Top Gear - Have the BBC gone mad...?

Oldgirl and Staffy
Oldgirl and Staffy Forum Participant Posts: 414
edited February 2016 in Entertainment #1

I have just read
THIS
today.   I really do think the BBC have lost the plot.  Do they not realise that Top Gear's popularity was more about the banter and relationship between James May, Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson than just motoring???    I think Jeremy Clarkson
was more than a bit of a prat to do many of the things he did.  But, on the other hand so much of what the trio did was very amusing indeed.

It looks like Top Gear is reverting to the old boring Quentin Wilson days.....?

Comments

  • Oneputt
    Oneputt Club Member Posts: 9,144 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2016 #2

    I can't understand why they need 6 presenters and the stig.  I guess part of this is to sell more to USA and Germany.  i'll be watching the old crew on Prime

  • Kennine
    Kennine Forum Participant Posts: 3,472
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    edited February 2016 #3

    Yes they are a few spanners short of a tool box.  Such a shocking waste of license payers money.    Their PC obsessed ideas are an indication that they are raking in too much money from the public.   I wont be watching that programme,

  • briantimber
    briantimber Forum Participant Posts: 1,653
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    edited February 2016 #4

    It appears that the BBC seem to think that more is better, have to disagree there, the show isn't big enough for more than three presenters IMO.

    I can't stand listening to the self centred Mr Evans, as for watching him no thanks!!!Yell  .....Cool

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited February 2016 #5

    Does seem a bit overkill. Perhaps they want to keep the same overall wages bill.

  • Bugs
    Bugs Forum Participant Posts: 480
    100 Comments
    edited February 2016 #6

    I'm reserving judgement until I've seen a few episodes of the show with the new setup. I agree with others that I find Chris Evans irritating, but he must have his supporters to get the jobs he does - and maybe they're expecting his "fans" to supply the viewing figures?

    The one thing they must do is change the old format and not try to copy it. Those people who enjoyed watching Clarkson (who is even more irritating than Evans!) and his schoolboy humour chums, would be quick to diss any attempt to copy the old format as inferior.

    We've got Prime - but we won't be watching Clarkson & Co.

    Cheers

    Bugs

  • Kerry Watkins
    Kerry Watkins Forum Participant Posts: 325
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    edited February 2016 #7

    I won't be watching it either. The BBC are losing all the sporting fixtures such as The Open Golf, Formula 1 etc. which is not good IMHO.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,859 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2016 #8

    I am also of the view that you have to see the programme before you can make a judgement. They clearly want to get away from the three amigos format. 

    David

  • JillwithaJay
    JillwithaJay Club Member Posts: 2,485 ✭✭
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    edited February 2016 #9

    I'll give it a chance but never could stand the way programmes have multi presenters - each one reading a bit of a sentence.

    300 siggy photo 6b161378-22ab-47bd-97dd-22af5e8f67ba_zpsbtkpqljt.jpg

  • Kennine
    Kennine Forum Participant Posts: 3,472
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    edited February 2016 #10

    Just looked at a picture of the new line up , They are certainly going for "Diversity".  Laughing    

  • ABM
    ABM Forum Participant Posts: 14,578
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    edited February 2016 #11

    I's  just  an  excuse  tro  increase  the  wages  of  the  "Credits"  writers 

  • EJB986
    EJB986 Forum Participant Posts: 1,153
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    edited February 2016 #12

    Top Gear was always aimed at the lowest common denominator as so much TV is.....still, OH suggests I have no right to complain as I don't pay for a license these days!!!!

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited February 2016 #13

    I expect it will be as usual very rarely showing real cars just the ones they think they look good in,

     

    The best experience I had was towing along the A44 from Broadway to home, with nothing in front all the way to the duel carriageway on the approach to Oxford Airport when the big sports car that had been behind for miles passed us with JC at the wheelCool

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited February 2016 #14

    So you're the one to blame for the antipathy of the programme to caravanners.

  • volvoman9
    volvoman9 Forum Participant Posts: 1,053
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    edited February 2016 #15

    Another shed load of licence payers money thrown at so called experts/celebs.IMO it was rubbish before and i cant see anything changeing.I certainly wont be watching.

    peter.

  • Oldgirl and Staffy
    Oldgirl and Staffy Forum Participant Posts: 414
    edited February 2016 #16

    HERE is a rather amusing resumé

  • Graydjames
    Graydjames Forum Participant Posts: 440 ✭✭✭
    edited February 2016 #17

    I have just read
    THIS
    today.   I really do think the BBC have lost the plot.  Do they not realise that Top Gear's popularity was more about the banter and relationship between James May, Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson than just motoring???    I think Jeremy Clarkson
    was more than a bit of a prat to do many of the things he did.  But, on the other hand so much of what the trio did was very amusing indeed.

    It looks like Top Gear is reverting to the old boring Quentin Wilson days.....?

    If you're right then thank goodness for that. When Top gear was about motoring and it was useful and informative and a damn good programme instead of the awful, dumbed down, men behaving badly, toe-curling, disrepectful rubbish of the Clarkson/Hammond era.
    I am glad it is done. Only James May had an ounce of common sense.

  • ValDa
    ValDa Forum Participant Posts: 3,004
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    edited February 2016 #18

    I have to agree with GrayDJames - I used to like it in the days when they compared 'normal' cars, reliability, and so on......... .  Then they only ever featured SuperCars except in the Driving a Normal Car challenge where you could tell by the mocking tones that none of them would ever be seen driving something 'normal'.

    In the first instance some of the trips and journeys they did were interesting but then they just got plain silly and although my OH loved it, I went elsewhere and got on with something else whilst it was on.

    Let's give the new format a chance before we condemn it - it will be different, but it may be better than ever!

  • JohnDH
    JohnDH Forum Participant Posts: 183
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    edited February 2016 #19

    The BBC dumped F1 coverage because of expense, then recuited this mob to present Top Gear. The Top Gear brand so to speak was about three presenters, not cars. I predict the Beeb will loose more money when global sales tumble. Amazon, on the other hand,
    is on to a real winner, as long as clarkson doesnt belt another producer. BUT, I wonder how many are like me: I'm not bothering with F1, its been spoilt (btw you can watch it free on RTL), I'm not watching BBC Top grear, because it isnt Top Gear any more,
    and I'm not watching Clarkson, May or Hammond on Amazon, because I'm not going to make greedy rich men even richer. I shall be using the time instead to do more with the Caravan, Oh, and drink wine.

  • RichardPitman
    RichardPitman Forum Participant Posts: 127
    edited February 2016 #20

    Before Quentin there was William Woollard. Now that really was boring, about as exciting as reading 'Which' magazine, cars as white goods.

    One bright ray of hope in the new show is Sabine Schultz. She was excellent on the occasions that she appeared on the old Top Gear, a Teutonic (and faster) version of Vicky Butler Henderson.

  • 63ellsbells
    63ellsbells Forum Participant Posts: 138
    100 Comments
    edited February 2016 #21

    Top gear hasn't been a motoring programme for a long long time. It was simply an entertainment programme that featured 3 likeable fellas driving a variety of very nice, often exotic cars for entertainment, theirs and the viewers. With viewing figures
    of over 8m at times, it clearly wasn't 'rubbish' and achieved what it was designed to do - simply entertain, week after week.

    In fact, the 'specials' set abroad were equally enjoyable for the overseas travel merriment as they were for the motoring features.

     

    As for the new line up, it does seem a little heavy with many unknowns on there but Chris Evans is very good at what he does - entertain. His R2 show draws in many more listeners than the late TW managed and that's with far greater listening choice available
    now. I like him, and like the more sensible comments on here, I'm looking forward to it and will wait to watch it and let it settle into it's own style before passing judgement.

  • Oldgirl and Staffy
    Oldgirl and Staffy Forum Participant Posts: 414
    edited February 2016 #22

    Before Quentin there was William Woollard. Now that really was boring, about as exciting as reading 'Which' magazine, cars as white goods.

    One bright ray of hope in the new show is Sabine Schultz. She was excellent on the occasions that she appeared on the old Top Gear, a Teutonic (and faster) version of Vicky Butler Henderson.

    ...Oh yes, I'd forgotten about him.  Testament I suppose to how boring he actually was.....

    See original image