Wilman says it, we should have quit two years ago

I wouldn't quite go that far, but I'll put it to you this way - 14x05 was so bad that the week it came out, the notoriously dry and formulaic Motorweek program in America was less predictable, had less foreshadowing and was far more entertaining to watch. And it's not because Motorweek's been trying to improve, either.

I liked the review of the Noble M600. The second half of the show should really have been a 1/3 or a 1/4 of the rest of what was there. The premise was good, but it just dragged.
 
Sigh. Pretty much what I expected. Clarkson has admitted running jokes by his tween age son too. I wouldn't be surprised if the Hammond girls are consulted. I'm simultaneously dreading and looking forward to Sunday, but mostly dreading.
 
Sigh. Pretty much what I expected. Clarkson has admitted running jokes by his tween age son too. I wouldn't be surprised if the Hammond girls are consulted. I'm simultaneously dreading and looking forward to Sunday, but mostly dreading.

Sadly, I agree.
 
I think it may be time for a new Producer? As much as hes awaseme, his hart just dosnt sceam in it when you read stuff like that :(

Andy Wilman has a pretty dry sense of humour, though.

And I think a new producer might have an effect, but if they're going to do something like that I reckon they'd need a whole new team (as Clarkson and Wilman do sort of come together as one). But replacing the trio of presenters we have now isn't something easy - they would need to get people with their own new personalities, not copies of the current three. I would say they should finish in 2 years time, leave it for a couple of years, then bring it back in a whole new way, like they did in 2002. New presenters, new ideas (not necessarily going back to old fashioned motoring shows, and not necessarily continuing cocking about, although coming up with a new image for Topgear wouldn't be simple), and a new team. But as I said, re-starting a show such as Topgear after what it has become is not going to be easy.

Finding three new guys that click as well as our current trio do definitely would not be easy.

Ending in two years would work. 20 is a nice round number.

Maybe they should finish it all off in the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony. They are certainly an icon of popular culture in the UK. Have massive amounts of powersliding and explosions and awesome stuff like that.

And kill a caravan. ;)

Meanwhile, I doubt Richard asks his girls about various scripty things. I dunno. Just a thought.
 
I must have been watching a different show to most people - whilst 14 has not scaled the heights of earlier eps it was still way better than almost anything else of TV. Remember that 14 was post budget cuts chaps too.
 
Remember when they mounted 10 episode series and didn't blow all the money on useless explosions? Or pointless crashes? And had news that was, well, news?

Yeah, if anything, 14 showed that they blew the budget and delivered less than they used to.
 
I wouldn't quite go that far, but I'll put it to you this way - 14x05 was so bad that the week it came out, the notoriously dry and formulaic Motorweek program in America was less predictable, had less foreshadowing and was far more entertaining to watch. And it's not because Motorweek's been trying to improve, either.

Having grown up on Motorweek, you're full of shit. Not once did I fall asleep during 14x05. I came close, but not quite. Primarily because Top Gear still has shinier cars - and Motorweek is always busy fellating some appliance.
 
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As I recall, Motorweek was testing a Ferrari or something that week. And they had the season's "cute girl with large breasts" on as their eco-reporter (like they do every season - and it seems like a different one each time) So, no, it was still better and no I wasn't full of crap.
 
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By two years time, I think I would be ready to say goodbye to TG. Just not now because everyone at school is actually talking about it, since it's on Nine in Australia. At least for once, I can make a conversation with people talking about past episodes and series in Maths class. And yes, there is an imbalance between population and diehards, but would the corporations care? They only care about money making unfortunately.

But if Andy is looking at this, please make this fanboy/girl angst go away by making really good stuff for everyone to enjoy.
 
I'm going into this season with a more open mind than in the past.

I'd dreaded going into seasons 11-14. This time I'm neither optimistic or pessimistic and I think that's the best route to go frankly. That way you're neither overly shattered and disappointed if it sucks, or feel foolish if it rocks.

Its almost as if the horrible episodes that comprised season 14 were non-existent. They're just a blur in my head. I couldn't tell you what happened in them.
 
I'm going into this season with a more open mind than in the past.

I'd dreaded going into seasons 11-14. This time I'm neither optimistic or pessimistic and I think that's the best route to go frankly. That way you're neither overly shattered and disappointed if it sucks, or feel foolish if it rocks.

Its almost as if the horrible episodes that comprised season 14 were non-existent. They're just a blur in my head. I couldn't tell you what happened in them.

Indeed, I shall be open minded for the remainder of its run, it's just that people think it's over already.
 
Indeed, I shall be open minded for the remainder of its run, it's just that people think it's over already.

It's understandable considering the amount of evidence and bad episodes to point at, but there's always hope.

I think the simpsons is dead after seeing the crap they've been chugging out lately.
 
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Series 14 just about killed my passion for Top Gear. This will be the first time ever that I couldn't give a toss that a new series starts on Sunday. Sure, I'll watch it, and hope in vain that maybe it will be better, but I rather expect to be disappointed.

One positive thought though. Were if not for a combination of Top Gear and my OCD about trying to find one particular piece of music (I'm still searching for it btw!!!) I'd probably never have stumbled across the awesomeness that is Final Gear and met all you lovely people.

Or ahpadt. ;)
 
It's sad to be a TopGear fan and not even know it was coming back this Sunday. I'm looking forward to it, despite my complaints, since I still love the show.

The thing that's been eating away at me lately is the consequences of it becoming a sitcom. TopGear the sitcom can't go on forever. But TopGear the car show could. There will always be new cars that need to be tested. Sure, it would still be tough to find ways of reviewing cars in creative ways so it doesn't start to blend together, but I think TopGear could do it. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening. It will probably get canceled before it goes back to car reviews. It's hard not to be resentful as a long time fan.
 
Wilman, Wilman, Wilman...if I wanted to see things that cater to an immature sense of humor, I have plenty of options for that on American TV.

(Which is why I don't watch a lot of American TV.)

Not to slam his kids or anything, but part of what used to set TG apart was its incredibly witty sense of humor. They didn't need to have a floating caravan to make with the funny--just a test car with an odd quirk or problem or a decent powerslide that'd make them grin from ear-to-ear like a sixteen-year-old girl. The studio bits are MUCH more interesting when they're just themselves--poking fun at each other like 3 dudes would--and not trying to play the roles of three over-the-top TV personalities. The dialogue was better in the earlier seasons. That's part of what I like about British TV--it's smart, it's quick-witted, and can be silly without having to resort to drawing pictures of cocks. The jokes usually aren't all catered to morons. It can be raunchier but still more subtle than its American counterparts.

Where has the subtlety and wit gone? A nine-year-old won't be able to tell you.
 
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:clap:@ninjacoco
 
The thing that's been eating away at me lately is the consequences of it becoming a sitcom. TopGear the sitcom can't go on forever. But TopGear the car show could. There will always be new cars that need to be tested. Sure, it would still be tough to find ways of reviewing cars in creative ways so it doesn't start to blend together, but I think TopGear could do it. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening. It will probably get canceled before it goes back to car reviews.
Just the other day I was thinking the exact same thing. By making the reviewing of cars a casual necessity, they were able to open up the show to a much bigger crowd. At the same time -and obviously Mr. Wilman is fully aware of this- they have started to drive away (no pun intended) the car nuts which loved the show for what it was before the shift happened.

Now, who needs 500k automotive enthusiasts when you can have 5M random viewers? Well, the problem is that the way random viewers are, they will eventually start to move on. So when the day arrives when Top Gear is able to keep neither of the groups in front of the screen, the end of the show is nigh.
 
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