Top Gear, Series 21....

modchild said:
is being funded from the BBC licence payers
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<sigh>
Except its not is it. Its possibly the BBC's top selling programme they sell abroad and what have you so more than pays for itself. So, if you dont like it dont watch it and feel safe in the knowledge your licence money is going to other worthy causes
 
modchild said:
I remember the time when TG used to be an informative show for the average motorist. Now it just seems a way to wreck cars and caravans and I really can't see the sense in it anymore. All these cars they buy to trash, all the trips abroad to see how fast they can go in some sports car or other is being funded from the BBC licence payers and IMHO the show should of been canned a few years ago.
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Lovely rant, but you do realise that the "funded from the BBC licence payers" hasn't been true for many years (if ever)?

Top Gear is one of the big profit earners for the BBC, it doesn't cost licence payers anything as it makes a profit for them.
 
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modchild said:
I remember the time when TG used to be an informative show for the average motorist. Now it just seems a way to wreck cars and caravans and I really can't see the sense in it anymore. All these cars they buy to trash, all the trips abroad to see how fast they can go in some sports car or other is being funded from the BBC licence payers and IMHO the show should of been canned a few years ago.
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Top Gear is the Goose that lays golden eggs.

The BBC bought Jeremy Clarkson and Andy William's (the producer) stakes in Bedder 6 (the company that 'owns' Top Gear's money making side) two years ago knowing what a good investment it was. Any network would kill to run the Top Gear operation.

The format has adapted over the years to increase the potential audience, maximising revenue, thus making more money for the BBC.
 
modchild said:
I remember the time when TG used to be an informative show for the average motorist.
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If they'd stayed with that format it'd be as boring as I want That Car

It's entertainment with the odd fact thrown in, clarkson is an actor playing a part, nothing more
 
Whilst Top Gear may go over old ground and follow the same staged format, I still watch it.

Yes the cars are dream cars that few can afford, the locations exoctic and the antics ridiculous but at the end of the the day with Monday morning around the corner, it's just a bit of light hearted fun with motoring the theme.

I'm sure they could freshen it up but I'd rather it be an entertainment show than have them discuss the fuel economy of family cars, road tax or reliabilty surveys - that's what the internet is for.
 
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modchild said:
I remember the time when TG used to be an informative show for the average motorist. Now it just seems a way to wreck cars and caravans and I really can't see the sense in it anymore. All these cars they buy to trash, all the trips abroad to see how fast they can go in some sports car or other is being funded from the BBC licence payers and IMHO the show should of been canned a few years ago.
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That "informative show for the average motorist" was sold off to Channel 5 many years ago but the BBC kept the name. Channel 5 called it 5th gear and it carried on in similar format. Years later, the BBC decided to use "Top Gear" once again but produce the very different and more light entertainment based show that i broadcast today.
 
Watching Top Gear now is all Deja Vu - been there seen it done it , got the T shirt . Its tired and getting really boring, fine to have on in the background but nothing new. When you've got an ego the size of Clarkson's its not going to change. He must be the world's most boring dinner party guest because there is only subject he's interested in ! - Himself
 
Overexposed said:
Watching Top Gear now is all Deja Vu - been there seen it done it , got the T shirt . Its tired and getting really boring, fine to have on in the background but nothing new. When you've got an ego the size of Clarkson's its not going to change. He must be the world's most boring dinner party guest because there is only subject he's interested in ! - Himself
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Did you watch it last night?

The Camp Bastion and McLaren segments were entertaining and informative, in fact they were pretty good TV.

Even the "race" between the Alfa and quad bike was done without any over the top silliness.
 
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Dave1 said:
Did you watch it last night?

The Camp Bastion and McLaren segments were entertaining and informative, in fact they were pretty good TV.

Even the "race" between the Alfa and quad bike was done without any over the top silliness.
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But its all been done before !
 
Dave1 said:
How do you come to that conclusion? They've only just started to shut down Bastion and the McLaren is a brand new car...
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I'm not talking about the actual vehicles - but the genres - the race', the big boys toys its just all so predictable needs a big refresh ( though the Bastion thing was ok actually)
 
Next episode sounds good.....


"Series 21 Episode 3 of 7


Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May demonstrate their love for compact, small-engined cars with a trip to the Ukraine.

With Clarkson in a Volkswagen Up, Hammond in a Ford Fiesta and May in a Dacia Sandero the trio zoom around the Crimean Peninsula absorbing some local history, visiting an old Soviet submarine pen and enjoying their manoeuvrable, economical cars to the full. Unfortunately, their carefree time is curtailed when they are challenged to a vast drive, heading north across one of the largest countries in Europe, and they must take any steps necessary to fight the immense boredom of a long car journey.

Eventually, the three arrive in Kiev only to receive one final and truly fearsome challenge. To complete their journey they must drive into Chernobyl.

Also in this programme, Jeremy is on the track in a very fast and very orange supercar from Denmark, the 1086 horsepower Zenvo ST1.

Finally, the Reasonably Priced Car welcomes back singer and recent Twitter sensation James Blunt, who talks about his new album and attempting to beat his own lap time out on the track."
 
modchild said:
All these cars they buy to trash, all the trips abroad to see how fast they can go in some sports car or other is being funded from the BBC licence payers and IMHO the show should of been canned a few years ago.
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I am not sure of the figures but I believe that Top gear brings in more money to the BBC through overseas sales than it costs to make so earns money for the BBC licence payer.
 
Ok, so it makes money now, that's how long ago I thought it had got boring, and stopped watching, when it used to cost the BBC. Any other show that encouraged people to damage cars, drive fast etc would seem to me to be irresponsible in many ways and maybe not a great example to keep showing to young and/or impressionable drivers. My nephew idolises the Stig and has already wrote one car off from speeding, he's 18 and had only been driving for around 3 months at the time.
 
You can't use top gear as an excuse for your nephews irresponsible behavior whilst driving.
Geez I idiolise the way stig can drive most cars, doesn't make me drive like a muppet though.
 
modchild said:
Ok, so it makes money now, that's how long ago I thought it had got boring, and stopped watching, when it used to cost the BBC. Any other show that encouraged people to damage cars, drive fast etc would seem to me to be irresponsible in many ways and maybe not a great example to keep showing to young and/or impressionable drivers. My nephew idolises the Stig and has already wrote one car off from speeding, he's 18 and had only been driving for around 3 months at the time.
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All you needed to say was you got your facts wrong!
 
modchild said:
Ok, so it makes money now, that's how long ago I thought it had got boring, and stopped watching, when it used to cost the BBC.
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It's made money ever since it came back, a number of years ago. So you would have had to have stopped watching it pre the Clarkson/May/Hammond/Wilman program.

It isn't even the same program you are going on about...
 
Wow, you pro Gear heads are soooo protective, I guess I'll leave you to it while I go do something more interesting. I could do with watching some paint dry :wave:
 
modchild said:
Wow, you pro Gear heads are soooo protective, I guess I'll leave you to it while I go do something more interesting. I could do with watching some paint dry :wave:
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I'm not much of a gear head, (I drive a Ford Focus, and used to drive a Rover ;) need I say more?).

I just find it escapist entertainment and don't blame it for the failings of family members who stupidly try and emulate track sessions on the road.

God knows what you must think of the Need for Speed type movies...
 
Dave1 said:
God knows what you must think of the Need for Speed type movies...
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I'm really looking forward to the upcoming Need For Speed movie - even though I was never a fan of the 2 Fast 2 Furious series.

Probably as I'm still currently addicted to Rivals on the PS4! That and I thought Aaron Paul was hilarious in Breaking Bad.
 
modchild said:
My nephew idolises the Stig and has already wrote one car off from speeding, he's 18 and had only been driving for around 3 months at the time.
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I didn't think 18 year olds could afford insurance these days
 
Did anyone else just think last nights was just a re-make of the source of the nile "special" but just with trucks not estates. Still fairly entertaining but painfully predictable. Must admit I was laughing along with the bit on the horses....but the rest was pretty mediocre (and I am normally a fan of the stupid pointless bits and tune out for the actual car reviews and guests).
 
Jimmy_Lemon said:
Did anyone else just think last nights was just a re-make of the source of the nile "special" but just with trucks not estates. Still fairly entertaining but painfully predictable. Must admit I was laughing along with the bit on the horses....but the rest was pretty mediocre (and I am normally a fan of the stupid pointless bits and tune out for the actual car reviews and guests).
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Clarkson tweeted that Part 1 was Ok with some good bits but part 2 was a bit special
 
fair enough then.....has it come out why they didnt use it for Christmas in the end?
 
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