Fifth Gear

[mc_blue]

I prefer Wheeler Dealers anytime over this drivel.

[touching cloth]

It's interesting that budget thing; when Five initially nicked all the presenters and set up 5th Gear, I remember an interview with Quentin Wilson on the radio. He was so excited about the prospects and about what they could do because Five had no apparent problem throwing money at things, he said in comparison to the BBC they had so much freedom. Clearly a number of years down the line and with Five no longer being able to operate under some "loss leader" situation the tables have turned, the Beeb must also have reacted by significantly upping the budget as I am sure the shows under the current format cost many multiples more than they used to under the old - never underestimate the power of a Beeb scorned I guess

[dominicf]

I have a theory:-
The producers of 5th Gear got in as part of the audience in the last series of Top Gear.
At the end of shooting they nipped out the back of the Top Gear hanger and searched the skips for old scripts and found incomplete copies, hey the new 5th gear series, without quality or quantity!
On the presenters:-
1. Tiff round the next bend is an iceberg get off man this is the TITANIC of telly
2. Vicky stop talking about Tiff and start talking about cars
3. Tim I like soccer AM but you looked like you were attending your first lesson on a media course, rabbit in headlights! "TAXI FOR LOVEJOY!"
4. Tom have you already jumped as I read your article in 'TOP GEAR' on the XKR across America?
5. Jon, the gadget show finished at 8 are you on overtime or charity work?

On the show:-
Next week I will start my video recording at 8pm at 8.56pm stop, edit out long ads, edit out 'what's coming up, again', edit out rubbish dialogue between presenters, edit out rubbish items. I should be left with a couple of minutes of viewing before 'Spooks' starts at 9pm!
Get it sorted, you have a golden opportunity whilst TG is held off the air, I may have to start watching 'Dead Enders' <yikes>!

[minicity]

Rhodrich said:

Just thought you might like to know that the new presenter, Jonny Smith has just replied on another forum I subscribe to:

Jonny Smith said:

Back to Fifth Gear....

Hello guys. Interesting to hear your comments. Sounds to me like 5th Gear needs some alternative ideas if it is to satisfy you. Well, rather than slate it completely, it would be great to hear what sort of thing you would want to see on the show. Naturally it does not have the budget of Top Gear (about £150k per episode compared to channel 5's £30k) so they have to spend their cash wisely. There are some interesting things in the pipeline though....

If you have any ideas you want to throw my way, I can put them to the producer and directors of North One TV (who do 5th Gear). I don't get to come on this forum as much as I'd like so please email me direct on [e-mail].

I'm Jonny Smith, who presented my first bit on last week's show and used to work for FL4T and TOTAL VW magazine. That's where my career started, in VWs 9 years ago. Still got my '67 1500 bug and have owned a number of aircooleds, Golfs, yank tanks and other assorted shitters. I fully intend to bring some left-field features and motors onto 5th Gear so your opinions will be valued.

I bought a monkey bike off him a few years ago, and he's a good guy. I'm sure he'll appreciate any constructive emails....

My idea is that the presenters should get in cars, drive them around on the roads (not a track), then tell us what they think of them. A bit radical I know.

[Twincam16]

I knew this series was destined for disaster when Tim Lovejoy said 'now, I don't know much about cars'.

Mr. Lovejoy - I could do this job far, far better than you, and my TV appearences extend to winding up Anne Widdecombe on Question Time about five years ago.

They should get Quentin Willson back - He knows what he's talking about, is as entertaining as Clarkson when he wants to be and I don't think he's doing anything other than writing a couple of columns for Classic Cars each month these days.

If Willson was in charge, he wouldn't be crushing a Mk 2 Golf for fun like a chavvy schoolboy breaking a window, he'd be telling you how to buy a car like that as an everyday smoker so you could spend your real money on a second-hand supercar.

Fifth Gear the other night was just plain juvenile. I won't be in a rush to watch it next week.

[Kentish]

dave_sw1 said:

is there any chip fat left after he did his hair, who wants to grass him up for not paying duty on the fuel?

Uhhm and I don't think it's a simple as just pooring in some chip fat, as I understand you must have some other solvent base to mix with it, or you won't be going to far!

I wonder how many fools will just poor crisp & dry or beef dripping in their diesel tanks

Even my wife commented that the new 5th Gear is pretty dire and that was the first show in the series, let's hope it doesn't get any worse ....if that's possible.

[gaz1234]

Cafe is weird, but maybe good!? VBH is shit and gay jacket boy is even crapper! Get fat man and tiff actually reviewing cars!
waste of an hour!
was better last series.

[iluvmercs]

c2look said:

iluvmercs said:

Anyone think about e-mailing C5 with a link to this thread?

craploginname said:

Just e-mailed them.....

Dear Fifth Gear team.

You have a problem.

One of the most respected online forums for motoring enthusiasts currently has 3 threads discussing the content of the new show. Keep reading especially the posts that were written after the show had started.

this thread

another thread

and another thread

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but buck up

Andy

Sorted already

I emailed them something very similar, too! I also included links to the forums!
I haven't received any reply, beyond the auto-response email

Darren

[Polarbert]

iluvmercs said:

c2look said:

iluvmercs said:

Anyone think about e-mailing C5 with a link to this thread?

craploginname said:

Just e-mailed them.....

Dear Fifth Gear team.

You have a problem.

One of the most respected online forums for motoring enthusiasts currently has 3 threads discussing the content of the new show. Keep reading especially the posts that were written after the show had started.

this thread

another thread

and another thread

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but buck up

Andy

Sorted already

I emailed them something very similar, too! I also included links to the forums!
I haven't received any reply, beyond the auto-response email

Darren

Ditto.

The amount of people that have had to have sent those links they must have read them.

[disad-vantage-d]

Jonny Smith said:

Naturally it does not have the budget of Top Gear (about £150k per episode compared to channel 5's £30k) so they have to spend their cash wisely.

Let's just play devil's advocate on this one just to stimulate some healthy debate..........

Top Gear £150k each episode.... On what? A grand's worth of old caravans, to torch.
A few hundred quids worth of old cars to run into the ground.

The new cars surely aren't hired?!

Where does the other £140k+ of the budget go?!

P.S. Still thought Monday's effort was a waste of 30k!!

Edited to add: And that's before the revenue from the weekly competition!!

Edited by disad-vantage-d on Thursday 28th September 23:30

Edited by disad-vantage-d on Thursday 28th September 23:32

[weekarl]

I know, i could of mashed a show together with my camcorder strapped to the dash and come out with a better result than mondays efforts! To be fair though 150k probably doesnt go that far, never mind 30. I did work experience at fifth gear and its suprising the figures you hear. Helicopters are around 2k an hour to use and shoot with, tracks cost about a grand to hire, the insurance is taken into account which is gi-mongous, the cameramen are all freelance as are the people who edit the show and one song can range from £100-£500 because of the royalties. And in the case of TopGear Clarkson takes a massive wad of cash and blows it on a GT that doesnt even work!

[iluvmercs]

Well I got a reply from C5....(I have no idea where they got the name Nicola from! Last time I checked I was a male called Darren!)

C5 Response said said:

Dear Nicola



Thank you for your recent enquiry regarding Fifth Gear.

We were very sorry to read your comments regarding the first episode of the new series. The programme is now in its tenth series and it is always necessary to keep long running programmes fresh by re-vamping and evolving the content. We hope that you will stick with the new series.

Tim Lovejoy has joined the programme to give an ‘everyman’ view, as it is not just petrol-heads who watch the show.

We have logged your comments in the Viewer Enquiries Report, which is circulated throughout the company. Also, your complaint will be noted in the quarterly report to our regulator. Commercial television is regulated in the UK by Ofcom (the Office of Communications).

If there is anything further we can help you with, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Thank you for your interest in Five.

Yours sincerely

Philip

VIEWER ADVISOR

Darren

[Polarbert]

iluvmercs said:

Well I got a reply from C5....(I have no idea where they got the name Nicola from! Last time I checked I was a male called Darren!)

C5 Response said said:

Dear Nicola



Thank you for your recent enquiry regarding Fifth Gear.

We were very sorry to read your comments regarding the first episode of the new series. The programme is now in its tenth series and it is always necessary to keep long running programmes fresh by re-vamping and evolving the content. We hope that you will stick with the new series.

Tim Lovejoy has joined the programme to give an ‘everyman’ view, as it is not just petrol-heads who watch the show.

We have logged your comments in the Viewer Enquiries Report, which is circulated throughout the company. Also, your complaint will be noted in the quarterly report to our regulator. Commercial television is regulated in the UK by Ofcom (the Office of Communications).

If there is anything further we can help you with, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Thank you for your interest in Five.

Yours sincerely

Philip

VIEWER ADVISOR

Darren

I got exactly the same message in reply as well, and funnily enough from Philip. Can't rememeber who it was to though. Thought I posted it on here but can't find it.

[FortJefferson]

Channel 5 should replace 5th gear with the "Used Car Road Show" it's helpfull, informative and it's got Penny Mallory in it.

[pjskel]

Indeed. At least as a show, it's more interesting/informative/enjoyable to watch than the drivel put out last Monday posing as 5th Gear.
Maybe they confused themselves with another M&M show called 'All The Gear, No Idea', 'cause that's exactly what it may had well've been called.
If it continues in the same vein, I suggest we cast a poll to see if it should be renamed as Reverse Gear.

[simonrockman]

C5 Response said said:

Tim Lovejoy has joined the programme to give an &#8216;everyman&#8217; view, as it is not just petrol-heads who watch the show.

They should follow this with cooking programmes presented by people who can't cook and music programmes with people who can't sing, because "not everyone who watches is a professional chef or musician".

There was once a great article about such things in The Independent which said that things like this were like having a restaurant reviewed by someone who had never been to a restaurant before. You get comments like &#8220;they have potatoes there&#8221;.



Simon