[Closed] So then... Top Gear

Admit to loling quite alot too.

The boorish behaviour seems to have subsided from th first series, and there is a charm and chemistry that wasn't present with the previous middle class incumbents.

Return to form i think! Lets see if they can keep it up for the rest of the series.......

where's that estuary crossing?

Was fully prepared to find it puerile and oafish.

Sadly, I found myself laughing out loud. Quite a lot.

Thought they all came across really well, especially Paddy McGuiness.

Will definitely tune in next week.

The Stokes gags at Flintoff's expense, and his own reference to JC were particular highlights, of many.

👍👍👍

Very good.

The bungee car was scary.

‘Aim for his teeth’😂

Enjoyed it, quite afew lolz moments and Flintoffs bungee jump was properly sketchy/mental.

Best for ages..there is a different kind of chemistry developing ..although I still think McGuiness is too far up himself ..
Hats off to Freddy though ..nee way would you get me even thinking about that car bungee jump ..the bloke has huge gonads!

That wasn’t a bad episode at all....I saw it being filmed back in December.

There is actually chemistry between them; between takes etc they mucked around and genuinely seemed to quite enjoy each other’s company.

where’s that estuary crossing?

https://www.google.com/maps/place/51%C2%B05 1'53.0%22N+1%C2%B014'38.0%22E

Horsey Island, Essex. It's where the later Swallows and Amazons books are set.

At least one of them is a motor journalist that can drive, other than that freddie looks like he's calmed down a bit (but it is the first one of 6 so I reserve the right change my mind) Don't like McGuiness at all.. I think we need subtitles when he comes on.

6/10

The only really interesting bit was why they bungijumped a car and Freddie did it. It wasn't;t funny and didn't show/prove anything.

Actually

5/10

Didn't previous Top Gear do a 'shit car is faster than a supercar, if you drop it' type thing a while a go? They raced a Porsche a mile across a desert, while a beetle did a mile vertically?

I think we need subtitles when he comes on.

Well that sort of attitude belongs in the 1970’s.

Didn’t previous Top Gear do a ‘shit car is faster than a supercar, if you drop it’ type thing a while a go? They raced a Porsche a mile across a desert, while a beetle did a mile vertically?

Thought exactly the same, they did. I think Freddie was genuinely bricking it!

Thought exactly the same, they did. I think Freddie was genuinely bricking it!

I bet he was! I wouldn't have been happy looking down from the right side of the railing, let alone being dropped off it.

I wonder if that stunt had been set up for other broadcasters too as it seemed like a lot of effort and expense.

Looks to be the same place ‘a league of their own’ did a bungee jump on a euro road trip?

Just Googled it. There is a commercial Bungee Jump site there but I don't know if they routinely chuck people off in cars. When it was in flight you could see that there was a fair amount of extra engineering going on with the underside of it and the rig that they dropped it from didn't look cheap either.

It was also used for the jump at the start of Goldeneye.

I wonder if that stunt had been set up for other broadcasters too as it seemed like a lot of effort and expense.

I was pondering that, but then Top Gear has a big budget and a few tens of thousands of pounds for ~ 10 of minutes of prime time TV isn't all that much really. Especially when you consider how much it costs to just film them doing something normal like driving on some roads in Italy (flights for 30+ crew, plus say 60kg excess baggage each, hotels and hire cars for a week, logistics and admin of getting roads closed, camera hire, minicams, 'talent' wages, etc). A days crane hire and a steel box isn't all that much in the scheme of things.

No worse than say building a set for Casualty, then crashing a car into it, and doing that every week.

And a Rover Metro wouldn't work so well in other markets, so you'd need to have a similarly modified 2CV, 500, Lada, Beetle, etc.

There is a line of climbing wall holds all the way up that dam. They were visible in some shots.

Well that was much better Harris was even ok too. The bungee jump bit was superb I can’t recall anyone sitting in the beetle that was dropped in the desert. I give it 11/10 just for the bungee jump alone Flintoff was proper shitting himself.

Did anyone else spot the climbing wall on the dam face?

There is a line of climbing wall holds all the way up that dam. They were visible in some shots.

Oops! That’s what III get for leaving this page open.

Don’t like McGuiness at all.. I think we need subtitles when he comes on.

🤷🏻‍♂️

More info on the stunt on the Top Gear website

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/top-gear-tv/ten-things-you-need-know-about-tgs-car-bungee-stunt#1

I think we need subtitles when he comes on.

Well that sort of attitude belongs in the 1970’s.

KO Boomer.

One of the Blue Peter presenters did the climb up the dam as part of a Blue Peter challenge last year. I think it took 4 or 5 hours.

Enjoyed that

I did a job with Paddy McGunness a few years back and he was such an ocean going bell end that I and everybody there left the building with a deep hatred of him, I just can't bring myself to watch it while he's in it.

I found it the funniest Top Gear I’ve watched for years and years. Brilliant entertainment and it felt as though the three of them enjoyed each other’s company and contributions.

Wayyyyyyy better than what has become the turgid three of Clarkson et al and significantly better than the previous Le Blanc era. I didn’t watch the first series of this lot as like others not a fan of Paddy, however, I thought he was very good in this.

10/10

Maybe because I'm tired I'm having a SOH fail, but I found that dull.  The three Cabriolet's dull and childish, the Atom review somehow was dull when it shouldn't have been, and although kudos for Flintoff for doing it, what was the point of the Metro Bungy?

Basically its just silly stuff with a car theme and barely informative viewing.   I'd rather watch Love Island.

Yep, I hit the fast forward button. Very repetitive and unimaginative as always. Good to see that more people are enjoying it now though at least.

I agree with most here, that was the most fun TG has been for ages. The golf range had me practically hyperventilating laughing at it, especially Harris in the Dino suit!
The team do seem to have settled into a genuine camaraderie, and really do look they’re having fun.
Flintoff’s bungee stunt was, frankly, bloody terrifying; I could barely bring myself to watch. You’ll never get me to do anything like that, ever.
Oh, and I really, really want an Atom!

Basically its just silly stuff with a car theme and barely informative viewing.

Is this your first Top Gear you’ve watched in 25 years?

I watched hoping that it wouldn't be a repeat of the last series' bully-fest where the 2 tall northern lads gang up on the short southern lad. Seemed a bit more like proper "bants" this episode and there does appear to be actual chemistry between them.

It's still very much car based entertainment than a car show but at least CH keeps it real occasionally.

loved the Atom segment and the T-Rex.

he was such an ocean going bell end

how so? I keep hearing this

Rude, obnoxious and a total prima donna.

Big joeys, I rode most of that Nepal route on my P7 without the aid of the BBC or making a drama about it.

Big joeys, I rode most of that Nepal route on my P7 without the aid of the BBC or making a drama about it.

Which sections did you have the BBC aid you?

The bit were you need a special permit and a tour guide to enter obviously. Thanks for the donation.

Hey! It’s all thanks to the unique way the BBC is funded.

Haha that’s why I watched it at my mates I don’t have a telly.

I’d rather watch Love Island.

That's not true though is it really.

It was also used for the jump at the start of Goldeneye.

Wrong dam.

Worth watching the Insta/YouTube extra bit about how they did the bungee.
Del the stunt coordinator is "Top Gear stunt man" and the guy you see thrown off the Opera House in Quantum of Solace.

It was also used for the jump at the start of Goldeneye.

Wrong, damn.

Fixed that for you.

There is a line of climbing wall holds all the way up that dam. They were visible in some shots.

The Bouldering Bobat did a decent video about the climb last year

I enjoyed that a lot. My tummy hurts from the laughing.

Mrs Zip never properly curses. She used the f word when Freddie was waiting to be dropped.

Really enjoyed that episode. Best one for years.

Excellent proper lol’d at driving range shenanigans 🙂

No Star in a Reasonably Priced Car either. Took a few days to realise that it had gone.

Got round to watching it last night.

Thoroughly enjoyed it. The only weak bits are the studio stuff. They just don't look very comfortable doing them especially Fred. But there's not much of that. The rest was great. Car bungee and T-Rex golf being the highlights

Surely the driving range would have worked better if you had to avoid being hit by golf balls , not catch them?
I proper laughed alot , the suit of armour when Fredie lobs a golf ball and it twanged off was very funny. The Dino costume, when one went into its mouth I watched 3 times as it was class.
That Bungee .. Jeepers, I know its probably a 40Tonne crane . I know they probably used 8 x 4tonne Bungee strops . I bet there was a trailer chassis uderneath the Metronome for strength , but even so I would be worried about the going back up and swinging into the dam wall going uphill.

Surely the driving range would have worked better if you had to avoid being hit by golf balls , not catch them?

Well no, because then there wouldn't be the fun of watching them being constantly bombarded by golf balls.

I think they have stumbled on a whole new program concept here.

Get a load of your do-anything-to-be-on-TV types and have them run about on a driving range for 10 minutes wearing fancy dress whilst people drive golf balls at them.

"...And tonight Gemma Collins faces the gauntlet dressed as a Sumo Wrestler! Go Gemma!"

THWAK-THWAK-THWAK...ARGHHH!

"Oooh, that looks like a nasty eye injury. Remember for every second she stayed conscious we donated £1 to charity, so that's £38 to Hastings Donkey Sanctuary. Next week Katie Hopkins catches javelins dressed as Hitler to raise money for the Severn Valley Railway."

Bruno Tonioli and Basil Brush can host it.

Next week Katie Hopkins catches javelins dressed as Hitler to raise money for the Severn Valley Railway.

LOLs!!!

Episode 2 then?

Enjoyed that too.

yeah, they've got me. It's properly good. Even the modified sooty van was good.

Another cracking episode I may even have enjoyed more than last week, need to watch it on the TV as I had it as mostly background noise whilst doing some paperwork.

The new dynamic is definitely going somewhere good. Having Freddy bail and go with the Special Forces guys really added to the dynamic of the race.

These 3 are definitely finding their feet as a trio and forging their own path while still paying homage to Top Gear past. Good to see the modified vehicle has been done properly and not just set up to be trashed too! One of those for £7k would be a riot, room for a few LLS bikes in the back too.

As someone who had written if off but still watches it because it has cars in sometimes it is actually getting better to watch and agree they are visibly working well together.

That new McLaren though. Yak - not at all an attractive car IMO.

I think the three of them are a good combination, definitely settling in to their roles. The friendship seems less forced now.

Only two episodes in, so very soon, but so far I'd say its the best season for quite some time. I'd rate it over the grand tour as well.

I enjoyed it, but...

"Harris managed to dry hump the Dirty Rascal free" Yeah like f... did he. That was proper bogged. If they got that out on their own they would have shown it. Blatantly towed out by one of the crew cars.

F35 was impressive

And I want one of those Suzukis - I have loved them since they first came out.

I liked the Dirty Rascal! I do wonder if it was something they found and bought ready made, (apart from all the crap in the back) and found an excuse to shoe-horn it into a feature.

And I want one of those Suzukis – I have loved them since they first came out.

You'll have to be fast. Apparently due to the new EU regs regarding fleet average carbon emissions new ones are going to disappear in Europe sometime this year. Their CO2 emissions are high enough that they push Suzuki's levels well into the fines bands so they will just stop selling them.

Fast car against a fast jet, seen that before. Paddy is just playing the part of a northern nob a bit too much, but I laughed, a lot, sooooooo......

Fast car against a fast jet, seen that before.

Yes funny thing they actually mentioned that.

I'm enjoying this series at lot.

But when it comes to Car based TV it's going to play second fiddle to the 'new' series of Car SOS starting tonight on More4.

I enjoyed most of it. The race at the end was entirely predictable and it can't be watched live as I have to skip the pointless guest slot.

Loved the Speedtail vs F35. Dirty Rascal was ace aswell, Fourtrack chassis?

Another good episode.

Another good episode..
That speedtail has the sexiest rear end I've seen since meeting the missus 20 odd years ago..
https://images.app.goo.gl/jPK3rF1VgRedcr3s5
..and no I wont be posting a comparison pic..😁

Amazing Peru road trip. Really back to form this series (assuming you like the form)

Going from strength to strength it has to be said.

Yup another cracking episode.

Chris crying with laughter after paddy ripped the back end out of the Firebird set me off as well. Flintoff basically had the win when he pitched up with the VeeDub.
I think the format is much better now, and the team are more settled in.
Hammond said somewhere that it took their team several years to really gel.

That Taycan is the first EV I properly desire, awesome thing!

Also no celeb bollocks and a power lap 😀

Hilarious. Paddy’s face was a picture. Never laughed so much.

The wheels came off in that episode eh?

"more Tropicana than Americana"

it was much enjoyed in the foo household.

This series has been superb and hardly missed a beat. There's obvious camaraderie between them and it's coming out really well in the films. I'll admit that I had to stop ironing (Sunday night, innit) when the wheels came off Paddy's wagon as I was laughing too hard. Then Harris intentionally braking and making Paddy's head hit the windscreen set me off giggling again.

Just what I always wanted - two decent car shows to enjoy. Being honest, C,H & M might need to raise their game a bit here as the younger guys are showing them how it should be done a bit at the moment. I read somewhere that May was thinking of chucking it in as he's getting too old to be chucked around the world in knackered cars. It'll be sad when it happens, but I'm at least confident now that there will be a decent alternative when it does.

It’s now moving to BBC 1 for the next series as it’s done so well.

The end of the firebird had me in tears.
was a great episode.