Matt LeBlanc announced as Top Gear co-presenter
Discussion
Oh Top Gear is dead, I tell you as the Luddites mourned the passing of what was an occasional hour long TV series on BBC2 which had run its course. Series 21 proved that. The specials were by far the best work they did and hopefully that format will continue on Amazonfleecethefans.
Looks like a great line up. Very glad to see Chris Harris getting the recognition and wider audience he deserves as the best motoring journo out there.
A wise move to add an American so it can bridge the pond. The others also likely to appeal to a broader section of society than Clarky and co and to be honest is there anything remotely wrong with that.
It is not as if WW3 has been anounced is it though from some of the comments on unsocial media the world has ended. The three OAP's are still available on pay TV. So win, win as far as I am concerned.
Looks like a great line up. Very glad to see Chris Harris getting the recognition and wider audience he deserves as the best motoring journo out there.
A wise move to add an American so it can bridge the pond. The others also likely to appeal to a broader section of society than Clarky and co and to be honest is there anything remotely wrong with that.
It is not as if WW3 has been anounced is it though from some of the comments on unsocial media the world has ended. The three OAP's are still available on pay TV. So win, win as far as I am concerned.
EdHall697 said:
I don't see Top Gear being the success that it was. I wouldn't be surprised if they only do a series and the show is axed. If I was Chris Harris I wouldn't have got involved, he does well with his YouTube channel, and he is in a different league to that of the celebrity presenters. People will vote with their remotes on this.
Harris will get one shot at the big time (more than many). I'm surprised he's nailed his colours to this mast.
suffolk009 said:
Harris will get one shot at the big time (more than many).
I'm surprised he's nailed his colours to this mast.
Quite. It's been disastrous for James May too. Apart from that wine program, the toy program, the next wine program, the next toy program, the car history programs...I'm surprised he's nailed his colours to this mast.
And Hammond. Don't talk to me there. He only got a couple of books, a talk show, some weather and watching animals disappear into the dark out of the whole shebang.
suffolk009 said:
Harris will get one shot at the big time (more than many).
I'm surprised he's nailed his colours to this mast.
It won't totally bomb, it just won't be the same show people are used to. Frankly anyone expecting Top Gear 3.0 to be Top Gear 2.0 when it doesn't have the three people that were Top Gear, more than the actual content or format of the show ever was, then they're being a bit silly really.I'm surprised he's nailed his colours to this mast.
This is a big step up for Harris professionally however you might feel about Top Gear old vs new.
It seems like you've written it off already, which is fine if a little close minded, it's perfectly ok not to like any car show that doesn't have Clarkson/Hammond/May at the helm, but objectively speaking Harris will do well out of this career move.
98elise said:
Seems way too many presenters to me. Its harder to gel with a big team, and the show might feel a but segmented if they are all doing different parts, especially if some of the presenters are not in all shows.
The idea appears for them to dip in and out of the show as the subjects require. Certain there will be three or so on each week and the rest on when the subject demands. That is what the carrot seemed to say. Durzel said:
It won't totally bomb, it just won't be the same show people are used to. Frankly anyone expecting Top Gear 3.0 to be Top Gear 2.0 when it doesn't have the three people that were Top Gear, more than the actual content or format of the show ever was, then they're being a bit silly really.
This is a big step up for Harris professionally however you might feel about Top Gear old vs new.
It seems like you've written it off already, which is fine if a little close minded, it's perfectly ok not to like any car show that doesn't have Clarkson/Hammond/May at the helm, but objectively speaking Harris will do well out of this career move.
I wish Harris, and the show, the best of luck.This is a big step up for Harris professionally however you might feel about Top Gear old vs new.
It seems like you've written it off already, which is fine if a little close minded, it's perfectly ok not to like any car show that doesn't have Clarkson/Hammond/May at the helm, but objectively speaking Harris will do well out of this career move.
I think they're actually being pretty clever, and as the new show beds in I suspect it will evolve in to something good.
The beeb/Chris Evans have been saying for months that presenter rapport is just something you can't simply create or magic up, and this is what the 'old' TG got right.
I suspect that one, or more probably two of the six presenters shall fall by the wayside within the first few series's, leaving 3-4 presenters who have a good dynamic. If these suspicions are correct they stand a better chance of general acceptance/success, than if they hit the ground running, flopped, had to sack presenters and start all over again in a few years time. I think the derision they'd then receive would probably become, sadly, the final nail in the coffin.
The beeb/Chris Evans have been saying for months that presenter rapport is just something you can't simply create or magic up, and this is what the 'old' TG got right.
I suspect that one, or more probably two of the six presenters shall fall by the wayside within the first few series's, leaving 3-4 presenters who have a good dynamic. If these suspicions are correct they stand a better chance of general acceptance/success, than if they hit the ground running, flopped, had to sack presenters and start all over again in a few years time. I think the derision they'd then receive would probably become, sadly, the final nail in the coffin.
Edited by Fermit The Krog on Thursday 11th February 13:46
Edited by Fermit The Krog on Thursday 11th February 13:47
smilo996 said:
Oh Top Gear is dead, I tell you as the Luddites mourned the passing of what was an occasional hour long TV series on BBC2 which had run its course. Series 21 proved that. The specials were by far the best work they did and hopefully that format will continue on Amazonfleecethefans.
Looks like a great line up. Very glad to see Chris Harris getting the recognition and wider audience he deserves as the best motoring journo out there.
A wise move to add an American so it can bridge the pond. The others also likely to appeal to a broader section of society than Clarky and co and to be honest is there anything remotely wrong with that.
It is not as if WW3 has been anounced is it though from some of the comments on unsocial media the world has ended. The three OAP's are still available on pay TV. So win, win as far as I am concerned.
What other sections of society is the new format going to appeal to? Its still a car show and it has followers young and old, male and female, and in a multitude of countries. It is the only car show I have ever heard women speak about positively. Its the only car show that non petrolheads enjoy.Looks like a great line up. Very glad to see Chris Harris getting the recognition and wider audience he deserves as the best motoring journo out there.
A wise move to add an American so it can bridge the pond. The others also likely to appeal to a broader section of society than Clarky and co and to be honest is there anything remotely wrong with that.
It is not as if WW3 has been anounced is it though from some of the comments on unsocial media the world has ended. The three OAP's are still available on pay TV. So win, win as far as I am concerned.
Its not WW3 as you say, however lots of people will turn off if it becomes just another car show (look what happened to Fifth Gear). Personally I can't see what they can do that's different in any way. On paper I should like Fifth Gear but I don't. I have nothing against the show and I like the presenters, but its just not interesting. I can see new Top Gear just going the same route. Fundamentally looking at cars on TV is not interesting. I've watched a few CH videos and he's clearly competent, but they are dull.
I also suspect that Amazon will not get anything like the numbers it thinks. A quick poll in our office shows 6 out of 8 watched old Top Gear regularly (we have a good mix of age/sex/nationality). 1 of us has Amazon prime, none of us are planning to buy it for the new JC/JM/RH show. 3 of us will give the new Top Gear a go, but none of us hold out much hope of it being any good.
I can see both shows failing in the ratings, their budgets getting slashed. They they will both just die off. I hope I'm wrong.
Smitters said:
suffolk009 said:
Harris will get one shot at the big time (more than many).
I'm surprised he's nailed his colours to this mast.
Quite. It's been disastrous for James May too. Apart from that wine program, the toy program, the next wine program, the next toy program, the car history programs...I'm surprised he's nailed his colours to this mast.
And Hammond. Don't talk to me there. He only got a couple of books, a talk show, some weather and watching animals disappear into the dark out of the whole shebang.
I suspect one reason for having this huge number of presenters is to avoid the problem old Top Gear had of it becoming about the three presenters.
It's quite possible the BBC wanted a big cast so they can swap and change a few people in and out as they want without it being a big deal.
As someone else suggested above, one or two of these presenters will drop off at the end of the first series. I'm sure they will. Each and every series, quite deliberately.
It's quite possible the BBC wanted a big cast so they can swap and change a few people in and out as they want without it being a big deal.
As someone else suggested above, one or two of these presenters will drop off at the end of the first series. I'm sure they will. Each and every series, quite deliberately.
suffolk009 said:
I suspect one reason for having this huge number of presenters is to avoid the problem old Top Gear had of it becoming about the three presenters.
That was a problem for the BBC, not the audience.There's the rub - the BBC have prioritised their procedural needs higher than audience appeal. That's starting off on the wrong foot. I'm betting that Evans and Jordan are involved purely because of contractual connections with the BBC, and the rest is just painting-by-numbers.
Ironic that Matt LeBlanc comes to TG after his previous major success that survived for so long and became a worldwide hit because of the popularity of the group of characters and actors playing them. They leveraged salaries simply by one of them threatening to leave, because the producers knew the show would fall apart without the six of them. They were the show.
That is exactly the trend the BBC thought they could buck by dispensing with Clarkson.
Portent of the future....
Edited by r11co on Thursday 11th February 13:01
98elise said:
I also suspect that Amazon will not get anything like the numbers it thinks. A quick poll in our office shows 6 out of 8 watched old Top Gear regularly (we have a good mix of age/sex/nationality). 1 of us has Amazon prime, none of us are planning to buy it for the new JC/JM/RH show. 3 of us will give the new Top Gear a go, but none of us hold out much hope of it being any good.
I guess they are gambling on the US, quite a few people I know out there have it. I personally prefer what James May is doing by himself than the old TG.yonex said:
98elise said:
I also suspect that Amazon will not get anything like the numbers it thinks. A quick poll in our office shows 6 out of 8 watched old Top Gear regularly (we have a good mix of age/sex/nationality). 1 of us has Amazon prime, none of us are planning to buy it for the new JC/JM/RH show. 3 of us will give the new Top Gear a go, but none of us hold out much hope of it being any good.
I guess they are gambling on the US, quite a few people I know out there have it. I personally prefer what James May is doing by himself than the old TG.I've been reading this thread for since it first appeared and as the original thread was updated with news of Eddie Jordan and now the full line up.
It's been amusing reading the musings of those who 'know' the thoughts of the BBC, the reasons why those have got the presented duties got them and how it's all going to be one big disaster.
I used to love Top Gear. The banter, the cars and the features all combined to make Sunday evening a time to look forward.
The last 3 series though became stale IMO, of course there was some interesting stuff but that seemed to be 10-15mins in and hour long show. Some I just felt were a total waste of time.
In November I saw Clarkson, Hammond and May at the O2 with my mate . We had very low expectations of the show and we weren't wrong. The whole thing was pretty flat. A real non event.
I'm glad that the new show isn't trying to be the same old Top Gear. That would be a mistake. I have an open mind and will wait and see what the all new 2016 Top Gear delivers. There is no real reason at this point to presume it will be bad. So there's a load of people who don't like Chris Evans. Plenty of people didn't like Clarkson either.
I look forward to seeing what the new guys bring to the table. If it's good, I'll watch it. If it's not. I won't but I'm not going to decide it will be rubbish before it's even hit our screens.
It's been amusing reading the musings of those who 'know' the thoughts of the BBC, the reasons why those have got the presented duties got them and how it's all going to be one big disaster.
I used to love Top Gear. The banter, the cars and the features all combined to make Sunday evening a time to look forward.
The last 3 series though became stale IMO, of course there was some interesting stuff but that seemed to be 10-15mins in and hour long show. Some I just felt were a total waste of time.
In November I saw Clarkson, Hammond and May at the O2 with my mate . We had very low expectations of the show and we weren't wrong. The whole thing was pretty flat. A real non event.
I'm glad that the new show isn't trying to be the same old Top Gear. That would be a mistake. I have an open mind and will wait and see what the all new 2016 Top Gear delivers. There is no real reason at this point to presume it will be bad. So there's a load of people who don't like Chris Evans. Plenty of people didn't like Clarkson either.
I look forward to seeing what the new guys bring to the table. If it's good, I'll watch it. If it's not. I won't but I'm not going to decide it will be rubbish before it's even hit our screens.
HighwayStar said:
Scuffers said:
I also suspect that when it's launched, Amazon will have a free month offer they will be pushing hard, so that everybody watches the first episode.
The Amazon free trial offer is always there! Gassing Station | TV, Film, Video Streaming & Radio | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff