New Top Gear

[UmBongo]

I have to say that I didn't think it was that bad.

 

Evans was annoying, but Timmy Mallett's clone usually is.

 

However, Matt LeBlanc came across quite well with a dry sense of humour.

 

The films were on a par with the original ones, too.

[tooSavvy]

RAJAR won't be in till *Monday.

 

Unless OMGHGFkettle... then, Wed breakfast show.

 

 

TS

[Dick Longbridge]

I quite liked it. Evans previously quoted that the formula for the show was part of what worked well, and he didn't want to mess with it. Le Blanc was surprisingly entertaining, and is definitely a redeeming feature. Evans is what he is. Basically, those who suck up to Clarkson will hate the new version, and those that are indifferent about him will enjoy the fact it remains an entertaining programme which features some cars at certain points. It's only had one episode to prove itself so far; I'll be tuning back in next week.

 

One thing's for sure, I won't be paying to watch the three amigos on Amazon prime.

[spike60]

I expected to see a "it's crap and I knew it was gonna be" thread within about 20m of the programme starting, probably because to me there seems to be a general air of negativity on the forum at the moment so the moderate praise is a surprise. I used to enjoy the originals going out for the 1st time but the endless reruns leave me cold. I was ok but not thrilled with last nights but it's early days, we'll have to see what it settles down into.

[dollywobbler]

Evans was bloody awful. Mostly though, I was reminded that I didn't like Top Gear in recent years anyway, and too much of what I didn't like is still there. I'll stick to Roadkill.

[Dick Longbridge]

I meant to add to my post just now - I'd forgotten that the new series was due to start last night, and only stumbled across it accidently, about twenty minutes in. At the time, LeBlanc and Evans were driving roofless Rialtos in the rain (could that be a future band name?) and I'm sure I audibly groaned at the predictability of it. However, not one to write things off at the outset, I ended up watching the whole thing on iplayer and am glad I did.

It was interesting reading the comments on Twunter as well. Initially, the impression given was that everyone hated it. It was only when scrolling further down the comments, that actually, there were a lot of people who enjoyed it and were going to give it a chance. I'd given up on the old TG early in the penultimate series, so in my view, anything would be better than that, regardless.

[purplebargeken]

It was watchable. Evans was just a bit too shouty and loud though but there you go. MLB was also much better than imagined, good sense of humour and really did make the difference. Need to see more of Sabine though, she is very cool!

[Craig the Princess]

Disappointed that the turgid star in a (ok slightly different) car section has survived. I really couldn't care less about Gordon Ramsey (or whoever they get on).

 

Evans was Evans, he was a bit nervous and I don't really like him but it could be much worse.

[chaseracer]

Like TW, I forgot it was on!  This may or may not be indicative of enthusiasm levels, but I'll watch it on catch up and give it a proper chance.  The Rialtos broke down not far from Chaseracer Towers - cue BIG SPLASH!!!! in local rag at the time   - so that should be entertaining.

[dollywobbler]

I think that should be "broke down" in inverted commas. 

[rainagain]

I thought it was ok, I didn't like Evans trying to get the audience to constantly cheer, nor did I like all the swooping camera shots of them clapping. Evans also seemed to be trying to do a Clarkson impression at some points. The Reliant bit seemed a bit pointless. The star in the reasonably prices car was terrible, Gordon with his look how much money I've got Ferrari key, and that American guy who had the personality of a lettuce and no interest what so ever in cars. What I was surprised at liking was MLB I initially thought he was just that guy off Friends who got a bit fat, but I really enjoyed his presenting style. I think if they keep him and replace Evans it could be quite good, as it's really missing the laughs you got between the last three as they bounced off each other.

[cort16]

I thought Matt LeBlanc was pretty good. The star in the reasonably priced car segment was really dreadfull not helped by the fact Gordon Ramsey is the world most colossal toss pot. Sniggering because Jesse Eisenberg drove a Honda." Tee Hee, I'm better than you because I shout at people on TV and have a Ferrari key in a box I've brought to show everyone how rich I am"

[NorfolkNWeigh]

I missed this last night as I was working,but I've just watched Top Gear Extra Gear on the i-player.

Hopefully it will improve as the potential is there, it's Monkey and that bloke I've never heard of , Roary something, sitting on what look like e39 estate seats doing news etc.

The main problem is Roary being too young and hip - he described things as 'solid' or ' a solid choice' repeatedly, and there being no chemistry or connection between the two presenters, something that will develop I'm sure.

It seems to be aimed at people with even less knowledge or interest in cars than TG itself but had Harris getting technical about suspension( must be on a backhander from Ohlins)

 

I'll watch the main TG later, but I'm afraid the cliche', ' Aren't 3 wheelers funny ?' thing, is putting me off a bit .

 

 

 

Edited to add; Rory Reid, apparently a YouTube star* who impressed Evans with his audition video.

[brownnova]

It was OK, nothing better, nothing worse IMO.

 

The films were your normal top gear fare, Ariel Nomad film was quite good, and I liked the laser guns bit. The studio links need work, Evans is soooo annoying! LeBlanc is good on the films, but wooden as my dining table in the links. I liked the rallycross idea, just not the chat to the celebs bit... Especially the cheering for your favourite like some kind of low rent kids tv show.

 

I expected it to be rubbish, and it wasn't lots of positives and a few bits to work on, and who of us doesn't have those. I'll be tuning in next week... Lets hope the presenter chemistry builds!

[bigstraight6]

I thought it wasn't too bad, that Le Blanc chap seems to have a good sense of humour..

[Craig the Princess]

Edited to add; Rory Reid, apparently a YouTube star* who impressed Evans with his audition video.

The only time I've seen Rory Reid on youtube was a carpool video with Robert Llewellyn. Reid came across as a total prick who couldn't accept that electric cars had any place or any advantage over petrol/diesel ones.

[Tayne]

A total prick who seemed unable to understand basic maths.

 

His views on electric cars may have resurfaced in the Extra Gear episode (slightly worrying that TG seems so far behind that curve), the Extra Gear thing also seemed to get no publicity and I suspect many people will have missed it.

 

Going back to Sunday night TG, it does seem to have faithfully recreated what was lost last year.

It's a visually impressive entertainment show with annoying direction and scripting presented by at least one person I don't like that I'll watch, if I'm home, because there may be a vehicle or travel destination that interests me.

[andy18s]

I thought Matt LeBlanc was pretty good. The star in the reasonably priced car segment was really dreadfull not helped by the fact Gordon Ramsey is the world most colossal toss pot. Sniggering because Jesse Eisenberg drove a Honda." Tee Hee, I'm better than you because I shout at people on TV and have a Ferrari key in a box I've brought to show everyone how rich I am"

As above really, must admit the best bit was the replay of Ramsey getting "tackled" in the footy match

[Pillock]

I thought the Evans JC impressions were a deliberate pisstake, the opening credits voice was definitely put on.

 

Same with leaving the power lap wall intact, sends a message that it's still TG and they've not bottled it because the trio have left.

 

I liked it. I quite like Evans, LeBlanc came over very well too. Whilst I wasn't on the edge of my sofa, it was better than most stuff on telly.

 

They need to get accurate ratings though, so please - if you didn't like it, you mustn't watch next week.

[plasticvandan]

After scanning the 10,000 comments on tgs Facebook page,the only people who liked it are on this thread.

[PiperCub]

I was at work (well, on my way home at that time) so didn't see it but a mate's comment wasn't too negative and said have a watch and make your mind up. Apparantly Matt LeBlanc was surprisingly good - way better than expected with a SoH that was more English than American. As others have commented, Evans was Evans, that was always going to be the case I suppose, you either like him or you don't and this show isn't going to alter attitudes on that front. 

 

I will tune in next week (on nights so should get chance!) and have a look with an open mind, I suspect my reaction may be the same as with old TG, ie: I can take or leave it, if there looks like there's something to interest me in the show I'll stay tuned but if it's going to be yet another supercar wank-fest ("At under £200K it's a bargain") then the off-switch beckons as I realise many love that sort of thing but I'm not one of them. 

[Mr Lobster]

I liked it. It needs a bit of refinement but it was decent enough. Chris Evans appeared to be trying too hard but Matt Le Blanc was good and managed to mix humour with knowledge and not just a little bit of driving ability. In fact, Le Blanc and Chris Harris together would be bob on.

 

Really enjoyed the Arial Nomad feature, the Reliant bit whilst ok seemed a bit like there was no real point to it.

[colino]

Can't really judge (apart from one glaring, shouty exception) as this was the clear out of the old, in with the new establishing episode.

The catering rubbish shouldn't have got through the first script edit and whatever joke they made at JCs expense was lost with them talking about downforce, that they had no intention of going down and the overly clever point that they were sitting on an old Vectra. You know, you know, the car that JC famously didn't want to review.  Pity everyone else forgot about that, it was a very long time ago, and they used the wrong model anyway.

The generosity of Gordon Ramsay (Honest, I did play for Rangers), looking embarrassed about being there at all, and the Hollywood fella who was glad to be getting the exposure in the UK didn't conceal one tiny little bit that they had hoped to recapture international sales by having Brad Pitt as their first guest.  He wisely and very lately, had diplomatic flu.

BBC clearly made it a condition of the first episode to establish they owned Top Gear, it was their Stig (a boarding school term from JCs and AWs school days), it was their hangar, it was their track and everything else.  Rather like an annoying toddler claiming ownership of everyones toys.

We need more car shows and this will eventually find its feet, but hopefully without Chris Evans and Danny Baker can go in front of camera. It is his words after all.

MLB was surprisingly good: Just a pity he and everyone else didn't have to let CE win at everything as it was his ball and he was going home if everyone else didn't agree he was bestest at everything.

[matt79]

I'm undecided on the 'new' show

 

The BBC missed an opportunity to completely revamp the programme with the new presenting team, not just tweak what is a dated format, Top Gear reached its peak around 10 years ago, then turned into a farce of 'we've run out of original ideas so lets smash stuff up coz we can', although I did like Clarkson, Hammond & May as a team as they seemed to have a genuine raport with each other.

 

I thought LeBlanc was surprisingly good, providing some dryly delivered wit, Evans came across as over excited & slightly annoying (like watching TFI Friday with a few car films thrown in) I think Evans can be quite entertaining, but needs to stop trying to emulate Clarkson, whether deliberate or not.

 

Time will tell if it gets any better, although for me its not the 'must watch' programme it once was.

[saucedoctor]

I thought it was pretty good. I enjoyed the fighter jets, and I could watch G.R. getting clattered by Teddy Sheringham over and over.

[rantingYoof]

I wish they would just review run of the mill cars, kind of like the Team Test segment of Fifth Gear. I'd watch that forever.

 

I can endure Evans, and I like Matt. I missed the first 15 minutes but I think Sabine is awesome anyway.

[Tetleysmooth]

I watched Question Time on i player. Much more entertaining.

[HH-R]

I'm 45 minutes in and there's no sign of the Vectra being blown up or having a piano dropped on it. Disappointing.

[Negative Creep]

Only got to see the last 30 minutes but it wasn't bad. The same chemistry between the hosts wasn't there but ultimately that's only something that will come about with time. So I'll be watching the next one

[Urko]

I don't watch live telly - unlikely to get around to watching on catchup (if it's on there).  I am pretty selective about car TV and I too prefer stuff like Roadkill and fifth gear where there's actual car content.  I certainly won't be bothering with Clarkson et al on Amazon.

 

I spent the small bits of the weekend where I wasn't spending time with my daughter wrestling with putting a new starter on my AMC - which typically involved much more swearing and getting greasy than a simple job with two bolts and one electrical connection has any right to.