I'm well aware of what's made it successful and have been a big fan of it....... just wondering whether they would change the format completely.
I think there will be minor tweaks but there isn't time or audience buy-in for many changes. Star In An Ordinary Car is bound to stay I reckon, cheap, easy time filler and Evans can do that type of thing.
Since Jason Plato appeared on TFI, is he joining too?... if so... I hope he replaces The Stig, so he can actually give some feedback as well as lap times.
There was clearly more to that Top Gear segment on TFI than met the eye. He was giving it a test drive, literally.
Perhaps a test drive by the BBC to gauge the reaction to him "going there" so to speak. I doubt it was Chris applying for the job.. they've probably been in negotiations for ages.
I wonder if Clarkson knew when they filmed that Ferrari segment. It would be pretty crap if he didn't. These things happen I suppose.
As for co hosts.. a woman and a bloke I think will be the way BBC go. No idea who. Maybe Jodi and Guy would work. A lot of people wrote James May off at the start. Guy is loved already as a TV person so perhaps he'd work. He was never going to host it.
Will audiences turn up for the studio stuff if they keep it.. probably. You'll always find people to pay to be on TV shows.
Let's remind ourselves of what Chris said in March:
"However, I'm in the no camp. So regardless of whether it would be a hit, I'm voting a no for myself on that show, so that's never going to happen."
Since Jason Plato appeared on TFI, is he joining too?... if so... I hope he replaces The Stig, so he can actually give some feedback as well as lap times.
Evans hasn't contradicted himself, he's just been clever with his words. He first said he hadn't been offered the job - which was true at the time. Then he said he wasn't stealing Clarkson's job - which was true because Clarkson was (effectively) sacked so it was no longer his job to take. Then he said he hadn't been in any meetings with the BBC (no mention of phone calls or conversations with his agent broaching the matter), and then he said he hadn't been signed up to present it - Which was also probably true at the time. Etc.
The thing is, Top Gear isn't a car show. It hasn't been a car show for years now. It was the Clarkson, May and Hammond show. Who did stuff with cars. And bikes. And boats. And so on.
I don't doubt Chris Evans will do a very good job, but what show are the BBC going to make now? The old format won't work with new people. But it doesn't seem like anyone is really interested in watching an actual car show either.
If that was the case, old Top Gear would still be around. And more/any people would have watched Fifth Gear and whatever that Sky knock-off was called, with Alan Partridge's brother.
My only hope is that this role doesn't set Evans on the path to becoming an arrogant, irascible egomaniac again.
People say that he's wiser and more mature now that he's older but I just have a feeling that the potential for him to revert back to his former mindset is still there.
The thing is, Top Gear isn't a car show. It hasn't been a car show for years now. It was the Clarkson, May and Hammond show. Who did stuff with cars. And bikes. And boats. And so on..
I have no interest in cars. I couldn't tell the difference between a Porsche and and Ferrari, I usually fast forward through the supercar segments and I only drive one because I need to - but I love TG for its sheer entertainment value. There's nothing else like it on TV.
Remember, Hammond, May and Clarkson killed the proper Top Gear, with Angela Rippon and Noel Edmonds. And let's face it, who ever could have replaced Noel Edmonds at the height of his power without killing the show stone dead?!!
If only that idea could be applied to Noel Edmonds and Deal or No Deal. A win-win situation. :cool:
Proper Top Gear wasn't killed off by Clarkson though. The plug was pulled on it as an act of mercy by the BBC after it went into terminal decline. Only for Channel 5 to resurrect it as Fifth Gear.
Who is going to write the script?
Lets face it the later scripts written by Clarkson were more miss than hit but we still watched.
Hammond was terrible really but we still watched.
May was ok..............just but we still watched.
Even though everyone of us knew it needed to change we still watched.
Well, here we have it, I haven't a clue what it is going to be like but I will watch even if it is to slag it off and complain that it needs a change.
On balance I think I'm happier it's an all-new line-up than Evans leading Hammond and May. At least it (a) draws a line in the sand under "old new Top Gear" and "new new Top Gear" and (b) hopefully means that there's a decent chance of Clarkson, Hammond and May getting together and doing their own new thing.
But yeah, it's going to be a bit of a science experiment to see what happens if they try to just recreate TG with 3 new folk.
Comments
I think there will be minor tweaks but there isn't time or audience buy-in for many changes. Star In An Ordinary Car is bound to stay I reckon, cheap, easy time filler and Evans can do that type of thing.
But it started after Buzzcocks and finished before it?
Well Clarkson had Richard Hammond.
Mr Evans, you've got a VERY tall order on your hands, to equal or surpass C, H & M. Good luck!
exactly, just look at his hair
Perhaps a test drive by the BBC to gauge the reaction to him "going there" so to speak. I doubt it was Chris applying for the job.. they've probably been in negotiations for ages.
I wonder if Clarkson knew when they filmed that Ferrari segment. It would be pretty crap if he didn't. These things happen I suppose.
As for co hosts.. a woman and a bloke I think will be the way BBC go. No idea who. Maybe Jodi and Guy would work. A lot of people wrote James May off at the start. Guy is loved already as a TV person so perhaps he'd work. He was never going to host it.
Will audiences turn up for the studio stuff if they keep it.. probably. You'll always find people to pay to be on TV shows.
Let's remind ourselves of what Chris said in March:
Quite.
Yup wouldn't surprise me.. good idea that.
My bet is they use that guy who test drove the Merc on TFI though, whose name escapes me.
Err..
It ain't finished, they just brought the current series to a slightly premature end.
Err...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-32889471
Err..
What are you on about?
Buzzcocks is finished.
When it started, or when Top Gear started is beside the point.
I said Top Gear should have gone the same way as Buzzcocks
It hasn't.
That's my opinion.
Let it go.
Your reply rather implied an assertion that Never Mind the Buzzcocks wasn't finished.
Top Gear - the format we know with Clarkson, Hammond and May - is finished.
I can only reply as well as you can articulate to begin with. Do you see?
He likely couldn't confirm it whilst discussing his contract with the BBC.
People assume so much from such subtleties.
I don't doubt Chris Evans will do a very good job, but what show are the BBC going to make now? The old format won't work with new people. But it doesn't seem like anyone is really interested in watching an actual car show either.
If that was the case, old Top Gear would still be around. And more/any people would have watched Fifth Gear and whatever that Sky knock-off was called, with Alan Partridge's brother.
People say that he's wiser and more mature now that he's older but I just have a feeling that the potential for him to revert back to his former mindset is still there.
I have no interest in cars. I couldn't tell the difference between a Porsche and and Ferrari, I usually fast forward through the supercar segments and I only drive one because I need to - but I love TG for its sheer entertainment value. There's nothing else like it on TV.
Proper Top Gear wasn't killed off by Clarkson though. The plug was pulled on it as an act of mercy by the BBC after it went into terminal decline. Only for Channel 5 to resurrect it as Fifth Gear.
Lets face it the later scripts written by Clarkson were more miss than hit but we still watched.
Hammond was terrible really but we still watched.
May was ok..............just but we still watched.
Even though everyone of us knew it needed to change we still watched.
Well, here we have it, I haven't a clue what it is going to be like but I will watch even if it is to slag it off and complain that it needs a change.
But yeah, it's going to be a bit of a science experiment to see what happens if they try to just recreate TG with 3 new folk.