Top Gear/Grand Tour Thread

[Dr. Zoidberg]

New Top Gear branded a 'diabolical disaster' as fans turn on host Chris Evans

They always had big boots to fill, but it looks like the new hosts of Top Gear missed the mark - spectacularly.

The relaunched BBC series with Chris Evans and Matt LeBlanc at the helm premiered on Sunday night to disastrous reviews on social media.

The reaction from fans was so bad that UK betting house Ladbrokes started a wager on this being the last season of Top Gear to air on the BBC.

Angry fans were unimpressed by the chemistry between Evans and LeBlanc, which some said was non-existent, as well as Evans' shouting in an apparent attempt to replicate predecessor Jeremy Clarkson.

"Anyone who just watched the new Top Gear and thought it was good needs a brain transplant. Absolutely diabolical," tweeted one fan.

"James May has a show where he puts old lawn mowers together, piece by piece. In a shed. It's better than this."

"Evans and LeBlanc forced chemistry," wrote another. "Sat on top of an old jeep smiling at each other like a bad Tinder date."

Friends actor Matt LeBlanc was a wildcard heading into the series but it appears the American export shone in the pressurised environment.

The Guardian's Sam Wollaston praised LeBlanc for being 'cheeky, quite funny and relaxed' but criticised Evans' performance as being forced.

"Chris Evans is trying to be Jeremy Clarkson, and that's probably not a good idea. There's also an uncharacteristic nervousness about him; possibly because of that anticipation, the build-up, the weight on his shoulders, possibly because this kind of scripted stunt isn't suited to him – he's a chatterbox, not an actor."

So far the new Top Gear appears to be a rehash of old stunts with fresh faces, with the new hosts driving around London in three-wheeler Reliant Robins.

"This is basically a rehash of the old one all at once," a disgruntled fan tweeted.



The UK Telegraph also accused producers of overplaying the United Kingdom versus the United States angle between LeBlanc and Evans, forcing them to drive around in cars brandished in their nations' respective flags.

"Forcing Matt LeBlanc to experience British Summertime - standing on a freezing, rainy beach in a cagoule - while he and Evans test a British car against an American car was yet another example of the cliche they're ramming down our throats," wrote Helena Horton.

"It's fun for one episode - but will this be the theme of the whole series? It could get tired."

Some punters were quick to remind unimpressed fans that the original Top Gear "took years until it gelled". "It's going to take a few months to bed in, but it's jolly," tweeted a BBC presenter.

However, without Clarkson, James May, Richard Hammond and executive producer Andy Wilman, Top Gear always appeared destined to struggle.

After BBC sacked Clarkson in March 2015 for assaulting a producer, co-stars May and Hammond refused to continue the show without their friend, walking away from the network along with Wilman.

The four men have since migrated to Amazon where their new weekly show The Grand Tour will air this spring.

They have remained silent following the Top Gear relaunch, although many fans have presumptuously guessed their reactions.





Source: The Age

[Skynet]

SO I just watched it and here are my thoughts:

- Chris Evans didn't seem like he was up to the task of hosting the show. That could just be first episode jitters being that he's taking over such an established series.

- Le Blanc is an alright actor. He's entertaining and I thought he does certain roles fairly well but he doesn't seem like much in the way of TV show host.

- Too much of it seemed forced between Evans and Le Blanc, their interactions made it seem more scripted than Top Gear ever felt before. That could just be while they're getting used to each other and may pass in time.

- Not sure how I feel about the Top Gear track and the new lap times for their guests. Maybe it'll grow on me. It's different for sure but I don't know how this will play out with the stars they have on.

- I was sad to see "koenigseggegggegegeggegegegeg" removed from the lap times.

- If they keep pushing the US v UK thing fans probably won't last the first season.

- I swear there were times when the sound the audience was making did not match their reaction. I swear it felt like they put audience applause and vocal reactions over the top of whatever was happening on set.

[Hawq]

following last weeks use of canned laughter at Evens 'funny' comes this:

Top Gear audience drops by a third on second episode

The audience for the latest episode of Top Gear dropped by more than a third, compared with last week's series debut.

An average of 2.8 million viewers tuned in to the second show of the new series on Sunday evening - 1.6 million fewer than the first episode.

Viewing peaked at 3.3 million just before the BBC Two show ended, overnight figures show.

Presenter Chris Evans said viewing figures would be higher when on-demand services were taken into account.

He tweeted: "Overnight television viewing figures for Top Gear have never been less relevant. Obviously some newspapers prefer to live in the past.

"The way Top Gear is being viewed is repositioning the way television is consumed. Last week 9 million viewers. This week we shall see."
'Strongest launch'

The first episode of this series was watched by an average of 4.4 million when it was first broadcast - 23% of the TV viewing share.

However, when all forms of viewing are taken into account - including people who recorded the programme, watched the repeat or requested the show on a catch-up service such as iPlayer - the launch episode's audience totalled around 9 million.

Alan Tyler, acting controller of BBC Entertainment Commissioning, said: "We are delighted that this was the strongest launch episode of Top Gear since 2010."

Referring to the show's second episode, Tyler said: "Chris, Matt and the team once again brilliantly led BBC Two's biggest show of the day, by some margin.

"It secured a peak audience of 3.3m, and the show again remained the most requested programme on BBC iPlayer."



Overnight figures only account for viewers who watched the show as it was being broadcast, and do not include those watching on catch-up services.

The first two episodes of the last series of Top Gear, which was hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May, were watched by 6.41 million and 6.56 million viewers respectively, according to overnight figures from the time.



Sunday evening's figures give the second episode of Top Gear a 14% share of all television viewing in its timeslot.

BBC One's Antiques Roadshow attracted more viewers than the motoring show - with 4.2 million people tuning in.

Soccer Aid on ITV also had a bigger audience, with an average 3.9 million viewers watching across the four-hour broadcast - including viewers watching on ITV+1.

Sunday evening's Top Gear featured guest appearances from Damian Lewis, Sharleen Spiteri, Seasick Steve and Tinie Tempah.
Image caption Eddie Jordan, Seasick Steve, Sharleen Spiteri and Damian Lewis appeared in the latest episode

This series is the first since the departure of Clarkson, Hammond and May following Clarkson's fracas with a producer.

They later signed up to present a new show, The Grand Tour, on Amazon Prime - which will premiere later this year.

Evans and Matt LeBlanc have taken over hosting duties for the latest series, together with co-presenters Sabine Schmitz and Eddie Jordan.

Rory Reid and Chris Harris also present a spin-off show, BBC Three's Extra Gear.
BBC

[ian]

I still Haven't watched new shitty top gear, and won't... Even when a friend tells me they had a McLaren F1 featured in an episode.

I fucking LOVE McLaren cars, and the F1 is the best car ever made in the history of the world.. Not even a car that I've been dreaming of owning since I was 7 and have fapped to could make me watch this shit!!!

[Skynet]

First episode was horrible. The next few got better, but not by much. Le Blanc is fine in the films but he's not suited to co-hosting a show with a live audience, it doesn't work with what he can do. I've yet to watch this weeks episode, not sure when I will.

[OrangeRibbon]

I would give it a chance but it isn't on Hulu or Netflix. I kinda want to see how much of a disaster it is. The 2 times Evens was on Top Gear I didn't really like him.

[Skynet]

I would give it a chance but it isn't on Hulu or Netflix. I kinda want to see how much of a disaster it is. The 2 times Evens was on Top Gear I didn't really like him.

He just yells. He's a loud mouth, and not in the amusing Jeremy Clarkson way.

This week's episode wasn't bad. Not great, but decent enough.

[Dr. Zoidberg]

It's not just the fans turning on Evans.

Matt LeBlanc is 'planning to quit Top Gear if co-host Chris Evans does not go first'

[melancholy]

Evans apparently quit today.

[Skynet]

Evans apparently quit today.

There's also now talks of him being investigated for sexual assault or something from the 90s.

EDIT: Apparently that's an older article and not new lol.

[Dr. Zoidberg]

I guess Clarkson doesn't seem so bad now.

[Skynet]

It'd be great if this was all a massive PR stunt and the other 3 came back next season.

[Hawq]

[Bandit]

50 Cent interested in hosting Top Gear

[OrangeRibbon]

50 Cent interested in hosting Top Gear

That could either be amazing or horrible. I say do it.

[ian]

If he can't do it...
...
...

...Sorry

[ian]

He'll stop new top gear from sucking.... OR die trying!!

[Bandit]

50 Is an entertaining guy and owns a lot of sports cars, so it could be good.

[ian]

50 Is an entertaining guy and owns a lot of sports cars, so it could be good.

So is Jay Leno.. But just no...

[Hawq]

BBC bosses ‘wipe all traces’ of presenter Chris Evans from the new series of Top Gear

BBC bosses are wiping away any trace of ratings disaster Chris Evans from the new series of Top Gear.

The loudmouth DJ, 50, made several changes to the show’s format that fans hated.

But producers have now ordered the demolition of the show’s race track rally car section to return it to the same as when fronted by Jeremy Clarkson, 56.

Evans changed the previous “Star in a Reasonably Priced Car” feature where celebs would race around a track by adding an off-road element in muddy puddles and hills.

His pal, broadcasting legend Danny Baker, who was brought in to help make scripts funny last series, has also been axed and will not return to the show.

Danny, who is set to go in the I’m a Celeb jungle, wanted to stay on but execs wanted a clean break from Evans’ time on the show.

And The Cool Wall that Clarkson, Richard Hammond, 46, and James May, 53, used to rate cars on is set to make a return on the show now fronted by Matt LeBlanc, 49.

An insider said: “Bosses are really desperate to save Top Gear after the disastrous last series and believe the way to do that is return the old features that fans loved.

“Viewers hated Evans and the changes – especially the Star in the Rallycross Car – so they’re pulling down the off-road section on Monday and returning it to the original track.

“The Cool Wall is a number of featrues that were scrapped last series but earmarked for a return.”

“They’re thinking is just give them what they want.”

The Sun revealed how BBC execs caved into former Friends star LeBlanc’s pay demands and agreed to work around his US sitcom filming by signing him up for a £2million two-year deal in September.

Matt’s role on the show will see him replace main host Evans, who quit in July following fans’ fury at his string of gaffes.

He will carry out the celebrity interviews and be helped out by Eddie Jordan, 68, Sabine Schmitz, 47, and motoring journalists Chris Harris, 41, and Rory Reid, 36.

A BBC spokesman said: “Any announcements about the new series will be made in due course.”
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