This might just save the show. Chris Evans quits.
This might just save the show. Chris Evans quits.
I honestly don't think it could make the show any worse. It's also what a LOT of the fans from everywhere wanted.
This really is a good thing. The show has potential, but Evans was a bit much. I would like to see them find someone with some more technical knowledge (more like captan slow).
I applaud his realization and stepping down with dignity. This is a step in the right direction for the show.
In reply to aircooled:
I agree with him being (more than) a bit much. I don't think the show actually reflects how technical a presenter is - one of the takeaways from this season is that it showed just how scripted the show is. As much as I am not a fan of Chris Evans, he does have bona fide car guy credentials.
Oh, and part of the problem is that it's scripted to reflect Clarkson's single shtick that he's been peddling at least since the late 80s, way before TG.
You have to admit that Top Gear was listening to criticisms. They dialed waaaay back on Evans after the initial show or two. Good on Chris to acknowledge he was the problem and step down, although I wonder how much of it was "quit before you get fired".
I want to see Rory and Leblanc hosting with a third. Leblanc looked more relaxed with every show, and Rory is a great addition. Harris would make a good third if he's willing to make that sort of time commitment.
While the studio parts were a bit stilted and obviously scripted, the off-the-cuff comments during the films showed that the cast has real potential at putting together some good chemistry. I look forward to the next season, and also to the Grand Tour.
I've only seen the first two episodes. Chris would have been fine if he could have settled down a bit. "Shouty" was a word I saw used, and I'd go along with that.
I'm a bit shocked at how good Matt is fitting. I'd have thought there would be a horrible backlash against having an American hosting, but I've seen nothing about it.
I think the last episode might have been the best of the series, it's worth checking out if you want to see how it evolved.
First season of the previous iteration of top gear didn't have the final lineup so this is par for the course pretty much.
I ~really~ enjoyed Matt Leblanc in Sunday's episode.
And the news today is reporting that Chris Evans has been accused of sexual assault at work.
In reply to Javelin:
Well then many be he was a good fit to replace clarkson.
Glad to hear. He prevented me from enjoying the show. I've only seen two episodes, but I'd like to see LeBlanc have some coffee before taping. He seems half asleep.
I've managed to watch the first 4-5 now I think (binge watching at a friend's, forget how many). I liked the rallycross addition to the lap, and thoroughly disliked Evans. I'm not even sure a volume knob on his forehead would have been enough. I agree Matt could use a 5hr Energy drink before the camera rolls, otherwise I like the rest of the show. And watching a lot of old Top Gear, it took more than a season to get things going.
Fueled by Caffeine wrote: In reply to Javelin: Well then many be he was a good fit to replace clarkson.
I thought clarkson just said racist E36 M3 and smacked around producers.
Watching this week's episode, I actually quite liked Chris Harris' segment on the remanufactured MGB. Too little, too late I guess.
Seems he also has a sexual assault charge against him:
I not sure that Evans needs to be replaced. Matt is great and all, but the rest of the cast is even more car oriented, and I'd like to see more of them. Besides, I think it was a mistake to put Matt on such a pedestal of celebrity. It makes it jarring to see him interacting with the "normals" who make up the rest of the cast. Harris could totally be the next Hamster. I haven't seen enough Sabine or Rory, but I liked what I saw of them.
Basil Exposition wrote:
That almost seems too obvious.
I've always assumed that the whole Extra Gear thing was a low-impact way to beta test a whole group of potential presenters, and that probably for the 2nd series they would finalize on 3-4 people and ditch the rest, including some of the main show presenters if necessary.
stuart in mn wrote: Watching this week's episode, I actually quite liked Chris Harris' segment on the remanufactured MGB. Too little, too late I guess.
Rory Reid did that segment, not Harris. Rory does seem quite comfortable in front of the camera and in the role.
Harris has been doing the "car review thing" for long enough now that what he does on Top gear is pretty much what he does in his YouTube series - which coincidentally will be on BBCA next week in the TG time slot.
You can tell they brought in Eddie Jordan in an effort to appeal to the "James May" crowd. Not sure he's all that effective.
The real disappointment for me has been Sabine Schmidt. She is good in some segments, not so good in others. I think the more scripted the segment, the more out of sorts she is.
It might help to remember Matt LeBlanc is currently starring (since 2011) in a reasonably popular BBC/Showtime series right now called "Episodes". He may be more popular in the UK right now than he is here. His role in that series is a fictionalized version of himself - which is exactly the type of role Top Gear presenters play. James May often commented about how many aspects of his personality were exaggerated for effect on Top Gear.
I would not be surprised at all if the producers eventually distill the current hosts down to LeBlanc, Harris and Reid.
I found that Evans was too obnoxious and was trying too hard to be someone he isn't. I really like LeBlanc, Harris and Rory. Sabine, while one hell of a driver, is awful on camera, just 0 personality. I wonder if it's due to the language issues that she's not comfortable or something. Eddie Jordan is just too flat and like Sabine, no personality on camera. I think they could make it work with LeBlanc, Harris and Rory. They could still use the other two on occasion, but they need some coaching for sure. That's my opinion and it's worth exactly as much as you all paid for it.
I'll be honest, when I heard Leblanc was going to be a host, I thought he would be "How you doin ;) ?" from Friends. But, I actually enjoy him as a host and hope he sticks around.
Ian F wrote:stuart in mn wrote: Watching this week's episode, I actually quite liked Chris Harris' segment on the remanufactured MGB. Too little, too late I guess.Rory Reid did that segment, not Harris. Rory does seem quite comfortable in front of the camera and in the role.
Rory did a thing about the car in the Extra Gear segment, but Chris also did a thing about it before him in the Top Gear segment.
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