Don't steal an apple from the market and then complain if it contains a maggot......

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MWF

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Right brace yourselves it's rant time again!

I am sick to the back teeth of the mooing from various quarters on this forum about TG being scripted, not featuring serious car reviews any more, too much cocking about blah blah blah.

Top Gear is made by the BBC which is funded by the payment of the television license fee here in the UK; if you own a television you are legally bound to pay this annually at the current cost of ?139.50. This money then pays for all of the Beeb's output, salaries, facilities and so on.

As a public service broadcaster the BBC is obliged to make a spectrum of programmes with as broad an appeal as possible. It is under pressure to cut back on niche programming, while at the same time there are increasingly loud calls for some of this money to be given to ITV, Channel 4 and Five who are struggling in a climate of seriously reduced advertising revenues.

Old Top Gear was axed because it was deemed to be too niche by the then controller of BBC2 and the new format that was devised has helped to turn it into the global brand it is. This growth has been partly down to the publicity surrounding Hammond's crash - many people who tuned in for the crash footage now stay because of the silly challenges and cocking about.

Now, if you live outside the UK and are not a TV license payer and are therefore watching downloaded torrents of the show you have in effect committed THEFT and are watching illegally. While I have no problem with how you might get your TG fix, as someone who does pay a TV license fee I object strongly to the whining and moaning about scripting, too much cocking about etc etc. Noone forced you to steal the show to watch, so if you don't like it then please shut the fuck up and fuck the fuck off!

The show is what it is, and will continue to develop in the way the people in charge of it see fit. While we know Wilman pays attention to some of our ideas and opinions I think it's high time we let them get on with it, ceased nitpicking and just enjoy the show for what it is. I might be guilty of downloading the odd track or album from a less then legitimate source, but if I didn't like it I had the common decency to delete it and keep my mouth shut rather than go straight to the band's website to tell them how shit I thought it was. Get my drift?

So, once and for all: Top Gear is scripted, get over it. It is an entertainment programme that happens to have cars and motoring as its theme. If you want a review to help you decide what car to buy then go for some test drives or buy a suitable magazine and finally, if you want to complain about something you have stolen from me and every other TV license payer on this forum then we'll set up a Paypal account in order for you to do so having compensated us first. Sound fair?

This forum is meant to be a celebration of our favourite show. Constructive criticism and helpful suggestions are great - let's just leave all the other crap out of it huh?
 
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Right brace yourselves it's rant time again!

I am sick to the back teeth of the mooing from various quarters on this forum about TG being scripted, not featuring serious car reviews any more, too much cocking about blah blah blah.

Top Gear is made by the BBC which is funded by the payment of the television license fee here in the UK; if you own a television you are legally bound to pay this annually at the current cost of ?139.50. This money then pays for all of the Beeb's output, salaries, facilities and so on.

As a public service broadcaster the BBC is obliged to make a spectrum of programmes with as broad an appeal as possible. It is under pressure to cut back on niche programming, while at the same time there are increasingly loud calls for some of this money to be given to ITV, Channel 4 and Five who are struggling in a climate of seriously reduced advertising revenues.

Old Top Gear was axed because it was deemed to be too niche by the then controller of BBC2 and the new format that was devised has helped to turn it into the global brand it is. This growth has been partly down to the publicity surrounding Hammond's crash - many people who tuned in for the crash footage now stay because of the silly challenges and cocking about.

Now, if you live outside the UK and are not a TV license payer and are therefore watching downloaded torrents of the show you have in effect committed THEFT and are watching illegally. While I have no problem with how you might get your TG fix, as someone who does pay a TV license fee I object strongly to the whining and moaning about scripting, too much cocking about etc etc. Noone forced you to steal the show to watch, so if you don't like it then please shut the fuck up and fuck the fuck off!

The show is what it is, and will continue to develop in the way the people in charge of it see fit. While we know Wilman pays attention to some of our ideas and opinions I think it's high time we let them get on with it, ceased nitpicking and just enjoy the show for what it is. I might be guilty of downloading the odd track or album from a less then legitimate source, but if I didn't like it I had the common decency to delete it and keep my mouth shut rather than go straight to the band's website to tell them how shit I thought it was. Get my drift?

So, once and for all: Top Gear is scripted, get over it. It is an entertainment programme that happens to have cars and motoring as its theme. If you want a review to help you decide what car to buy then go for some test drives or buy a suitable magazine and finally, if you want to complain about something you have stolen from me and every other license TV payer on this forum then we'll set up a Paypal account in order for you to do so having compensated us first. Sound fair?

This forum is meant to be a celebration of our favourite show. Constructive criticism and helpful suggestions are great - let's just leave all the other crap out of it huh?

Stands and applauds

And fuck the fucking Diaz brothers, too. :D
 
You are so... right. Being someone who doesn't pay the license fee, regardless of even knowing about the damn thing until now, I can agree with the whole 'I partly pay for it's value, enjoy where it's going, and care enough to let everyone know' type of attitude. (And if that's completely off the mark, sorry. it's what I got.)

It's actually a good argument. I used to be -although momentarily- a person who didn't like the new TG, and whined about it for a bit while sitting back and thinking I was right. Well, nonetheless, I do have to admit everyone else's whining for the opposite end of the spectrum did it for me, and made me actually understand the fact that we can't do a damn thing about it.

It has, inevitably, become an entertainment show. I'd like to think that the gradual change of 'factual-come-cocking about' may be weary for some, and a minority still flail their arms and become disgruntled cack-handed Communists about it; but it is what it is.

But... I do have to disagree a tiny bit on the 'ZOMG THEFT' aspect. Despite the fact I get BBCC, and we just finished Season 11, I want to see the new season when everyone else is. If it's where I can see it, free to download, and readily available; guess what? I'm going to most likely download it. Sorry. It'll be the full version, full musical accompaniments, and the full, unedited show. Which is what we don't get on BBCC (had I the patience to actually wait for the new season to roll around.)

Although your rant is sound; we all can't focus on 'enjoying' the show. Nothing will ever thrive on pure optimism. We always need the few rebels who point out something trivial and whine about it. It's human nature.
 
So (in short) only license-payers get to freely complain here in your opinion ...

I don?t want to be misunderstood. I like Top Gear and I too get a bit pissed off by people who complain about stuff for like the 10000st time that just is Top Gear. But I don?t like people telling me that I am not allowed to freely express what I think. Especially as I can watch Top Gear on BBC world and do pay* for that ... and as a "paying customer" I don?t see why I should hold back any more than a "license-payer".

* as BBC world is broadcasted with advertisments wich I pay for in the shops ...
 
So (in short) only license-payers get to freely complain here in your opinion ...

I don?t want to be misunderstood. I like Top Gear and I too get a bit pissed off by people who complain about stuff for like the 10000st time that just is Top Gear. But I don?t like people telling me that I am not allowed to freely express what I think. Especially as I can watch Top Gear on BBC world and do pay* for that ...

* as BBC world is broadcasted with advertisments wich I pay for in the shops ...

In that case you have paid for the show via legitimate means. I was simply trying to put things in perspective for the whining trolls who inevitably emerge from the woodwork at the start of every series. Most of us here are sick to death of the same complaints, admittedly often from noobs, constatnly knocking the show. I'm still quite new to this place but I already know many of the regular contributors and they all talk a great deal of sense even if I might not share their opinions. It's the people whose second of third post is "oh it's all scripted/it's not what it was/when are they going to review a car I can buy" that really chap my arse big time. To quote someone else's signature I'm "not the owner of this place" but if I were I'd put a big sign up warning that such subjects are taboo.
 
Most of us here are sick to death of the same complaints, admittedly often from noobs, constatnly knocking the show. [...] It's the people whose second of third post is "oh it's all scripted/it's not what it was/when are they going to review a car I can buy" that really chap my arse big time.
And I can totally agree with you on that ... It?s bloody annonying. Just didn?t want to get thrown into a bowl with that lot because I sometimes have a thing or two to complain about.
 
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Brilliant.

All I have to add is if you don't like it - name a car show that is better? Nay, name a TV show that is better!
 
OT:

Regarding the rant title... We shouldn't actually complain if there's a maggot in an apple, because that means that the apple is fully natural! :p
 
Whats worse than finding a maggot in your apple?
The Holocaust!
I know...old. Anyway - well said. True to the bone. Well, core actually. But anyway. I agree with you that all the foreigners shouldn't complain. If you want to, there is worldwide advertising funded Fifth Gear, so go download that. But don't annoy us who have to pay for everything on the BBC - from Top Gear right down to 'Hole In The Wall' (Remember the japanese human Tetris - well the BBC have decided to give Dale Winton a show exactly like it.) We don't get to pick and choose what we pay for (IMO would be a better idea - it would force better shows out, as those which don't get watched, don't get paid. Simple enough)

Also, At the beginning of each new TG series, there should be a ban button on everyone who has less than ten posts. If more than 10 people click it, they're out. Simply put, it stops the newbies coming and just starting a new thread with 'OMG THT WOZ AWESUM LOLZ' or 'OMG WTF WOZ THT LOLZFAIL' in it.
 
Expressing you'd like more reviews is not constructive criticism? I guess it depends on the tone, but as long as people stay civil I don't see the problem with it, most just want Top Gear to be perfect.

Isn't the legal definition of theft in England like this "A person is guilty of theft, if he dishonestly appropriates property belonging to another with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it"? Sorry for being pedantic, not saying illegality downloading the show isn't wrong.
 
So let me get this strait, if you have to download the show because it's not broadcasted in your country your opinion is worthless?
 
To quote someone else's signature I'm "not the owner of this place" but if I were I'd put a big sign up warning that such subjects are taboo.
I agree with what you are saying, and am sick of hearing the same shit too.

But censorship is never the answer.
 
So let me get this strait, if you have to download the show because it's not broadcasted in your country your opinion is worthless?

And the award for completely missing my point goes to......

Please re-read my original post and consider what I am saying. I have no problem with anyone downloading the show anywhere in the world. What gets my goat is the whiny-assed petty little twerps whose views are so lame they might just type "nyanyanyanyanyanyanya" and bring up the same tedious issues time and time again.
 
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So let me get this strait, if you have to download the show because it's not broadcasted in your country your opinion is worthless?

+1 I'm just getting to the point where I barely look forward to the show. Being niche is what makes something great to me. I drive an RX7. I'm listening to Cake at the moment. Neither of these things would be appreciated by the mainstream, and thats what makes them great to me. If Top Gear wants to abandon its original intent and go for the money, not that I blame them, I just won't watch it anymore. You'd think that they would be better off without me anyways. But think of it this way, they have a good amount of merchandise that I could still buy not being a paying viewer. I'm free word-of-mouth advertising for them. So don't even try to say my opinion is worthless.
 
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So let me get this strait, if you have to download the show because it's not broadcasted in your country your opinion is worthless?

More precisely: you're not the target audience, so your opinion is worthless.

Seen quite a few posts on here complaining that the SIARPC is someone they don't know, or they can't even understand an accent. Well tough.
 
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