smudge 1020 Report post Posted May 29, 2016 Thoughts? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tareim 343 Report post Posted May 29, 2016 I really enjoyed it, as a brand new car show (please forget about comparing it to the old trio) it has some good qualities, the new Rallycross section for the celebrities could contain some rather entertaining action Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deacon 1357 Report post Posted May 30, 2016 It was dire. Difficult to believe Chris Evans has ever presented anything in his life. Matt LeBlanc was ok. Chris Evans just screeched and screemed a lot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lauren 2259 Report post Posted May 30, 2016 I was a little frustrated by Evans's shouty style. If he'd just spoken normally like Matt did it would have been fine. Not convinced of the content. I mean who cares about dicking around in shite cars like Reliants. Also the added bit with the landroves and jeep, didn't add anything. But then the old TG was stupid for this too. I thought the Ariel Nomad feature was alright with Matt showing some driving flair. The article on the American muscle cars was okay, though Chris struggling to use terms such as over and understeer, but it was okay. I really liked it that they have a rallycross track. I mean who wouldn't want to have a crack at rallycross eh? Also was good to see they have a rallycross car and not some boring car that nobody ever buys. That was an improvement I thought. I'll never understand though why they bother inviting on celebrities who have no interest in cars. What is the point of that? Gordon Ramsay was okay though and did pretty well on the new track. The other guy, Jesse something, useless driver, no real interest, why invite him? I watched Extra Gear afterwards and thought that was alright. But again why invite a guest with no interest in cars. Seriously just get rid of them and find some unlikely petrolheads out there to feature. I quite liked the Chris Harris bits, I did find Roly playing the part of the car idiot at times though, you know those people you meet who think they know about cars, but in reality know very little. Well I'm sure he's not like that, but he was almost set to play the opposing point of view to Chris Harris. The piece about Sabine was good enough. Overall, yes some way to go, with Evans needing to turn the volume down and stop thinking he's JC on TFI Friday, but I expect he will get there. Matt Le Blanc was alright I thought and I did quite enjoy the Extra Gear episode afterwards. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richardcarman 29 Report post Posted May 30, 2016 I'm hoping this was the bbc trying to not change too much early doors, I hope after a few shows they will settle down and do it there way. Chris and Matt are car nuts so just let them do it their way and things will improve. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Lauren reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rich196 103 Report post Posted May 30, 2016 wont be watching again. 1 Tom B reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lauren 2259 Report post Posted May 30, 2016 Some should go back and remember how bad Clarkson's TG was when it started in the early noughties. It took time to get better, I see much the same happening here. 1 Tareim reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Willtl 54 Report post Posted May 30, 2016 A pretty weak effort but hopefully things can improve. Surprised the format has remained almost identical. Top Gear needed a shake up, the humour was repetitive (vandalising May's car, registration plates with messages that Clarkson has to point out because clearly the audience is too stupid to notice for themselves, making plans and maps in the shape of male genitalia, etc etc) and the challenges and trips were based around 2 or 3 different themes. Top Gear had become very stale. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richardcarman 29 Report post Posted May 30, 2016 I'm hoping they slowly move away from the old. Chris and Matt are petrol heads, let them do it the way they want and I think it will be great Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Keethos 842 Report post Posted May 30, 2016 Pretty much what others have said, format was same and boring, Evans' voice was annoying especially when he's screaming, thought the rallycross was a nice change, not enough news/actual car info and the celebs bit was a bit weak. I usually don't mind the celeb bits when they actually talk a bit more, tell more stories etc but this week was a bit weak. The actual cars this week were pretty cool (Dodge, Corvette and Nomad....not the Reliant, Jeep or Land Rover) but I enjoyed the Extra Gear more than the actual show, a lot more informative and enjoyable. Will continue to watch for the cars but I do hope it improves....and I can't believe they put Harris on the back seat on the webisodes rather than on TV, let's hope that changes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeps 294 Report post Posted May 30, 2016 The star in a car section was DIRE, those two could have been audience members and it would have been more interesting. Two completely opposite guests and the questions thrown at them were on the right track to steer it towards cars but it was so painful to watch, as if Chris had never presented anything in his life. The first 2 minutes of the show was Chris getting the audience rattled, again completely pointless. Do that off camera and get on with the content. Just more content that Dave can cut out when it needs to shorten the program to fit it around adverts. The muscle car start had potential to be pure car porn but it got silly with guns. Ragging them around the track would have shown perfectly well how each car handled. The Nomad review was fantastic and really enjoyed that. Reliant section? had to force watch that as it looks like more filler for Dave to cut. I didn't even want to go near Extra Gear because it was hard enough sitting through an hour of that. 1 richardcarman reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rob275 1817 Report post Posted May 30, 2016 I never used to really watch it much anyway tbh so i'm not losing sleep over it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
surrey86 352 Report post Posted May 30, 2016 A lot of it felt a bit awkward, and I cringed at some rehashed jokes (i.e. crashing into the back of the reliant a couple times), but I think it'll improve with time. The first few episodes of the last Clarkson-format top gear were nowhere near as slick as they left it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MikeB 79 Report post Posted May 30, 2016 I have not watched 'extra gear' yet but think Chris Evans was trying to hard and needs to relax into it and make it his own! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark-in-Stoke 488 Report post Posted May 30, 2016 2 hours ago, Steeps said: The star in a car section was DIRE, those two could have been audience members and it would have been more interesting. The muscle car start had potential to be pure car porn but it got silly with guns. Ragging them around the track would have shown perfectly well how each car handled. The Nomad review was fantastic and really enjoyed that. Reliant section? had to force watch that as it looks like more filler for Dave to cut. I didn't even want to go near Extra Gear because it was hard enough sitting through an hour of that. Totally agree with the above Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeps 294 Report post Posted May 30, 2016 Wow... one night in and they've already cut sections. Tonight's re-run of last night's show had quite a chunk of the star in a car section CUT and not shown, making it even more pointless. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tareim 343 Report post Posted May 30, 2016 6 minutes ago, Steeps said: Wow... one night in and they've already cut sections. Tonight's re-run of last night's show had quite a chunk of the star in a car section CUT and not shown, making it even more pointless. if they've cut sections then they must've added others to make up the time slot? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeps 294 Report post Posted May 30, 2016 The iplayer runtime shows 1h3min, the broadcast today was 2mins short of a full hour. Probably explains the cuts and hopefully those subjected to the live viewing did not have the complete cringeworthy section of the guests introducing each other and pimping out each others projects. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
long-gone 152 Report post Posted May 31, 2016 Watched it on iplayer last night - pretty poor. The old TG had lost its way many years ago and had become a parody of itself; this was depressingly similar. Either make a new show or let this one die. 2 Ztox and adamj29 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paul 442 Report post Posted May 31, 2016 Chris Evans is just awful. 2 Rich and adamj29 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
S18 RSG 429 Report post Posted May 31, 2016 I never thought the new show would be a big success anyway, but I thought they took a big step in the right direction with Chris Harris and Sabine. Before the show, I thought they could have used Chris Harris and Sabine to do all road tests/track tests, Matt to do all the odd tests (like James May used to do, going out to America to test electric cars, China to test their cars etc.) and then just use Chris Evans to do the interviews and news etc. with the occasional driving piece. Having Chris Evans do all the presenting, 80% of the narration and all the interviews and news just shows that they were desperate to find a Clarkson replacement, rather than playing to the new lineups' strengths. Top Gear with Clarkson, May and Hammond was no longer a car show, but a car biassed entertainment show, which was a shame, but at least they got the entertainment bit down. This new one is neither a car show or an entertainment show based off this initial evidence. Let's hope things change. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nicebiscuit 655 Report post Posted May 31, 2016 I thought it was ok to be honest. Would like Chris Evans to stop shouting, but that's fairly unlikely really. Matt LeBlanc was very good. If they could persuade James May back it'd be ok. Needs to find its feet but it wasn't shit. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nerdstrike 186 Report post Posted June 1, 2016 I watched a bit of Extra Gear last night. It could be good with a bit more flow and banter. Harris' commentary is good, informed and lightly entertaining. With a proper counterpart he could be a great straight man, notwithstanding his skills at tossing cars around. I would rather watch an hour of Chris Harris on Cars, but I'll take what I can get. I have yet to see the main show. My expectations are low. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kurosagi01 41 Report post Posted June 1, 2016 Well i've finally decided to watch top gear on iplayer yesterday,i have to say it wasn't entirely bad i did like Matt lines and his driving scene. Although i know they're reading from a script and its scripted it just seem way too obvious from start to finish and Chris evans is trying way too hard to impersonate Clarkson. The rallycross is pretty cool and the new studio design is way better than old one.Overall i think i will give it a chance still.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lauren 2259 Report post Posted June 6, 2016 Watched last night's episode. I thought it was a significant improvement over last week. Jenson Button was brilliant and the road trip was an enjoyable watch and hugely helped by the lack of three clowns making it utterly contrived. I still don't understand inviting guests on to the show who have no interest in cars. To be fair to Evans, I liked his piece about the F1, not a bad thing to see a bit of emotion there too. His excitement came over and that is a good thing. Extra Gear was okay, though not helped by a lack of Chris Harris. It needs him. 1 Keethos reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites