Pulaski

This. Which is what most of the posters on this thread agread agreed on several dozen pages ago.

Steve doesn't agree, but then he (i) doesn't appear especially interested in the Wilman-Clarkson Top Gear, and (ii) isn't, as far as we can tell, a commissioning manager for Netflix.

SultanOfSwing

Forgot about Andy Willman - he's just as instrumental in the appeal of the previous UK format as the three in front of the cameras are

What has a theoretical BBC continuation got apart from maybe the Stig? Unless they can bring James Hunt. Ayrton Senna and Joey Dunlop back from the dead to present it, not a whole lot ...

markonline1

You're right, it doesn't. But the format will have to change. If the BBC sticks to the same format with 3 different presenters, then it will die on its arse because then TG does depend on those 3 presenters.

That I have to disagree with. The 3 yank presenters have absolutely no chemistry together at all.

Steve_

I don't think my opinion is particularly esoteric, I've heard a lot people over the last two or three years say they're getting a bit tired of the made-up antics on Top Gear.

Nutek

Total agreement here.

materialcontroller

Yep. I also know a lot of people who felt the joke (such as it was) was overly contrived and wearing a bit thin.

Pulaski

You might not, but honestly, the opinions of those who don't like a show, product, or service count for nought so long as there are plenty of customers for it. I could tell you that Coronation St is a steaming pile of donkey turds, and indeed I wouldn't watch it if you paid me, (and ditto East Enders), but so long as millions continue to watch it my opinion is utterly irrelevant.

Guindalf

Define "a lot".

Some of the biggest audiences in the UK when I was there were on a Saturday night for the cr@p hosted by the likes of Cilla or some little known 'comic' and went under the guise of 'game show', variety show or some other concocted junk. However, I don't go looking for a thread about them and cr@p all over it, do I?

Rather than using ubiquitous phrases like 'a lot', I prefer facts. Like the fact that it's be BBC's best selling product by a long way and brings in something like 52 million pounds a year - enough to make MORE Saturday night popcorn. ...and the fact that it's the most popular factual series in the world (verified by Guinness - the book, not the drink ).

If you don't like the show, that's fine. Move on, but you're not going to change the opinion of the millions who DO enjoy the chemistry of Clarkson, May and Hammond and think that TG in its current form cannot exist without them.

As a side note, TG:US is NOT bad because of the budget. It's bad because the presenters can't make it look real and the whole show is obviously faked, unlike the British version where the presenters are able to at least make it look spontaneous.

Steve_

Every single person I know irl who watches it.

"They've run out of ideas."

"This public schoolboy nonsense is getting boring."

I don't think the British version looks any more spontaneous. Or less faked. Pretty much the same deal.

The problem with the American version is that a lot of the episodes are just dross, three men get three old bangers and do stupid things with them for an hour. Some of the episodes are good though, like the one in Iceland and the one in Alaska was passable. And the one in Utah was okay too and the race against the jet powered speed boat was pretty good.

In focus groups Americans apparently didn't get the British version because originally they were going to do an American version with the British presenters, so I think it's more a case of cultural differences.

SultanOfSwing

Isn't anecdotal evidence brilliant? Every single person I know who watches it still enjoys it, so where does that leave us?

Speaking objectively - worldwide viewing figures would seem to disagree with your assertion.

Pulaski

Where does that leave us? People worldwide are wrong. ..... And a straw poll of BE users named "Steve" and their associates, confirms that they are indeed, totally wrong.

Guindalf

I have decided that the troll is fat enough and does not require any further feeding!

Bob

He does have a point though. It has been shit and the same old for the last few seasons.

Still watch it mind, but only because there aren't that many car shows around that aren't dull.

RoadWarriorFromLP

A show's success is determined by the number of people who watch it, not by the passions of those who do not. They can't please everyone, nor should they try to.

Any network in the world would kill for a program with 350 million viewers.

SultanOfSwing

As evidenced by Pulaski's mention of Coronation Street and Eastenders; and Guindalf's reference to game shows and useless celeb dross. All steaming piles of poo, but highly successful shows and formats.