TopSec

Seeing as we are talking about the triumvirate; Clarkson, Hammond & May, which one do you think could drop out/be replaced and the show still be a success?

I would say Hammond, as even though he is a good laugh and was OK to watch on the series he did on the beeb a few months ago, he seems more expendable to me

Clarkson is sort of the head honcho and May is the fall guy, but a brilliant wit and clever as hell.

I don't know ....

Nutek

Top Gear is about three particular guys cocking about. It also has beautifully photographed cars.

I would prefer to lose the cars than those three particular guys.

That is why I do not wish to continue watching.

BritInParis

Not fussed about whatever Fifth Gear lookalike the Beeb is cooking up to replace Top Gear - I'm far more interested in the TG successor that Clarkson, May, Hammond and Wilman are currently working on. As much as I loved it, Top Gear in its current guise was well-past its best, so a new show, free from the constraints of the previous format and the BBC, on a platform like Netflix will hopefully give the whole enterprise the shot in the arm it needs and the whole 'fracas' debacle will soon prove to be a blessing in disguise.

Pulaski

This.

Bizarrely Top Gear was a show about cars where the cars were essential, but not central to the appeal of the show. You didn't need to be a car nut to enjoy it.
I just noticed you said it more eloquently.

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I suspect the concern of those who don't like what TG became and/or are glad that Jeremy Clarkson was fired, are concerned that there might be many people that actually agree with Jeremy, that political correctness has got out of control and that the "man in the street has had enough". Jeremy Clarkson isn't going to change the world, but he is sure as hë11 to have a good time poking fun at the easily offended.

Steve_

Absolutely, personally I think Clarkson lost his shit because he was bored senseless with it.

Desperately in need of a revamp.

Steve_

I doubt it, because there aren't many organizations with the budget. Maybe Netflix has got the money, but I can't really think of anyone else that has.

I mean, look at the Top Gear spin-offs like the American one. Everyone says it's crap. Well, it's usually crap, but they have had a number of really good episodes - when they spend some money on it. I don't personally find the presenters to be any worse or better, it's about the quality of the production really. Although at least Tanner Foust actually can drive.

BritInParis

Whilst Top Gear can't be cheap to produce I can't imagine it costs more than an average Netflix or HBO programme. The production budget for an episode of House of Cards or Orange Is The New Black is $3.8-$4.5 million and Game of Thrones costs $6 million per episode.

Given Top Gear's global popularity I wouldn't be surprised if the new show would have a larger rather than smaller budget.

Pulaski

Indeed. It seems not uncommon for the "stars" of fairly run-of-the-mill US sitcoms to be paid $1million per half hour (20 minute) episode. I suspect that Clarkson is on track for that sort of money, and about the same again will be split between May and the Hamster.

materialcontroller

Top Gear investigated by Ofcom over Pike's Peak pun - BBC News

SultanOfSwing

Oh, for ****'s sake.

That's it, just kill me. I don't want to live on this planet anymore.

Nutek

What a complete bunch of timewasting tossers.

Seriously, they have nothing better to do?

Pulaski

Well if they're pikeys, what do you think?

Steve_

I'm not convinced of that, no-one really knows how much it costs to make other than the BBC, estimates seem to go from $1 million - $5.5 million per episode.

The question is whether HBO or Netflix is interested. I can see Netflix doing it but they don't seem to want to licence stuff out like the BBC does and bear in mind it's not Top Gear - it's some sort of yet-to-be-thought-up driving show with a few of the same people. It's far from being a slam dunk. Especially as Netflix is still largely a US-centric provider although they are expanding.

BritInParis

Time will tell but I suspect this will dovetail nicely with Netflix's expansion plans for 2016.

Netflix will spend $5 billion on programming in 2016 - Business Insider

Pulaski

From a US/ North American perspective you are correct, but it could potentially pull in a million or more subscribers in the UK. In February the BBC was reporting over 5 million viewers for Top Gear. ..... Which I would guess means around 2-2.5 million households. So it could give Netflix a huge leg-up in the UK market. Even at $5million/episode it could pay for itself in the UK alone, the rest of the world would be pure profit.

And while selling the broadcasting rights might not have previously been part of their business model, Netflix probably have a good chance of selling the broadcast rights in every country that they don't currently serve. .... Hë11, they might even have a stab at showing/ selling it in France!