Top Gear Series 15, Episode 1: Ratings and Discussion

[The Doctor]

It seems like forever since Bolivia but the boys are back today for the latest Top Gear series.

News reports have stated that this series will be less 'silly' than previous years but I'm sure that Jezza will find a way to stymie that in a hurry!

The fun starts in just under five hours!

 

[CorporalClegg]

News reports have stated that this series will be less 'silly' than previous years

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

 

[Captain Shaw]

I was a little disappointed in the last series, so I am not looking forward to this series with as much excitement as I normal would, which probably means because I have low expectations I might end up loving it.

 

[Sheep]

News reports have stated that this series will be less 'silly' than previous years

NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

This as a good thing if it means what I think it means.

For the past 4 seasons or so, the guys have been overplaying their on-screen personas too much (Clarkson = POWWWWWERRRRRRRR!, Hammond = goof, May = Captain Slow both in driving speed and how quickly he picks up on the situations they're in). Instead of coming off as regular guys, they came off as cartoon characters. They even alluded to this in the South America special last year, with May telling Hammond that the Hammond rear-ending him joke was old when it was done two or three times previously (in the America South special and one of the old car specials, as I recall).

As long as the show doesn't turn into Fifth Gear, I think we'll be fine.

 

[ITL]

Very enjoyable. And very, very sensible. Especially the Reliant Robin bit.

 

[Captain Shaw]

I thought it was good, but for some reason parts did not seem to flow quite has well as in other eps.

 

[The Doctor]

Lots of fun as always but the tea-party gag for the celebrities in the new Reasonably Priced Car was funnier when they did it in Series 8. Clarkson's segment on the Reliant Robin was hilarious and May's venture to the volcano was impressive.

Bring on next week!

 

[Dac]

The opening feature on the Bentley left me a little flat, as well as the May Volcano thing, but after the news when they swung into the new reasonably priced car it picked up, and when Louie Spence came on it was freaking hilarious.

Im a little dissapointed they didnt show a "coming this series" segment at the start though. I know they didnt show one last series, but I thought that was because they were low on time.

 

[The Squire of Gothos]

I didn't think May and the Volcano was all that bad, and the Reliant journey was a laugh.

I get what Sheep means, perhaps they'll go back to basics and keep the challenges without signposting too much what'll happen along the way.

 

[TheGodBen]

I'm glad they're taking a more sensible approach this series. There was only a dozen crashes in that episode, and only 2 fires.

Question: If May could only navigate by following the car in front of him... how did the car in front of him know where it was going?

 

[Marc]

Very enjoyable. And very, very sensible. Especially the Reliant Robin bit.

Is that the same model they once tried to turn into a Space Shuttle? (launch by rocket and landed by remote control) - incredible effort only to be under by a simple sticking bolt or something.

Does anyone know if/when they'll appear in Canada? I can get on the BBC(K?) in my currnet cable package which does have the older eps but it's hard to keep track of them.