So the new season of Top Gear just hit the intarwebs, and I'm about to watch it. I refuse to consider it the REAL Top Gear because without the 3 stooges it's just... not. I like Matt LeBlanc, and fucking LOVE Sabine, but couldn't give a shit less about Chris Evans. I'll watch it (albeit out of morbid curiosity, in the same way you can't not look at a train wreck), but part of me is really hoping that it just fucking bombs in a huge way as a big "fuck you" to the morons at the BBC that killed a good thing.
Does anyone like this smug asshole? Because what you just said is what everyone's been saying about him.
I may attempt to watch it but from everything I've read I'll most likely wait for Hammond, Clarkston and May to return. This show will bomb so hard the BBC will wish they never bothered trying to keep it going. I really wish the Amazon show would have stuck with Gear Knobs, although I think they were forbidden from using "Gear" in the title.
My friend is a die-hard for this show, he is MAJOR pissed off about the reboot. He "likes Matt LeBlanc, and nothing else at all". I don't know the show that well-- I know it for its breathtaking cinematography and incredible host chemistry, and is THE car show for this planet. So I understand why they (the fans) are pissed. I don't know why anybody wouldn't want to have a show without James May. Guy kills me:
Just finished watching the show, and it's beyond lame. They are trying way, way too hard to duplicate the last show... right down the the "in the world" and other well-known phrases. They needed to come out with their own show, their own schtick, and not only make it, but own it. Instead they're trying to duplicate what was going on before, and they just can't. I will say I love watching Sabine drive, and Matt is a good presenter with some actual stage presence, but the rest is just... not good.
There's no chemistry, at all. They are trying to drop us into a scenario where they want us to think that there is some great chemistry and synergy amongst the hosts, when it's obvious it's scripted and forced. I think they would have done way better to basically start the hosts off fresh, like they were just meeting, and let them riff and develop that chemistry organically as the show went on.
I made it about 1/2 of the way in, it isn't a good show, everything feels forced. I won't be watching it again, if I want Top Gear I'll watch old episodes.
In some ways, it's worse, because they're trying to copy the formula of the previous guys. It's like they're treating it like they just swapped out one of the presenters and not all three.
If you haven't done so yet, there is a torrent out there with all 17 seasons of the real TG. Obviously, it's a bit of a big file (72G), but well worth it if you're a fan.
Ugh, I don't know why shows try to pull this shit; it never works. The only way new Top Gear is going to work is if the hosts build their relationships organically.
http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-36458510 Top Gear audience drops by a third on second episode
I've been watching the reboot and while it's clearly not on the level as the origional I like Sabine and Matt and think Rory Reid & Chris Harris have potential if given time to develop chemistry. However Chris Evans reminds me of that not very popular kid who has all the cool toys who's always desperately asking the other kids to come over and play with his toys so they'd think he's cool too. He just comes across as annoying and uninteresting. I'm curious how much truth there is to LeBlanc saying he will leave if Evans stays: http://www.autoblog.com/2016/06/27/matt-leblanc-threatens-quit-top-gear/ Personally, I think a massive improvement would be to drop Evans, give Sabine, Rory, & Harris more screen time with Matt. Then it's just a matter of whether or not the BBC will give them enough time to develop their chemistry and make the show their own. The episode's have had potential, but it's squashed by Evan's overbearing. I love that Sabine made a Top Gun pilot throw up in the first episode and Evans puke in another.
Chris Evans Steps Down From Top Gear http://news.sky.com/story/1721519/chris-evans-steps-down-from-top-gear
Still haven't watched an episode, although I watched a few clips with Evans and all he did was yell at the camera, hopefully the show improves in his absence. A few years down the road is bet it comes out that he was hired to take all the flack for the first year to set the show up for its new second season. Just a guess. I binged the original Top Gear specials over the weekend when I had baby duty, I don't care if most of it is scripted, you will have a hard time duplicating the chemistry between Clarkston, Hammond and May.
I don't think the BBC is that smart. I think they literally saw one of their talents who had a ton of cars and was enthusiastic and put him in as the main host with a "why wouldn't everyone love him?" attitude. They have no fucking clue about what makes that show work.