I've got no interest in the show personally, but I do have a close friend who was a huge fan of the original and even plans to buy an amazon device to watch the original three in their new show so I'm finding i'm reading about it purely because of my friend.

There does appear to be a rather concerted campaign in the media to try and torpedo the show after only a single episode. I think i've read one opinion piece that said it wasn't that bad and had some good elements.

Even the live blog on the Telegraph website of the first episode acknowledged it wasn't great but said the original wasn't great for the first year until James May joined in the second series and everything fell in to place at that point.

However, as pointed out a few times previously, that first series encompassed a complete change in the programme's structure, contents and delivery. To all intents & purposes it was a new programme. TG with CE/MLB seems to have the same structure and contents, with only the delivery that has changed to some degree.

maybe it's because they are all valid (and in some cases, constructive) opinions rather than any attempt to shoot it down. Maybe there are significant issues that many reviewers are seeing.


See my previous post

That's a good summary. The use of two UK built Reliants jarred when they suddenly started to compare a Jeep and a Land Rover. Why not drive up to Blackpool in those and use the Reliants in a later show, for something else? There was some point to the stuff in Blackpool but not the trip up there. If plans for the latter got junked because Matt's car failed then, okay (maybe), but it wasn't made clear.

I also think there was a difficulty in that all the cars were provided for them. CHM would have gone out and found their own. We know Clarkson would have had something with 'power', Hammond something quirky and May something sensible. Had Evans and Le Blanc done something similar it would have helped develop their show personas as we don't have any idea what sort of cars they'd have chosen within whatever remit they were given. It would have given the show something to build on over future challenges or races, so that was a missed opportunity in my book. The 'love tap' was pointless and cringy, it might have been okay in say episode four or five but not the very first one. It seemed desperate and unimaginative.


At a guess, I'd say the Clarkson impressions, sayings and writing style were supposed to be tongue-in-cheek, humourous references to the CHM show and - I'd hope - just a one-off to give some continuity from CHM to new new version. Okay in theory perhaps but it really didn't work and has probably backfired somewhat as if they drop it for ep 2, it will be seen as reacting to criticism and if they continue it in ep 2, it will be seen as unimaginative, forced and cringey.

It's all very well and good trying to retain as much of the old format as possible but when some phrases and sayings are so ingrained in viewers' minds as being almost Clarkson trademarks, it all falls down.

Maybe the producer/executive producer should have sussed that the scenes did not work at script read-throughs and rehearsals, and binned them for the studio recording. The problem could now be that, IF they have already recorded the studio sequences for ep.2 last Thursday (ep. 1 was recorded the previous Thursday), it won't be until ep.3 that any changes can be made. Half-way into the series, with precious little time left for further changes to register


Very true. Even when Hammond tried those same phrases it didn't feel right.
That should have been apparent to all that worked on the programme.

I don't know if Ep 2 has been recorded yet. In some ways, it might make sense to return to doing it a couple of days before as they'll have had a spare week from the first recording to review everything from a technical point of view, plus those few days of viewer feedback.

It seems as though the BBC is on one road where it regards certain styles, sayings, phrases and actions as being inherent parts of the TG format and brand and so must be included as the viewers would expect it, whereas most of the viewers are actually on a parallel road and going "hey, hang on, you can't do that, that's ripping off Clarkson, May and Hammond".

A complete mis-match of expectations and something which really should have been identified up-front and before anything got to air.

Most of it was really surprisingly good. I liked Matt Le Blanc a lot, I liked the changes to the SIARPC section and the Rallycross circuit, I think it proved quite nicely that you don't need Clarkson, May and Hammond to carry the show and you can easily slot new presenters in and carry on as if nothing ever happened. I think if anything I was more concerned by the departure of Andy Wilman and the old production team, but the standards there were as high as ever. I think it was obviously the first episode and should be given a bit of grace as such - the chemistry etc will improve as they get into their stride.

The problem was/is Chris Evans. Too manic, too shouty, trying painfully hard. Matt LeBlanc upstaged him massively by just being himself. His lower key delivery, his dry humour etc all hit the mark pretty well while Evans was dancing round next to him like a hyperactive puppy trying too hard. His Twitter comments about viewing figures etc also point to him being pretty uptight about the whole thing and I hope in time he can tone it down and relax. If he doesn't he's going to grate hugely a few episodes in.

Will definitely be watching the next one though.

Reliant Rialtos, not Robins. The Rialto is the car / van used in Only Fools & Horses and is a bit bigger than the Robin. There was also a four wheeled version, the Reliant Kitten

What, and change the course of his entire career.

One of the reasons why I cannot stand Evans is the manic shouty nonsense you describe. I didn't watch TG, and won't, because I know from previous occasions that Evans is going to irritate. For example, the radio 2 breakfast show has been ruined for me by him. He talks over the beginning, middle and end of records, usually self-aggrandizing, always a pain.

Yes, I loved to old TG team and am very much looking forward to The Grand Tour, but I would honestly have given a new TG crew the benefit of the doubt, had Evans not been involved.

How did it go down in america where Evans is an unknown so the reviews should be less biased?

I agree. But you say that like the public owe Evans - or anyone - a chance. As if he's a plucky newcomer taking on an impossible task. But he isn't that fellow. Evans is an extremely irritating multi-millionaire with a gob the size of the channel tunnel and an ego to match.

The car used in OFAH was a Reliant Regal Supervan.

Really didn't know that, thanks for clearing it up

I would not be surprised if Chris Evans became less directly involved some time in the future. He stepped in because he did not want to programme to end because of Clarkson's stupidity. It needed someone experienced like him to get the programme back on air, he is busy with other things and has already made his fortune out of commercial radio and television so does not need the money from doing the programme.

And he has been fronting, presenting (and to some extent, producing) live shows for many years. He is a seasoned broadcaster and presenter who should know what he is dong.

Here are two reviews from Oz:

http://www.news.com.au/entertainment...41679ddbf96577

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/...30-gp6tzj.html

Not good.

By that same measure, he does not need the money from any broadcasting, either on TV or on radio. but he jumped at the chance of bringing back TFI Friday (which was "in retirement" anyway)

Oh dear, not a good impression there then.

Can't see him going anywhere, he's signed a three year deal to present it. What's important is that the BBC sorts out the line-up for the next series quickly. If Le Blanc can't do it, then they're on the back foot again and they'd never want to replace both Evans and Le Blanc in one go, that would be madness.

The BBC has gone into this knowing full-well that Evans is not everyone's cup of tea and that was always going to cause publicity problems. Whether or not he was the right choice is irrelevant, they're not going to back down or replace him until the three years are up - and by which time, he may well have settled into the role and made the show his own. You never know.

With new presenters I was hoping for a more regular car based series with the odd review of cars that many of us 'normal' folk drive.

It was pretty much the same stuff as the previous series with supercar chasing supercar based tasks, cheesy scripting and long road trips in old bangers.

I'll still continue to watch the series, wasn't terrible and didn't find the new presenters any more irritating than the likes of Clarkson.

Turned off after 15 minutes - gave it a chance I but wanted to watch Top Gear and not a Car version of TFI Friday!

If this episode had been part of the last series, it would have been a weak episode. In fact, it would have been a very weak episode, but not the worst ever by CMH.

My fear is that they may have selected their strongest material for the first show, knowing it would be used to judge the new team. If this is the best they have, they are in real trouble (as the content will get worse). If they chose to lead with their weakest material, they are in real trouble (as they are clearly incompetent!). Their only hope is that the rest of the pre-filmed material is at least as good as this, and CE calms down a bit and stop running around like a granddad training for the marathon.

P.S. Extra Gear was better than Top Gear. They can learn from that hopefully.

They did that in the old days, nobody watched it. In any case actual reviews seem to be forgotten in this latest incarnation, normal car or supercar, it's a stunt show.

As has been said, all the major pieces have been filmed already, so don't expect much different from the next 5 episodes.

Hey something to do with cars!!!!! Couldn't tell with the roof off and Batman and Robin prancing around Did anyone learn anything about the cars?

£33,000..... is it worth it

For me get rid of Chris and Matt, and bring in Rory Reid and Chris Harris to the main show and maybe with Eddie Jordann and Sabine Schmit also together in the studio, it will be a much better show then. Chris is so unlikeable and both Matt and Chris are terrible presenters and Chris making joke about Clarkson on first show was a bad move, that will not help Chris get the fans on his side.

Also this show will never be successful worldwide.