Thoughts On Tonight's First Episode Of Top Gear?

[Brennan]

Car crash TV, the chat between Evans and Le blanc was very forced, felt really awkward to watch.

Not to mention I was deafened by Evans shouting in the studio scenes. He was trying so hard to be a carbon copy of Clarkson and it was so cringeworthy.

Can't see this lasting at all, it's nothing without Clarkson & co. Once The Grand Tour comes on i can see TG fading away.

 

[loud n low]

Its a bit like a sequel of a great film that's made by a totally different director/producer/film crew etc,and it shows....I would find it hard to hate a person on the telly more than Hammond but I think Leblanc will fill that void,thought he was awful.Its pretty much garbage,that said the old show was to.

 

[Chris100]

My last trip to the dentist was less painful than watching this utter crap, I can't believe the BBC have attached the TG name to this bollocks.

Chris Evans is such an annoying t**t, get him off the TV now....please.

 

[Nicky]

I'm not on any of the English forums, but I have a feeling they probably loved the show, as Chris Evans is a huge household name over there...

Is Matt Le Blanc going to be in the whole series?

Why 2 "Stars"? I know they had a few non-car folk when Jezza was presenting it, but Jesse whatshisname couldn't have been any worse of a candidate for the show IMO. He was completely lost, and was like a fish out of water in a very cringeworthy way.

 

[NickR]

Trying to hard to be like the old show in my opinion. Chris Evans made me want to throw stuff at the tv, he's trying to hard to be like the old three and trying to be funny.

Matt Leblanc was very good in my opinion, yes he appeared a bit scripted at times but he still made me laugh. The nomad is an awesome piece of kit and I liked watching the old jeep and Land Rover. The top gun bit was awful though, nice cars which deserved a better review.

I'll probably watch another couple to give it a chance but it's not looking good so far.

 

[pedenjohn]

I think people remember the old top gear like the times with an ex girlfriend.... It's easier to remember the good bits. I personally think in recent years top gear had become scripted and as such not that great. Though I always watched it. This is much the same, it's no worse.... They just didn't take the opportunity to make it any better. If anything I'm bored watching clarkson and co going through the motions.... At least the new faces make it more appealing.

 

[Ge0rge]

Never watched it because I don't pay a TV licence lol I watch it on I player or whatever its called.

That don't wash any more if you have a phone, tablet or any device similar you still have too, it's a rip off !

 

[cauld1]

I couldnt be bothered to finish the episode. Very poor, the fast and furious style gearchanges on the top gun bit were very odd I thought.

Yes the Clarkson and co one was scripted, however, the important thing was that despite a lot of it being quite childish, it on occassion was intelligent...ish.

As for the whole first episode give it a chance thing. The first episode of 'new' top gear wasnt amazing looking back on it but still was enjoyable. Clarkson did a fairly fun review of a peugeot partner based people carrier thing and even at that it was ok. This new one was shouty loud noises hand movements with utterly no charisma and what appeared to be canned laughter in studio. What I watched I found very strange and not enjoyable. As much as the other 3 had some guff episodes it was still passable compared to that in my opinion!

 

[BLS]

Be interesting to see what the viewing figures are as the series goes on that's all the BBC cares about,watched it all Evans thinks he's hosting TFI Friday,nomad was great piece of kit.

 

[BobSpounge]

I described watching the old top gear as a bit like bucking the wife. I couldn't do it every week but when I do it's epic.

Well I've just chopped my d1ck off !

 

[surprising_skoda]

I cannot stand Chris Evans but I thought I'd give it a chance despite that. I did, and I wash i hadn't. As everyone else has said, he's trying to be Clarkson, but he can't. His voice as also pointed out grates through you like a hammer drill gaffer taped to your temple.
Matt LeBlanc I quite like and thought he would maybe make the show, and whilst eminently more watchable than Evans, is like a wooden puppet reciting lines he's only 90% learned. Totally devoid of charisma.
All the interaction appeared forced and strained and unnatural.

The main problems for me though were not the presenters, nor those entirely useless "guests" - it was that they copied the entire show format over, crass and all. They had an opportunity to change things around and the biggest change was adding two muddy sections to the test track. The "challenge" was a waste of time, with clearly no point to it at all, and the voiceovers were awful.
Someone said that the missile lock thing was silly and a drag race would have done - actually the missile lock race was exactly the thing that would have been done before. Which is the problem as far as I'm concerned, as they're still doing exactly the same kind of nonsense.
And the Nomad test - have nothing to say about that apart from I see the script writer has no new tricks, relying on crude innuendo and other dirty language to shock, just like what went before. I'm pretty sure LeBlanc dropped the A-bomb in there, on a pre-watershed time slot.
Someone suggested it might have been better on mute - it wasn't. Half of it was watched that way. The final ten minutes I was playing kids Pictionary in the kitchen.
In short, utter, utter tripe, that even when it appears on Dave in a couple of years and I'm channel hopping, I still wont stop for.

 

[Coog]

Feedback on social media is terrible. Only a handful of positive comments among thousands of negatives. At this rate the show will be canned and the alternative will be another period drama.

 

[Wild Thing]

Good point raised on other media, it is sold as a worldwide franchise so the format cannot change too greatly

 

[cormac81]

Its getting quite a media attention and I don't get understand why so many people get their knickers in a twist.

Thought it was ok, yes its scripted and daft but what car show isn't now. Presenters were ok and I thought it was good having a change. Though it was disappointing they haven't revamped the format so far.

The publicity will work, most people will watch to enjoy it or watch so they can decide if theyre going to get worked up by it or not.

 

[Steve]

The only thing I didn't like about the show was Evans. Change him, to literally anyone else and it would be a massive improvement.

 

[Pumesta]

Frank Mitchell has just described the Robin bit as 'the worst top gear feature he has ever seen' lol

 

[Stu Beck]

I really liked it. Its just old fashioned top gear. After about two mins you forget who is presenting it. If you liked old top gear you will like this. People are saying its the same old thing, of course it is its the same programme. I cant wait for the next one.

I think a lot on here want to hate it and wouldnt have liked it if it was the best thing since sliced bread.

 

[warren]

I thought it was alright, probably a 5/6 out of 10. Will watch again next week, it's the first episode ever after all, but I'll agree it's trying much too hard to be like the other show.

 

[mike150]

I just watched Extra Gear on the iplayer.

Its better than Top Gear and it doesn't have the big money shoots that Top Gear has, Rory Reid is a great presenter, very watchable unlike Evans and I think Chris Harris goes well with him on the show, I have always enjoyed Chris Harris doing car reviews.

Top Gear: Extra Gear, Episode 1

 

[Stu Beck]

I thought it was alright, probably a 5/6 out of 10. Will watch again next week, it's the first episode ever after all, but I'll agree it's trying much too hard to be like the other show.

It is the other show, thats why they are trying to be like it. lol

 

[pablo]

Social media is full of whining p***ks. And seems Top Gear got the same treatment.

It was fine. The old one had run its course imo and was being carried by the rapport of its presenters. Evans and co haven't got there yet but will come with each new episode.

I watched it. It was entertaining. Not awesome. But not bad for an opener. Reading some of the comments here you'd think you'd been forced to watch 24hrs of emnerdale or something.

 

[PhilGT_2008]

Evans just needs to not shout all the time. Looking forward to extra gear, haven't seen it yet. Harris knows his stuff and I'm a fan of his YouTube stuff.

 

[Cess]

I'm not sure I've been watching the same TV show as the rest of the world.

It's identical to the previous version, with different blokes doing the talking bits.

The Viper sounded great and looked beautiful in HD. The challenge was pointless (as always) until they got to Blackpool and was then less pointless.

Stars in cars is still boring unless they turn out to be unexpectedly really fast or roll it.

I want a Nomad.

It's still the best car-type show on TV.

 

[Sweet Fantastic]

Get Chris Harris on to save this steaming pile of dung.........

 

[Stu Beck]

Get Chris Harris on to save this steaming pile of dung.........

He will only bore people to death.