corradoboy

With season 13 over and done, what do we think of where the show is right now ? Do you think it just gets better and better, are they straying too far from the initial concept and need to refocus, or do you think it's time to quit and do something new ?

Looking back at old episodes from the first 6-7 seasons, they used to review cars, some indepedantly, some as group tests and some within humorous and entertaining special challenges.

A couple of years back the humour began to overtake the content, with cars taking more and more of a back seat in favour of the comedic tomfoolery of the hosts. Recent seasons have seen very few cars, except exotic millionaires playthings, and mostly the three presenters cocking about, usually quite predictably, but mostly very amusingly.

So, is it fine as it is, should it change back more as it was, can they evolve it into something new and better, or is it time to wave it goodbye ?

The Dogs B******s

I look at it as one hours entertainment every sunday

richs2891

Maybe its time for it to move from the BBC and onto one of the freeview channels or have a massive rethink on how its presented.
This weeks show as not the best - far too much messing around and seeing which of the three presenters could upstage each other.

Richard

unclebuck

SIAL


not again....

We should be thankful that they still persist with the BBC to make the serious statements like they did at the end of this series.

Past it's best???

I don't think so. It's never been more relevant.

JDM_Stig

iTrader: (3)

I look forward to it but a few of the challenges they have done on TG OZ have been funnier at times

Biggs

iTrader: (14)

Personally i still enjoy it. As said above its an hour of entertainment on a otherwise dull sunday evening.

Its not hard to change the channel if it doesn't entertain you (not the op just any general viewer)

Kevin Greeley

Grammar fail - passed its best!

+Doc+

Love it, makes me smile more than any other programme.

Flaps

iTrader: (1)

I've really enjoyed this series, far more than the past few.

daddyscoob

Top Gear is The best hours ENTERTAINMENT on TV for the whole week - end of!! It appeals to all ages and sexes. My 75 yr old Mum told me she saw it recently and loved it !!!!

Any programme that can appeal to such a wide age range must be doing something right.

As mentioned above lots of people spend their time trying to rubbish the programme FFS if you don't like it don't f***in watch it - Durrr not rocket science !!!!!!!!

Top Gear - top progamme can't wait for the new series

TurboAndy

iTrader: (1)

I think its one of the best show on TV these days, Ok they have moved away from testing cas like they used to but thats what fith gear is for if you like that.

I watch TG evey sunday with out fail and it has me in stitches every time.

Bring on the next series.

dunx

iTrader: (3)

As an hours entertainment it's fine.

As a car show it's tired, and passed it's best.

Clarkson should be replaced by "Basil Fawlty", whom he seemed to resemble tonight....

Didn't the Veyron produce the same "pinnacle" speech from Clarky as tonight's "it's all over time to give up" routine ?

Still gonna miss it !

dunx

corradoboy

I still enjoy it, so still watch it. But as an avid fan of the show since the first episode in its current guise, and watching 'old' TG as a boy right from the beginning too I feel disappointed with its recent offerings. Yes, I laugh at it, but am left wanting more from the show than that. It's human nature to want something you used to enjoy so much to return to the way you previously loved it. The camera work and direction has improved greatly, with some of the filming being occasionally astounding, but the content for me has waned. Maybe they're victims of their own success. Let's face it, if you had spent $1bn bringing a new car to market, would you risk that investment knowing the track record of the show by allowing them to appraise it ? Small volume hyper-car makers would be mostly immune to any effect that JC & Co.'s comments might create, but large scale manufacturers could suffer massively if public opinion is tainted by a bad review. I can only speculate that this may be why they rarely test mainstream cars much any more, and especially in an informative, educational and professional way. So, all that leaves them to do is car **** and cocking about, which is pretty much what they do. I had a few giggles at tonights episode, but doubt I'll give it a second airing, much like last weeks. It's still better than most things on telly, but it could be so much better. Shame !

Jamz3k

I think the current TopGear is complete bull**** designed for mindless binlids. I would like TopGear to go back to the original way with maybe a little bit of the current TopGear style sprinkled ontop.

There was a reason the Old TopGear lasted from 1977 to 2001 in my humblest of opinions.

daddyscoob

Wow some strong views there... How do you know the current series is so poor ??? surely with such strong views you must avoid the programme like the plague ????

Jamz3k

Up until 2years ago i was a TopGear/Jeremy Clarkson fanatic and would not have missed it. But now I watch it but whilst doing other things as its just not interesting enough to keep my attention. I really try to like it but i just can't as I find the humour on the same level as an episode of Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'em and Jeremy Clarkson is no more than an obnoxious parody of his former self with Richard Hammond as his sidekick.

The only good thing about TopGear is that its given James May a leg up in the world of television, he is a poor filler on the show but off it he is absolutely fantastic. I have yet to see a programme of his that i haven't found interesting, intelligent and intelligently humourous.

richie001

iTrader: (3)

I would agree on what you say about James May,the program about the Moon landing and Space was a great watch.

BOB.T

I couldn't disagree more! So you've just bought a new Kiaundai Bagosheet and you're showing it off down the pub

Intelligent man: So why did you buy that crock?
You: I can't think for myself and I need William Woolard to tell me what to buy. It also has 27,000 cup holders.
IM: You have a small *****.

Who gives a **** about 'ordinary' cars, we can all go to a showroom and drive one for ourselves. I don't need a man off the telly to say what it's like, I'll decide what I like.

[/rant]

Lisawrx

iTrader: (1)

I like it, as it fills an hour of an otherwise quite boring night with a bit of fun, with cars thrown in. Once a series is finished, I look forward to another one starting.

Personally, I can't really remember it in it's older format, but I think I'd find it boring. I could be wrong. It is clearly more about entertaining than informing, and no doubt there is good reason for a change in that format.

People like it for what it is. But truthfully, don't you find it more mindless to watch something that has clearly changed format, and isn't going to magically switch back, only to complain about it? I mean no disrespect.

Will

It's the only thing i watch on tv these days.

jonc

TopGear draws in around 6-8 million viewers each week and countless more around the world and for that reason is a great money spinner for the BBC. I admit that the formula, whilst still good as an entertainment programme, is waning a little and needs injection from new talent and perhaps make it a little more factual to make it more relevant for joe public motoring whilst still providing a little supercar escapism. Oh, hang-on, I've just described fifth gear, it just needs a bit of TopGear panache.

MattW

Agree that it is an hour's entertainment, I do skip star in reasonably priced car (except Brian Johnson )

StickyMicky

I watched an episode yesterday from 2001

Leslie

Best, what best?

Les

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Its great, proper telly, cant believe people moan about it in a sea of tedious mediocrity, Reality TV and the like, its a bit of fun, if you want to know compression ratios and crash tests go elsewhere, the net is full of information, it is something to look forward to on a Sunday night, a little glimmer of telling it like it is, three blokes who can say their piece without much in the way of censorship because they are a cash cow for the BBC.

I cant believe car enthusiasts moan about it, ok sometimes they miss the spot and look like *****, thats because they are, its stage managed and contrived sometimes but like everything when you are a grown up you can spot the holes and joins if you look hard enough, personally I am glad it has gone on so long and I hope it continues, this series to me seemed to keep a good amount of silliness but there was some more interesting and grown up stuff like the classic car thing, its difficult to please everyone.

Its not perfect, but its the best we have.

Jamz3k

That is one thing i do agree with, i think it has been dire for the past 2years or so but when compared to Fifth Gear, Used Car Roadshow, Classic Gear etc etc. it is the best! But for me its a bit like saying its the best turd in the sewer.

There is very little out there on TV for motoring enthusiasts.

stilover

I enjoy Top Gear, but I do wish they'd review more cars. Not in the mundane way (which they never did) but with Humour.

I'd like to see/hear what they say about it's handling on roads, and not the TG track. Watch a few Episodes on `Dave` from a few years ago, and car's were tested on roads, against opposition, and the feature was more the 2 minutes.

I like the Races (JC against RH & RM) and I enjoy the challenges, but this should be done inbetween reviewing cars. Not car's between c0cking about.

I've enjoyed this series, but last night episode was poor. IMHO.

jonc

You're forgetting Pimp my Ride!

stiscooby

I tend to watch it as there is nothing else better on at the time and in the hope that it's better than the previous episode.

Yes it's 'entertainment' but things are now too much the same "this week our producers gave us £1000 to...." bla bla bla.

They need to come up with some new, different, material. They haven't got to go back to reviewing cars 100% of the time. Entertainment is fine but something new/unexpected and if it's to be funny then please make it funny/entertaining, not the usual drivel where Hammond pulls up and drives into whatever piece of crap James May is driving at the time. IMO it’s got to the point of them ‘trying’ to be funny but not actually being so (we are not all 7 year olds who think the same sh!te is funny each week).

IMO

David_Dickson

I would love to see more features like them comparing the mid-spec Megane to a mid-spec Focus. Comapring boot volumes, rear seat legroom, how easy the stereo is to use, how easy they are to park, how well they drive at 55mph down an A-road and how light the power steering is. Surely the opinion of some bloke on the telly would be hugely usefull to anyone having trouble deciding which one to buy. I mean, God Forbid he might have to test drive the cars and form his own opinion without such usefull programming.
After all, who really wants to see a presenter having fun in a car they most probably could never afford, or doing a driving adventure they would never undertake themselves? Its purely fantasy and of no use in the real world.