New Top Gear with Matt (Part Deux)

[Dr Zoidberg]

They really missed the point with the Abarth 124 which has a huge and IMO unjustified price premium over the Fiat 124. That compares far more favourably with the MX5.

[roaddetective]

I also like this new series and the one tonight seems the best so far. I do have a soft spot for Sabine and her driving skills. I think the presenters are really starting to gel together now. Hate to admit it, but this new Top Gear is better than the last few Top Gears with Clarkson. That was becoming far too stale.

[LHVRS]

Sabine is amazing, never forget when she drove the transit van. I like the 2 other guys but I just can't get on with Matt, feels like he's acing all the time, Topgear is british and should, IMO be hosted by a brit. 

[Dr Zoidberg]

Yeah, they gave that a go last year with the ginger ****. 

[kenfowler3966]

Gave up last week half way through. Havent even bothered to record todays episode!

[moley]

The Aston review started OK and then just got silly.

Too much screaming at the ring and very staged.

The guest spot was poor.

The Fiat review was OK

I was hoping the three presenters would have jelled a bit more by now, but it's still a bit wooden.

 

[Aspman]

I thought it was ok, on a par with the others.

 

I thought the interview bit was a little more natural, maybe becasue it was with someone Matt actually knew.

But the rest of the studio stuff was pretty wooden, as usual.

 

I agree that the 124 segment was disingenuous or they should have explained why they were comparing the MX-5 against the Arbath version. They never actually said which MX-5.

 

3rd series might be the charm for these 3 (just like I said [smug]).

 

I know it's not great yet but it would be shame if the BBC changed the line up again. It just needs time now and someone to feed in some new ideas.

Edited 20 March, 2017 by Aspman

[RobClubley]

Humphrey is enjoying it

 

[Ootohere]

Missed the first 20 minutes, as to the rest that was like Washing out a hanky when you have had a very snotty nose.

The presenters, the directors and the producers are rather sharn.

[KenONeill]

Well, I enjoyed it, but then I like Bondage  , Tamsin and Sabine.

[Adam_]

Sabine and Rory at the ring was the best part of the show and she must be used more she's very natural.

Matt and Rory are getting better but the other guy is just terrible!

[Adam_]

15 hours ago, Dr Zoidberg said:

They really missed the point with the Abarth 124 which has a huge and IMO unjustified price premium over the Fiat 124. That compares far more favourably with the MX5.

 

Does it still look like a plastic children's toy though?

[blueR36]

Well I thought it was brilliant and laugh out loud especially Dr No Hair ! Better than on tour for sure and each show is getting better , going to sell one of my kidneys for the DB11 ( if the Malt has not pickled it )!

[Aspman]

21 minutes ago, Adam_ said:

Sabine and Rory at the ring was the best part of the show and she must be used more she's very natural.

Matt and Rory are getting better but the other guy is just terrible!

 

Chris Harris is fine as long as he's in a car.

 

The producers need to give up on trying to script banter. I believe Clarkson et al used to write their own scripts so they were probably repeating stuff in the show that they'd said to each other previously.

[Ootohere]

Spinning the programme out between showing the expensive, but well done filming with the track in the UK & a 'Celebrity' driving around is just taking the pith and obviously costs money, but must be some of the cheapest way to take up some air time that there is.

[Adam_]

35 minutes ago, Aspman said:

 

Chris Harris is fine as long as he's in a car.

 

The producers need to give up on trying to script banter. I believe Clarkson et al used to write their own scripts so they were probably repeating stuff in the show that they'd said to each other previously.

That's his name!!Chris Harris. He's terrible. If he didn't act the part of moody, stubborn, nerdy, angry man he wouldn't be so bad but it obviously doesn't come easy for him as he has to do this scripted crap every time.

The show needs to come back to the UK for more test drives and challenges. 

[Ootohere]

BBC are the British Broadcasting Company licence payers owning the BBC and all that jazz, the BBC with a commercial arm that needs the Global Sales of successful programmes, 

how are they doing with this tripe?

[CWARD]

I watched the first of this series and not bothered with the others yet. There was just no chemistry and very little natural banter. I want it to be good but at the same time I'm in no rush to watch it either as the first seemed twice as long as it was to watch it. Matt and Rory I like but Chris Harris I find dull. Rory I find really good to watch and he needs more segments of his own.

[RapidPaul]

5 hours ago, Aspman said:

 

Chris Harris is fine as long as he's in a car.

 

The producers need to give up on trying to script banter. I believe Clarkson et al used to write their own scripts so they were probably repeating stuff in the show that they'd said to each other previously.

 

Kind of. Clarkson was apparently the main creative force and writer, with the others contributing ideas and jokes along the way. The show had a fair amount of ad-libbing, but always had the input of a professional script editor (Richard Porter) throughout.

 

The simple truth is that all TV shows are scripted, from 'reality' shows to documentaries and everything inbetween. I guess when people say TG is too scripted, they mean it's too obviously scripted, like a clunky comedy routine. The previous iteration of Top Gear had long been accused of the same thing, but everyone seems to have forgotten about that. If anything, The Grand Tour is even worse. Parts of the script clunk like Marley's Ghost on Christmas Eve. 

 

5 hours ago, Awayoffski said:

Spinning the programme out between showing the expensive, but well done filming with the track in the UK & a 'Celebrity' driving around is just taking the pith and obviously costs money, but must be some of the cheapest way to take up some air time that there is.

 

Was it every any different? the 2002-2015 iteration of Top Gear had the same celebrity segments, as well as Top Gear Stuntman, Top Gear Dog and a whole list of features that didn't really work (the art gallery feature, the India special). The thing is, for every low point, it had two or three achingly funny features. 

[Ootohere]

& it was tired then, and when rebooted with Chris Evans, and now it is just stretching out a poor format further.  JMO.

 

Watching the first 20 mins now on BBC2.

[RobClubley]

I'm really enjoying this new series.

In my opinion Chris Harris is the best of the bunch, he's enthusiastic, good at smoky burnouts, can talk to camera whilst driving, and is a better actor than expected in the scripted bits, like the Bond chase thing.

LeBlanc still seems a bit wooden in the studio segments but is way better in the films, and comes across as a nice guy who's into cars.

Rory is kind of portrayed as the younger, less experienced one but he's good too.

And there does seems to be some chemistry between them.

 

The guest thing is a bit over-long but I liked Tamsin Greig this week, she seemed to be having a good time.

 

What's with Matt's tractor/farm appliance obsession?

 

It's beautifully filmed, as always, and I think it's starting to become something really good.

Forget what the three oafs did before, its a car show, and we don't get enough of them!

[Ootohere]

^^^ What sort of TV service do you pay for in New Zealand to get the BBC programmes?

In the UK people are even supposed to be licence payers to watch on iPlayer.

[RobClubley]

3 minutes ago, Awayoffski said:

^^^ What sort of TV service do you pay for in New Zealand to get the BBC programmes?

In the UK people are even supposed to be licence payers to watch on iPlayer.

 

There are vpn services you can use to get to iPlayer. And, er, other methods.

TG is on broadcast TV here but with some delay, ads inserted and sometimes parts removed.

 

[Ootohere]

& in the UK the Government not only have the BBC as some kind of Tax collector the courts can jail people that get fined for no TV licence and then do not pay the fines.

Something a bit wrong really with Her Madge's Government and the BBC. 

License Fee away up another bit this year.

[Aspman]

14 hours ago, RobClubley said:

What's with Matt's tractor/farm appliance obsession?

 

 

Some producer has thought it would be funny if every week Matt's 'character' raves about a random piece of farm or industrial machinery which he then uses to smash stuff up. "More Powwah".

 

Remind you of anything?

 

 

 

TBH it's not the worst idea in the world of tv, but not the best either.

 

Dear TG producers for series 3, please; pretty please try to do something ****ing different!

 

Mind you did I hear right at the end that Matt is going to be on a Ducati next week? TG going two wheeled?