So.... the "new" Top Gear

[M.C]

[oldpink]

apparently Evans thinks it was a hit as he had better viewing figures than the 02 relaunch of TG at 4.4M as opposed to the 02 figures of 3 million odd viewers
forgetting that some TG episodes were in the 8m+ viewers at its peak

personally I think it will get pulled before season 2 or 24 depending on how you count
esp if the old crew pull off a much better show, and with their budget & attraction they have with a clean sheet to take it in new directions will trump the ginger ones efforts
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I have become comfortably numb

Theory & hazard 24-may 2016, CBT 8th June 2016, MOD 1 2nd Aug 2016 Mod 2 2nd-Nov 2016 - Current bike CBR 600 RR

[_Will_]

Format was there, the new track was interesting and it seemed to have some sense of potential, I was however rather put off by the ginger tosspot and leblanc's parts were much better when he was alone, the chemistry between the two lacking completely.

The opening part of the us/uk thing nearly had me switch off, boring pos watching an idiot drive a car up the m5 and the other sit on the back of a tow truck without any wit, humour, tomfoolery or any sense of point or entertainment. Evan's useless imitation of Clarkson was cringeworthy.

Will watch CH&M, most likely won't bother with the beebs sinking ship. TG r.i.p 2015.
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Past -Honda qr50 | 2004 Peugeot Tkr s 50| | 1996 Yamaha XJ600s Diversion|

[TbirdX]

LeBlanc was surprisingly ok.

Evans is just, it seems, going to shout his way through the entire show.

"A little slippage"

It's called oversteer Chris. Look it up.

Hopefully it will settle a bit into it's own style but that was hard work to watch at times.
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VFR800X - TTR250

[0ddball]

It used to be a shit program with scripted humour for people who know nothing about how a car works, but everything about which trim level comes with xenon's and WiFi.

It still is, but with wooden presenters.
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ZXR750L

[iooi]

Same shit, just a different crew.


BBC 3 Top Gear Extra creamed the real program......

Dump the over paid muppets and use the 2 guys who did the extra show. much more real top gear.
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Just because my bike was A DIVVY, does not mean i am......

[GSTEEL32]

Far too much about Chris Evans as far as I was concerned .......

It very quickly reminded me why I didn't watch TFI Friday either .....

The Blackpool segment was completely pointless, and importantly, not remotely funny.

I'll not be bothering .......

[Pjay]

I predict the BBC drop Evans and make Le Blanc the Lead man.
Le Blanc and Sabine to kiss onscreen within 2 years.

[Snowdonia Rider]

[Tierbirdy]

Initially I was open to it, I didnt think it would be very good but I was willing to give it a chance.

My thoughts on it so far - I really dont like it. Matt LeBlanc is brilliant, however he gets totally pushed to the side by Chris Evans who is a loud unlikeable shouty WAAAAAAAYHAAAAAYYYYYYY ginger gobshite who I just want to slap every time he opens his mouth.

However my biggest complaint about it so far, and what I think will be it's downfall, is that there is NO chemistry whatsoever between the presenters, and when they try it feels blatantly scripted and horribly forced. Not to mention the constant "hey look at us, we're just like Clarkson, Hammond and May! Can I give you a little love tap because that's what they would do? Ha ha we're so funny!" is just unbearable to watch. Even the studio audience seemed like they couldnt care less - for example how Chris had to try and coax them into cheering during the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car section. I know it's only the first episode and theyve not been working together long, but everything about it feels so artificial... I can't imagine I'll be going out of my way to watch any more episodes...

I cannot wait for Clarkson, Hammond & May's new Amazon series, and I dont think there will be another series of Top Gear after this one ends... that's if they dont cancel it halfway through.

[Rogerborg]

[Fazer Tom]

it was watchable up until the star in car bit, after that it was gash. was looking forward to seeing the land rover vs jeep too.
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(CBT 01/07/11. Theory, 21/05/12. MOD 1, 01/06/12. MOD 2, 3/08/12)

Past: (1981 CG125) (1992 ZZR250 x2) (1976 KZ400) (1993 400 Superfour) (2002 Triumph TT600) (1998 Fazer) (2001 CCM 636) (2000 CCM 604) (2007 Kawasaki Z750) (2005 Husqvarna SM450R) Current: (1989 Bandit 400)

[anthony_r6]

I watched it, not being an avid Top Gear fan anyway (I'd watch it if I came across it) but really couldn't stand Chris Evans and the way he was coming across. The bit that really irked me was when Chris spoke to Matt in the studio, and then basically ushered him away with "See you in a bit" and pushed him out of the shot. Felt very awkward considering this is your co-presenter.

Everything about this episode was Chris Evans basically saying "Look how amazing I am" and the like, all the way through, and people just awkwardly smiling and humouring him.

Get rid of Chris Evans and it might actually be enjoyable.
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Ted : "Maybe he's agoraphobic."
Dougal : "Jack scared of fighting? I don't think so, Ted."

[Hong Kong Phooey]

Bring back Top Gear for bikes. Wasn't it called Two Wheels Good?
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'81 CG125, '97 FZS600 : '99 CBR600F4, '09 KTM RC8

[MarJay]

Extra gear was far more entertaining, the presenting team had far better chemistry and the features were more interesting. What's the betting that Harris and co get promoted to the main programme next series?
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British beauty: Triumph Street Triple R; Loony stroker: KR1S; Track fun: GSXR750 L1; Commuter Missile: GSX-S1000F
Remember kids, bikes aren't like lego. You can't easily take a part from one bike and then fit it to another.

[DrSnoosnoo]

Without reading the previous posts I will give you my opinion. This is the internet, isn't it? I deserve to tell strangers my opinion!

Chris Evan, trying to be Clarkson. Bad.
Le Blanc, just cool as a cucumber in the car bits, seemed a bit forced in the studio. Overall, good.

Needed more Sabine tanking those American cars, she could have shown how good that Dodge was much better than Gingevans.

Evans shouldn't treat the crowd like it's TFI Friday, weird.

In the tapes with Le Blanc and Evans together, I was ashamed to be British, he looks like an idiot sponge compared to LB who seems to be more composed.

I liked the van man driving past saying, "How you doin'?!"

Voted: Not Gash because it wasn't Gash.

Black tape over Evans mouth, allow LB to say, "Run VT" and show us stupid "challenges" - how was driving two shitty Reliants up a motorway a challenge?

7/10 will watch more.

Extra opinion for Extra Gear. What the fuck?! He got in a car with Sabine, I thought, "Yes, she's gonna nail it round the 'ring". No, down a country road, and he had the audacity to say, "Once I'd experienced the Porsche ..." WTF?! Also, they sent the Stig round the new track, which I like, and instead of us watching the Stig nail it, we got short snippy snips of inside the car, cutting back to the man telling us about what he's seeing, without us seeing it, and that's it, end.

4/10 - needs to be better.

OVERALL it's one hour of 7/10 and 25 minutes of 4/10, averaging that out, I'd say it achieved 6/10.

END OPINION
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I'm Sam; Northern, Ginger, Lover
Did have: '95 ZZR600 '83 CG125 '97 ZZR1100 '15 Hypermotard 821 SP Do Have: '10 ZX10R

[weasley]

My turn to repeat the obvious:

I have been a Top Gear fan for decades. The old old show, then the old 'new' one. I recognised and enjoyed it for what it was. I have subscribed to Top Gear magazine since almost the first issue.

I was hoping/fearing that they would reinvent it. Fearing that they could wreck it, but hoping the reinvention could be as revolutionary as the Clarkson/Hammond/Dawe one was (which got better still when May came along). I was looking forward to seeing what they could do with the format based on the new line-up of presenters.

And then, no more than 5 seconds in it was clear they were cutting/pasting the old format. It was not a new model, it was a facelift. And not a good one.

Chris Evans - I like him on Radio 2. I do not like him on Top Gear. He had no credibility, no clear passion for the subject. Clarkson et al, for all their faults, really, really knew their stuff. As mentioned above, the comment about "a bit of slippage" during the Star in a Rallycross Car really rankled with me - JC would've nailed that comment without thinking.

MLB I liked - some stuff was a bit forced but when he let his guard down he came across well.

I didn't like the stupid 'challenges'. Top Gun missile lock? Really? That was plainly choreographed and just plane stupid (DYSWIDT?). Paparazzi chasing with a bike/drone/paraglider? Dull, dull, dull.

It's like they tried to put ALL of the old series clichés into one episode. Bike jumping over car? Check. Contrived car chase? Check. Drive to the top of a mountain? Check. Car vs jet fighter? Check. "That's a wrap folks - we nailed it".

Only they forgot that character and passion carried the last incarnation. Not only the presenters but also Andy Wilman and the script writers. If you are at all interested in this, read "And On That Bombshell" by Richard Porter, former TG script editor and creator of Sniff Petrol. It's a very good exposé of the old 'new' TG programme from start to finish. From it you really get a sense of the genuine passion that the whole team had for the job, and ultimately the feeling of betrayal at the end when JC turned on one of the team. It's warts-and-all and he admits some stuff didn't work (he particularly singles out the India special).

This new... thing.... is like TG by numbers. It has the big-budget production values but no heart and soul. I will watch it though, as I am a petrolhead and it's got cars in it.

I actually think that the new Amazon thing will offer the format update this could have been. They have already been quoted as saying that they are less constrained than they were by the BBC (and they pushed the limits hard back then). Much as I don't like the idea of signing up to Amazon Prime just for 4 episodes, I probably will.
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Yamaha XJ600 | Yamaha YZF600R Thundercat | KTM 990 SMT | BMW F900XR TE

[Nexus Icon]

As Ray Peacock would say;

Three stars. Some funny bits.
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Greetings from Shitsville!

[Polarbear]

Am I the only one who didn't rate MLB then? OK, he was better than CE but watching my dog having a shit is better than watching him.

And CE beating the Kraut lady in whatever car he was driving Yeah, sure. Beating a woman who can do the Nurburgring in a transit faster than Clarkson in could in a Jaguar. In your dreams Mr. Evans.
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Triumph Trophy Launch Edition

[Pjay]

It's quite apparent that the BBC have little idea why people actually watched top gear.
It wasn't so much the extra curricular activities that were the draw, although some were great, it was the fun and banter that used to happen between the presenters. This is something that is formed over years, not just created. A case in point was how May and Hammond both quit the show, that shows in volumes what they think of each other.

Top Gear should now concentrate on getting the best out of the presenters themselves, especially Sabine, she could turn out to be a real asset with her driving skills. Having her review a few hot hatches would be good honest viewing that will interest the masses and keep them coming back. Having her chased around an airfield, playing car quasar, is in all honesty, pointless and boring. They need to re-assess what they are doing, as they can't just keep the same format as before, as the old format was 80% the personalities and 20% the cars/escapades.

So Top Gear, get back to test driving some cars, give us some car news and then grow into yourselves, you never know, it just might work, but rest assured, you keep it as it is, and you'll hemorrhage viewers over the next few months.

I'm saying this like the next few months of shows haven't been shot and edited...

The point is, you can't replace a tree with a seed and expect birds to nest in it.

[Sload]

Dint think it was too bad. I thought the genuine moments between the presenters worked well but the obvious forced cracks, especially the referenced to the prior team were cringe-worthy but they should reduce once it is out of the way and they settle.

Really disliked the revamped SIARPC section, I'm not interested in their first or present car and why have a pointless little competition.

My view, give it some time to see if they grow together.
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Honda Varadero >> Triumph Speed Four >> Honda CBR1100xx

[Ste]

The new Top Gear doesn't have any soul.

[c_dug]

I agree with much of the above. I wanted to turn off after 10 minutes but stuck it out to give it a chance.

Not sure it I'll bother next week.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[Alan1986]

I was listening to Radio 2 whilst traveling to work today,
Chris Evans seemed pleased with Top Gear and was saying thanks to people for tuning in,
Didn't say what the viewing figures were, I imagine they were high,
I also imagine they will drop quite alot for the next show,
I only switched it on out of interest to see what they would do different, which I reckon alot of the viewers of the first episode did, I am not too fussed about seeing it next week
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Cbt Done, Currently wobbling around on a Cbf125 and love it
DAS some time soon

[Scottishgauch...]