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[raflaunches]

I certainly did, I knew perfectly well it was scripted as I had read the books. It was three blokes showing us how to have fun with cars that wasn't  everyday normal 

[Brian60]

The person who is quids in over all this is Clarkson. Not only was he getting paid mega money by the BBC for appearing on TG, the production company who produces is on behalf of the Beeb is part owned by him as well! So he now gets a slice of cash via the prod company for TG even though he no longer appears!

[BFSMP]

I did, 3 blokes having a mid life crisis & cocking around in cars most of us can only dream of owning..... Brilliant..

Paul..

I think from the revinue it generated more than you could ever imagine and that is fact not fiction.

Sadly those who didn't and in the minority.

[imsinking]

On the other hand, how many of us liked the old Top Gear?!   


Stopped watching it after Hammonds jet dragster crash . . . someone was pushing for more & more outlandish things to do . . . . that STUPID Falklands reference No. plate in ARGENTINA could've got them shot, & the SLOPE references . . . the list just went on & on.
I do believe the same folk are doing their Amazon thing , just hope it doesn't end in a tragedy . . .
Bill

[Bob K]

This 'show' faintly reminded me of the misdemeanors and misadventures of the crew of HMS Troutbridge in The Navy Lark, but without any of the humour.  Incompetent nerds let loose playing with expensive cars instead of warships.

[bfgstew]

To be fair to Messrs C,H and M, the formula of Top Gear hit a sweet spot, it still is the BEEBS biggest earner so it must have been doing something right.
Evans is just a little boy trying his hardest to be heard, if he doesn't get his way the toys come out of the pram and he hits the bottle. Nice pic of him yesterday sat on the floor downing wine as the viewing figures plummeted even further, how long before he can't handle it AGAIN and go off the rails AGAIN! At least C,H and M didn't lower themselves to drinking wine in the gutter, yes one of them had a fracas with a producer and paid the price. Nothing said or filmed on TG, couldn't have been that offensive to be allowed air time on the BEEBS flagship programme, few people took a few items beyond the context it was written (rather large tongue in cheek). As usual a number of people take things to heart, I remember Whithouse banging on about morals and decency on TV, fair enough, but what about freedom of speech? If you know you will be offended by the content of a program, don't watch it, simple. But no, people like to watch things they know will offend them or offend certain people, then, and they are entitled to their opinion, complain! Why????? I don't like Eastenders, so I don't watch it.
So all in all TG1 = Brilliant.
                  TG2 = Pants


Love them or loathe them Clarkson and Co where funny, pure escapism from everday life,,,,, that's all it is.

[essex2visuvesi]

Clarkson reminds me a lot of this bloke





Both were very opinionated and sailed very close to the wind at times

[BFSMP]

Clarkson reminds me a lot of this bloke





Both were very opinionated and sailed very close to the wind at times

difference is, although Clarkson sails close to the wind and a lot of his banter is add lib.........alf garnett [forget his real name] was scripted to say what he did by BBC  script writers and he himself was of the same behaviour out side his acting roll, and both he and the script writers would today be prosecuted for racism, without a question of doubt......and how things have changed........and yet the BBC  have never apologised to anyone for this appalling sitcom.

Jim.

[essex2visuvesi]

difference is, although Clarkson sails close to the wind and a lot of his banter is add lib.........alf garnett [forget his real name] was scripted to say what he did by BBC  script writers and he himself was of the same behaviour out side his acting roll, and both he and the script writers would today be prosecuted for racism, without a question of doubt......and how things have changed........and yet the BBC  have never apologised to anyone for this appalling sitcom.

Jim.

I wouldn't say it was appalling.... I rather liked it and from what I have heard is was very popular with many of our coloured friends as well
It was actually rather clever as he was almost always made to look the fool


The actor was Warren Mitchell, who has said the thing he hated most was wearing the West ham scarf as he was a Devout Spurs supporter


Anyway we digress... Back to "new" top gear

[grasshopper]

The previous TopGear was the highlight of my T.V. week. After all the melodramatic soaps my wife watches, the testicle television that are 'reality' programmes and depressing news and Simon Cowell, TG was the only prog' I truly looked forward to and made a point of putting an hour aside for.
The cars, the stupidity and the banter, never took it too seriously just enjoyed three aging blokes doing the dumb things I could never afford to....pure escapism.

[inertia]

Jim
It was Warren Mitchell, a very fine character actor, who played the central character. I can find no reference to him being as objectionable in real life, although being a Jewish, Labour-voting Spurs supporter wouldn't have endeared him to everybody.

The writer was Johnny Speight, who was born and raised in the area where the show was set (they call it Tower Hamlets these days).

The whole point of the show was that it was the character of Alf Garnett who was the racist bigot. WM was such a fine actor and Speight such a clever writer that many people believed Alf Garnett was real. Interestingly Alf's son-in-law Mike was played by Anthony Booth, whose daughter Cherie went on to marry another (in)famous 'Tony B'. That the whole joke of the program had to be explained to narrow-minded lunatics like Mary Whitehouse just made the purpose of it more relevant. It's a shame that the current EU Referendum campaign has revealed more than a few real-life Alf's still around.

There was scandal at the time about allowing Michael Bates to black-up as Rangi Ram in "It ain't 'arf hot, Mum" and Spike  M's comedy "Curry and Chips" was universally vilified (deservedly so, IMHO). Another of Croft and Lloyd's classic comedies had John Inman camping it up 110% as a sales assistant in Grace Brother's store, which also played on the seaside double-entendres about Mrs Slocombe's pussy. Like Donald McGill's naughty postcards these were regarded as "British humour" and largely harmless fun. Compare the ridiculous ranting of such an obvious tyrant as Alf or the knowing silliness of McGill with the so-called "comedy" of a show like "Love Thy Neighbour". That was truly horrible. Google Rudolph Walker and Jack Smethurst for the full SP on this loathsome trash.

As you say, things have changed. These shows were of their time and probably wouldn't be commissioned now, but neither would Monty Python, Not the Nine O'Clock News or Blackadder. The BBC has never apologised for any of those either. Nor should it.

DM

[imsinking]

The third show's definitely better, the trip round London's mind boggling , must have been early morning, Sabine's ride in the R8 had Evan's PUKING    more of that . . .
Don't write it off yet . . . . .
Bill

[inertia]

Sabine's ride in the R8 had Evan's PUKING

How very entertaining that sound's. Carrot's?

[BFSMP]

Don't write it off yet . . . . .
Bill

sorry but I did after the first episode.............bit like tripe n onions in vinegar.........like it or loathe it.....

Jim.

[tigertiger]

sorry but I did after the first episode.............bit like tripe n onions in vinegar.........like it or loathe it.....

Jim.

But tripe and onions in vinegar cannot change its flavour. TV programme commonly do change their formula.

[canabus]

Seen the first three shows and that's it for me.
Also watched the 2016 Dad's Army movie and that's in the same class(c***p).
Back to boat building!!!!!

[unbuiltnautilus]

Gave it a chance and now liking new Top Gear. Gave it a chance and was so bored of it I was working out how they covered the modern road markings in the new Dads Army film..much disappointment ( also, how did that U-Boat get inside that little cove, tugs, bow thrusters, artistic licence??).

[Captain Flack]

Can Evans communicate without shouting, he must be driving the sound engineers mad, and can LeBlanc even communicate, evrything he says looks like its been scripted to within an inch of its life.  Come on BBC, do us all a favour and bury it.

I did catch the piece on Prof. Cox and Bear last night and I think both of them looked quite embarresed, especially Bear.

[imsinking]

Can Evans communicate without shouting, he must be driving the sound engineers mad, and can LeBlanc even communicate, evrything he says looks like its been scripted to within an inch of its life.  Come on BBC, do us all a favour and bury it.

I did catch the piece on Prof. Cox and Bear last night and I think both of them looked quite embarresed, especially Bear.

Totally DISAGREE with you , the show's improving week by week , their using cars we can AFFORD now . . . Le Blanc's style is just laid back , maybe not to your taste?
Sabine is well suited to the show & the electric car slot (?    ) is showing what must come  in the future wether we'll be able to afford them's another story . . .
Bill

[inertia]

Can Evans communicate without shouting, he must be driving the sound engineers mad, and can LeBlanc even communicate, everything he says looks like its been scripted to within an inch of its life.  Come on BBC, do us all a favour and bury it.

In defence of Matt LeBlanc, he is an actor and they generally do need a script. It's a fact that Clarkson and Co were much better at making their script look like it was all ad lib.
As for the Ginger Gob, he's a former commercial radio DJ and they are all irritating and loud; it's unfortunate that he happens to be the loudest and most irritating.

I suspect the Beeb might just let TG2 die quietly by delaying a decision on commissioning another series until everyone (except maybe Evans) has forgotten about it. Either that or they will cut the budget to the point where making another series isn't feasible.......at least with the reported fee that Evans is being paid.

Bring back Angela Rippon, Noel Edmonds and the Allman Brothers' "Jessica"!

DM

[radiojoe]

It was the banter and obvious friendship between May, Hammond and Clarkson, that made Top Gear so enjoyable, IMO, the new Top Gear will never replicate that, the BBC lost a jewel and all because of Today's political correctness, and LeBlanc ! ? Ho please!

[Colin Bishop]

I'm not altogether sure that Clarkson, May & Hammond actually do like each other all that much - they just work well together.

[Captain Flack]

"Sabine is well suited to the show"

Perhaps theGerman version, but i actually felt quite embarrased for her on the English version.

"In defence of Matt LeBlanc, he is an actor and they generally do need a script"

Trouble is, I never rated him as much of one of those either!!


But you're right it is NOT to my taste, and I do hope it dies a quick death rather than a slow lingering one

[tigertiger]

Sorry, I don't see that getting fired for assaulting another member of staff, when you have already been the subject of disciplinary action, is about PC. I know people who have been fired for much less than that.

It was a classical management dilema. Like the case study in management workshops, of the new boss who is insulted by an insubordinate salesman, who happens to be the company's top salesman.
Does the manger fire him? Y/N
The usual answer is yes.

[malcolmfrary]

Me neither, Clarkson had a screen persona that seemed to encroach into real life while he was unable to see the difference.  I feel that Mr Evans will start where Clarkson left off.