BBC's Top Gear, time to pull in or drive on

[richardoe]

How many of the challenges has Clarkson lost?? Ive nothing against him, hes done a couple of very good documentaries on the VC and the St Nazaire raid.

[mrunknown]

I really do like this show, and Clarkson is the funniest of all three, so I'd like them to drive on and on

[Oswald]

Originally Posted by richardoe

How many of the challenges has Clarkson lost??

Not many as he's the one who usually travels in the fast car whilst the Hamster and Captain Slow are in the small plane (with Slow piloting) or on the train with numerous station changes.

Ive nothing against him, hes done a couple of very good documentaries on the VC and the St Nazaire raid.

Yes, they were excellent. The one he did about the VC's was a personal journey for him as he recounted the military endeavours of his late father-in-law.

Clarkson is now doing a programme about the exploits of the Russian convoys during WW2.

[Basser]

Ditch it. It's getting more like Last of the Summer Wine every week. Time for something new, these three are getting very stale now.

[Sam Spade]

For me it is certainly not as good as it once was, they seem to be trying too hard and the last couple of specials were rather poor, not up to the standard of either the Bolivia or southern African adventures (even the race across London was better).

I do still enjoy the nonsense though, I love the cheap car challenges and the bickering that goes on, as well as the interaction with the Stig.

The show used to be a "cannot miss it" event every week, now if I miss an episode I am not too worried.

Having said that, I will be sad when and if it is cancelled, I certainly do not want any new presenters, the chemistry between the three of them is just too unique.

[steamjon]

Originally Posted by Basser

Ditch it. It's getting more like Last of the Summer Wine every week. Time for something new, these three are getting very stale now.

Top Gear has been around since 1977. It will still be around after the likes of Clarkson & co have gone.

My word they even reviewed a car the other week

[3745 Laddie]

Originally Posted by steamjon

Top Gear has been around since 1977. It will still be around after the likes of Clarkson & co have gone.

My word they even reviewed a car the other week

Wow!So it's almost as old as LOTSW and has even managed to outlive that show as well.I do have memories of Top Gear once being a serious magazine programme that regularly reviewed cars Joe Soap could afford.As it is today it's much more of a guilty pleasure item in my telly viewing habits but we all should have a few of these,and,no doubt,it will be reinvented again post Jezza,James and the Hamster.

[scoundrel]

Originally Posted by Oswald

Clarkson is now doing a programme about the exploits of the Russian convoys during WW2.

That I want to see.

Clarkson's winning contribution to the "Great Britons" series was a fascinating hagiography of Isambard Kingdom Brunel which really conjured up for me a lost world, where tiny little Great Britain could achieve anything if it wanted to do so.

I was awestruck by the sheer elan of Brunel, memorably summed up by Clarkson in the anecdote of the Snowdonia Mountain Railway. Brunel rose very early as was his custom, even though it was the day after his wedding and his new wife was profoundly asleep...how can I put this...recruiting her strength after the exertions of her first night as a wife. Their honeymoon hotel was at the foot of Mount Snowdon in North Wales. In the half hour that he sat in the hotel dining room waiting for Mrs Brunel to join him for breakfast, he contemplated the mountain, and reflected how tall and steep it is, and how difficult Mrs Brunel would find it to reach the top and enjoy the legendary view. He designed the overview/conceptual drawing of the Snowdonia Mountain Railway on his table napkin to pass the time until Mrs Brunel was ready to take breakfast with him. Then after the honeymoon was over, he found backers and built it.

[rupertramjet]

Originally Posted by scoundrel

That I want to see.

Me too. I watched Clarkson in a documentary about his Father in Law, who won the VC, I am ashamed to admit I don't remember his name! The presentation was superb, he allowed a little humour, but only when completely appropriate, and at the end he did a piece to camera, sitting on a bench, which I found very personal and extremely touching.

I also saw his Brunel documentary, which showed again depth to the presentation skills, as a Grand Son of a GWR Station master, I am of course, impartial!

[squigg58]

Originally Posted by rupertramjet

Me too. I watched Clarkson in a documentary about his Father in Law, who won the VC, I am ashamed to admit I don't remember his name! The presentation was superb, he allowed a little humour, but only when completely appropriate, and at the end he did a piece to camera, sitting on a bench, which I found very personal and extremely touching.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Henry_Cain