BBC Top Gear Thread 2021/2022

[davek_964]

I didn't intend to watch this. I really enjoyed the previous line-up (once Evans had gone), but hated the old TG - and the clips over the last few weeks made it look very much like it was going back to the original format : 3 blokes behaving as if they're on a stag do, and just happening to be in cars most of the time.

But I caught 5 mins of it on Sun night - just as Harris finished testing the McLaren / Ferrari and thought it looked OK. Watched the entire thing last night and was pleasantly surprised. Flintoff looked a bit awkward in the studio parts, but seemed OK when they were with the cars. Banter was a bit forced occasionally, but generally I enjoyed it - certainly enough that I plan to continue watching it.

Not brilliant, but definitely much much better than I expected.

[Bob Dong]

Watched it last night. Really enjoyed it.

[Bright Halo]

It was good Sunday evening entertainment.
Paddy and Fred did really well, Chris is great at the more in depth reviews.
The whole format is a bit tired now but it will be a challenge to change it.

[chrisironside]

Thought the first episode was good - smiled a good bit throughout.
It's probably not fair to expect them to be the polished article so early on, but think it was a good start.
Quite glad to see the back of RR, and think Paddy will be a good frontman.

The only negatives I would say are:
The last season or two seem to just be re-hashing old Top Gear episodes in an attempt to win back the audience. It would be nice to see something a bit different.
I worry Freddie Flintoff is going to get annoying. He's a bit like a mate who goes round punching people in the nuts and pulling peoples shorts down. Ok on a trip to Ibiza, gets a bit tiring when it's happening at funeral.

Can anyone tell me what the yellow car shown in look-ahead was?
Looked like a cross between a LaFerrari and a McLaren Senna, but think it's perhaps something a little more obscure.

[thegreenhell]

chrisironside said:

Can anyone tell me what the yellow car shown in look-ahead was?
Looked like a cross between a LaFerrari and a McLaren Senna, but think it's perhaps something a little more obscure.

There was a Dallara Stradale in there, but I can't remember what colour it was,

[Bob Dong]

Are you on about the Dallara?

[A.J.M]

Caught half of it on Sunday and rewatched it all last night.

I really enjoyed it, I had big concerns for the new line up but I really like Freddy in ALOTO, PM may need to tone it down just a touch but there was chemistry between them which is good to build on.

CH is for now, best at doing the in depth car stuff, he may need some polish for presenting but he knows his stuff and it’s a fine line to tread between going full car bore with knowledge and giving nothing.

I’ll watch the rest of the series with hope.

[SS2.]

We watched it last night. The pair of us really enjoyed it - it was much better than we'd expected.

Some laughs, stunning scenery, great camera work and the start of what appears to be some genuine chemistry between the trio.

Looking forward to next week, and that's something I've not said about TG for several years.

Edited by SS2. on Tuesday 18th June 09:25

[mikal83]

hairykrishna said:

I almost didn't bother with it. Paddy McGuiness and Freddy Flintoff? Really?

Turns out three people genuinely having a laugh actually makes for quite good TV though.

So its not scripted at all then, just all 100% "off the cuff". they dont go thru any scenarios at all, where they can make a joke etc??

[otolith]

Red 4 said:

Well, a quick google of Mr McGuiness says he's actually from Farnworth - so that puts him even closer still to Manchester.

I reckon he spent his youth smashed out of his tree at The Hacienda and has a huge stash of Happy Mondays, Stone Roses and Oasis CDs.

Lancashire my arse

I grew up about as far out as Farnworth on the opposite side of the city and always considered myself a Lancashire lad.

[Doofus]

One anachronistoc bigot on here says he doesn't like Northerners on his wireless, and the next thing we know, PH has turned into an "I'm Spartacus" competition.

[Johnspex]

mikal83 said:

hairykrishna said:

I almost didn't bother with it. Paddy McGuiness and Freddy Flintoff? Really?

Turns out three people genuinely having a laugh actually makes for quite good TV though.

So its not scripted at all then, just all 100% "off the cuff". they dont go thru any scenarios at all, where they can make a joke etc??

F



How good do you think they are as actors?
You have to be good to laugh convincingly and to show surprise at something you've seen 2 or 3 times before in previous takes. I'm not sure I explained that very well.
Basically, it's easier to get a bloke to look surprised if he really is surprised than it is to get a non-actor to do it.
The bit in the quarry which included the lines about there's a grenade on your roof and machine guns trained on you was so un-funny it couldn't possibly have been scripted. It was FF ( I think) trying and failing to stretch the joke. So, no, definitely not all scripted.

[Doofus]

mikal83 said:

So its not scripted at all then, just all 100% "off the cuff". they dont go thru any scenarios at all, where they can make a joke etc??

Why do people willfully refuse to understand that there's a difference between being told what to do and being told what to say?

[Mr-B]

chrisironside said:

Can anyone tell me what the yellow car shown in look-ahead was?
Looked like a cross between a LaFerrari and a McLaren Senna, but think it's perhaps something a little more obscure.

It's a LaFerrari I believe.

[Doofus]

Mr-B said:

chrisironside said:

Can anyone tell me what the yellow car shown in look-ahead was?
Looked like a cross between a LaFerrari and a McLaren Senna, but think it's perhaps something a little more obscure.

It's a LaFerrari I believe.

I thought it was a Dallara Stradale.

[DS240]

Pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed the first episode.

Having followed Harris throughout his motor journalism career, it is his persona on TG I can’t get used to though. His web based work was fantastic but I just can’t get the direction he’s been pushed in or decided to go.

FF is always a character, messing around on things like ‘league of their own’ on sky.

PM is shouty, but he has been since breaking through on ‘Phoenix Nights’. It was his name I least looked forward to when they announced this line up. But I think he was actually alright.

FF isn’t a studio presenter type but I think he will just be funny in a spontaneous way on the films.

So far so good I think.

The BBC keeping the TG format exactly the same since CHM has not helped anyone presenting who has followed after. A shake up would have helped the others bed in and not have direct comparison.

[mikal83]

Doofus said:

mikal83 said:

So its not scripted at all then, just all 100% "off the cuff". they dont go thru any scenarios at all, where they can make a joke etc??

Why do people willfully refuse to understand that there's a difference between being told what to do and being told what to say?

depends on what the script says I guess!

[Emeye]

Bit Meh for me - It felt too much like another rehash or some guys dicking around in cars, Last of the Summer Wine style, in another country - during the challenges, the cars seem to be the third consideration after "being funny" and the scenery. The culture of the country takes fourth place.

I learnt nothing about Ethiopia, apart from part of it looks great, or the cars - I guess that's the challenge of squeezing the journey into 45mins - they would be better making them 90mins specials and adding some substance.

I'll probably watch it again - but don't expect to leave satisfied.

[thegreenhell]

mikal83 said:

Doofus said:

mikal83 said:

So its not scripted at all then, just all 100% "off the cuff". they dont go thru any scenarios at all, where they can make a joke etc??

Why do people willfully refuse to understand that there's a difference between being told what to do and being told what to say?

depends on what the script says I guess!

The way some people go on about it, the show is either scripted right down to when the presenters can take a breath, or it is unscripted and therefore 100% ad libbed and filmed in a single take. There is no middle ground on the internet.

[V8covin]

The accents grate a little....and that's coming from a north midlander with a horrible whiney accent....had to rewind at 1 point to catch what Paddy said.
Some childish stuff,some boring stuff,some funny stuff... FF and his old escort quip got me laughing.
Not bad overall....looks like Paddy is running the show a la Clarkson