BBC Top Gear Thread 2021/2022

[droopsnoot]

I missed most (but not quite enough) of the Ignis / Panda section, but the rest wasn't bad. That bridge in Norway was pretty impressive-looking.

[p1stonhead]

Tyre Smoke said:

Harris is trying to be an angry May, Le Blanc a refined Clarkson and Rory is trying to Hammond without the ability or knowledge.

Can't really agree with anyone who says the presenters have their own personality, they are trying too hard to be CHM replacements and the format is frighteningly similar to Grand Tour now.

The other way round surely? Top Gear started the format.

I dont recall the format being anything other than what Top Gear currently is?

[Tyre Smoke]

p1stonhead said:

Tyre Smoke said:

Harris is trying to be an angry May, Le Blanc a refined Clarkson and Rory is trying to Hammond without the ability or knowledge.

Can't really agree with anyone who says the presenters have their own personality, they are trying too hard to be CHM replacements and the format is frighteningly similar to Grand Tour now.

The other way round surely? Top Gear started the format.

I dont recall the format being anything other than what Top Gear currently is?

Obviously TG began the format, but I felt last night's episode was trying too hard to be CHM, with Harris spouting all the geeky stuff and Le Blanc just revving the Ferrari in response. I feel TG is trying to be TG with CHM but without CHM.

[p1stonhead]

Tyre Smoke said:

p1stonhead said:

Tyre Smoke said:

Harris is trying to be an angry May, Le Blanc a refined Clarkson and Rory is trying to Hammond without the ability or knowledge.

Can't really agree with anyone who says the presenters have their own personality, they are trying too hard to be CHM replacements and the format is frighteningly similar to Grand Tour now.

The other way round surely? Top Gear started the format.

I dont recall the format being anything other than what Top Gear currently is?

Obviously TG began the format, but I felt last night's episode was trying too hard to be CHM, with Harris spouting all the geeky stuff and Le Blanc just revving the Ferrari in response. I feel TG is trying to be TG with CHM but without CHM.

Oh right sorry, Yeah you are probably right.

[FiF]

Sorry, Sabine, FFS.

That is all.

[V8covin]

FiF said:

Sorry, Sabine, FFS.

That is all.

She is effing annoying isn't she.
I turned off halfway through her bit

[LeighW]

I thought it was pretty good overall, a real shame MLB has left IMO. I was at the filming of this episode, there was a lovely shot of the back of my bald head at one point.

The guest though, James Marsden (we had to google him after filming as we'd never heard of him), by god was he dull. The actual interview went on for what seemed like forever, I think they did well to find a few minutes of vaguely interesting footage to show of it to be honest. They also filmed another SIARPC on that day, Matt 'fking' Baker from the one show, no less. That's one to look forward to...

[davek_964]

I enjoyed it - as some others have said, I think Matt LeBlanc will be a real loss.

jonwm said:

I didn't enjoy it as much as other series. I've never been a fan of trashing new cars just for fun but get why the companies let them do it, prime time advertising for the cost of a car win win.

I wonder how happy they are. A long time ago (~20 years) I used to know somebody who worked for a sports car manufacturer. They absolutely hated giving their cars to Top Gear, because they would inevitably come back massively damaged (even if they only did "normal" stuff with them).

[anonymous-user]

The Surveyor said:

Spumfry said:

CastroSays said:

When the presenters of a TV Show are having more fun than the viewers, something has gone far wrong.

Hit the nail on the head there (and this applies to The Grand Tour just as much).

Eh?

The whole point of these shows is to offer a little escapism, the presenters should be having an impossible amount of fun doing all the things we would love to get a chance of doing. Getting paid to prat about with cars in stunning locations with your mates compared to our dreary 9 - 5, and you think its bad because they're having more fun than you sat on the sofa trying to work out if it was your dog or misses that guffed….

Well, you well and truly missed the point of the comment, didn't you?

[Clockwork Cupcake]

davek_964 said:

I wonder how happy they are. A long time ago (~20 years) I used to know somebody who worked for a sports car manufacturer. They absolutely hated giving their cars to Top Gear, because they would inevitably come back massively damaged (even if they only did "normal" stuff with them).

Indeed.

There was a poster here who lent his car to TG and complained that they returned it with shagged tyres, shagged brakes, and a worn out clutch. And wouldn't reimburse him for it.

[jonwm]

jonwm said:

I didn't enjoy it as much as other series. I've never been a fan of trashing new cars just for fun but get why the companies let them do it, prime time advertising for the cost of a car win win.

I wonder how happy they are. A long time ago (~20 years) I used to know somebody who worked for a sports car manufacturer. They absolutely hated giving their cars to Top Gear, because they would inevitably come back massively damaged (even if they only did "normal" stuff with them).

I recall back in the early 00's i worked for TNT and visited a Suburu parts and logistics centre in the west Midlands, it had 2 bays in the parts warehouse with lifts, when I inquired what they were for they said the press cars come back there for work after being out on things like top gear, they always got new brakes & tyres, I vaguely recall he said even back then they hated having them back from Clarkson.

[irocfan]

E65Ross said:

I'd suggest you watch the piece they did on Jim Clark, something every bit as good as any TG ever, and better than anything the new low have done. Senna review was good, some good bits on the American car episode (all in the latest series) - anyway, we digress...wrong thread

indeed - I was surprised at Hammond on this one as it was him that presented that segment.



WRT to Top Gear being like TGT - actually that is correct as CHM simply transferred their TG persona across. Yes it was TG - but it was their scripted TG so 'the LeBlanc era' is simply aping Clarkson

[PositronicRay]

p1stonhead said:

Tyre Smoke said:

p1stonhead said:

Tyre Smoke said:

Harris is trying to be an angry May, Le Blanc a refined Clarkson and Rory is trying to Hammond without the ability or knowledge.

Can't really agree with anyone who says the presenters have their own personality, they are trying too hard to be CHM replacements and the format is frighteningly similar to Grand Tour now.

The other way round surely? Top Gear started the format.

I dont recall the format being anything other than what Top Gear currently is?

Obviously TG began the format, but I felt last night's episode was trying too hard to be CHM, with Harris spouting all the geeky stuff and Le Blanc just revving the Ferrari in response. I feel TG is trying to be TG with CHM but without CHM.

Oh right sorry, Yeah you are probably right.

The old top gear was very very different, Clarkson invented the current format, works with his team. BBC should have taken the opportunity to take a different direction.

I watch and enjoy but blimey both TG and GT are hackneyed old things.

[vxr8mate]

I found myself chuckling at various points through GT, but on my phone while watching TG. Says it all for me.

[rastapasta]

I turned on, saw the segment on the estate start, saw what they rocked up in, thought to myself 'Harris sits closer to the steering than my mother...' then rewinded back to the show about the new underground line in London and yer wan crying after getting out of the train simulator and the lads trying to fit the fan in under the station - Fascinating stuff -That is a good show.


Top gear is old fanny now.

[DonkeyApple]

Smiljan said:

I'm still confused over exactly what folks want from Top Gear. I enjoyed it and am glad it's still going.

They want to see two Northern, self made, salt of the earth types ganging up and taking the micky out of a Southern public school boy. It’s one of the tried and tested BBC formulas that has a very high success rate. It also contains the other tried and tested formula of geezer v nerd. I actually think that Paddy and Flintoff v Harris has the potential to be entertaining.

[SPD14]

I was looking forward to TG, but ended-up recording it so I could skip through the dull bits - which was most of it unfortunately.

I love Harris when he's on YouTube, but the whole 'boffin' persona last night was cringe worthy and waaaay too scripted.

MLB still looks like he's reading off autocue, and as decent a chap as he appears to be, I just can't warm to him on TG.

As for Rory, I don't really have a view on him. I guess he's just a bit middle-of-the-road.

Without CHM, TG just hasn't worked and probably never will. God knows what it'll be like with Paddy and Freddie, I dread to think!

I've actually really enjoyed the latest TGT series. Pretty funny (in patches), fantastic cinematography as usual and no nonsense filler-type sections apart from 'Conversation Street', which is only just bearable.

[Davey S2]

SPD14 said:

I was looking forward to TG, but ended-up recording it so I could skip through the dull bits - which was most of it unfortunately.

I love Harris when he's on YouTube, but the whole 'boffin' persona last night was cringe worthy and waaaay too scripted.

MLB still looks like he's reading off autocue, and as decent a chap as he appears to be, I just can't warm to him on TG.

As for Rory, I don't really have a view on him. I guess he's just a bit middle-of-the-road.

Without CHM, TG just hasn't worked and probably never will. God knows what it'll be like with Paddy and Freddie, I dread to think!

I've actually really enjoyed the latest TGT series. Pretty funny (in patches), fantastic cinematography as usual and no nonsense filler-type sections apart from 'Conversation Street', which is only just bearable.

Agree with all of that.

I think the BBC are now just trying too hard with TG. Just tone it down a bit, let the presenters be themselves more rather than over scripted rubbish and trying to think up daft challenges and tasks and just review the cars with some good banter thrown in.

Its got a bit like the James Bond Franchise now with big announcements about presenters despite the fact we probably wont see them until next year.

As for the cars I'd have to go for the Porsche. Ferrari is mega money, its value will plummet faster than one of those base jumpers and just not that practical.

[BigMacDaddy]

Last nights episode felt like a step backwards for me; I really enjoyed the last series, the presenters finally seemed to have gelled with each other and the various sketches/challenges were good fun to watch.
In contrast, the Porsche/Ferrari piece was pretty dull (with the odd chuckle granted) and the Ignis/Panda segment was woeful. SIARFC also pretty tedious, and I say that as someone who's enjoyed that segment more than others in here apparently!

Hopefully not a sign of things to come......

[p1stonhead]

BigMacDaddy said:

Last nights episode felt like a step backwards for me; I really enjoyed the last series, the presenters finally seemed to have gelled with each other and the various sketches/challenges were good fun to watch.
In contrast, the Porsche/Ferrari piece was pretty dull (with the odd chuckle granted) and the Ignis/Panda segment was woeful. SIARFC also pretty tedious, and I say that as someone who's enjoyed that segment more than others in here apparently!

Hopefully not a sign of things to come......

Apparently Norway bit was filmed a while ago (hence 66 plates) so perhaps one of the older more stagnant films they have done anyway. It maybe came before they were more natural so isnt a step back. Hopefully.