New Top Gear

[purplebargeken]

Thought MLB was okay, only watched it twice when he was in it though.

 

Flintoff is a nobber. Can't stand the irritating aura of twat he seems to exude. Dunno who the other bloke is. Don't care either.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Get a decent female presenter in there, its 2018 for God's sake. 

 

 

 

Judith Chalmers.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Hopefully this will kill the current generation of tg and they can come back in a few years with something less derivative .

 

 

They wouldn't bother. The publicTM are falling out of love with the car, motoring is generally a fucking misery and nobody really cares anymore - apart from us. 

 

Harry's Garage is excellent as are the many epic old videos. Like this one:

 

 

 

Or you can watch two irritating cunts, and Chris Harris.

 

MLB was excellent btw. Him, Jay Leno and Harris - very watchable.

[RoadworkUK]

Completely inevitable, really. At least it frees up another hour of my weekend.

 

There's a lot of great stuff on The Internet; 'tis true. But even though some of the YouTube channels are excellent, there's something sorely lacking in every sector of the motoring market. The really frustrating bit is that what's lacking is the very thing that got me into motoring journalism in the first place.

 

I subscribe to Classic Boat magazine. I'm a total rookie when it comes to sailing; the biggest thing I've single-handed is a Laser. But still I hang on every word I read in that mag; its writers have a real knack of putting you in the centre of the action so you can almost hear the planks creaking. To an extent; the genuine camaraderie of the the Clarkson, May Hammond cast turned the viewer into a fourth team member. You were a part of what was going on. I reckon it's that fact that inspired so many imitations and 'hilarious' "non contact" banger rallies. Yes, the formula got a bit tired, but it was at least comfortingly familiar. To millions of car enthusiasts it was "our TV programme".

 

Post-Clarkson, it turned even more into "three wealthy car enthusiasts having fun with cars", which I suppose provided a bit of amusement, but wasn't anything like as easy to relate to. There was still a strong degree of knowledge, though, which meant it just about deserved to retain the Top Gear name. It didn't feel quite so much like the television choice of the car enthusiast, though.

 

Today, Top Gear became "An enthusiast and two celebrities having fun with cars". The focus has just shifted even closer towards "bantz". It's hard to imagine a trio being any further from the original "irreverent yet informative" New Top Gear format. And that, I'm afraid, is 2018 all over. Potential for entertainment value trumps literally everything else.

 

Those Informative, well produced yet enjoyable videos on YouTube receive nothing like the number of clicks that a celebrity saying "This car is sick!" again and again will garner. Top Gear magazine has gone the same way. The rot set in a long time ago, and it's now plunged into an ultra-lightweight written style that Nuts or Zoo would have envied.

 

What's even more upsetting is that Classic Boat comes from a relatively tiny publisher and very probably just about scratches its existence despite feverish loyalty among its readers. A magazine full of articles that the likes of us would enjoy reading represents an incredibly narrow potential market, which is why (excellent) mags such as 5054 end up being either crowd-funded or published on a one-off basis.

 

In short, everything's a product. Achieving market share is where the money is and everybody wants to bag the easiest customers.

 

Same with football and pop music. It's all shit (sweeping generalisation but not entirely untrue)

[Mrcento]

Flintoff and McGuinness.... all i can say to that is "f*ck off".

 

As others have said, better "shows" on the internet.

[Mrcento]

I stopped watching TG when Clarkson and the others broke a Princess and a Marina for the sake of it.

 

I'm partly to blame for one of the Marinas, i nearly bought the white one before TG did!

 

I would have if i'd known where it was going to end up.

[carlo]

I like watching HubNut on Youtube, much more entertaining.  Isn't he one of us?

[Lacquer Peel]

I like watching HubNut on Youtube, much more entertaining. Isn't he one of us?

Dollywobbler

[Richard]

Programme 15 years past its sell by date in 'not very good' shock.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Completely inevitable, really. At least it frees up another hour of my weekend.

 

There's a lot of great stuff on The Internet; 'tis true. But even though some of the YouTube channels are excellent, there's something sorely lacking in every sector of the motoring market. The really frustrating bit is that what's lacking is the very thing that got me into motoring journalism in the first place.

 

I subscribe to Classic Boat magazine. I'm a total rookie when it comes to sailing; the biggest thing I've single-handed is a Laser. But still I hang on every word I read in that mag; its writers have a real knack of putting you in the centre of the action so you can almost hear the planks creaking. To an extent; the genuine camaraderie of the the Clarkson, May Hammond cast turned the viewer into a fourth team member. You were a part of what was going on. I reckon it's that fact that inspired so many imitations and 'hilarious' "non contact" banger rallies. Yes, the formula got a bit tired, but it was at least comfortingly familiar. To millions of car enthusiasts it was "our TV programme".

 

Post-Clarkson, it turned even more into "three wealthy car enthusiasts having fun with cars", which I suppose provided a bit of amusement, but wasn't anything like as easy to relate to. There was still a strong degree of knowledge, though, which meant it just about deserved to retain the Top Gear name. It didn't feel quite so much like the television choice of the car enthusiast, though.

 

Today, Top Gear became "An enthusiast and two celebrities having fun with cars". The focus has just shifted even closer towards "bantz". It's hard to imagine a trio being any further from the original "irreverent yet informative" New Top Gear format. And that, I'm afraid, is 2018 all over. Potential for entertainment value trumps literally everything else.

 

Those Informative, well produced yet enjoyable videos on YouTube receive nothing like the number of clicks that a celebrity saying "This car is sick!" again and again will garner. Top Gear magazine has gone the same way. The rot set in a long time ago, and it's now plunged into an ultra-lightweight written style that Nuts or Zoo would have envied.

 

What's even more upsetting is that Classic Boat comes from a relatively tiny publisher and very probably just about scratches its existence despite feverish loyalty among its readers. A magazine full of articles that the likes of us would enjoy reading represents an incredibly narrow potential market, which is why (excellent) mags such as 5054 end up being either crowd-funded or published on a one-off basis.

 

In short, everything's a product. Achieving market share is where the money is and everybody wants to bag the easiest customers.

 

Same with football and pop music. It's all shit (sweeping generalisation but not entirely untrue)

 

 

Good post and it sums up what I've known for years - there are those who like to be led by the nose, and those who can think for themselves. That's why I don't have a TV. Folk are genuinely surprised when I tell them I don't have one. 

[HMC]

The new presenters I think have been the product of a brainstorming session about laddish blokes in the media- because they see one of the key brand values of TG world wide is just that.

 

Whether the on screen chemistry will work, and whether they will be given enough time to tell is another Matter.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

the key brand values of TG world wide

 

 

That was Clarkson, May and Hammond. Irreplaceable, basically.

[JimH]

I've never had a telly licence so the last time I watched TG it was being presented by William Woolard. Tonight on Top Gear we'll be looking at the Tipo, the new Golf challenger from Fiat, Tony Mason will be wobbling his head and grinning while talking about a fatal rallying accident and Sue Cook will be looking into the problem of parking in Telford but we start this week with news of a revolution in electric cars...

 

Those with a longish memory might remember the arts programme strand Without Walls on C4. They ran four programmes in that slot called Auto Erotic which had people like Russell Bulgin being rude about off roaders. That's always stuck in my head and I have long daydreamed about a series of Top Gear presented by Jonathan Meades and Will Self for years. I'd definitely pay for a telly license to watch that.

[martc]

Here's Paddy nearly looking at an engine in some prime mobile home chod, surely that's enough of a qualification?

 

[406V6]

For a proper car programme take a look at Fifth Gear which has re-surfaced on the Quest Channel on Thursday evenings plus repeats.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

The new presenters I think have been the product of a brainstorming session about laddish blokes in the media- because they see one of the key brand values of TG world wide is just that.

Whether the on screen chemistry will work, and whether they will be given enough time to tell is another Matter.

Maybe over lunch, although none of the suggestions made in this scene were as random as " Freddie Flintoff and Paddy out of Max and Paddy talk about cars"

[Dave_Q]

We're talking about it, so I guess it worked. May watch if nothing better on (there often isn't.)

[face]

Anybody seen this utter tripe?:

 

[Dan the van]

I tried but lasted about 30 seconds.Dreadful.Latest series of 5th gear is decent tho'.

[flat4alfa]

For a proper car programme take a look at Fifth Gear which has re-surfaced on the Quest Channel on Thursday evenings plus repeats.

 

 

https://www.questod.co.uk/show/fifth-gear

[garbaldy]

/\ And now let's see car modifier Jimmy deville fit some coil overs/brakes

 

Apart from the above bit it's not that bad

[Sir Snipes]

That was Clarkson, May and Hammond. Irreplaceable, basically.

How's GT doing nowadays?

[junkyarddog]

How's GT doing nowadays?

I've watched it,it's mediocre at best.

Just glad I didn't pay for the privilege.

[RayMK]

To air a different opinion, I've watched all of the Grand Tour episodes so far and found them to be entertaining and very well produced. I look forward to watching series 3 which will be released before the end of this year.  

 

Top Gear?  I no longer feel the need to have a TV and have given it to my son who uses it with one of his computers.  This decision, taken well over a year ago, was brought on by the appalling attempts by the BBC to continue Top Gear with a crew mix which did not work for me.  The re-jigged crew may be better but I'm not cluttering my front room with a TV just to find out.

 

Conclusion: We are all different  .

[Dick Longbridge]

^ As an aside, people without TV's are like vegans. 

They just have to tell everyone about it. 

[rovamota]

For a proper car programme take a look at Fifth Gear which has re-surfaced on the Quest Channel on Thursday evenings plus repeats.

I saw some of the last show on Quest as I nodded of 3/4 of the way through. It's dull.

[New POD]

^ As an aside, people without TV's are like vegans.

They just have to tell everyone about it.

I have a TV.

I eat meat.

I watch TV less than I eat meat.

[RayMK]

^ As an aside, people without TV's are like vegans. 

They just have to tell everyone about it. 

 

People that visit my house always ask where the TV is.  They are mostly devout followers of Eastenders etc.  My friend says that there are still good documentaries and science programmes on the box. He has a timer/recorder gadget to catch them. The net provides these at any time with less hassle. I even peep at Top Gear occasionally to see if I'm being too hard on the new team.  5 minutes is usually enough.

 

I am not a vegan or a veggie.

[dollywobbler]

I saw some of the last show on Quest as I nodded of 3/4 of the way through. It's dull.

 

It's a bit too shouty 'Look at me! Stop looking at your smartphone for a minute!' really, and still too TV. Stuff like Roadkill, Mighty Car Mods, This Old Tony and Mustie1 on YouTube have spoilt me. I really struggle with any car telly programme. It's the 'made for TV' bit I really don't like.

 

That said, I sacked off my Motor Trend account a while back as they've utterly ruined it by burying Roadkill and Dirt Every Day with crappy TV programmes from Discovery - the very thing that I joined Motor Trend to escape. UGH.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

How's GT doing nowadays?

Shit, because it’s not on terrestrial TV. But I thought you’d have known that?