If you watched new Top Gear was it any good, yes or no?
Poll: If you watched new Top Gear was it any good, yes or no?
Total Members Polled: 1113
Discussion
CAPP0 said:
MarshPhantom said:
Jon39 said:
MrsFallon said:
So the viewing figures are apparently out.
It debuted last night on 4.3 million.
What does that figure mean though?
Judging by the comments that I have read, I was not alone in switching off part way through.
If there were 4.3 million viewers when the programme started, how many were still watching at the end?
The 4.3 million will be based on "Reach" figures, which in practice means anyone from the reporting panel (members of the public who are monitored) who watched any 3-minute segment of the show. So, someone tunes in at 8pm, think's "this is dire" and tunes out again at 8.05pm, they're one of the 4.3 million. Which, judging by this thread, makes things a whole lot worse!
Lots and lots of other factors at play in measuring the viewing figures, but that's the gist of what the early-morning 4.3mil means.
What did the previous incarnation use to poll?
Jon39 said:
MrsFallon said:
So the viewing figures are apparently out.
It debuted last night on 4.3 million.
What does that figure mean though?
Judging by the comments that I have read, I was not alone in switching off part way through.
If there were 4.3 million viewers when the programme started, how many were still watching at the end?
It did bump up to about 4.7 million by the end of the show.
I think the celebrity rallycross was the worst part of the show, and hope they'll have better guests. I reckon the majority would rather either the BBC have put TG to bed, or bring Clarkson and co back and pretend the whole fracas never happened. Of course, we all know neither's gonna happen. By the looks of things, they've decided to play it safe and try and pick up where Clarkson and co left off, hence why everything felt wooden and blatantly scripted. Hopefully the show will adapt with the new presenters so that they fell more comfortable with filling such big boots and become more likeable.
Watching a new set of presenters did make me realise just how stale Clarkson and co had become. Seeing new faces made the show feel very fresh. Of course, it wasn't perfect. As I'm already a subscriber to Prime, I'll definitely be checking out Grand Tour, but my expectations will be lower than Top Gear, as I can already imagine what it's going to be like, only minus The Stig.
Just watched Extra Gear and thought Chris Harris was wasted. He's at his best where he can analyse a car in detail rather than in a 2-minute hoon. Let's hope he uses this as a springboard towards some more interesting full-length car documentaries.
As for the main show, it lacked witty storylines and seemed to be heavily aimed at the American audience. I'll probably end up watching again purely because there isn't much car related content on the TV at the moment.
As for the main show, it lacked witty storylines and seemed to be heavily aimed at the American audience. I'll probably end up watching again purely because there isn't much car related content on the TV at the moment.
I didn't watch it, but my son did, round a friend's.
He asked me if I'd seen it and I said no, because I can't stand Chris Evans but asked him what he thought.
He pulled a face and said, "It really wasn't very good". He then said, "You're right about Chris Evans. His ego is out of control".
So, from that I assume I'll be wise to ignore the re-runs on iPlayer.
He and all the family really enjoyed the previous TG, I think they should have just let it lie, but I guess it's too much of a BBC cash cow to just let it gather dust on a shelf...
What next? Andrew Davis or Russell T Davies makeover?
M.
He asked me if I'd seen it and I said no, because I can't stand Chris Evans but asked him what he thought.
He pulled a face and said, "It really wasn't very good". He then said, "You're right about Chris Evans. His ego is out of control".
So, from that I assume I'll be wise to ignore the re-runs on iPlayer.
He and all the family really enjoyed the previous TG, I think they should have just let it lie, but I guess it's too much of a BBC cash cow to just let it gather dust on a shelf...
What next? Andrew Davis or Russell T Davies makeover?
elhashbrown said:
Just watched Extra Gear and thought Chris Harris was wasted. He's at his best where he can analyse a car in detail rather than in a 2-minute hoon. Let's hope he uses this as a springboard towards some more interesting full-length car documentaries.
I suspected as much and said it in 'another place' - Harris isn't a quick 5-10 minutes piece to camera presenter, he's a stream of consciousness one and that doesn't work in the context of TG, whether you like his style or not. It'd need someone really on the ball to edit and direct him to produce something that'd fit into the TG format and I'm not surprised there's no-one like that there, to be honest, as they couldn't work with Evans...M.
Edited by marcosgt on Monday 30th May 15:37
Hated it. Kept wanting to know why? Why drive to Blackpool in Reliants? They didn't buy and modify them, they were just given then. What was the point?
Why did they not properly test the Viper or Corvette? Why play that pointless laser gun game? Why have any guests, let alone 2, and why talk and vote about their cars?
Why bother with a UK vs USA challenge without at least building up to it with some banter?
Why use THE WORST 2 PRESENTERS, when you have Sabine and Chris Harris on the team?
Old top gear was irritating at times, but it worked so much better than this.
Is 5th gear on at all these days?
I have now watched the Extra Gear and that is much better, Harris is a lot more watchable and good on him for calling out Chris Ramsey on his drug dealer X5. Fingers crossed for more of this please and much less scripted, contrived and stale tripe from Evans and LeBlanc.
Why did they not properly test the Viper or Corvette? Why play that pointless laser gun game? Why have any guests, let alone 2, and why talk and vote about their cars?
Why bother with a UK vs USA challenge without at least building up to it with some banter?
Why use THE WORST 2 PRESENTERS, when you have Sabine and Chris Harris on the team?
Old top gear was irritating at times, but it worked so much better than this.
Is 5th gear on at all these days?
I have now watched the Extra Gear and that is much better, Harris is a lot more watchable and good on him for calling out Chris Ramsey on his drug dealer X5. Fingers crossed for more of this please and much less scripted, contrived and stale tripe from Evans and LeBlanc.
Edited by MikeTFSI on Monday 30th May 15:46
I thought the 'Extra Gear' thing was the most interesting bit.
Youtube has totally changed how we received car news/information - EG is clearly trying to create a bridge between that and 'the main Top Gear show' and I think that's an interesting idea, tho it needs a lot of work.
Also - their claim to have 'scooped' the LaFerrari is an example of this, "the Internet" has had that information for at least 2-3 months!?
The main show has to get over the hurdle that Clarkson/Hammond/May had a fantastic rapport and were good presenters. Many people watched JUST for them (people who don't even like cars such as my other half and her friends) Evans/LeBlanc need to find a groove to make this work - it'll take a while but then it took 1 series for the last TG to even find James (who remembers Jason Dawe?)
Evans was clearly not comfortable doing the in-car review pieces - he sounded like he was doing a Hammond impersonation and they kept that short (frankly, that's what Harris should be doing anyway). In the studio, Evans just shouted a lot but on a positive note, at least it's not TGI Topgear (yet?)
LeBlanc was great on the video pieces - he's impossible not to like but in the studio he seemed like he'd wandered in by accident and was just going along with it (has he done live TV before - didn't look like it??)
Bottom line - I have a love-hate thing with Evans, when he's good he's VERY good but he can also just be pouty and shouty. We'll see where this goes but it's mostly 'Top Gear without CHM' and that's everything you think it will be.
Youtube has totally changed how we received car news/information - EG is clearly trying to create a bridge between that and 'the main Top Gear show' and I think that's an interesting idea, tho it needs a lot of work.
Also - their claim to have 'scooped' the LaFerrari is an example of this, "the Internet" has had that information for at least 2-3 months!?
The main show has to get over the hurdle that Clarkson/Hammond/May had a fantastic rapport and were good presenters. Many people watched JUST for them (people who don't even like cars such as my other half and her friends) Evans/LeBlanc need to find a groove to make this work - it'll take a while but then it took 1 series for the last TG to even find James (who remembers Jason Dawe?)
Evans was clearly not comfortable doing the in-car review pieces - he sounded like he was doing a Hammond impersonation and they kept that short (frankly, that's what Harris should be doing anyway). In the studio, Evans just shouted a lot but on a positive note, at least it's not TGI Topgear (yet?)
LeBlanc was great on the video pieces - he's impossible not to like but in the studio he seemed like he'd wandered in by accident and was just going along with it (has he done live TV before - didn't look like it??)
Bottom line - I have a love-hate thing with Evans, when he's good he's VERY good but he can also just be pouty and shouty. We'll see where this goes but it's mostly 'Top Gear without CHM' and that's everything you think it will be.
marcosgt said:
I didn't watch it, but my son did, round a friend's.
He asked me if I'd seen it and I said no, because I can't stand Chris Evans but asked him what he thought.
He pulled a face and said, "It really wasn't very good". He then said, "You're right about Chris Evans. His ego is out of control".
So, from that I assume I'll be wise to ignore the re-runs on iPlayer.
He and all the family really enjoyed the previous TG, I think they should have just let it lie, but I guess it's too much of a BBC cash cow to just let it gather dust on a shelf...
What next? Andrew Davis or Russell T Davies makeover?
M.
Agree that Evans really did not add anything to the tired format. Was pleasantly surprised by Mat Le Blank, but otherwise agree.He asked me if I'd seen it and I said no, because I can't stand Chris Evans but asked him what he thought.
He pulled a face and said, "It really wasn't very good". He then said, "You're right about Chris Evans. His ego is out of control".
So, from that I assume I'll be wise to ignore the re-runs on iPlayer.
He and all the family really enjoyed the previous TG, I think they should have just let it lie, but I guess it's too much of a BBC cash cow to just let it gather dust on a shelf...
What next? Andrew Davis or Russell T Davies makeover?
elhashbrown said:
Just watched Extra Gear and thought Chris Harris was wasted. He's at his best where he can analyse a car in detail rather than in a 2-minute hoon. Let's hope he uses this as a springboard towards some more interesting full-length car documentaries.
I suspected as much and said it in 'another place' - Harris isn't a quick 5-10 minutes piece to camera presenter, he's a stream of consciousness one and that doesn't work in the context of TG, whether you like his style or not. It'd need someone really on the ball to edit and direct him to produce something that'd fit into the TG format and I'm not surprised there's no-one like that there, to be honest, as they couldn't work with Evans...M.
Edited by marcosgt on Monday 30th May 15:37
On Facebook, it seems there are plenty who agree that it would be good to see more of Chris Harris. For that matter, I felt Sabine was woefully under-utilised.
MikeTFSI said:
Why use THE WORST 2 PRESENTERS, when you have Sabine and Chris Harris on the team?
4.4m people wouldn't have tuned-in to the Sabine and Monkey show.Sabine and Harris aren't "presenters" - Harris had more experience but in most of EG he's staring at the camera like a hypnotised chicken and Sabine just isn't going to front a massive TV show anytime ever.
Evans and LeBlanc are supposed to find the 'blokey rapport' here - if they can, it'll work and if not they'll be kicked-out and someone else brought in.
Simples
I get what you are saying, but Harris is far easier to watch present than watching Evans shout and ask the audience to vote about a car that some American never owned.
Sabine and Harris wouldn't be slick I accept, but I wouldn't mind that as they are knowledgeable and care about the subject matter. I do mind the dumbed down, shouty, boring and mostly pointless style that had been adopted.
Sabine and Harris wouldn't be slick I accept, but I wouldn't mind that as they are knowledgeable and care about the subject matter. I do mind the dumbed down, shouty, boring and mostly pointless style that had been adopted.
trouble is, petrol heads like us make up a minority of the audience, so they need experienced (in front of a TV camera) people to hopefully appeal to the masses.
Anyway perhaps we are all being too harsh. I seem to recall that May and Hammond took time to find their feet and indeed during that first TG series with Jason Dawe, the chemistry wasn't there. It only started once May replaced Dawe in Series 2...
There was bound to be a backlash and it does indeed feel wrong without Clarkson, May and Hammond in the studio doing the SIARC and other stuff, but as my wife pointed out, the producers probably had as much to do with this format as the presenters, so I guess you can understand why the BBC stick with it. Hopefully they will react quickly to the public backlash and make some fixes-quick!
Anyway perhaps we are all being too harsh. I seem to recall that May and Hammond took time to find their feet and indeed during that first TG series with Jason Dawe, the chemistry wasn't there. It only started once May replaced Dawe in Series 2...
There was bound to be a backlash and it does indeed feel wrong without Clarkson, May and Hammond in the studio doing the SIARC and other stuff, but as my wife pointed out, the producers probably had as much to do with this format as the presenters, so I guess you can understand why the BBC stick with it. Hopefully they will react quickly to the public backlash and make some fixes-quick!
what a crap poll, I'm not disappointed as I expect evans to suck balls, and the old trio are probably best off creating something new somewhere new.
we should have a poll for viewing no's next week - tosser said he wanted 5 and got 4.4 - that'll plummet is my guess - under a mill would be funny.
we should have a poll for viewing no's next week - tosser said he wanted 5 and got 4.4 - that'll plummet is my guess - under a mill would be funny.
greenarrow said:
Hopefully they will react quickly to the public backlash and make some fixes-quick!
It's OFI Sunday all over again....405dogvan said:
at least it's not TGI Topgear (yet?)
Quite.Next week's episode is already in the can and it features Chris Evans go-to celeb when he has run out of ideas - Sharleen Spiteri.
I can't stand Evans full stop, even more so after hearing him trying to mimic JC.
The Vette/Viper segment was contrived rubbish IMO. Could have been much better.
Reliants to Blackpool, also rubbish.
Matt Le Blanc came across as likeable and Evans it appeared, had to be number 1. Not!
What about the Asians sat on that Vauxhall. What's that all about?
So, in a word, garbage.
My missus, a keen petrolhead, went to bed as soon as the so called top gun went green.
The Vette/Viper segment was contrived rubbish IMO. Could have been much better.
Reliants to Blackpool, also rubbish.
Matt Le Blanc came across as likeable and Evans it appeared, had to be number 1. Not!
What about the Asians sat on that Vauxhall. What's that all about?
So, in a word, garbage.
My missus, a keen petrolhead, went to bed as soon as the so called top gun went green.
Weirdhead said:
I actually rather enjoyed it, Evans has room to improve but Leblanc was good, I thought he would be from previous stuff I've seen him do with dirt bikes
Feels like so many people are slagging it off because it's the opinion to have, watch it and make up your own mind, don't be afraid to say you enjoyed it
Well said!Feels like so many people are slagging it off because it's the opinion to have, watch it and make up your own mind, don't be afraid to say you enjoyed it
MikeTFSI said:
I get what you are saying, but Harris is far easier to watch present than watching Evans shout and ask the audience to vote about a car that some American never owned.
Sabine and Harris wouldn't be slick I accept, but I wouldn't mind that as they are knowledgeable and care about the subject matter. I do mind the dumbed down, shouty, boring and mostly pointless style that had been adopted.
Please..... no more SabineSabine and Harris wouldn't be slick I accept, but I wouldn't mind that as they are knowledgeable and care about the subject matter. I do mind the dumbed down, shouty, boring and mostly pointless style that had been adopted.
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