Television Top Gear

Leg-End

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Garbage choices, had so much potential to just let Chris Harris run with it.
 

Dan

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Rory Reid isn’t a main presenter anymore, thought he was ok.
 

buchansleftleg

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Looks like the beeb wants to kill the franchise off getting that pair in. Given the new presenters I bet it has just moved north to Manchester so they can claim it as part of original sports content.

Given the lack of resources the beeb has for aport now watch out for pieces on rallying, hill climbs, motorbike racing etc to try and justify it as a motorsport magazine programme.

Paddy has already been on one road to nowhere, surprised he signed up for a second try.
 

Dan

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The new series is back on tomorrow but it’s only 5 episodes long.
 

Massive Spanner

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I didn't realize MLB was still in this series. Guess I can watch one more series then before those gimps take over.
 

Zlaatan

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Was it just me or did it seem like they didn't put very much effort into the Porsche vs Ferrari bit? (I skipped Rory's bit as I couldn't care less about the car). The cinematics were great as usual but the challenges and the scripted stuff felt really rushed and forced, and I guess they tried to make Harris into James May with all the boring little tidbits so that Leblanc could pretend to not be interested just like Clarkson.

I think it would have been a better episode if they had just showed the Ferrari and the Porsche going round Norway for 15min with no commentary at all, and then rolled the credits.
 

VeevaVee

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Whenever I catch a bit of it I'm still surprised Matt LeBlanc can't read his lines without sounding like a school kid reading out loud in class.
 

Massive Spanner

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it's still pretty fun but I think the new Grand Tour's are better seeing as they've finally got rid of so much of what made it unbearable.

That Porsche though :drool:
 

Dante

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Whenever I catch a bit of it I'm still surprised Matt LeBlanc can't read his lines without sounding like a school kid reading out loud in class.
He's awful.

People originally took Le Blanc's side because they hated Chris Evans even more than him. But he's done nothing to deserve that leeway.

As a presenter, a car reviewer, a driver and an actor, he's really, really bad. The only reason he's on the show is because he's deemed famous enough to maintain TG's international audience.

On top of that, every time he beats Chris to get into the driving seat, it feels like a wasted opportunity to get a properly talented driver behind the wheel.
 

VeevaVee

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He's awful.

People originally took Le Blanc's side because they hated Chris Evans even more than him. But he's done nothing to deserve that leeway.

As a presenter, a car reviewer, a driver and an actor, he's really, really bad. The only reason he's on the show is because he's deemed famous enough to maintain TG's international audience.

On top of that, every time he beats Chris to get into the driving seat, it feels like a wasted opportunity to get a properly talented driver behind the wheel.
I don't get it either because I've watched a few Friends episodes recently and he wasn't that bad. Maybe it's because they're on autocue in the studio or something and he doesn't have to learn them?
 

Adam-Utd

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I can't see what the problem is with LeBlanc, it seems perfectly alright to me.
People are just overly being picky. Always happens with this show.

The other poor part I thought was Harris acting like an 8 year old in the rear seat of the Bentley. That was shite.

That new Porsche is an absolute weapon! beautiful car.
 

Massive Spanner

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Yeah I like LeBlanc, not sure why he gets hate.

Personally I think Harris and LeBlanc are good together. Rory is the odd one out though I do like his reviews on "cheaper" cars.

I'd rather keep LeBlanc than Freddy fecking Flintoff anyway.
 

ZIDANE

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I don't like Matt LeBlanc but I don't he's helped with the rest of the team. I do rate Chris though, it's important to have somebody so knowledgeable about cars but he's not a main presenter type in the studio. The recent Grand Tour episodes especially the America trip were good and made me realise how poor Top Gear has become in terms of the team.
 

arthurka

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I don't like Matt LeBlanc but I don't he's helped with the rest of the team. I do rate Chris though, it's important to have somebody so knowledgeable about cars but he's not a main presenter type in the studio. The recent Grand Tour episodes especially the America trip were good and made me realise how poor Top Gear has become in terms of the team.
This season has been really meh, but Chris is holding it together. LeBlanc seems to be mentally not there.
 

VeevaVee

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Amazed no one is talking about the new series.

Big change with Paddy and Freddie. Only 10 mins in to the first and it's already way fresher and less forced. These 3 will click well I think.
 

Massive Spanner

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Amazed no one is talking about the new series.

Big change with Paddy and Freddie. Only 10 mins in to the first and it's already way fresher and less forced. These 3 will click well I think.
I thought I'd hate it but it was actually all right.

As long as they keep letting Harris (the only actual qualified car journalist) do the supercar segments I think it'll be decent. They should've kept Rory for his little car segments though, at least.
 

Raees

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Reviews seem to be positive. Will give it a watch over next few days.
 

Fortitude

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Did they can the other two, or did they leave?

The two new ones are going to have lay off the jokes about Harris' stature or it's going to look like bullying soon enough.

Flintoff's recklessness could see him seriously harmed by the end of the series - this is from seeing him in A League Of Their Own more than anything. Fully expect a Hammond-esque car flip/roll or ten by the end of the season.

McGuinness can dish it out, but can't take it.

The three of them seem more natural and organic than the previous trio.
 

Massive Spanner

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Did they can the other two, or did they leave?

The two new ones are going to have lay off the jokes about Harris' stature or it's going to look like bullying soon enough.

Flintoff's recklessness could see him seriously harmed by the end of the series - this is from seeing him in A League Of Their Own more than anything. Fully expect a Hammond-esque car flip/roll or ten by the end of the season.

McGuinness can dish it out, but can't take it.

The three of them seem more natural and organic than the previous trio.
Le Blanc left and Rory was let go, I believe.
 

Gambit

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Rory's back on extra gear. It did feel a bit more natural between the three of them. It's more a question now of do they have enough variety in them to keep it going over a long period of time and it doesn't get repetitive.
 

VeevaVee

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Decent episode but still so scripted.
I thought it felt less scripted. The scripted lines are obvious. Even comedians struggle with those (Jimmy Carr presenting comes to mind) and their whole profession revolves around scripted delivery. Le Blanc was awful at it despite being an actor.
Some of the interactions with each other this time felt a lot more natural to me. Seemed it was a mixture of the two, which I'm ok with.
The bit that felt too scripted was when Chris said he could drive blindfolded and then all of a sudden Freddie supposedly has an idea.
 

sglowrider

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I thought it was bloody funny. McGuiness and his wise-cracks; Freddie and his 'i don't care what others think of me/laddish behaviour. And Chis seems to have got more natural with them and not trying too hard as the episode progressed.
 

dannyrhinos89

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30 mins in and im Liking the episode so far again. Given me a few laughs. I like the chemistry it makes for much easier viewing

Cant see why anyone would get a Tesla over that merc or BMW though.
 

sglowrider

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I really like the dynamics. Seems quite organic and their TV personas seem quite aligned with their who they actually are. Laddish.

I only worry about the exportability of the show. Their accents could be too northern for Americans or elsewhere (other than the southerner, Chris.)
 

Dante

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I really like the dynamics. Seems quite organic and their TV personas seem quite aligned with their who they actually are. Laddish.

I only worry about the exportability of the show. Their accents could be too northern for Americans or elsewhere (other than the southerner, Chris.)
Game of Thrones did alright.

I really like this new team so far. I'd watch them before the Clarkson crew and the LeBlanc crew. Their jokes are way more natural and organic and they seem to believe the things they're saying.

The only issue I have is with their car expertise and driving skills. Harris is the sole one I'd listen to about cars and the only one with any skill behind the wheel. That could mean a very lopsided show where one guy does all the motoring journalism and wins all the racing challenges. The other two are really just going along for the ride.