Wasso Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I was never inspired by the selection of presenters, although watched the repeat last night. All new TG, erm no, it's TG with really dull presenters, I'm sorry MLB doesn't do it for me and felt like American TG. On all counts it felt dull, cringeworthy and failed to capture my attention. It felt more like a broken TG with some stand in presenters whilst the others are on holiday. The whole "what was your first car" section put me right off, screaming out like a child to the audience. Chris Evans will ruin what the BBC hoped would be a clean slate. I couldn't be bothered to sit down Sundaynght to watch it and wished I hadn't wasted 50 mins (missed the beginning of the repeat) of my life. This is not Top Gear, sorry BBC I'll be doing more interesting things on a Sunday evening, maybe I'll sweep the path at 8pm on a Sunday night. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veilside z Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Bet we will all secretly taking a peak... especially if it was Z related Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juggalo Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Still higher than the opening show of last series though. Not really, not in real terms. 350 million viewers world wide. Haters say what they will about the original TG, those numbers seal the argument. Chris Evans is more annoying than entertaining, and no where near as marketable IMO. The new TG is the new 5th Gear, nothing more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Given that at the time I posted the only place it had been shown was the UK, then in real terms it couldn't have been any more accurate! What are the viewing figures then for the openers of seasons 22 and 23 then worldwide, exactly? I've not seen them myself yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brillomaster Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 (edited) i still don't like Chris Evans. certainly didn't like the audience participation elements, those parts felt like i was watching a 90's childrens game show with a far too overenthusiastic presenter, any show that gets an audience to cheer to vote (on pointless competitions) is a no from me. actually quite liked MLB, during features. not so good when in the studio either. the challenges felt pretty much the same as old top gear, could have easily been Clarkson and Hammond in the viper and the vette, or in the reliants and 4x4s, and it would have probably been better. as it is, i think i now prefer US top gear to UK topgear. will still keep watching though, in the hopes that CE turns down the enthusiasm a notch or three. Edited May 31, 2016 by brillomaster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Bradders- Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 tbf, when they said the challenge was a drive to Blackpool. i watched it in about 5 mins, got bored when Joey (yes i know thats not his name but it is to me lol) started moaning about his car being broke and sat on the back of the recovery truck and i switched it off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Seriously, its the first episode! Go back and look at episode 1 of Clarkson/May/Hammond and see what that looked like compared to when they were finishing up last year. It was a no win situation, you have the fanboys who will not admit to liking it even if they did, if they changed it radically people would complain its not got the TG ethos. If they did nothing drastic then its a failure because they didn't change it enough. I think as a first episode, where they have to introduce the characters, manage a new style of running, different staff on the team both in front and behind the camera then it was a fair stab. Viper section was great, I actually prefer the dirt section on the star in a car bit, certainly makes it more interesting. On the negative side that section seemed to go on too long, and yes CE was way over the top but I would expect him to calm down - actually if you watch EG you will see him being interviewed by Rory and he was probably at bang on the level in terms of how to present himself on TV. Unfortunately people have been waiting months to say 'I told you so' and this episode wasn't utterly barnstorming, but it wasn't abject failure either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Bradders- Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 wtf is EG? lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nimz Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Extra Gear, the shorter after show with Chris Harris and Rory, who feel much more natural and suited to presenting actual Top Gear. Unfortunately since this is really an entertainment show, not a car show, the worse presenters with the bigger names front the main thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 wtf is EG? lol It's the groovy new internet thing for new Top Gear - http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p03w1dcs/top-gear-extra-gear-episode-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattross1313 Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Finally caught up with this last night after a busy weekend of chores. It wasn't as bad as social media made me believe it was going to be. I am pretty disappointed that the didn't mix up the format of the show - now was a prime time to try and do things differently. The whole thing with the Stig....'Some say he *whatever*' was starting to get a bit long in the tooth even when Clarkson did it. But it will take them time to get into the groove and become mates on screen, just like the other 3. Recording set and chairs etc was much of the same, with the exception of a new coffee table. Polished block with the glass resting on rods and pistons, and LEDs....old news had mine ages now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jetpilot Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 (edited) Seriously, its the first episode! Go back and look at episode 1 of Clarkson/May/Hammond and see what that looked like compared to when they were finishing up last year. It was a no win situation, you have the fanboys who will not admit to liking it even if they did, if they changed it radically people would complain its not got the TG ethos. If they did nothing drastic then its a failure because they didn't change it enough. I think as a first episode, where they have to introduce the characters, manage a new style of running, different staff on the team both in front and behind the camera then it was a fair stab. Viper section was great, I actually prefer the dirt section on the star in a car bit, certainly makes it more interesting. On the negative side that section seemed to go on too long, and yes CE was way over the top but I would expect him to calm down - actually if you watch EG you will see him being interviewed by Rory and he was probably at bang on the level in terms of how to present himself on TV. Unfortunately people have been waiting months to say 'I told you so' and this episode wasn't utterly barnstorming, but it wasn't abject failure either. Couldnt disagree more, they had months and months to make it a win situation and as in my other post, it was nothing like jc etc starting out on a first episode of a show dead in the water. The first episode was the chance to not give the doubters a chance, a chance to fill the big boots they knew they had to, sadly though, like many others, you will just want to believe the JC old guard wanted to hate it, maybe some did, but i genuinely switched on hoping for something far far better, it should have been the absolute best and biggest they could muster. Watch grand tour first episode and see what they roll out for that. I do believe they will take time to gel, but as others have said, mlb sat on a tow truck, hardly ground breaking and just went on and on, star in a car worse than before and that was saying something as even as a tg fanboi i thought had run its course. Edited May 31, 2016 by Jetpilot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I think the focus is just too much on CE. He didn't have a good day, most people acknowledge that, but anything wrong with seeing the Viper and Corvette tanking it around, a good section on the new Ariel. Yes the star section was a bit too long (but thought it was better done looking more in depth at previous cars) but I thought the track change worked (although appreciate this is polarising). We have yet to see the other presenters make their entrance to the TG part in any real measure. I also thought the humour was bang on in terms of content, jokes about catering issues etc were very TG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRF4N Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Just watched it on iplayer Meh... When they announced the lineup I thought Joey would've been a let down and I couldn't remember what Evans was like- didn't watch all of his previous shows He might come good but he's came across as over enthusiastic, snobby and camp. And agree with the hairdo lol- looks like a 4 year old with his hair combed after a bath. Joey was much better than I expected. A bit dull on voice overs but otherwise he was much more likeable I was hoping the features would've had a better mix of entertainment and petrol head enthusiasm. The nomad bit was good and the corvette bit was fine. But the reliant bit was depressing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Yes the blackpool reliant thing was rubbish, I can see what they were trying to do i.e. introduce the sarcastic american to britain in the worst car, it wasn't meant to be a big lets take 3 lambos to Italy type thing, it was an intro to the two presenters. But it didnt come off in quite the way it should have. Although MLB was funny during the whole thing with his whinging... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brillomaster Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 nothing particularly wrong with the vette/viper section or the Ariel Nomad section, apart from that they're no different to anything that would have happened on old top gear. and the drive to blackpool challenge was pretty dire - the economy race that old top gear did from basel to blackpool was really good, this one, hmmm, wasn't. and the 4x4s up a hill, well, that's just a rehash of the off road mobility scooters section, crossed with the landrover up a mountain section, nothing new there either. and the star in a reasonably priced car section was weird... surely if you're going to ask the audience to vote on the best car, check that both your guests have had interesting cars?!? id have thought CE could do a decent interview, but clarksons interviews were a hell of a lot better. the rallycross track could have been interesting, really needed some nice sweeping corners on gravel though for maximum driftyness, otherwise they might as well just stuck with the tarmac circuit and swapped the reasonably priced car for an M4, with TCS turned off. MLB was the best bit of the show for me, actually! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRF4N Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Yea I was the first to moan about how scripted the other 3 came across but these guys were worse at times. I can't remember May and Hammond's first episodes but I'm sure the new group will gel with time I thought Harris would've had a part in the first episode. Even though he can come across as boring I think he will appeal to me the most once he settles in Agree with the audience participation thing though. Funny feature with pics of orevious cars and hairdos but cheering to win is a bit yesteryear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRF4N Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Agree with all of that brillo Didn't mind the rallycross too much but the track seemed too short and boring? Better and longer track would work for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choptop Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Think Matt Le Blanc has potential. Just needs some bit of practice at presenting. Overall though hugely disappointed. They are trying to hard to replicate the Top Gear of old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 (edited) wtf is EG? lol It's the groovy new internet thing for new Top Gear - http://www.bbc.co.uk...-gear-episode-1 That is a whole lot better for me, as the 'new' TG 1 was a definite Edited May 31, 2016 by Ebized Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docwra Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I liked it, it was a decent hours entertainment. Bear in mind that TG has massive global syndication so they were never going to stray far from the format in the first show, as others have said it took old TG a couple of seasons to hit their stride so its not reasonable to expect this to be perfect out of the box. You also have to remember that they need to appeal to people uninterested in cars, I think this could be why petrolheads geta bit antsy about it all. Extra Gear was exactly what I hoped it would be - a little edgier and much more technical and I can see it becoming very popular 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modo Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 To me it was still a flop, and I can see it being pulled in the not so near future. Waste of fee payers money. They made a big mistake trying to emulate the old Top Gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TT350 Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I miss old, old top gear. Quentin Wilson and Tiff Needel and facts and figures. Random locations in England on a rainy day. I know to a huge proportion that appealed less. But I loved it. Was sort of like Wheeler Dealers without Mike Brewer. Just facts and figures and full breakdown. Just watching first episode of this new one. Not convinced so far. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docwra Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 To me it was still a flop, and I can see it being pulled in the not so near future. Waste of fee payers money. Its the most watched programme in the world mate, they reckon it made them £50m in 2014 ........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 I miss old, old top gear. Quentin Wilson and Tiff Needel and facts and figures. Random locations in England on a rainy day. I know to a huge proportion that appealed less. But I loved it. Was sort of like Wheeler Dealers without Mike Brewer. Just facts and figures and full breakdown. Just watching first episode of this new one. Not convinced so far. YES! Them were t'days. Quentin doing his version of James Bond by way of a classic car salesman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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