Clarkson and crew are back!

Originally Posted by ratinox

That comes from Guinness. Top Gear Mk.II is (or at the time was) the most-watched factual TV show in the world. They have the certificate to prove it.



You're comparing a show with more than a decade of history to the first, single episode. I hardly think that's fair, especially when the entire first series of Top Gear Mk.II was pretty bland and the last 2 (21, 22) were so deep in a rut that the Lads and Andy Willman were planning to use the next three series (23-25) to wind down and retire the show.

No, it was a fair comparison. We are talking about the same three guys stepping from one show into another less than two years later. They mostly wrote and starred in TG as they do in GT. Fair comparison. Either they fix the format or it will become stagnant, formulaic crap in a matter of weeks. They need actual guests, and actual stunts. Three middle-aged to old guys driving super cars every week is not going to be entertaining enough.

[ratinox]

Originally Posted by jswinden

No, it was a fair comparison. We are talking about the same three guys stepping from one show into another less than two years later. They mostly wrote and starred in TG as they do in GT. Fair comparison. Either they fix the format or it will become stagnant, formulaic crap in a matter of weeks. They need actual guests, and actual stunts. Three middle-aged to old guys driving super cars every week is not going to be entertaining enough.

No, actually, they don't. Stunts and gags and guests were the stagnant, formulaic crap that made the tail end of Top Gear Mk.II stink. What they need to do is not go there. They've been there. They ran it into the ground and then into a rut. They don't need to do it again.

If you go and watch Mk.II series 2 when the show was finding its stride you will see that it really is just three guys arguing about which of their cars is the best. That's where Mk.II really started and that's where The Grand Tour is starting. Give GT a chance. It will get better as it finds it stride. It won't be TG Mk.II, though. It'll be something different.

That's a good thing.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by jswinden

No, it was a fair comparison. We are talking about the same three guys stepping from one show into another less than two years later. They mostly wrote and starred in TG as they do in GT. Fair comparison. Either they fix the format or it will become stagnant, formulaic crap in a matter of weeks. They need actual guests, and actual stunts. Three middle-aged to old guys driving super cars every week is not going to be entertaining enough.

3 middle age guys driving HOT cars. Yep, I would watch for the cars.

[Bilbo1967]

Episode 2 tonight

I have to give my eldest son a lift soon, but then my youngest son and I will sit down to watch it.

[PeterT]

I didn't find the second episode as compelling to watch as the first episode. I will try again later.

Originally Posted by ratinox

No, actually, they don't. Stunts and gags and guests were the stagnant, formulaic crap that made the tail end of Top Gear Mk.II stink. What they need to do is not go there. They've been there. They ran it into the ground and then into a rut. They don't need to do it again.

If you go and watch Mk.II series 2 when the show was finding its stride you will see that it really is just three guys arguing about which of their cars is the best. That's where Mk.II really started and that's where The Grand Tour is starting. Give GT a chance. It will get better as it finds it stride. It won't be TG Mk.II, though. It'll be something different.

That's a good thing.

Originally Posted by PeterT

I didn't find the second episode as compelling to watch as the first episode. I will try again later.

Well to each their own, that is what makes the world go around. I just watched the 2nd episode and I think it was WAYYYYYYYYYYYY better than the first!!!!! That is entertainment. I never got into the three middle-aged guys talking about cars I cannot even dream about affording. It is not a car show. It was NEVER a car show in this millennium. You want a car show, then watch the boring Motor Week. That is a car show where cars are evaluated, tested, and discussed. TG and now GT are about entertainment, and those guys do it well. Kudos to them for getting back in their groove. The groove that got them into the world record book, BTW. And I'm happy they cut back the time the spend talking in the tent.

Oh, and I should qualify that "middle-aged" thing. Richard is still middle-aged because he is in his 40s. The other two are past it now, especially Clarkson. I'm about his age, and I' pretty sure I won't be living to be 118! James and Jeremy are in that grey area between middle-age and elderly, not fitting properly into either.

[ratinox]

Originally Posted by jswinden

Well to each their own, that is what makes the world go around. I just watched the 2nd episode and I think it was WAYYYYYYYYYYYY better than the first!!!!! That is entertainment. I never got into the three middle-aged guys talking about cars I cannot even dream about affording.

What about three middle-aged guys arguing about jalopies? Because there were at least as many cheap car challenge films in the Mk.II show as there were supercar arguments.

Originally Posted by ratinox

What about three middle-aged guys arguing about jalopies? Because there were at least as many cheap car challenge films in the Mk.II show as there were supercar arguments.

If you don't like the show, then don't watch it. Simple as that. I respect whatever view you have of TG with Clarkson, TG w/o Clarkson, GT. I see no reason to keep arguing. I like it, embrace that, respect that, move on or not...I really don't care one way or the other.

[oren64]

Season one is over and I'm already missing it.

I really liked The Grand Tour, everything was spot on.
Jeremy Clarkson say they going to came back at the end of this year.

Looks like Netflix want to make the same show.
http://www.businessinsider.com/netfl...nd-tour-2017-2