other's a woman.

Whether you like them or not (and I didn't really gel with them either), at face value, they are arguably a better fit for the show than an American actor with (as far as I know) no presenting experience who happens to be a bit of a petrol head.

 

[kindai]

I heard this opinion expressed before when they were initially announced to host the new series. How depressing that a light motoring/entertainment show hires a presenter/journalist with an interest in motoring and technology and a professional racing driver, yet people still see it as a box ticking exercise because one's black and the other's a woman.

Whether you like them or not (and I didn't really gel with them either), at face value, they are arguably a better fit for the show than an American actor with (as far as I know) no presenting experience who happens to be a bit of a petrol head.

Everything about their apperances always felt forced, not natural.

Just like Eddie when he shows up as well.

Sabine yes fantastic driver, why not have her focus on more race oriented stuff as a segment. The issue she clashes with chris, who is also a very talented driver, and the stig. So she has no where to fit in really.

Rory just doesnt seem interested to me, seems like hes reading off top trumps cards.

Hell I actually liked chris evans in the parts where he wasn't being loud and shouty and got to just be a petrolhead and you could see his passion shining through.

 

[Conscript]

I agree about them feeling forced, but that just felt like their individual personas coming through, not the result of a PC agenda.
Rory seemed to know what he was talking about but always spoke with the affectation of someone trying to sound much younger than they are, which just came across as a bit cringey and dad-like (Greetings, fellow kids). But there were times when his segments were very good.
And Sabine "[screeching intensifies]" Schmitz was an excellent driver, but just irritating.
Neither of these traits came across as the result of them being paraded purely for political correctness though.

 

[jpaul]

They should re-architect top gear like its French counterpart, Turbo, which has a magasine type format with a single central presenter, who both reviews and introduces various reports, but, strictly none of this audience/studio stuff. what does that add to top gear ?

below was the agenda for the most recent edition.
you have the professional racing drivers with the nice mountain road photography, mixed in with reviews on new cars and foreign pieces.

The summary :

• New : For this second generation of the Audi Q3 , the premium brand has completely renewed its compact SUV. More muscular, more welcoming, it is also equipped with technologies of the higher models.
• Investigation : After the collapse of the bridge of Genoa this summer, what is the state of roads and bridges in France? One out of two roads and one bridge out of three need to be restored. The government has announced a budget increase to accelerate the work, will that be enough?
• Match : To celebrate the 70th anniversary of Porsche, Turbo offers you a nervous duel between the Porsche 911 GT2 RS and the 911 GT3 RS . The two sports of 700 and 520 horses compete on the road and on circuit and especially during a 0 to 200km / h impressive!
• Unusual : The best or the worst of the web in automotive to find every week in the section Seen on the Net!
• Discovery : A machine that can travel more than 700 km / h, a truck over 300 km / h, welcome to the United States on the salt lake of Bonneville. Turbo also met some Frenchmen who attacked a speed record in a special category!
• Essay : The first version dates from 1970! The Suzuki Jimny is certainly small in size but large in its off-road capabilities.

Many French programmes have this presentation style, and it works well, for broadcast and internet too.

 

[Maccy]

Trailer out for new series

 

[Housey]

GT3 RS wins

 

[PinkFloyd]

Sweet, can't wait. The last season was cracking! I'd not realised that Matt was in this season after quitting, but I guess that just takes affect after this one.

 

[The_Abyss]

Sweet. It’ll be good to have both this and GT back.