I think we're all scratching our heads way too much on how to explain TG's gradual demise. It's been 7 years and 14 seasons, could it just be boredome?
Or could it be that we witnessed 3 rather unknown regular blokes (Clarkson was on tv but not that big from mainstream audience) becoming celebrities too big for their boots, tweed and leather jackets?
Was thinking the other day:
- May has differents shows (Meccano, with OZ), he is sometimes guest on a show (as an intervenant or to plug something), he has his column in a paper.
- Hammond: I will pass the serialization of his book on The Mirror, he has a few books to his name, he presents or has presented shows (should I worry about, brainiac, total wipeout, blast lab, engineering connections) on 3 different channels (sky, nat geo, bbc2), he stars in the annoyingly naff ads from Morrison, he has appeared as a guest on shows (again, as a panelist or a plugger), also has his own column in The Mirror.
- and Clarkson, where to start? has columns on two sister papers (Times, Sun), has been invited by his mate Jon Ross a few times, has been a guest of Parkinson, has been on question time, has presented HIGNFY, has appeared in Grumpy old men, has had a few show ( Motorworld, documentary on Brubnel, Car Years and Jeremy Clarkson Meets the Neighbours), has been a contestant on QI, been a guest on The One Show and 8/10 cats, has numerous books to his name...
And so on. And that is without mentionning TG.
My point is this, consciously or subconsciously you and I have had to endure the 3 amigos becomin big, and I mean big in the UK. Then 1/ it plays on your nerves, nobody likes to be force-fed by medias, we love variety. I for one cannot stand the sight of Hammond anymore, 3 years ago we could have been easily mate but now I feel I'd slap him after 5 minutes. And 2/ It plays on their minds, they become too big for their boots, they spend loads of time working on their individual projects and somehow TG's quality is suffering. And I've said it before, but in the space of 7 years they also have become multimillionaires and it seems to me that they now only appreciate fast and expensive cars, listen to Clarkson becoming blase by Ferraris and Porsches. it's ok to share their passion for 50 grand + cars, we're all big boys wishing we had one, and as it has been mentioned before we do need a bit of escapism from our normal lives, but in every show a supercar? No thanks I've had it.
Money and fame have gone to their heads, I know my comments will not go down well for some, but I am adamant it is the case.
I am developing one, two or three reasons on why we fans from the first hour have become disillusioned, but obviously I don't pretend to be right and there's got to be many other factors.