Chris Harris must modernise and up his game

[Digga]

Zad said:

Digga said:

Don't hold your breath for aknowledgements to the "PH Massive" on the TG closing credits.

No, but ISTR that in the Bloodhound video that BBC used, he was wearing a PH t-shirt, so who knows!

Don't hold your breath. If I made it really big I'd delete my PH account too.

[dinkel]

otolith said:

Great CE movie - Gran Torino (2008)

[technodup]

Kitchski said:

the biggest motoring show on the planet?

Was.

I suspect as with many other reworkings of successful shows this will be fairly st. And given what the other three are doing, the budget they're doing it with and the backing they've got I'd guess Top Gear will soon be the second biggest motoring show.

So many people on here clearly don't get what TG was, light entertainment for a Sunday night before work starts again. The old old TG was for a different age, Fifth Gear have updated it but look how well that's done. Your average Joe doesn't want Chris Harris boring him to death about brake bias or suspension set up and if they go down that road I can't see it lasting more than a season or two. If you want that stuff youtube channels is where you should be.

The other issue with so many presenters is some will leave. Other commitments, more money, a fall out, whatever, then they're replacing them and there's no continuity. One of TG's strengths was the tightness and consistency of the three. Plus Eddie Jordan's a fanny.

[k-ink]

The advantage of having lots of presenters is if one or two do leave it wont rock the ship very much. CE will be the anchor and the continuity.

[dinkel]

technodup said:

So many people on here clearly don't get what TG was, light entertainment for a Sunday night before work starts again. The old old TG was for a different age, Fifth Gear have updated it but look how well that's done. Your average Joe doesn't want Chris Harris boring him to death about brake bias or suspension set up and if they go down that road I can't see it lasting more than a season or two.

I get your point. But isn't 60 minutes divided by 7 presenters = about 8 mins (max) of 'boring brake bias I prefer the manual sanitized, robotized automobile trivia' such a big deal?

[DonkeyApple]

k-ink said:

The advantage of having lots of presenters is if one or two do leave it wont rock the ship very much. CE will be the anchor and the continuity.

And you don't need to replace those that leave. You'll just naturally whittle down the diversity 7 to a normal number of presenters.

But I'm generally in the camp that all this kaffuffle is going to result in two big budget car shows so even if one or both are mediocre it is still robbing airtime from programs about cats or people who live with cats etc.

[technodup]

dinkel said:

I get your point. But isn't 60 minutes divided by 7 presenters = about 8 mins (max) of 'boring brake bias I prefer the manual sanitized, robotized automobile trivia' such a big deal?

Depends on how it's presented I suppose but it's clearly a very small minority who want the tech stuff. James May's programme is more informative and less slapstick but gets less than half the TG viewers. And he's riding off the back of 15 years on TG.

If they're still doing 20min features then it brings it down again, to the point I'd guess not all of them will feature in any one episode. I can't see many people switching to it because Harris or Evans is on it, but I can see a lot of people giving it a try and switching off because it's not like it used to be.

I think this is the beginning of the end for Top Gear.

And for me if that means ultimately Amazon the shopping website beats the illustrious BBC at their own game even better.

[rubystone]

DonkeyApple said:

And you don't need to replace those that leave. You'll just naturally whittle down the diversity 7 to a normal number of presenters.

But I'm generally in the camp that all this kaffuffle is going to result in two big budget car shows so even if one or both are mediocre it is still robbing airtime from programs about cats or people who live with cats etc.

I think you're right. Easier to prune 7 down to 4 than 3 to zero. I'd add reality shows and impenetrable contrived quiz shows to your list of airtime fillers that deserve to be robbed,

[RemyMartin]

Even though I will give it a chance. I do want it to fail purely because irrational hatred of Evans. Guys a , successful but when all is said and done still a .

[ClockworkCupcake]

technodup said:

So many people on here clearly don't get what TG was, light entertainment for a Sunday night before work starts again. The old old TG was for a different age, Fifth Gear have updated it but look how well that's done. Your average Joe doesn't want Chris Harris boring him to death about brake bias or suspension set up and if they go down that road I can't see it lasting more than a season or two. If you want that stuff youtube channels is where you should be.

Exactly so. We had a discussion about this at work and one colleague was extremely open about the fact that he and his wife have very little interest in cars but loved Top Gear. He asked who Chris Harris was, and when I said he was a respected motoring journalist and had a successful YouTube channel about cars, my colleague said that he probably wouldn't find that very interesting.

I don't judge him - we all like different things. But I thought it was a very interesting insight into why Clarkson's Top Gear was so successful.

[DoubleD]

There just isn't enough of us car bores to keep a normal motoring program going.

[dinkel]

technodup said:

dinkel said:

I get your point. But isn't 60 minutes divided by 7 presenters = about 8 mins (max) of 'boring brake bias I prefer the manual sanitized, robotized automobile trivia' such a big deal?

Depends on how it's presented I suppose but it's clearly a very small minority who want the tech stuff. James May's programme is more informative and less slapstick but gets less than half the TG viewers. And he's riding off the back of 15 years on TG.

If they're still doing 20min features then it brings it down again, to the point I'd guess not all of them will feature in any one episode. I can't see many people switching to it because Harris or Evans is on it, but I can see a lot of people giving it a try and switching off because it's not like it used to be.

I think this is the beginning of the end for Top Gear.

And for me if that means ultimately Amazon the shopping website beats the illustrious BBC at their own game even better.

My guess is BBC / TG understands that' 6 mins snacks' is the only format which will safe TG. Matt is a crowd pleaser. My GF shouted: How ya doing? Have you heard Matt from Friends will be on TG?

I rest my case... Happy Valentine :LOL:

[technodup]

Report in the DM that they're considering putting it on BBC1 if it's successful. The cynic in me wonders if that is an early pre-manoeuvre to prop up crap ratings by shifting it to a more popular channel.

Either way it would suggest that the geekathon PH is looking for is unlikely to materialise. I'd suggest it will be quite the opposite.

[Jim AK]

Well having listened to Le Blanc drone on with Evans on R2 this morning, I think I will be putting the kettle on during his links or watching some paint dry.

(Le) Blank does not begin to cover it!!

I think Chris Harris, whatever he does, will be perfectly fine.

[e21Mark]

So the general consensus appears to be that some folk like all the presenters, some folk like some of the presenters and a few don't like any of them. Added to which some will watch it, some won't watch it, some will watch it and pretend they don't. Other than that, some do want car content, whilst others want dicking about.

Top Gear is back!!

[Monkeylegend]

e21Mark said:

So the general consensus appears to be that some folk like all the presenters, some folk like some of the presenters and a few don't like any of them. Added to which some will watch it, some won't watch it, some will watch it and pretend they don't. Other than that, some do want car content, whilst others want dicking about.

Top Gear is back!!

and on that bombshell....................

[ClockworkCupcake]

Monkeylegend said:

e21Mark said:

So the general consensus appears to be that some folk like all the presenters, some folk like some of the presenters and a few don't like any of them. Added to which some will watch it, some won't watch it, some will watch it and pretend they don't. Other than that, some do want car content, whilst others want dicking about.

Top Gear is back!!

and on that bombshell....................

[Monkeylegend]

Whatever you might think about Clarkson, May and Hammond, I don't think there is anybody better at driving and talking to the camera. I think the new team will struggle to get anywhere near their professionalism or entertainment value when it comes to reviewing cars.

and on thaaaaaaaaaaaaat bombshell.............

[e21Mark]

Monkeylegend said:

Whatever you might think about Clarkson, May and Hammond, I don't think there is anybody better at driving and talking to the camera. I think the new team will struggle to get anywhere near their professionalism or entertainment value when it comes to reviewing cars.

and on thaaaaaaaaaaaaat bombshell.............

I went out with Tiff Needell and he couldn't help himself but fall into 'presenter mode'. Thoroughly nice chap too.

[DoubleD]

e21Mark said:

I went out with Tiff Needell and he couldn't help himself but fall into 'presenter mode'. Thoroughly nice chap too.

I didn't realise that he was gay.