You're watching a programme you don't like. You spend your time, indoors, moaning about it.The people who make Top Gear couldn't care less about your opinion [nods in the direction of the people who contribute to Final Gear].
..... I think factual car discussion is a deceptively niche area.
Not that long ago many would have said that baking bread on TV was a 'deceptively niche area' but Bake Off has been probably the most successful recent new programme format.
Some very niche areas can be covered with intelligent programmes and been successful, not Top Gear figures perhaps but acceptable viewing figures. There is too much money is selling Top Gear for it to be replaced but there is room the rest of the year for something more intelligent
Oh dear, we always get people on these forum who tell someone else 'to turn off' or 'why watch it?'. Please that is not very helpful or original. These forums are for commenting on the various threads, whether positive or negative, aren't they.
Incidentally I grew up with Dr Who but when the new iterations started with Chris Ecclestone etc. I found them boring but perhaps that was because I was much older and found the simpler, somewhat amateurish, earler productions had been swept aside by clever computer graphics, thus detracting from my enjoyment. Again the new ones were just too silly.
I do not watch Dr Who anymore, as a result and so I do retain some discerning abilities in my dotage.;)
Oh dear, we always get these people that take umbrage when someone correctly interprets what they've written; I simply commented on your comment.
You yourself have made a good case for NOT watching, I simply asked why you do if you feel the way you come across as feeling. I then went on to explain that I found myself in the same position when watching Dr Who and as a result I stopped watching.
For the record, I don't care whether you watch it or not.
Oh dear, we always get these people that take umbrage when someone correctly interprets what they've written; I simply commented on your comment.
You yourself have made a good case for NOT watching, I simply asked why you do if you feel the way you come across as feeling. I then went on to explain that I found myself in the same position when watching Dr Who and as a result I stopped watching.
For the record, I don't care whether you watch it or not.
And I don't care whether you care whether I watch it or not.
Not that long ago many would have said that baking bread on TV was a 'deceptively niche area' but Bake Off has been probably the most successful recent new programme format.
Some very niche areas can be covered with intelligent programmes and been successful, not Top Gear figures perhaps but acceptable viewing figures. There is too much money is selling Top Gear for it to be replaced but there is room the rest of the year for something more intelligent
There have a number of BBC docs about motoring and motorsport recently.
Unfortunately the last couple of series have totally passed me by. I agree with many here, the show now seems to be about their (read: Clarkson's) egos and not about the cars.
I wish they still had 10 episodes a serious. 6 seems very short.
All those millions to pay the presenters for less work.
But can't you imagine what the 'quality' of those extra programmes would be like, based on the rather poor content of at least half of those just shown?. More would be very much less in the case of TG. It 'ain't' got much more life in it no matter how much the rest of the civilised world want to buy it.
17 million people watched TG in 2007 :D Why do they bother to quote rubbish like this.......... Bet it was not even over 1 million.
Um, those aren't viewing figures
I can't be bothered to look for proper figures but in recent years a number around 6 million +/- 50% seems to have been mentioned a lot.
Didn't realise we had so few episodes last year, I'm loathe to complain about the quantity of episodes since anything is better than nothing but it's strange that they can't decide on a number and stick with it!
The more I watch Old Top Gear, the more I want to see a normal consumer advice programme about cars that normal people can afford and drive. As much as I love TG as it is now (it's not for everybody, I know, but if you don't like it, don't bloody watch it) I sort of miss people telling me how good a Ford Focus is without it having a 2.0 litre turbo petrol engine in it.
The more I watch Old Top Gear, the more I want to see a normal consumer advice programme about cars that normal people can afford and drive. As much as I love TG as it is now (it's not for everybody, I know, but if you don't like it, don't bloody watch it) I sort of miss people telling me how good a Ford Focus is without it having a 2.0 litre turbo petrol engine in it.
Well here's some factual advice, if you just want a Ford Focus, and it isn't the new ST, or RS........buy a 123BHP 1.0 Litre triple cylinder EcoBoost
The more I watch Old Top Gear, the more I want to see a normal consumer advice programme about cars that normal people can afford and drive.
*sigh* It's been tried. Multiple times. It has failed. Multiple times.
The fact Top Gear is not that programme does not of itself mean there is a demand for that programme. There isn't. Pretty much all the mainstream networks have tried a 'consumer motoring programme' at one point or other. All have eventually been cancelled because of lack of audience interest. Fifth Gear survives only because it's now on a channel that thinks 50,00 viewers is a good night's work after even Channel 5 didn't think it got enough viewers. Old Top Gear died to general apathy. Driven lasted, what, two series?
The main problem with a 'this is the kind of car you should buy' show is most people only buy a car once every six or so years. At that point, they might be interested. The rest of the time, hardly anyone (in TV Audience terms) gives a damn.
If you want that kind of show, here's what you do : go to one of the petition sites on the web and start up a petition. Then go on every single car site you can find and publicise it. If you get, I dunno, a hundred thousand signatures, somebody might listen to you and make the show. But I'd be willing to bet you won't get anywhere near that number.
The main problem with a 'this is the kind of car you should buy' show is most people only buy a car once every six or so years. At that point, they might be interested. The rest of the time, hardly anyone (in TV Audience terms) gives a damn.
Using the same analogy, the only property programmes on TV would have Phil and Kirsty swanning around £10M mansions.
All have eventually been cancelled because of lack of audience interest. Fifth Gear survives only because it's now on a channel that thinks 50,00 viewers is a good night's work after even Channel 5 didn't think it got enough viewers.
I quite liked the car reviews on Fifth Gear, it was the bits with Plato racing around a track that bored me to tears on that show, which began to happen nearly every week.
Comments
Life is passing you by. And you're deadly boring.
Not that long ago many would have said that baking bread on TV was a 'deceptively niche area' but Bake Off has been probably the most successful recent new programme format.
Some very niche areas can be covered with intelligent programmes and been successful, not Top Gear figures perhaps but acceptable viewing figures. There is too much money is selling Top Gear for it to be replaced but there is room the rest of the year for something more intelligent
Oh dear, we always get these people that take umbrage when someone correctly interprets what they've written; I simply commented on your comment.
You yourself have made a good case for NOT watching, I simply asked why you do if you feel the way you come across as feeling. I then went on to explain that I found myself in the same position when watching Dr Who and as a result I stopped watching.
For the record, I don't care whether you watch it or not.
There have a number of BBC docs about motoring and motorsport recently.
But they tend to be one-off documentaries about a single topic.
Yep, but there's been plenty of them, and they run alongside Top Gear. So the BBC DO actually commission/make intelligent motorsport programming.
Much more than the other terrestrial broadcasters in fact.
When?
There was one on Sunday!
And there was the motorsport legends series with programmes about Stirling Moss and Colin Mcrae. That one on Suzie Wolff. The one on Donald Campell.
Plenty in fact, probably as many as there's been episodes of Top Gear this year.
All those millions to pay the presenters for less work.
well thats me told :rolleyes:
I'm not sure that's the case though. There tend to me more than one series per year these days as opposed to one longer one a few years ago.
I'm probably wrong though.
They don't pay them millions. Clarkson had a deal with Wilman over the rights to TG.
You will find Hammond and May earn more from other TV work.
The budget for TG has been cut over the years, so they make fewer shows.
Only in the world of the demented BBC would you cut the money to your most successful export.
Probably they need more money to piss away on failed IT schemes or buy off more useless managers.
But can't you imagine what the 'quality' of those extra programmes would be like, based on the rather poor content of at least half of those just shown?. More would be very much less in the case of TG. It 'ain't' got much more life in it no matter how much the rest of the civilised world want to buy it.
We've had 13 episodes so far this year, and we're not even into September yet. (Is there to be an Xmas special this year?)
This compares favourably or similarly with recent years since the mid-naughties heyday:
2012: 8
2011: 14
2010: 6
2009: 14
2008: 14
2007: 17
2006: 8
2005: 18
2004: 19
2003: 19
2002: 10
"I've poured the tree out with some pussy!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W28z03BpIQ
What is your favorite TG special? The Africa Special has to be my favorite, closely followed by the Middle East special.
17 million people watched TG in 2007
Um, those aren't viewing figures
I can't be bothered to look for proper figures but in recent years a number around 6 million +/- 50% seems to have been mentioned a lot.
Didn't realise we had so few episodes last year, I'm loathe to complain about the quantity of episodes since anything is better than nothing but it's strange that they can't decide on a number and stick with it!
Well here's some factual advice, if you just want a Ford Focus, and it isn't the new ST, or RS........buy a 123BHP 1.0 Litre triple cylinder EcoBoost
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/ford/focus/first-drives/ford-focus-1.0-ecoboost-zetec
(Brilliant new engine, and probably even better in the new Fiesta.)
But if you prefer a better interior and build quality, buy the new VW Golf.......
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/volkswagen/golf
The fact Top Gear is not that programme does not of itself mean there is a demand for that programme. There isn't. Pretty much all the mainstream networks have tried a 'consumer motoring programme' at one point or other. All have eventually been cancelled because of lack of audience interest. Fifth Gear survives only because it's now on a channel that thinks 50,00 viewers is a good night's work after even Channel 5 didn't think it got enough viewers. Old Top Gear died to general apathy. Driven lasted, what, two series?
The main problem with a 'this is the kind of car you should buy' show is most people only buy a car once every six or so years. At that point, they might be interested. The rest of the time, hardly anyone (in TV Audience terms) gives a damn.
If you want that kind of show, here's what you do : go to one of the petition sites on the web and start up a petition. Then go on every single car site you can find and publicise it. If you get, I dunno, a hundred thousand signatures, somebody might listen to you and make the show. But I'd be willing to bet you won't get anywhere near that number.
Using the same analogy, the only property programmes on TV would have Phil and Kirsty swanning around £10M mansions.
Which proves it's bunkum.
I quite liked the car reviews on Fifth Gear, it was the bits with Plato racing around a track that bored me to tears on that show, which began to happen nearly every week.