A.R.S.E.

So, anyone seen it yet? Kev?

oh oh....

http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv- ... p6tzj.html

I say watch it and make your own mind up. People will rag on it big time cause it's different now we don't like change. That's how I'm looking at it anyway.

Dr. Pain wrote:I say watch it and make your own mind up. People will rag on it big time cause it's different now we don't like change. That's how I'm looking at it anyway.

I agree. Although, I also haven't seen it. I'm a bit disappointed they are doing all the crazy car stunts etc though. I'd kinda hoped it would have a massive change of direction, rather than a rehash of it's former self. Also if I understand it correctly, Harris isn't on the actual show? Just some kind of extra features thing? Big mistake and wasted opportunity not to use him properly in my opinion. Although perhaps a good thing he stays at arms length if this show self destructs.

I've now got it to watch but had a visitor drop around, someone I hadn't seen for 4 years. Watch it tomorrow.

It got the better of me and I watched...

It's trying waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too hard and seemed a very long hour. Matt Le Blanc was ok but I think it's Chris Evans making him look good. Don't think I'm watching episode two.

Matt LeBlanc was way better than In thought he would be.

Chris Evans is like a life coach running a corporate team building day.

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It should've been LeBlanc as front man with Harris and Sabine as co-hosts. Evans is a specky ginger git, radio is where he belongs.

That being said it was still an hour of mildly amusing light entertainment.

I've just watched it.

Main Top Gear.
mmm...

I think it was a mistake to try and do exactly the same show with different people. Evans and MLB don't seem to have a rapport (yet) but I'll give that time. It just looked a bit copy-cat as if they haven't had time or talent to think of something new. Take a shit car, drive it a long way, try and get it up a hill, fit guns to cars, it's all been done to death. Evans even spoke in the same kind of way as Clarkson. He's much better making it up as he goes than doing scripted voiceovers.

I didn't know the guy on the right who was a 'star'. He looked very disinterested in being there. Maybe because, as it turned out, he wasn't really a car guy!

Seven or eight people were touted as presenters on the new TG and we only saw 3 which was a bit odd.

I'll stick with it for a bit but I think it's a missed opportunity.

Top Gear Extra
I thought this was much better. Chris Harris doing what he does best. Rory Reid seemed very natural and gelled well with Harris. Maybe this is what TG should be....

Big Kev wrote:I think it was a mistake to try and do exactly the same show with different people.

Yep, to BBC it's a product

So far I have only watched extra gear. Didn't get the point of talking to a star and not doing a lap? Unless he did one in the normal show. First thoughts were I can't stand sabines voice and it just felt like everyone was trying a bit too hard. Will watch the actual episode tonight but I'm really not expecting much

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Even Extra gear was disappointing

It's shit, just call it what it is. Oh and smithcorp, I like the way you think

Same old same old to me, last season felt stale and I was left with the same feeling after the 1st episode of this season, for me it's a

I watched about 20 minutes...i felt the same as watching the us and Aus versions..just not the same without CMH. Im not sure i will watch the rest tbh..see how that goes

Episode 2
Top Gear, Series 23

This week, Matt, Chris and Eddie Jordan take music stars Sharleen Spiteri, Seasick Steve and Tinie Tempah on the ultimate SUV test in wildest South Africa.

Back at the track, F1 superstar Jenson Button gives Chris a ride in the McLaren 675LT, while actor Damian Lewis is this week's Star in a Rallycross Car.

I think for this crew to work they need a moment of their own - OTG was at its best on the big, epic travel shows but is anything like that planned for this series?
A problem here could be that everyone involved has other stuff going on that is equal to TG, can they dedicated that block of time to do one of those big specials? I know the old guys had other stuff but it was on the side, on the back of the TG work which was their main focus.
I enjoyed it and presumably they will get better and I will keep watching, I just am really curious to see what they do on a one hour special.

It's dead to me now. Not even going to bother with E2.

I found extra gear hard to watch but somewhat enjoyed the actual episode. Will download ep 2 and give it a go

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Episode 3
Top Gear, Series 23 Episode 3 of 6

The latest instalment of the world's biggest motoring show sees Chris Evans struggling to keep his lunch down as he rides with Sabine Schmitz in the new Audi R8.

Elsewhere, Rory Reid tests the new Ford Focus RS, Chris Harris attempts to tame Ferrari's savage F12 TDF and Matt LeBlanc gets a whistle-stop tour of London in Ken Block's fearsome 'Hoonicorn'.

Boxer Anthony Joshua and comedian Kevin Hart are this week's Stars in a Rally Cross Car.

The road trip in the second episode was pretty good, apart from Evans blagging a ride for one of his mates as he tends to do.

Le Blanc is coming across really well I think. He's funny, seems genuine and can drive.

Evans is still the one who could bring it down I think. He comes across as insecure and awkward and it's hard to watch. His road tests are saturated with tired cliches or stats from the press release. There's very little insight.

The celebrity interview part seemed to fill half the show, so it's more tedious than ever. The rallycross thing is a good idea to shake the segment up, but the audience participation is painfully dull.

The Extra Gear programme is a bit of a dud. I'm not sure what it's supposed to be. If it's for the car nerds then why have a celebrity interview? If it's for the non-car light-entertainment fan then why have Chris Harris talking about the coating on his racing cars' exhaust pipe?

On last night's episode they had a Volvo XC90 on and took it round the track instead of doing a road test.

I know they've done it because it works for shows like Strictly Come Dancing but it's all a bit of a mess.

I haven't seen this weeks yet as I'm on hols but I'm still prepared to give it a chance. Don't forget the Clarkson era started with JC, Hammond and Jason Dawe and no Stig (10 episodes). It took until series 2 for May and the Stig to turn up. There are suggestions Chris Evans won't make it to season 2. He seems to be the one most people dislike in the new version.

Early reports suggest episode 2 lost 1/3rd of its viewers from ep1.

It's worth watching, not least because South Africa looks stunning.

Anyway, next week Harris and Reid join the main show so I suppose that means it'll be another new start, effectively.

Meanwhile, Evans seems a bit obsessed with viewing figures according to his Twitter feed.
https://twitter.com/achrisevans

It shows him as being very sensitive but when he's been in the industry for decades it's very odd. You'd think he'd know how to handle this better, with a bit of humility, grace and humour perhaps.

Finally got around to watching it. It's gone from top gear to first gear. And I can't see it making it to second.

So ratings are the second worst ever since the reboot in 2002 or whenever. Chris Evans is going to take a back seat with Matt Le Blanc still main hosting. Got 3 shows to go to try and get some ratings back.