The New Top Gear UK
 

Watching the season premier now... and good God it is awful. Chris Evans is trying entirely too hard to hard to be Jeremy without Clarkson's charm.

I'll probably relegate it from 'must watch immediately' to 'background browse when I get around to it.'

It still has cool cars and decent camera work. Joey Tribianni isn't a complete dud.

I can't believe I'm saying this... but Matt LeBlanc really isn't bad. He can stay as far as I'm concerned. They need to do something though because there are other outlets for checking out awesome cars.

LeBlanc only looks OK, because Evans is such a complete tool. The best part of the show was Extra Gear. Because Sabine. Harris and Reed aren't great, but I'd take them over LeBlanc and Evans in a heartbeat.

And the rally cross change was just stupid.

EDIT: I'll probably keep watching Extra Gear, but I will definitely not bother with another episode of Evans/LeBlanc. Couldn't get through the first episode.

I really like Leblanc in it. Evans. Whatever. If it were Leblanc and Harris, that would be awesome. Supposedly Harris is on the next episode.

I usually watch Top Gear immediately but waited a while after mixed reviews at best of the first episode of the reboot. Like several of the host choices like Leblanc, Schmitz, Harris and Reid. Hear it's progressively getting a little better each week so finally started watching tonight. Fairly meh but production values are still great and could see it growing into something good.

Understand star in reasonably priced car shakeup isn't a terrible idea but initially not liking the offload section mix at all.

Have been enjoying Chris Harris videos for years and really cool to see him on something like Top Gear.

I have no desire to watch this show now that Clarkson and Co are gone. Their chemistry was what made the show great. The American version has been horrible. I just picture any combination they try to force will suck just as bad.

Amazon says they spent a ton of money to get the trio in to do The Grand Tour.

After watching how not good the Top Gear reboot is, I think the large investment Amazon made to get the trio will be worthwhile with the uptick of prime subscriptions.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016...t-chris-evans/


LMAO

Matt LeBlac is threatening to quit if Chris Evans isn't fired. Can't say I'm surprised. Matt has looked flat ****ing annoyed every time he is on camera.

ROFL

Whoever decided Evans would make the best replacement for Clarkson is an idiot.

This is more fun to watch than the new Top Gear...

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I haven't been as annoyed with Evans as expected but sounds like he is insufferable to work with.

For those that gave up immediately the 3rd new episode was a fair amount better. Chris Harris doing his thing with a classic and then new Ferrari with Top Gear production values was pretty great.

Much hubub in GB, Brexit but a memory

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That was quick

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-...ust-one-series

And on that bombshell . . .

:clap:

Good riddance. They should have made Evans wear a hat all the time to cover the circumcision scar on his forehead.

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A little morsel - a few minutes from the unaired 'Hammond, Clarkson May' live event.

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I cannot wait for the three of them to be back on TV.

{giddy}

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Oh my... that looks really good.

Grand Tour looks AWESOME. Still holding out hope for Top Gear UK to do something good with LeBlanc.

I tried to get through episode 2 of Top Gear and Extra Gear. Just couldn't do it. Horrible.

The Grand Tour on the other hand looks amazing and deserves its own thread rather being buried hear.

Put him with Chris Harris and Rory Reid (they already ditched Evans; ditch Schmidt and Eddie Jordan along with him) and they'll be in decent shape on UK.

Harris and Reid were very good and LeBlanc can do that job. I wouldn't call it dead just yet; they have some nice pieces in place and enough good will to let them gel.

Agreed. Chris Harris is great. Rory was also good, but has a lot of room to improve.

I used to watch these shows on pirated DVD's sold from afghani dudes while on tour. So good, and I am so pumped to see this.

Boys on are Carolla this morning

http://cdn46.castfire.com/audio/522/...ard-hammond%2F

https://i.imgur.com/1drmXWX.jpg

So first episode hit Amazon last night.

I think some of the jokes fell a bit flat, but it was a good first episode overall and I'd imagine that BBC executives are forming a suicide pact right now.

Being the first to hold the hybrid hypercar shootout was immense, and a huge thumb in the eye of the BBC.

I still think TGT should have its own thread.

Will be watching soon!

I will also say that the show is stunning if you have a 4k TV. Only real downside is the music selection is very generic, which is something being a part of the BBC was a big plus.

The 4K HDR is pretty damn impressive.

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.5132.../data=!3m1!1e3

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I loved it. Two of the comedic bits felt flat for me, but I though the rest was great. The commentary from "the American" felt forced. Not really a fan. I thought the French commentary with Jeremy controlling the subtitles bit was funny. Anyone have the real translation? The audience participation also felt over the top and stiff.

The rest of the show is making me consider a 4k TV. The beginning as Jeremy gets joined by Hammond and May in the Mustangs almost had me tearing up. No idea how many hours my son and I have spent watching and talking about this show. Forgot how much I missed that.

Several parts of the montage look hilarious. The game of Battleship and what appeared to be a rif on SpaceX look like old school Top Gear. And Jeremy's "carcass mobile"? WTF was that? lol

http://oi68.tinypic.com/2lbzty0.jpg

EDIT:
So found a translation here if anyone is interested (https://www.reddit.com/r/thegrandtou...belgium_pilot/).

Watching it again, that X-Ray feature is really cool. Don't usually watch Amazon video, is that a common feature?

The obnoxious commentary from the American was part of their way to make sure the driver was as far from the stig as possible lol

My god that Vulcan is gorgeous.

http://oi65.tinypic.com/2vnrwk8.jpg

People are strange, but I love it

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Credit for the effort. Totally see the humor in it, but the delivery just fell flat for me. The "Enzo" is awesomely hilarious and kind of feels wasted by the deadpan.

affinity for deadpan varies wilder that most any other humor.

Him complaining about the noisiness of the gasoline supplementary power unit in the 918 cracked me up.

If you can't get enough, and have lingering affection for Chris Harris and Top Gear

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Could they just put a 4-banger and some regular old struts under that thing and charge us $70K for it?

Because Christ alive, that thing is stunning. Just drop that chassis on an old Chevy Cavalier and I will pay dearly for it anyway.

Nobody makes a prettier car than Aston Martin and it's been that way for as long as they've been around. Beautiful, beautiful cars.

Wow. That was much more hilarious than I was expecting.

that was amazing. LMAO

when he was putting his "Enzo" through it's paces, it was a spot on representation of Top Gear.

What our Italian compatriots may know as . . . quattro formaggio!!

Awesome, thanks! Chris was the only good thing about the new Top Gear, and that segment was awesome.

Totally agree.

While it lasts

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Sidenote - Hammond drives a BRC special. :thumb:

Another fun episode. I'm so glad they're back.

Somehow I missed Jeremy's choice of footwear for Conversation Street in the previous episodes.

Haven't watched it yet but hopeful this week was better than last. Thought the Live Die Repeat style segment that made up most of the show last week was awful.

While I understand the criticism from TG fans [as one], I'm somewhat at sea regarding assessing the criticism as a show [re]building its brand.

I watched the 2nd episode at Thanksgiving at much insistence, in the midst of an audience who'd never heard of TG and had no interest whatsoever in cars.

While I found the banter retread and slightly lazy, they found the hijinx boisterous and hilarious. They murmured that they'd have to remember to check it out later.

And I have to admit, their enjoyment made the episode more enjoyable for me as well.

Kind of reminds me of the dynamic when a rabid fan of a band hates it when they 'make the big' time and everyone loves their music. The fan isn't coming from the same perspective. They've versed themselves in established charms and are looking for growth, while new fans are enjoying those initial charms anew.

Floodgates, released.

http://jalopnik.com/you-can-now-stre...-on-1789627435

My weekend just filled up.

It was TERRIBLE.

Ep 3 was awesome, though.

Rory Reid was good as well.

LeBlanc, Reid and Harris would be worth watching. They found 3 very personable guys there with enough difference in their personalities but enough common ground that you could get a nice mesh there.

No more Sabine and no more Eddie Jordan. Both of those folks were almost as bad as Evans.

Nice rebound with episode 3. The 4K HDR video was pretty incredible with all of the scenery from Italy.

Agreed. If they use that trio for next season I will defiantly look forward to watching.

What's not to like? Matt, good. . . Hoonagin, good. . . . EXTENDED FOOTAGE. . . .Gooooood.

http://static.celebuzz.com/uploads/2...rifle-good.gif


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Grand Tour Ep 4 was good. I mean, it was Top Gear, so . . .

I knew almost exactly what was going to happen, but couldn't stop chuckling at James' mud car.

"It doesn't make a good boat, but if it breaks down, it will make quite a nice dam."

LMFAO

"I'm so happy my tinkle is fizzing."

Enjoyed this week's episode. Loved the two part buggy episodes in Namibia too.

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Catching up a bit but that James May segment about the Ford GT 40 history was maybe the best segment of this new show.

That was an excellent piece. They've been doing a great mix of stuff on the new show that I've really enjoyed.

They've had some really great stuff, and some pretty tedious stuff. I'm curious to see how long they continue to mention a celebrity and then watch them die.

I really liked this at first, because the celebrity appearances were the one part I usually skipped past on Top Gear. It is getting rather redundant though. I'd almost like them to come out and just say, "OK, we're bored too. You all know we've killed the celebrity portion of our show. Moving on..." Heck, it might actually be fun if they do something like that, move on to news, then have an A lister walk out of the audience with his own chair and sit at the table and go on a monologue about why the Morris Minor is the greatest care ever made, while the hosts stare in wonder.

OK, maybe not. I'd probably laugh. But yeah, that bit is getting tedious. I do like Conversation Street though.

It's pushed a little too far towards the scripted stuff, IMO.

The butler during the Namibia specials was just unnecessary and removed you from the 'event'. That awful, awful, special forces training bit (seriously the worst thing I've ever seen from them). The Christmas presents thing during the christmas episode where they were stumbling about on wheeled implements. I'd have to go back a bit but every episode seems to have a tedious scripted spot where you realize that maybe 17 minutes of commercials did these guys a bit of good. They probably only have 30-35 minutes of quality television per episode and when there's not 15 minutes or so of it taken away for commercial (and another 10 minutes of celebrity interview that I skipped anyway), they're left with a lot of space to fill and no great way to do it right now.

They are almost the exact same length as the old top gear which was within +/- a few minutes of an hour like clockwork. Some of the celebrity interview stuff and them driving was pretty fun unless it was someone only British people liked which wasn't that uncommon.

Completely agree on the overly scripted or trying too hard bits being sprinkled in that I don't care for but overall fairly enjoying this other than that dreadful second episode. One thing that is falling very flat for me is the new track and the cringeworthy comments on the new driver.

Over the years those historical type pieces from May or Clarkson have been really damn good. This was probably the best since the one on Senna.

Totally agree.

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<p><a href="https://vimeo.com/89217406">Ayrton Senna Top Gear Tribute</a> from <a href="https://vimeo.com/user9939731">Music Heals</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

Forgot how very great that Senna piece really was. Maybe the best of Top Gear.

Yeah, they can do some great work when putting together non-comedy pieces. At the same time, I love their comedy skits too. And let's be honest here, ALL of their shows are completely scripted. Some of the pieces that "feel" less scripted are incredible, but the Reliant Robin is as scripted as you can get, and still has me cracking up every time I see it.

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I will take The Grand Tour over the new Top Gear every time. Talk about scripted. Joey is absolutely horrible at "reading his lines". I kept waiting for him to forget and look down at his hand for cues. I'm surprised his eyes were ever directed at the camera. I can only assume the teleprompter was directly above the lens.

I'm still two weeks behind and mostly enjoying this quite a bit. Everything with the production of this new show is all out and better than Top Gear but I really miss the music.

Watching first episode of new season of Top Gear and really enjoying it. So far they have done the obvious to fix the show. Been a fan of Chris Harris for years.

watched ep3 of this year and harris is growing on me a bit. the production quality is better than ever before imo.