Episode #23.1

I have watched Top Gear on and off since it's first show in the late 70's where Noel Edmonds was it's main presenter. This show was mainly aimed at people who liked cars and wanted honest reviews. When Clarkson arrived on the show around 1986 he gave honest reviews where he was not concerned if he upset the manufacturers. In a way Clarkson would say what you would love to say but were too afraid in case you offended anyone. He had a new way of presenting which gave the show a lift. After ten years on the program Clarkson left where he had his own program, aptly named CLARKSON where you could see the beginnings of what would become the new Top Gear format which has been a huge success as it not only appealed to car fanatics, but a whole new audience who would never have watched the original Top Gear. The original program had got old and stale so this re-boot made it the great success it has been over the past 14 years. Now new Top Gear, the BBC missed a trick not to re-invent but to re- heat old programs with new presenters who are not up to the task. When going on an adventure Clarkson, Hammond and May would explain why they were doing it and what the end goal would be, whether this was best rear wheel drive, best 4x4, best convertible and so on. What was the point of driving to Blackpool in two three wheelers? What was the entertainment value with one being on a transporter? The Jeep and Land Rover trials were utterly awful and dull. What's the point of taking a three wheeler to the top of a hill. We already know the Jeep and Land Rover will not struggle making those journeys. This was just weak and lazy programming with no thought, imagination or entertainment value whatsoever. The rally cross is a good idea but the guests were dull which made it difficult to watch. Chris Evans was turning the studio into TFI Friday, just remember how successful OFI Sunday was!! I think Chris Evans should stick to what he knows best and do shows which are his idea and built around him as he is struggling with this format. I think if Top Gear is going to remain with the BBC it is in urgent need of another re-boot to move it as far as possible from the Clarkson, Hammond and May era. This show was still at it's peak when the others left so it's always going to be a monumental task to continue this format without the magic of the original three. I don't even think this new Top Gear will make it to Dave where the original and best is still being shown. If the Grand tour is a success, which it probably will be then the BBC will have a huge decision to make about commissioning another series of this now awful program.

I know old TG by heart, I don't know how many times have I watched all the episodes.

Honestly, I was genuinely very happy when the day came for new TG to air, because I wanted to see what have they done. Well, not much.

I am not from UK so my knowledge of Chris Evans is limited to what I saw on TV, I know he is a very successful radio host and real petrol head, but he is not for TV, at least not TV in this format. Some people already said it, too jumpy, to loud, and I don't know why.

Only bright spot is Matt LaBlanc, as strange as that can be. Only in his review of Nomad, I smiled a couple of times.

They announced 7 hosts, and we only saw three (well two and a half, since Sabine we saw for like 3 min), so I am guessing it will be like that for the duration of this season.

Instead of changing the show and to bring us, the viewers, something new, they stuck with the same format, that just don't work without the other three. They even rewrote the power lap times. The guest segment is boring, short and not at all interesting, the only bright spot is a new track.

Too much trouble and not much result.

I am huge fan of TG, and I will keep watching it, but I will not wait for it with the same joy as I used to, Sundays will never be the same (well until GoT finishes ;) )

People say the old show became overgrown, obnoxious and self-indulgent, but at least while the boys were driving super cars around the world they would actually review them and give you every fact and figure they had. This new show had barely a scripted sentence pertaining to a car they were driving. That along with Chris Evans god awful presenting skills which would have suited a village panto better than TV and the absolute lack of any rapport between the show's hosts is why I won't be watching this again, and I recommend you don't either.

One upside to this mess is Matt Le'Blanc, he seems to enjoy himself on the show but only when he's presenting alone.

Oh, and please Chris Evans.. stop shouting.. just stop shouting.

I was disappointed. The cinematography of the episodes are still top notch and fantastic, but where it failed was through the cringy, synthetic chemistry between the cast. Chris really failed to resonate with me here, and it just put me off listening to him when I was watching the visuals of the vehicles.

This won't last for long. And IMDb will benefit my making a new page for Top Gear titled (2016-) because I'd rather not see the Top Gear we all know and love have its ratings be crushed when it's this new series which will be at fault. I guarantee it will garner nowhere near the same appreciation.

If you're a big fan of Clarkson, May and Hammond there's a very good chance you'll dislike this lot.

Wow, wow, wow! I really was hoping for a good show but, I'm sorry, it just didn't work for me at all. No chemistry between the two presenters is the problem. Matt Leblanc is actually not bad at all: he is quite funny and laid back and with a worthy British counterpart could blossom in this show. The real problem in my view is the casting of Chris Evans - this otherwise talented presenter here seems to be completely out of sorts. He is running around like an over-grown boy who has seriously overdone on drinking too much sugary soda. He is trying too hard and it doesn't seem he's enjoying himself really or - indeed - enjoying anything that Matt Leblanc does or says. I didn't believe him. Perhaps he's desperately trying to come across as an Alpha male next to Matt who is one? In short, it is simply not the right show for Chris. He has done much better in the past. I know this is very tough but he is a good guy and a professional and will find many more suitable things to do in the future of his long and no doubt successful career.

Who knows - perhaps Matt and Chris will have that drink after all between the episode 1 and 2 and their bromance will start blossoming from now on! I hope so but, unfortunately, I doubt it very much.