Top Gear is back: has it found its Clarkson, Hammond and May 2.0?

[snoop1130]

Top Gear is back: has it found its Clarkson, Hammond and May 2.0?

by Tara Conlan

 

The new Top Gear presenting team, from left, Andrew Flintoff, Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris. Photograph: Ashley Knotek/Rex/Shutterstock

 

In the race between Top Gear and its Amazon rival The Grand Tour, the BBC show has shifted up a gear judging by the audience reaction to the first studio recording with new lineup Paddy McGuinness, Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff and Chris Harris.

 

Since the departure of first Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May in 2015, then their replacements Chris Evans, Matt Le Blanc and Rory Reid, the veteran car show has hit the headlines for the wrong reasons.

 

With over 350 million viewers worldwide, Top Gear is one of the BBC’s key brands, generating millions of pounds from merchandising and sales for its commercial wing BBC Studios – so this latest retooling is vital to the success of the future of the corporation as it faces cuts and the threat from US giants such as Netflix.

 

With the success of the corporation’s golden goose resting on their shoulders, it was no wonder the first recording was “a big deal to us”, as Take Me Out host McGuinness told the audience at the Top Gear studio in an airfield in Surrey.

 

Full Story: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/may/23/top-gears-paddy-mcguinness-andrew-flintoff-chris-harris

[Mavideol]

maybe these guys are good but for me the originals are & will be always the best... May's & Clarkson  sense of humor and interaction can't be duplicated

[OneMoreFarang]

I know it's not PC these days but they look like they just come from a pride parade.

 

I prefer the real guys:

[trainman34014]

Bit like asking if anyone who has replaced Sean Connery has been a better 007 !   In my Opinion nobody can ever replace the original(s), no matter how good they are.

[ExpatOilWorker]

Looks like they are on a tight budget:

 

https://www.radiox.co.uk/news/tv-film/top-gear-trailer-date-freddie-flintoff-mcguinness

 

Airing this summer.

[kotsak]

Nope, that won't cut it.. They look like a boy band.

[Captain_Bob]

The show might still be watchable, but no one can effectively re-create the superb chemistry of the Jezza/Hamster/Slow trio. Those lads could do a show about kitchen appliances or dog food and I'd still watch it ???? 

[richard_smith237]

I'm open minded until I see it... 

 

The Previous incarnation of Top Gear Became a bit tiresome... watch it in the wrong mood and it was just juvenile pish.. watch it when in a chilled and totally relaxed mood and it could be mildly amusing...  the earlier seasons were much funnier, when it was more natural. 

 

I hope the new series won't be too contrived with scripted bickering etc and the producers allow the guys to just be themselves... this is where the chemistry will come in, and this is what will keep people coming back to the show. 

[sammieuk1]

Replacing anyone with Paddy McGuiness is surely going to be like watching a more retarded LeBlanc???? 

[kwak250]

Top gear since Clarkson/May/Hammond  left is like making a coffee and you have ran out of Milk.

You can drink it but its never the same.

[Sophon]

16 hours ago, Mavideol said:

maybe these guys are good but for me the originals are & will be always the best... May's & Clarkson  sense of humor and interaction can't be duplicated

You mean these originals?:

 

Sophon

[Mansell]

The Beeb should just suck it up and bring the original Gruesome Threesome back. They were funny and pathetic and funny again.

[thaibeachlovers]

16 hours ago, Captain_Bob said:

The show might still be watchable, but no one can effectively re-create the superb chemistry of the Jezza/Hamster/Slow trio. Those lads could do a show about kitchen appliances or dog food and I'd still watch it ???? 

I haven't seen it, but I think I'm a million % safe to say that the new lads are all properly PC, which is what the BBC is nowadays. The thing I loved most about the original trio was that that they were anything BUT PC.

[thaibeachlovers]

16 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I'm open minded until I see it... 

 

The Previous incarnation of Top Gear Became a bit tiresome... watch it in the wrong mood and it was just juvenile pish.. watch it when in a chilled and totally relaxed mood and it could be mildly amusing...  the earlier seasons were much funnier, when it was more natural. 

 

I hope the new series won't be too contrived with scripted bickering etc and the producers allow the guys to just be themselves... this is where the chemistry will come in, and this is what will keep people coming back to the show. 

Small chance of that. Auntie has gone completely OTT PC, and nothing real is permitted.

In our brave new world, it is even permitted for characters based on real historical people to change their skin colour, as the recent film Mary Queen of Scots proves.

Edited May 24, 2019 by thaibeachlovers

[OneMoreFarang]

To be politically correct they need something like this trio. Make sure at least one of them is not hetero.

[bristolgeoff]

once they sacked them or got rid of those three it was a no go  really.never the same again.the will be around for awhile then another change  and the ratings will  never be as good as the orginals

[OneMoreFarang]

May 2.0?

Is that her new job?

I don't know how much she knows about cars. But she can't do the new job much worse than the old job.

[CharlieH]

Anything they do will pale in comparison to the chemistry/interaction that those 3 have.

 

Only when the generation has moved on and comparisons are not made will that show ever have a chance.

Whilst they are around, it will always be a poor imitation.

[toofarnorth]

Top Gear was about 3 guys , in the desert , in the studio or on a bridge over the river Kok . Any new car formatted programme should have a different name to succeed . Cars-are- us or maybe ' May ! we go for a drive over a cliff '.

But Top Gear it was anything else is neutral.

[toofarnorth]

29 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

May 2.0?

Is that her new job?

I don't know how much she knows about cars. But she can't do the new job much worse than the old job.

If that is her 'Rock me gently ' she has parked in the middle of the road.

[VocalNeal]

There is always FifthGear?

[watcharacters]

18 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

Bit like asking if anyone who has replaced Sean Connery has been a better 007 !   In my Opinion nobody can ever replace the original(s), no matter how good they are.

 

Wasn't Davis Niven seriously considered for the first 007?

 

 

[CharlieH]

2 minutes ago, watcharacters said:

 

Wasn't Davis Niven seriously considered for the first 007?

 

 

Casino Royale is a 1967 spy comedy film originally produced by Columbia Pictures featuring an ensemble cast. It is loosely based on Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel. The film stars David Niven as the "original" Bond, Sir James Bond 007.

[Snow Leopard]

18 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

I'm open minded until I see it... 

 

The Previous incarnation of Top Gear Became a bit tiresome... watch it in the wrong mood and it was just juvenile pish.. watch it when in a chilled and totally relaxed mood and it could be mildly amusing...  the earlier seasons were much funnier, when it was more natural. 

 

I hope the new series won't be too contrived with scripted bickering etc and the producers allow the guys to just be themselves... this is where the chemistry will come in, and this is what will keep people coming back to the show. 

That is the key. No copying, Just let it grow and develop naturally. 

[lvr181]

1 hour ago, toofarnorth said:

If that is her 'Rock me gently ' she has parked in the middle of the road.

Rock me gently being a Bentley? Looks like a Jaguar.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, CharlieH said:

Casino Royale is a 1967 spy comedy film originally produced by Columbia Pictures featuring an ensemble cast. It is loosely based on Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel. The film stars David Niven as the "original" Bond, Sir James Bond 007.

It was the only book that the film rights hadn't been secured for already.

I watched it on DVD a while back and it was rather confusing. I liked Woody Allen- he played another James Bond in it, I think. They had several James Bonds, if I remember correctly.

[thaibeachlovers]

1 hour ago, toofarnorth said:

Top Gear was about 3 guys , in the desert , in the studio or on a bridge over the river Kok . Any new car formatted programme should have a different name to succeed . Cars-are- us or maybe ' May ! we go for a drive over a cliff '.

But Top Gear it was anything else is neutral.

The 2 best shows they did was one in Vietnam, and one in which they destroyed some famous Olympic rower's garden. I particularly enjoyed the jet engine BBQ that burned May's garden shed down and Jeremy's super powered water feature. Jeremy pruning with a shotgun was classic. The amazing thing was that the rower had enough self control not to use a shotgun on them, as he surveyed the ruin of his garden. It was all a surprise to him, for real. His wife was in on it.

[Happy Grumpy]

21 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

 

In the race between Top Gear and its Amazon rival The Grand Tour,

 

Isn't the Grand Tour finished and not coming back for another season?

 

That's what they said at the end of Season 3.

 

That they will have a new, different type of show based on their challenges, and not in front of an audience in a studio or tent. 

[Happy Grumpy]

2 hours ago, toofarnorth said:

If that is her 'Rock me gently ' she has parked in the middle of the road.

The driver is in the car.

 

It's just that he has a full head of scalp and looks like the seat. ????

[ivor bigun]

Tried to watch it but sorry,not up to much 3 out of 10.

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