Reply With QuoteI forced myself to watch a whole episode last night. It was like watching a Children In Need spoof, and I was expecting Peter Kay to pop up and start singing. Evans sounded like he was doing voice-overs for You've Been Framed.
Fast forwarded most if the show this week. Wasn't because of any of the presenters it was because it had slipped into the same old boring crap that it used to be.
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I forced myself to watch a whole episode last night. It was like watching a Children In Need spoof, and I was expecting Peter Kay to pop up and start singing. Evans sounded like he was doing voice-overs for You've Been Framed.
I didn't know this existed. Thank you.Originally Posted by TheFlyingBanana
I watched all 4 episodes last night. Much much better than the main show. I prefer how it is the 2 presenters who actually know how to review cars. And review them well.
That's how series work. They improve with every episode. Show the best episode first and then go downhill through the the rest of the series is TV suicide. They filmed the complete series (apart from live audience sets) before the first show was broadcast so it could edited to show a continued improvement through the complete series. ... . The old Top Gear series would still be filming later shows in the series as the first shows in the series were being broadcast.
I have not seen Extra TG yet! Where can I find it?
It's on BBC3, which is now on-line only via the BBC iPlayer
If that's the case I don't get it. They knew there would be a huge audience for the first show, so surely you start with your strongest offering, create a halo effect and then try to hang on to the audience for the series. Suicide to me is grabbing a big audience by creating a buzz and then disappointing them to the extent that they either don't come back or have a negative view going forward. What's the thinking behind starting with somnething weak in these circumstances?
I can not get iPlayer here... Something with 'not broadcasting this in your country - only in the UK' Mmmmmm
Menno
proxy my friend proxy, try using HOLA plug in for your browser,
details can be had here, https://hola.org/
I use it with crhome browser and it works a treat, google videos on youtube on how to configure f you have any issues
Second on the Hola solution. You may need to give it a couple of attempts to hit an IP address that isn't blacklisted , just tell it no when it asks you if it worked and it should shuffle to a new ip address.
Be slightly careful using Hola as its supposed to have security issues , however I only use it with chrome for accessing iplayer , rest of the time I use firefox.
Really liked the Vulcan and Tesla segments - almost reckon they could make the show work just fine with just Matt Le-Blanc, Chris Harris and Rory Reid. They don't need the rest of them.
Don't think they need Rory Reid, seems to be playing some kind of constantly smiling idiotic stooge role, the old series didn't start too well with the 'new' format as I recall, seemed like they were all a bit nervous and it didn't flow very well, they they got into the routine of it and it started to work.
Chris Evans seems to be trying too hard to please, clearly under pressure to make it work and it shows, this isn't TFI Chris.....
I'm not doing too well.
First episode i watched on iplayer. I managed to get to just about the end of the starts in an over priced shopping car bit and decided i'd had enough.
Second episode the memory of the first was still fresh and after reading the summary of the show i just felt no motivation to put myself through it.
Third episode the horror had faded, so following some good reports on the internet I ventured onto iplayer to give it another shot. It was actually pretty good. A distinct lack of CE was a bonus. His R8 piece was probably the worst location/review on the show and probably cost the most to film. Harris Ferrari section was the hero of the show, Reid was ok in the RS and MLBs expert comedic timing as an actor and deadpan delivery made the Ken Block section. I think MLB doesn't quite have it as a presenter yet, it's like he's finding his own style after being told to act like the previous trio. If anyone has watched episodes they will know what I mean. Although he's acting in that it's clear he's playing an exaggerated version of himself. I found myself fast forwarding through the whole star in some car thing again. It seems the only part of the show Evans is there for and it's definitely the worst part and far, far too long.
Fourth episode i find that again i have no real interest in any of the features and therefor no real compulsion to watch.
This is a bizarre thing for me. I used to watch the old show no matter what and only on a few occasions did i turn off. Even when I knew the features were going to be of no interest I just found the presenters watchable (for the most part). The humour may have been predictable and scripted but there were always genuine gaffs mixed in. With the new show i just don't get the feeling i'll be entertained if the cars on the show that week aren't of interest to me.
That sums it up. I can't imagine we'll see too many repeats of new Top Gear on "Dave". It just doesn't draw you in.
I agree, Chris Harris and Rory are the two best presenters IMO, their segments work really well. The 2nd roadtrip just looks forced and same old ideas
I wonder if the huge cast was like a series-long audition? Find out who's actually good at the job. And the next series: just those three/four.
Chris Evans suffers from a high, strained voice that is simply unpleasant to listen to, and his wacky personality is just as irritating as I predicted it would be when he was first suggested. MLB has some kind of star power and a place in our hearts due to Friends, but in the end it was Chandler & Rachel who carried that show while Joey was just the butt of the jokes, and his slow drawl has me wishing he could get to the punch line just a little bit quicker. As a team you can see them fishing for a way to play off each other and coming up with nothing, Captain Irritating vs Captain Dim doesn't seem to make a double act.
The race to Venice was a dull rehash of past glories, and a format that had frankly started to look played out even under Clarkson and Co. And worse still, they forgot to say anything about the cars.
Meanwhile the Tesla and Vulcan pieces were beautifully filmed and had perfectly competent and likable presenters. But in the end it's now at its best being simply a show about cars, rather than being about men who like cars. Servicable as far as it goes, but not the programme that transcended its genre and had even my mum watching.
This could get interesting.
http://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/ce...-a3281071.html
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Matt FTW.
Sent from the helm of NCC1701-D using LCARS.
"Bite my shiny metal ass."
- Bender Bending Rodríguez
Presumably they've filmed the final episode now.
I'd like to see Evans garotted by The Stig. Sadly that isn't going to happen, but I'd still get great pleasure from him being sacked.
Last edited by bonzo697; 26th June 2016 at 19:31.
Evans isn't great
The Vulcan piece was perhaps one of the best Car reviews I have ever seen since on Top gear.
Chris Harris is the man!
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
So glad Top Gear is now watchable ( not watched for many years) - Not a huge fan of Evans and co but my word they are better than that trio of self involved bell ends that used to be on.
I really like MLB. I wanted it to work for Evans but it's not happening. I'll stick with Reid, Monkey and MLB, and add Rachel Riley and one or two more. Bill Bailey perhaps.
"A man of little significance"
Someone kill Evans..................please
It's OK - nothing more. IMHO.
The presenters just haven't developed their personas yet as we had with the last lot.
They had the Buffoon, the nerd, the naughty school boy roles and played them to good effect.
We don't have that with the new team... & Sabine can drive, but she's irritating.
On watch related matters. Was MLB sporting a hulk on last nights show ?
z
Last edited by zelig; 27th June 2016 at 07:48.
Cannot see it surviving down mainly to Evans. Saw the article about MLB leaving and as with most on here actually think he is okay. But lets be honest,Evans is the BBC boy so they have to get value for the big wage.
Is it me or is Monkey starting to sound like Rik from the Young Ones?
"A man of little significance"
What utter rotgut the show has become. Just doesn't entertain me. Waiting for the three idiots to be back on air.
He seemed to be trying a bit too hard last night.
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Hi Chris!
On the topic of the Standard headline "MLB to quit unless Evans is fired" - I notice the source was that unimpeachable torch carrier for truth "A source told the Sun"... Sounds like shit stirring to me, the knives are out EVERYWHERE for Evans now...
M.
Last edited by snowman; 27th June 2016 at 09:52.
The Rolls' roadtrip was quite good simply because the scenery was wonderful and the cars great. I'd have the old one, given a choice.
Have to agree with you on that one.
Read the MLB threat to quit articles. Not the first time there have been reports of Evans being a bell end to production staff on shows. If it came to it the BBC would be mad to pick Evans over MLB but if I'm honest both going wouldn't be the end of the world.
In other news. I watched 3 episodes of extra gear.... back to back as enjoyed it so much. Reid and Harris properly know cars and can properly drive. Their love for cars just comes across. I've also found their guests far more interesting. They all knew at least a bit about cars and it was modest unlike old ball bag face Ramsay going on about his squilion quid Ferrari just because he can. More of extra gear please.
Dumbass question but not being a TV production bod or anything....
But a mate went to one of the early TG ... So I know the studio was filmed every week with the different articles linked up by the pre made films.....
So.... (Haven't seen the 2nd one caveat) but then why is Evans wearing the same crap gear of skinny jeans tucked into sort of goth boots...a black / grey jumper and a very yellow (Rossi shade bright) t shirt.....
A) it looks dire ..skinny jeans are for teens and 20 somethings....and yellow plus thinning copper hair is not a great look when you are presenting a globally popular programme.... It must confirm foreigners stereotype view we can't dress properly here
B) I don't get why with a fat budget and his bank balance he can't change it each programme...
Minor point but it's irritated me.. Though not as much as he does .....if you want to know what's wrong with him read his daily mail motoring column... It gives an insight to his personality...
Each week it's 2/3 his bloody family especially his angelic know all children or event he's been VIP at or which celeb he's hob nobbed with... Me me me.... Oh hey look at me I know stars and everything ...
The last 3rd just about a bit about the car...generally these are day to day cars that most people can buy.....
This week...oh the horror ...he was counting how long he was "stuck". with the dreadful Ł31k SEAT Cupra Which was so bland inside (but if it was the VW /Audi version would be fine....and awful to look at.....
Yes he liked it in the end but I'm sure no one here wouldn't mind being paid for a couple of paragraphs and loaned a brand new car every week.
^ He likes to walk the West End in his pyjamas too.
Simple reason why Evans dresses like a w****r, obvious when you think about it.
He's got to be the most irritating TV presenter of all time. As for the current incarnation of Top Gear, it's pathetic, it's a poor parody of the end of the Clarkson era. A radical change of format is required........ Without the ginger twat.
Paul
^ You're not wrong. Evans can manage the footy team, Cameron can do Top Gear and Hodgson the country. None of them can screw it up any more than it is at the moment.
Are the Top Gear reviews "Mixed", as the DM suggests?
Most of the comments that I have read on various forums have been pretty consistent: Show has promise, just get rid of Chris Evans (of which I also agree with).
Episode 1 was dire
2 - slightly better
3 - excellent!
4 - bit boring
So all in all not great, I completely agree on CE dress sense, his irritating, shouty voice and the fact that he has nothing of interest to shout about.
Interesting times. - that article stating that MLB won't work with him was covered by other papers....
Oh - one last thing, I do love the videography - some great shots, however, when it flicks from one shot to another every half a second, - giving you just enough time to re-focus the eyes before switching, I end up feeling like I've seen absolutely nothing of the cars in question... and don't get to hear them properly either. There's a lot to be said for long, continuous footage.
So could CE be out of the next series then?
Can his ego stand the shock?
What will he give as a face-saving excuse?
I have to pretty much agree with that assessment although I'd say episode 2 was much better than episode 1 but still pretty average. Episode 4 was a bit meh, I was expecting more.
I'm surprised how bad Chris Evans is. I expected him to be annoying but I thought he would at least be a natural presenter & personality onscreen but he just seems completely out of his depth!
I enjoy Reid and Harris's segments but I can't help feeling these are just like a big budget Fifth Gear and wont appeal to Top Gear's wider audience.
Just watch 4 and was wondering the point of Evans.
He is not the link man, he is not the funny man, he is not someone who knows very much about cars, he is not a driver.
Enjoyed Harris, but the review on the M2 was weak.
The jag piece was disapointing - formulaic - 10 minutes to go BS. Not much of an actual review other than it was fast and loud.
The Rolls Royce could have been much better. They did not even show under the hood or demonstrate how many cases of Cystal you can get in the boot. The piece comparing old with new was just pointless, but it did enable Evans to show off one of his cars.
As the star in the car - just bad. A better use of the time would be if someone just visited the top 30 car collections - starting with Ralph Loren, jay Leno, nick mason, etc, and having a look.
Boring - must try harder.
Whoever does not know how to hit the nail on the head should be asked not to hit it at all.
Friedrich Nietzsche
Am I the only one bored to tears by 'Stars' not so subtly mentioning their stable of exotic cars at home? Why am I supposed to care what car a rich chef drives?
The other bit I really don't understand is the fixation on 2 types of car in 2 unlikely situations - namely SUV's in jungles/mountains and sports cars going sideways around racetracks? - sure, you can have a bit of this because it looks quite cool, but it just serves to remind me of the pointlessness of both types of car in the world beyond TV or Advertising. Most car journeys are between home amd work, home and school, home and the shops - so we need to know how comfy they are, will it overtake a lorry quick enough to be safe, and how big is the boot. I have never felt the need to make any of the above mentioned trips across a mountainous pass or sideways at 140mph whilst grinning like a lunatic, so what's the point of it all?!
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Not watched so can't complain about the show. Just never like so called top guy in the new adventure. Loved Top Gear, don't drive, never done a test. But like adventures, cars and a bit of fun. The old guys were up for that and could drive. Sad, must be an age thing or maybe not......
Contrary to expectations, the only two presenters I like are Chris Harris and MLB, with Sabine ok in small doses. Evans is irritating me and Rory just feels like he's from the original pre-Clarkson Top Gear and has taken over from Quentin.
Some of the features have been good, but not good enough overall imo
Overtake? WTF overtakes these days?
The art of overtaking is only being kept alive by me…or so it would seem!
Pansies and ninnies the b’starding lot of them – can’t even take a corner (just like the England football team) for fear they’ll topple over if dong more than 3 mph!
I know his dress sense is crap that's a given ... And as this is going round the world wouldn't you make a little effort?
I just noticed that it was the same gear in the studio each week which I thought was what was filmed each week, therefore no need for continuity etc.......
It's just odd ......
I know the three amigos rarely lifted bonnets but I agree with a lot here.... Do we really think Jaguar were hanging on Reid arriving to announce its multi million pound developed car to the worlds press....
And yes JC and co did this as well but with them ..well they ran with it and invented that style of dilemma doc.... Best description I've read is its a children in need spoof.....
I do like Harris pieces and I'm hoping MLB will get proper bikes in there ...but that's it.... The rest is just a bit meh....
Oh and get the handlers to start putting fit young ladies back at the front at least not this PC nonsense that Evans said he would do as its too demeaning...
I noticed that they've either not invited attractive women to the filming or hid them behind the women who are at the front.... Am I being non-pc?
I've got pretty bored with giving it the benefit of the doubt. Decided to reserve judgement until a few episodes in. Don't think it has got better as some had suggested earlier, I think some just got over the initial shock. I don't think it was quite as bad as was initially made out either. Just a poor imitation, like really weak tea.
Can't stand Chris Evans at the best of times and he's not winning me round. MLB is OK, but a bit wooden. Chris Harris is occasionally OK but really only up to Hammond standards, which I think sums up the big problem. Everyone used to consider Hammond the dead weight, and now we'd rather have him than any one of the current lot.
The production values have slipped as well. Looks like film students trying to imitate the old production style, with none of the class. Of of the things they used to do was make the cars into stars of the show. You felt a connection with the cars. They did not feel like inanimate objects, but living machines with a soul. Every week you wanted a different one than the week before. Now it's just random montages of wheel spins and close-ups of tail lights that don't convey any emotion whatsoever.
The only genuinely funny moment so far was MLB's Brexit joke in the Stig intro, ep 3 I think. Just fast-forwarded through some chunks of the last one because I thought I'd check it out, but it hasn't improved. Over 10 minutes of stars in I don't even care it's so boring - skipped that entirely.
The other thing I've noticed is occasional bits of CE influence creeping in, like random staring at the camera after a gag falls flat, or having a vote from the local pub in lieu of audience engagement. It just seems to be a mishmash of the tired old TG format and tired old ideas from past CE efforts like TGIF. I suspect the brilliant idea of having the two "stars" read each others blurb awkwardly off an auto-queue was his idea as well.
I've always considered Chris Evans to be a bit of a poor man's Noel Edmonds anyway. Perhaps the new TG would be improved if they replaced CE with Mr Blobby?
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