BBC Top Gear - Series 23 discussion thread

[spaz]

I thought it was alright, needs to find its feet much like old new top gear did, least we haven't been subjected to Jason Dawe and his marker pen scrawling on windscreens again.

Just the transition period having the new people shoehorned into the Clarkson formats to get the audience used to them before being able to put their own mark on things.

Will be good to see Chris Harris on it properly next week and wonder how a more mainstream audience will receive him

 

[hiroofheroes]

Chris Evans is simply unlikable, makes watching the show an endurance challenge.

 

[DAIR]

Do the show without Evans. Matt can be the one to reach out to the mainstream viewers

 

[Burnsy2023]

I thought the first episode was very "meh". Especially with the 3 wheeler story. Essentially nothing of substance actually happened with them. I don't mind Chris Evans, but I didn't feel chemistry between the presenters. Maybe that'll come in time.

I did watch Extra Gear and I was pleasantly surprised. I didn't know of Chris Harris before TG but I do find him quite likable. What I liked about Extra Gear was that it didn't try too hard and that's what I'm finding about TG, it tries to hard and feels forced because of it. Maybe in time that'll settle down.

 

[Kronos]

Lasted three or four minutes, just enough to realise that Chris Evans is so full of himself. This is definitely aimed at the American market. Nothing new or fresh just a loudmouth Evans and a boring Leblanc, not for me.

 

[Jase]

I forgot it was on last night so watched it online this morning. Matt is actually quite good as a host but Chris Evans, what were they thinking... there's only 2 of them and absoloutly no chemistry unlike the Clarkson gang.

 

[LeMson]

The main show was very wooden and awkward. The extra show was better but only because it had Chris Harris on it. Rory kept saying "basically" which made me want to punch the screen and despite the Citroen mirror catch doesn't seem interested in cars and has a C4 presenting style? What's the comedic bit all about can we not have Harris nerding about cars plx

The whole experience felt like being blasted with a shotgun, I think I would have prefered a surgical strike of a show half just car nerding and the other half having a laugh driving up a mountain. They introduced Matt then the first segment has Sabine in it. should have all been done better, introducing, a coming up this series bit. It really felt like a BBC3/C4 show to me. Least it has Chris Harris on it

 

[MrZippo]

I switched off as soon as Chris Evans starting screaming in the Viper, It was just pure cringe!
I couldn't bare to watch anymore after that.

 

[Rybo89]

Enjoyed it. Matt did ut well and really suited his roll.... chris though, is there any way to mute him? Annoying ginger child.

 

[Thekwango]

The audience looked awkward, the laughter seemed forced and fake.

So pretty much you're typical Top Gear audience then?

 

[MissChief]

Come on guys, it wasn't all that bad! Matt was a bit wooden, possibly just nerves, Chris has always been a bit of a Marmite guy. I don't mind him really. The old show was getting stale so I'm willing to give the new one a chance anyway.

 

[almoststew1990]

I just saw it on iplayer. I thought Chris was alright (considering how much of an arrogant ass he can be), except for this grating voice and constant shouting. It felt more like a chat or game show feel which I suppose is understandable, if not my thing. Matt's lines on the set were terrible.

The initial review of the dodge was alright, but was ruined by the very staged chase sequence. Old Top Gear hid the staged-ness a bit better.

I liked Matts review of the Nomad he seemed to get into it a lot more and a lot more natural than the on-set acting. However, it again ruined by the chase sequence. It also wasn't my thing on old new top gear too.

The first half of the reliant film tried to be 'epic' but fell completely flat. The blackpool bit was alright and the Lake District bit was enjoyable I thought. Again, it felt more like a gameshow that features cars rather than a car show that features pratting about.

I actually quite liked the SiaRPC, at least it is a new take both in terms of the set-up and the track.

I think it might be alright after it finds its groove to be honest. It will evolve over time, just as old new top gear did.

 

[spudbynight]

I thought it was awful. It is clear that the BBC just can't get their head around why Top Gear was so successful.

People watched it because of the chemistry between Clarkson, Hammond and May. It was just three blokes, larking about, being blokey. A lot of people liked it precisely because it wasn't very BBC.

It just felt like a tribute show. It was like watching a pub band doing the Beatles. Yes, you might know the songs, but nobody is kidding themselves as to what is going on.

At the end of the show, Evans turned to the camera and said "I know what you are all at home thinking". Well, no, Chris, I don't think you did.

 

[HangTime]

Watched it this morning and it was slightly better than expected having read some of the comments last night. However as I said in the original thread, they really needed to reinvent the show a bit more as copying the old format that was basically a vehicle (no pun intended) for CHM to bounce off each other in familiar style was always going to fall short. I think over time they will evolve the format but presumably it will take until the next series for them to learn from their experience / mistakes (not sure what the lead times are but I should think we've got a least a few more weeks of Evans shouting).

Track change I am in favour of, the actual lap section of SIARC had got quite tired to the extent that they used to spend half the time focusing on the driver making a face or uttering expletives. There's only so many times you can watch an Astra being driven round the same old track by random people. The downside is you don't have a historic leaderboard for the 'where do you think you came?' bit at the end, but you have to start somewhere and that had been diluted to some extent by switching cars a couple of times anyway. With two guests per ep they can build it up fairly quickly.

I thought Chris Evans was a bit cringe-worthy with his cheers and cajoling the audience. Thinking about it the Top Gun references were too, Sabine was probably thinking wtf is this contrived nonsense (and I love Top Gun). I agree with people saying they appeared to be trying too hard compared to the relaxed demeanour of Chris Harris.

Reliant section seemed a bit pointless in terms of promoting as UK vs USA, although it did provide possibly the best 'gag' of the night in the observation of MLB looking cool sat in one and CE looking like a ****. Landrover vs Jeep was a bit better albeit unoriginal.

I'll be watching more; as I understand it they plan to mix up the presenters a bit for different section although doubtless Evans and Le Blanc are on the biggest contracts so will get the most screen time. I they just need to learn how to make best use of the different people, for example CE really should be doing front of house, celeb interviews etc and leave more of the reviews to the likes of Harris and co.

 

[G-MAN2004]

Better than expected for me. Certainly not as awful as most people are making out. Give it time.

 

[Quartz]

I thought it was awful. It is clear that the BBC just can't get their head around why Top Gear was so successful.

People watched it because of the chemistry between Clarkson, Hammond and May. It was just three blokes, larking about, being blokey.

And we could see that rapport develop between Leblanc and Evans.

Having slept on it, I'm not too keen on the celebrity rally thing. I wish they'd gone for a '(wo)man in a van' or similar. Remember Sabine hooning around the Nurburgring in a Transit? That sort of thing.

 

[Conscript]

Just watching Extra Gear now. More watchable so far, probably a bit more car focused.

 

[smr]

And we could see that rapport develop between Leblanc and Evans.

Nothing can get close to rapport and chemistry Hammond, May and Clarkson have. That's 90 percent the reason why people tuned in, heck, even if it wasn't about cars and it was about barges instead people would still have tuned into it just to watch the three of them having blokey banter and laughs at the UK barging scene. They could literally talk about anything and it'd still be interesting to watch/listen to. The fact that they did it with cars is why it was probably my favourite show ever.

 

[glenimp617]

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

 

[Nasher]

Evans really really needs to go. His constant, high pitched, shouty voice was awful. But I don't think even that could save it.