Top Gear - Over-rated crap or genuine entertainment?

MrChuck

johnfinch wrote:

The series itself I don't find particularly funny - it seems to be heavily scripted spontaneity and banter delivered fairly awkwardly.

+1

They all get on my nerves (although May has done some other good stuff where he's come across much better) and when they're in front of their crowd of fawning yes-men in the studio it's all is pretty cringeworthy.

That said, there's no denying some of it is pretty entertaining if you don't take it too seriously- the tunnels under the People's Palace and that alpine road were pretty good, and Clarkson and the rest of them are in the background a bit more.

BikeyMikey1

I have just recently taken up cycling with an entry level Giant Defy3, nothing flash then. I find I have less interest in Top Gear now and am completely obsessed with cycling........next to Skiing, obviously. I now spend lots of time checking the weather report to make sure I can get out on my bike...........this can't be healthy!

redddraggon

[quote="mbp123@btinternet.com"I now spend lots of time checking the weather report to make sure I can get out on my bike[/quote]

A proper cyclist wouldn't be looking at the weather report to see if they could get out on the bike, they look at the weather report to see what clothes they need to wear

BikeyMikey1

A proper cyclist wouldn't be looking at the weather report to see if they could get out on the bike, they look at the weather report to see what clothes they need to wear


Quite right. I did ride in a howling wind. Hard going but the bonus was I got 33.5 mph on the flat on the way back. Lesson learned.

pepelepew

cee wrote:

I really enjoy it, so does my missus...

I've heard that about her....

Can the OP add another option to the vote. That Jeremy Clarkson should have his skin peeled off then thrown into a vat of salt. Ta.

That would be entertaining.

Pross

I enjoy it for what it is (and we all know the Aston was the best car ). I think the whole "anti cycling" is a bit stretched. Don't forget that Hammon had to cycle across London on one of the challenges and is well aware of the dangers faced. It's just a few middle aged blokes doing a programme about their passion. Maybe there should be a cycling equivalent where 3 lucky Bike Radar contributors get to ride the latest carbon and Ti superbikes in the Alps etc.

ozzzyosborn206

i love it, and can't think of anyone who doesn't people who lsate it need to lighten up a bit, just out of interest those who say they don't like it what shows do you watch and enjoy?

DavidBelcher

john-e-big-guns wrote:

Clarkson reminds me of a loud mouth public school boy

What d'you mean 'reminds'? Corking example of a private school education gone wrong - chucked out of Repton with no formal qualifications AFAIK, his folks bailed him out with a job selling Paddington Bear merchandise (surely not good for Jezza's macho image [1]?) before he inexplicably pitched up at the Rotherham Star as its motoring correspondent.

By and large (exceptions: Richard Hammond winning the cross-London challenge by bike; the London-Edinburgh race involving steam loco "Tornado") I give Toss Gear a wide berth as it bores the pants off me. Much of his solo output, plus the booze programmes where he teamed up with Oz Clarke, shows that James May is capable of far better things; last week's 'Toy Story' with the Meccano bridge was a fantastic piece of telly.

David

[1] At times he does go overboard with the blokiness to the extent that you do wonder if he was Never Confused (copyright A. Murray) whilst at boarding school.

wicked

Good question. Does anyone else feel that its just not as good as it used to be, a bit old hat so to speak?
I mean there is only so many times they can drive sports cars across europe before it becomes boring. And the dacia getting reversed into was so fake its tedious.
Best job in the world though!

Pross

I agree that it's getting a bit samey to the extent that were using cars they'd tested previously. Always tricky to keep a programme fresh and it's been a few years since it moved to the live audience format.

DonDaddyD

I think it's brilliant. I agree that they do use the same cars, but honestly, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Lambo, Porsche and the hot hatches are amongst the worlds largest or currently most famous car manufacturers for a reason. And personally I'd prefer to see a new Alpha or BMW being test driven over some car from some far flung recess of the World.

That said, they did test drive that new Nissan GT something, other cars from Asian, Eastern Europe and America. I also like their challenges like buying Super Cars for £1500 they came up with cars I'd never heard of or seen.

In someways the challenges are the most repetitive aspect of the show, but that's no bad thing, I thought the GT race through Romania looking for that road was just as good as the one in Italy, where they found that road.

Lastly its not about the challengers or the cars, for me its about the presenters the fun they have, you could stick three other guys in those cars and tell them to have fun and they still wouldn't be as funny or fun to watch as Clarkson, Hammond and May.

symo

Formulaic and dull.

Yawn.

rob_spedding

James May rides a Brompton. Personally, I like the show...but hell, I'm in the media...BUT...you can ride the TG Track

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/sign-up-now-for-24-hour-race-on-top-gear-test-track-23956