New Top Gear was Pants

Mar 9, 2016
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402
Never really liked Clarkson, even tho I enjoyed a pint or two with him when he worked in Rotherham...but he is certainly entertaining, enthusiastic and intelligent...all the things new top gear wasn't.
Chris Evans is as useless on Tele as he is on radio. LeBlanc was ok but sounded bored.
A cheap immitation of a prevoiously great programme.
It was rubbish.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
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Never really liked Clarkson, even tho I enjoyed a pint or two with him when he worked in Rotherham...but he is certainly entertaining, enthusiastic and intelligent...all the things new top gear wasn't.
Chris Evans is as useless on Tele as he is on radio. LeBlanc was ok but sounded bored.
A cheap immitation of a prevoiously great programme.
It was rubbish.
Thanks Flud, I suspected as much so didn't bother to try it. I wasn't in any way a fan of the old one either, but as you say, Clarkson was capable. Chris Evans I can't stand, and I doubt Matt Le Blanc is the right person for this program.
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dinger19

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Jun 30, 2014
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I have to agree Flud:eek:it was total pants and won't be watching anymore lets just hope Clarksons new show on Amazon has to be better surely.:)
 

trex

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May 15, 2011
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early days. I did watch it last night, the graphics are still just as good. They'll get better.
 

derf

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Aug 4, 2014
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early days. I did watch it last night, the graphics are still just as good. They'll get better.
I dunno, IMHO there's something about Evans' Clarkson impression - the "lets not change the recipe it worked before" approach that feels contrived, demeaning of viewers, about viewing figures only. Does he not have anything original to offer (and I don't just mean ito Top Gear)?
 

tillson

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 29, 2008
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I recorded Top Gear and watched some of it today at lunch time. I ended playback 20 minutes in and cancelled the Series Link.

I tired to approach it with an open mind and a willingness to give it a chance, but Top Gear has become a poor imitation of the original show.

I know that opinion over Clarkson is divided and some don't like his style, but the old show was unique, original and it had personality. The format was basically a car themed programme fronted by three clowns and I don't think it ever tried to pretend that it was anything else. The anti-political correctness element was never done with malice, they were just deliberately being foolish and that was the joke.

Evans has tried to copy Clarkson's & Wileman's creation. Even from the very start of the show, with "tonight.........". Then there was the cringe of introducing the Stig, "Some say....."

The problem that Evans faces is that Clarkson, May and Hammond are natural self-deprecating clowns who endear themselves to the audience, whereas Evans is a ginger tw@t who people want to set on fire.

It's never going to work with Evans at the helm. Top Gear needs to be a totally new show with no elements of the old one evident. Then, it will either survive and evolve or die and be taken off air for good.
 

flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,161
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It's never going to work with Evans at the helm.
It seems all the criticism of the new Top Gear has caused the BBC a loss of confidence in the show.

To go with the next show on Sunday 5th, they'd originally made an extra program, Top Gear Extra Gear, explaining the stunts. But according to Radio Times, they've suddenly withdrawn it without explanation.

Seems they are realising they are onto a loser.
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C

Cyclezee

Guest
In my opinion the new presenters and content are not as good as the old line up.
My biggest issue is Chris Evans, I can't stand him be it on TV or radio.
 

tillson

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 29, 2008
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Let's face it, the show may have been called 'Top Gear' but it was actually 'Clarkson and mates'
They would have done just as well if they had another theme other than cars.
Absolutely. The new show needs to be a complete reinvention with no trace of the old format left. It worked for Clarkson May and Hammond, but it isn't working for Evans and his co-hosts.
 

mike killay

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 17, 2011
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As I see it, Top Gear had a lot in common with 'Last of the Summer wine'
Three men getting up to bloke-ish things.
Regardless of their ages, Clarkson was the red neck, Hammond the eager apprentice and May the counter balance, rather like Compo, Cleggie and the military man.
The Beeb made a monumental, blunder in sacking Clarkson. They could have held a tribunal, fined him mega bucks, a public apology, compensation to the assaultee, and then got on with things.
 

Croxden

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Jan 26, 2013
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I find Top Gear on par with That's Life, didn't care for that either.
 
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flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
53,161
30,578
As I see it, Top Gear had a lot in common with 'Last of the Summer wine'
Three men getting up to bloke-ish things.
Regardless of their ages, Clarkson was the red neck, Hammond the eager apprentice and May the counter balance, rather like Compo, Cleggie and the military man.
The Beeb made a monumental, blunder in sacking Clarkson. They could have held a tribunal, fined him mega bucks, a public apology, compensation to the assaultee, and then got on with things.
I can't rate your post! I agree with the first half but disagree with the second.

My disagreement is partly because I think the old Top Gear was almost spent anyway, the show and its type of antics having become too predictable through constant repetition.

Anyway the BBC won't be making in-house programs shortly, they've decided to switch entirely to outside program makers, so lots of changes on the way.
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Yamdude

Esteemed Pedelecer
Sep 20, 2013
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He shouldn't laugh to soon, it remains to be seen how successful his new show will be.

It could end up as Bottom Gear, or even Reverse Gear.
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I doubt he's expecting the past huge viewing figures on somewhere like Amazon Prime....
Also i doubt he cares much anyway because A) He's not short of a bob or two, and B) If it is a fail, it'll just give him something else to take the **** out of in his newspaper columns.
 

D8ve

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