Top Gear (TV Series) Episode #24.1 (2017) User Reviews

Not Clarkson, but not Evans

[kevinmorice · 6/10 · 5 March 2017]

Some actually funny bits, a nice new studio, the classic track is back, the Top Gear visuals are still front and centre and this is clear and distinct from the Clarkson era rather than just trying to make a copy.

The guest spots seemed a bit staged and some of the scripted sections still need to be a bit more relaxed but that was maybe just the first one and having McAvoy as the guest.

Definitely an improvement on last years disaster.

A solid all-round car show

[callumbrown-67492 · 7/10 · 6 March 2017]

When I started watching this, things started off to a promising start, the new studio look, the new celebrity star car, the Ferrari LaFerrari FXX K, the old track was back, there were 3 presenters (including the stig) instead of 6 presenters and the Kazakhstan trip, like Kevinmorice said the spots with the guests did seem a bit staged, and some of the scripted sections needed to be a bit more relaxed, probably because of having James McAvoy as the first guest, however different celebrities have different driving skills, some celebrities are slower learners and other celebrities are faster learners than others, otherwise a solid all-round car show.

Good attempt, not quite there yet

[imqqmi · 6/10 · 7 June 2017]

It's hard to put your finger on it, but there's some chemistry going on now after 3-4 episodes, especially the last 3 seems to be they don't just say the lines they've got but put some personality into them as well.

I enjoyed Sabine Schmitz most of all, since she's kind of natural with that kind of slightly cynical and provoking humor. But too much of that wouldn't be good either, I don't think she could host the entire show.

Matt LeBlanc is a good presenter but I still feel he's a little forced, sometimes pausing for effect in all the wrong places it gets a bit uncomfortable. It's like '(big pause) The best car in the (big pause) world' while it should be 'It's the best car (big pause) in the world' if you feel what I mean. It's like his timing of breathing and thinking is slightly off. It just goes to show how quick Jeremy Clarkson thinks and seems always a step ahead of the guest.

Chris Harris has developed into a likable guy slightly edgy in the right kind of way. I think in the next season he may manifest himself as a strong personality when he gets free reign on what to say and how to say it.

Rory Reed feels a bit of an outsider, compounded that he's excluded from all the exciting stuff with the exception of a few occasions. I'm not sure if he's comfortable in the role of receiving the flak of the two other presenters, like Richard Hammond did, but he has a bite of his own that Rory seems to lack as of yet. The ship build with Chris made up a lot, I think they should be in more projects like this as a team building thing. Let them do stuff that's really difficult so that their real personalities can shine through, not just the script writers.

The camera work is top notch as you've come to expect from Top Gear and BBC. The house race track coverage is a bit confusing yet, but it seems they've setup the filming in a consistent way with fixed cameras and moving (drone?) ones to make it look more dynamic. The voice over isn't up to scratch yet, but Jeremy is hard to beat in this department. Even Richard and James can't do it that well either.

I give it 6 stars as it is an entertaining show. Maybe the next season they will make it their own and grab the attention enough that I stop looking at my tablet during the less entertaining parts.

a great show is back

[oscar-montanez · 9/10 · 30 March 2017]

I used to love top gear right up to season 22 when Chris Evans came and changed things for the worst with his TFI Friday style of mess and blink blink.

I am happy to say that with Evans out (and unfunny Sabine as well) the show is back to being a great show.

Le Blanc has his own style, which I find refreshing and nice. Harris and Reid know very well their way around cars and tracks and each one has something cool to add to the show. The car reviews made by Harris are Reid are as good as the ones done by the former three although Le Blanc is still missing a bit in this area.

Bringing the old top gear track and adding a reasonably priced sports car to it is a welcome addition as it definitely puts a challenge around a track for all the guests. Also showing angry Reid teaching the guests how to go faster around the track is a welcome addition.

The interview part was still better with Clarkson (a great and funny interviewer himself) but with time I think Le Blanc will get better. Perhaps a interviewer leader would be more desirable, instead of the three of them taking turns.

the Cinematics are still top notch, nothing to add there.

All in all a great show. I am giving it 9 to this episode and to the second one.

Thanks guys for bringing a great top gear back.

OEMC

Let's put it this way: It's a high-budget entertaining car show now

[SebastienSpa · 8 March 2017]

I think the biggest problem everyone has here is the name: Top Gear. Over the time span of more than a decade the trio of Clarkson/Hammond/May has built as cult TV-show that, let's be honest, can't be topped under that name. But what followed in the season after their departure was not just an attempt, it was an insult. Instead of reinventing the format properly we had way too much going on with an armada of hosts who frankly didn't quite know what they were doing - although their casting and presence mostly made sense.

In the meantime Clarkson, Hammond and May picket up where they left off - only with a lot - yes, a LOT more money. So come on, honestly, how can you top that? You simply can't.

So what did Top Gear do for its 24th season? They've gone through a diet, obviously a tight one. What's left is LeBlanc, Harris and Reed, a rather politically correct response to the all white, all British trio Clarkson/Hammond/May. What I did was what most of you couldn't: Give 'em a chance.

The chemistry is at its beginning - you can literally feel how the three have to find their way to each other first and the show sends them through plenty of scenarios to do so. Nice. We got the Stig back, we got the Top Gear track back and we got great cars, kind of pointless but fun challenges (like before) and a celebrity. Now the new hosts have to glue these parts together in "their" manner and to be honest - for a first shot they did it quite well.

LeBlanc brings the typical American swag, Harris is a nice guy with three times the technical knowledge of cars of the previous trio combined and Reed is the funny guy who brings things closer to the average-joe-watcher. It's a balanced recipe, but of course it needs time to sit to start working properly.

Yes, eight stars may be a bit generous but it's my trust bonus as I believe those three can actually pull it off. Production values are high as usual and I'm looking forward to what's coming up next. You should do the same - it can't be a Grand Tour 2 anyways, so let's be open to where they carry it.

Quite OK, for now...

[mhk76 · 7/10 · 12 March 2017]

This being another new start for Top Gear, I will give them some slack.

Harris' Ferrari review was boring, like those kind of reviews have been for me almost every time, regardless who have done them. Going fast on a track spewing specs with occasional wohoo don't do anything for me. And this seemed to me like most of those reviews, so I give a pass for this segment.

Guest segment was something different, with all three hosts. That is a very good idea. It breaks the normal format and can potentially become something very good. This time though it seemed too scripted. But as the old trio in their new show took a long time to get banter rolling, I'll let this slide too. For now.

The reasonably fast car might be something good, although I have almost never watched this segment either. One person time trial is too boring.

The challenge had a good idea, but it was poorly executed. Of course those big engined "taxis" can still be quite good after 480 000 miles. If they had chosen normal shopping carts, then it might have been a good challenge.

So a bit clunky start. I hope some of it isn't due to that this was the first Top Gear episode to have "writers" listed. If the presenters are using someone else's words, it will never work. For that, there is only one good enough actor (maybe).

And I hope not having independent judicator is just for this episode, because there weren't any car to drive.

Should rename it-still not worthy of Top Gear

[tawfiqamarin · 1/10 · 24 July 2018]

A bit better but nothing can replace jeremy and the gang, doesnt feel naturally done....a lot of obvious pretending and acting

Not a train wreck like last season, but.....

[NikTesla · 4/10 · 24 July 2017]

Let's get the obvious statement out of the way. This season seems to be better than the horrendous train wreck that was season 23. There isn't a annoying shouty person in front of the camera. LeBlanc seems to have settled in a bit more, although the horrible US butchery of car manufacturer names (Marzda, Neesarn, Feeart, Hunday, etc) really grates on the nerves.

However, the chemistry that made for such a great show before Clarkson's brainfart is just not there.

The current team try to recapture the friendly but intense competition in the original but it feels forced.

I am quite happy to sit and watch replays of the old series as they are entertaining. With the current series I cannot see me doing that unless there is absolutely nothing else to watch.

While season 22 was the "Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace" to Clarkson/Hammond/May's Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, this season is more like the "Alien 3" to Clarkson/Hammond/May's Aliens

Le Blanc in the hot hosts seat

[studioAT · 4/10 · 7 March 2017]

After the sheer car crash that was the first/last series with Chris Evans at the helm it's almost now or never for this show, that lives with the shadow of its former hosts hanging over it.

But, fear not, there's a saviour in the form of Matt Le Blanc. Yes, Joey from 'Friends' believe it or not is single-handedly saving this show. And it's easy to see why, not least the fact that his co-hosts aren't that interesting.

Le Blanc is funny, warm, engaging, and importantly knows about cars. I don't really care about them to be honest, but with Le Blanc fronting this show I at least feel like i'm learning and am entertained.

If this is the shows last lap of the race then Le Blanc has given it his best shot.

Top Gear RIP

[milad_nazari · 1/10 · 8 March 2017]

The BBC have gone from annoying to extremely boring. The three of them cannot work together. Their laughs were fake, apart from Harris Matt and Rory have zero knowledge on cars. The only presenter worth tuning in for is Matt. I enjoyed Chris's video blogs online about cars but he is trying to take Jeremy Clarkson's role shouting every opportunity he gets. Rory has no role and I believe will be the next to resign. There is no Stig as I have read in reviews this was a good call as Stig wouldn't fit in their new show.The audience was confused and didn't know when humour was said and couldn't believe this was BBC's attempt. The hyped trailer with very nice cars looked promising but the presenters failed the show failed BBC failed. Top Gear was Jeremy, Richard and May! They should back off and the the Grand Tour have complete freedom.

This is what happens when you try to replace nicely worn jeans

[stefankarlssoncom · 1/10 · 5 March 2017]

oh no they've done it again. if it wasn't for Matt Leblanc i wouldn't'd have watched the entire episode.

the two new presenters is so stiff and lacks everything that the original team had, no need to mention them do i.

they tried to much to concentrate on a stiff new studio, but Matt is the only one keeping the fort up.

its just a show not the show and trust me i want it to be good!

Not annoying anymore. Now it's incredibly boring.

[sofad1988 · 5/10 · 6 March 2017]

So BBC do one right thing - expel every annoying hosts. But it is still not working.

There are some changes this season:

1. NO STIG. Biggest change this season. I guess it's fine, he does not fit to new format anyway.

2.Only 1 guest. No more stupid conversation with 2 guests who announce each other. But now guest sitting for a half episode in studio for no reason.

3. New studio design and new reasonable car, which is fine.

Like I said it's not annoying anymore. Now it's incredibly boring. Jokes not funny, mostly it's awkward. Matt Le Blanc looks like he doesn't give a crap for the show. Other 2 kinda happy to be on TV. Stupid smiles do not disappear from their faces full episode.

I don't know, maybe time has come to close the show.

Better than the 23rd season... but that's all.

[thegoatandhammer · 2/10 · 1 October 2022]

"It took the three of them (Clarkson, Hammond, May) years to find their feet as a trio. Another reason I think the show works, the BBC left us alone to let them find their own rhythm, their own groove, their own characters. They don't throw strangers together and go ' Right, you're funny friends now', they let that develop" -Andy Wilman

This is an improvement on the 23rd season, getting rid of Evans was the right choice... But this is still not something I would watch.

Matt LeBlanc is a good presenter, so is Chris Harris, and so is Rory Reid... But they don't have the chemistry that the original trio, the holy trinity had.

We all know that it takes years for people to develop this kind of chemistry between them, so we can't blame the new hosts for that, but having them try to act like they do doesn't look good, in fact it's quite transparent that they treat this as just another job and nothing more, the jokes are undeserved, the humor falls flat and then the fact that they just go and use the challenge format that was invented by the original cast like it's their own with no original though put into it is sad.

It's not as bad as the last season, but watching pain dry is better than the last season, so the bar isn't really that high. Being better than one of the worst seasons of television ever, is not that hard.

Just watch the grand tour, even though heavily scripted, the chemistry is the same good old bunch of Brits doing stupid stuff in cars to make you laugh while teaching you some things about cars in motoring in the process.