The Grand Tour debuts today, what are your thoughts?

[TheMajesticSpaceDuck]

BBC really shot themselves in the foot letting them go.

Out of interest, what would you have suggested? He physically attacked somebody. Surely famous people should be held to the same standard as the rest of us plebs.

Either suspend him again or cancel the show flat out.

Top Gear was Clarkson/May/Hammond. What they're calling Top Gear now is just a hollowed husk of a corpse they're keeping on life support out of spite.

Out of spite? Nonsense. They're hoping to salvage a fraction of the viewer base, the same way hundreds of shows continue after their stars' departure. There's no reasonable way to conclude spite was involved.

If any normal employee in almost any profession physically attacked their coworkers, without provocation or reason, they would not merely be suspended. Celebrities must be held to the same standard as the rest of us. Don't make arbitrary exceptions because you enjoy the content he produces, which is what people are doing.

I'm not going to argue with you over if he should've been fired. I think it was an objectively poor business decision to lose Clarkson, especially when that meant losing May and Hammond as well. Thats not me cutting them slack because I like their work, that's just common sense. Amazon got a huge score in getting not just 1 but all of them. They may not have the Top Gear IP, but they do now essentially own it's very soul, and the fanbase will follow them.

And Top Gear's continued existence is out of spite. Look how they closed out the last episode with May and Hammond. No fanfare, no look, no thank you. It was a fuck you to them and to the audience, and then they think they can just put a new cast on there and call it Top Gear? No. Top Gear wasn't just a car show, it's 3 idiot middle aged guys acting like morons with each other occasionally talking about cars. They wanted to be moralists? Fine. BBC should have some respect for it's audience, Cancel the show then, not drag it's hollowed out husk on to the stage out of some sick vindictive need to prove you don't need Clarkson, Hammond and May.

You say they should care about the business side, not the moral side (atleast thats how you come off) but criticize them for trying to salvage the business side.

Seems to me they wanted to keep trying to make money while not supporting a bad guy. Thats something to be commended from a corporation.

Indeed, I do want to get away from the morality of it, because I can't defend Clarkson on that front. What he did was wrong, and he's actually done several wrong things I can't defend.

There is no morality, no question in my mind however that the BBC should of ended Top Gear when Hammond and May wanted to stand by their friend. And theres no question to me that BBC wanted the new Top Gear to be a success not just because of the money. Look at the send off Hammond and May got, go watch that last episode how they ended it. No Goodbyes, no send off, no fanfare, nothing. No even acknowledgement that they were leaving.

And why? May and Hammond weren't the "bad guys", they didn't hurt anyone, but BBC told them to fuck off just the same. Top Gear could of survived without clarkson but losing all 3 of them was a death blow.

ya know, if you're going to do something... do it right. Make a new car show with Chris Evans and Joey from friends, that way it could be it's own thing and not have to be compared to the original, but calling it Top Gear is insulting to the audience and shows how little BBC understands it's brands.

BBC really shot themselves in the foot letting them go.

Out of interest, what would you have suggested? He physically attacked somebody. Surely famous people should be held to the same standard as the rest of us plebs.

Either suspend him again or cancel the show flat out.

Top Gear was Clarkson/May/Hammond. What they're calling Top Gear now is just a hollowed husk of a corpse they're keeping on life support out of spite.

Out of spite? Nonsense. They're hoping to salvage a fraction of the viewer base, the same way hundreds of shows continue after their stars' departure. There's no reasonable way to conclude spite was involved.

If any normal employee in almost any profession physically attacked their coworkers, without provocation or reason, they would not merely be suspended. Celebrities must be held to the same standard as the rest of us. Don't make arbitrary exceptions because you enjoy the content he produces, which is what people are doing.

I'm not going to argue with you over if he should've been fired. I think it was an objectively poor business decision to lose Clarkson, especially when that meant losing May and Hammond as well. Thats not me cutting them slack because I like their work, that's just common sense. Amazon got a huge score in getting not just 1 but all of them. They may not have the Top Gear IP, but they do now essentially own it's very soul, and the fanbase will follow them.

And Top Gear's continued existence is out of spite. Look how they closed out the last episode with May and Hammond. No fanfare, no look, no thank you. It was a fuck you to them and to the audience, and then they think they can just put a new cast on there and call it Top Gear? No. Top Gear wasn't just a car show, it's 3 idiot middle aged guys acting like morons with each other occasionally talking about cars. They wanted to be moralists? Fine. BBC should have some respect for it's audience, Cancel the show then, not drag it's hollowed out husk on to the stage out of some sick vindictive need to prove you don't need Clarkson, Hammond and May.

You say they should care about the business side, not the moral side (atleast thats how you come off) but criticize them for trying to salvage the business side.

Seems to me they wanted to keep trying to make money while not supporting a bad guy. Thats something to be commended from a corporation.

Indeed, I do want to get away from the morality of it, because I can't defend Clarkson on that front. What he did was wrong, and he's actually done several wrong things I can't defend.

There is no morality, no question in my mind however that the BBC should of ended Top Gear when Hammond and May wanted to stand by their friend. And theres no question to me that BBC wanted the new Top Gear to be a success not just because of the money. Look at the send off Hammond and May got, go watch that last episode how they ended it. No Goodbyes, no send off, no fanfare, nothing. No even acknowledgement that they were leaving.

And why? May and Hammond weren't the "bad guys", they didn't hurt anyone, but BBC told them to fuck off just the same. Top Gear could of survived without clarkson but losing all 3 of them was a death blow.

ya know, if you're going to do something... do it right. Make a new car show with Chris Evans and Joey from friends, that way it could be it's own thing and not have to be compared to the original, but calling it Top Gear is insulting to the audience and shows how little BBC understands it's brands.

You know Clarkson, May and Hammond's run wasn't the original Top Gear right? Also Hammond and May made their bed, they said they'd walk if Clarkson was fired. They chose the assaulter over the victim. So yeah, assholes.

I think an asshole is someone who throws their friend under the bus because he's suddenly unpopular and/or did a bad thing, brah.

There's not throwing someone under the bus and there's taking the side of a man who committed assault over the person he assaulted. I've worked with plenty of close friends over the years I wouldn't threaten to walk if they were being fired for punching another coworker in the face.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

BBC really shot themselves in the foot letting them go.

Out of interest, what would you have suggested? He physically attacked somebody. Surely famous people should be held to the same standard as the rest of us plebs.

Either suspend him again or cancel the show flat out.

Top Gear was Clarkson/May/Hammond. What they're calling Top Gear now is just a hollowed husk of a corpse they're keeping on life support out of spite.

Out of spite? Nonsense. They're hoping to salvage a fraction of the viewer base, the same way hundreds of shows continue after their stars' departure. There's no reasonable way to conclude spite was involved.

If any normal employee in almost any profession physically attacked their coworkers, without provocation or reason, they would not merely be suspended. Celebrities must be held to the same standard as the rest of us. Don't make arbitrary exceptions because you enjoy the content he produces, which is what people are doing.

I'm not going to argue with you over if he should've been fired. I think it was an objectively poor business decision to lose Clarkson, especially when that meant losing May and Hammond as well. Thats not me cutting them slack because I like their work, that's just common sense. Amazon got a huge score in getting not just 1 but all of them. They may not have the Top Gear IP, but they do now essentially own it's very soul, and the fanbase will follow them.

And Top Gear's continued existence is out of spite. Look how they closed out the last episode with May and Hammond. No fanfare, no look, no thank you. It was a fuck you to them and to the audience, and then they think they can just put a new cast on there and call it Top Gear? No. Top Gear wasn't just a car show, it's 3 idiot middle aged guys acting like morons with each other occasionally talking about cars. They wanted to be moralists? Fine. BBC should have some respect for it's audience, Cancel the show then, not drag it's hollowed out husk on to the stage out of some sick vindictive need to prove you don't need Clarkson, Hammond and May.

You say they should care about the business side, not the moral side (atleast thats how you come off) but criticize them for trying to salvage the business side.

Seems to me they wanted to keep trying to make money while not supporting a bad guy. Thats something to be commended from a corporation.

Indeed, I do want to get away from the morality of it, because I can't defend Clarkson on that front. What he did was wrong, and he's actually done several wrong things I can't defend.

There is no morality, no question in my mind however that the BBC should of ended Top Gear when Hammond and May wanted to stand by their friend. And theres no question to me that BBC wanted the new Top Gear to be a success not just because of the money. Look at the send off Hammond and May got, go watch that last episode how they ended it. No Goodbyes, no send off, no fanfare, nothing. No even acknowledgement that they were leaving.

And why? May and Hammond weren't the "bad guys", they didn't hurt anyone, but BBC told them to fuck off just the same. Top Gear could of survived without clarkson but losing all 3 of them was a death blow.

ya know, if you're going to do something... do it right. Make a new car show with Chris Evans and Joey from friends, that way it could be it's own thing and not have to be compared to the original, but calling it Top Gear is insulting to the audience and shows how little BBC understands it's brands.

BBC really shot themselves in the foot letting them go.

Out of interest, what would you have suggested? He physically attacked somebody. Surely famous people should be held to the same standard as the rest of us plebs.

Either suspend him again or cancel the show flat out.

Top Gear was Clarkson/May/Hammond. What they're calling Top Gear now is just a hollowed husk of a corpse they're keeping on life support out of spite.

Out of spite? Nonsense. They're hoping to salvage a fraction of the viewer base, the same way hundreds of shows continue after their stars' departure. There's no reasonable way to conclude spite was involved.

If any normal employee in almost any profession physically attacked their coworkers, without provocation or reason, they would not merely be suspended. Celebrities must be held to the same standard as the rest of us. Don't make arbitrary exceptions because you enjoy the content he produces, which is what people are doing.

I'm not going to argue with you over if he should've been fired. I think it was an objectively poor business decision to lose Clarkson, especially when that meant losing May and Hammond as well. Thats not me cutting them slack because I like their work, that's just common sense. Amazon got a huge score in getting not just 1 but all of them. They may not have the Top Gear IP, but they do now essentially own it's very soul, and the fanbase will follow them.

And Top Gear's continued existence is out of spite. Look how they closed out the last episode with May and Hammond. No fanfare, no look, no thank you. It was a fuck you to them and to the audience, and then they think they can just put a new cast on there and call it Top Gear? No. Top Gear wasn't just a car show, it's 3 idiot middle aged guys acting like morons with each other occasionally talking about cars. They wanted to be moralists? Fine. BBC should have some respect for it's audience, Cancel the show then, not drag it's hollowed out husk on to the stage out of some sick vindictive need to prove you don't need Clarkson, Hammond and May.

You say they should care about the business side, not the moral side (atleast thats how you come off) but criticize them for trying to salvage the business side.

Seems to me they wanted to keep trying to make money while not supporting a bad guy. Thats something to be commended from a corporation.

Indeed, I do want to get away from the morality of it, because I can't defend Clarkson on that front. What he did was wrong, and he's actually done several wrong things I can't defend.

There is no morality, no question in my mind however that the BBC should of ended Top Gear when Hammond and May wanted to stand by their friend. And theres no question to me that BBC wanted the new Top Gear to be a success not just because of the money. Look at the send off Hammond and May got, go watch that last episode how they ended it. No Goodbyes, no send off, no fanfare, nothing. No even acknowledgement that they were leaving.

And why? May and Hammond weren't the "bad guys", they didn't hurt anyone, but BBC told them to fuck off just the same. Top Gear could of survived without clarkson but losing all 3 of them was a death blow.

ya know, if you're going to do something... do it right. Make a new car show with Chris Evans and Joey from friends, that way it could be it's own thing and not have to be compared to the original, but calling it Top Gear is insulting to the audience and shows how little BBC understands it's brands.

You know Clarkson, May and Hammond's run wasn't the original Top Gear right? Also Hammond and May made their bed, they said they'd walk if Clarkson was fired. They chose the assaulter over the victim. So yeah, assholes.

I think an asshole is someone who throws their friend under the bus because he's suddenly unpopular and/or did a bad thing, brah.

There's not throwing someone under the bus and there's taking the side of a man who committed assault over the person he assaulted. I've worked with plenty of close friends over the years I wouldn't threaten to walk if they were being fired for punching another coworker in the face.

If someone's your friend, ya stick by them through the good and the fucking bad. Ya don't just toss 'em to the wolves cause it's suddenly the unpopular thing to do.

Clearly your definition of friendship is far more loose than mine, brah. And that's okay. Everyone like their different flavors of ice cream.

 

[TheMajesticSpaceDuck]

]

If someone's your friend, ya stick by them through the good and the fucking bad. Ya don't just toss 'em to the wolves cause it's suddenly the unpopular thing to do.

Clearly your definition of friendship is far more loose than mine, brah. And that's okay. Everyone like their different flavors of ice cream.

I mean I have no friends who've committed assault so it's hard to say how I'd react. But there's sticking by your friends and there's realising actions have consequences. Any friend who'd allow someone to walk away from a good job because they assaulted someone in the office probably isn't a good friend. If a friend of mine committed unprovoked assault I probably would be questioning whether or not they're the kind of person I want in my life though.

Thanks for not telling me I quoted you twice. I look like an idiot but at least I discovered it for myself.

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

I liked the premiere and the second episode a lot. I agree with the above poster that their new driver "The American" is awful. I don't find his southern accent dripping truck jokes funny at all. My only other gripe is that I feel like I can see the seams a little bit in these early episodes. Sometimes their banter and conversations come off more stilted than they did on Top Gear. On episode 2 there was a point during Conversation Street that James clearly tripped over his lines and had to dig deep to get them out correctly.

Other than those things though at the end of the day it's Top Gear with a big budget and creative freedom. I'm enjoying it so far and their trip to the spec ops training course was hilarious. I also loved that they opened the show with the P1, 918, La Ferrari showdown everyone's been wanting for so long. I'll definitely be sticking around for the rest.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

I liked the premiere and the second episode a lot. I agree with the above poster that their new driver "The American" is awful. I don't find his southern accent dripping truck jokes funny at all. My only other gripe is that I feel like I can see the seams a little bit in these early episodes. Sometimes their banter and conversations come off more stilted than they did on Top Gear. On episode 2 there was a point during Conversation Street that James clearly tripped over his lines and had to dig deep to get them out correctly.

Other than those things though at the end of the day it's Top Gear with a big budget and creative freedom. I'm enjoying it so far and their trip to the spec ops training course was hilarious. I also loved that they opened the show with the P1, 918, La Ferrari showdown everyone's been wanting for so long. I'll definitely be sticking around for the rest.

I'm not much of fan of The American either as a Stig replacement.

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

I liked the premiere and the second episode a lot. I agree with the above poster that their new driver "The American" is awful. I don't find his southern accent dripping truck jokes funny at all. My only other gripe is that I feel like I can see the seams a little bit in these early episodes. Sometimes their banter and conversations come off more stilted than they did on Top Gear. On episode 2 there was a point during Conversation Street that James clearly tripped over his lines and had to dig deep to get them out correctly.

Other than those things though at the end of the day it's Top Gear with a big budget and creative freedom. I'm enjoying it so far and their trip to the spec ops training course was hilarious. I also loved that they opened the show with the P1, 918, La Ferrari showdown everyone's been wanting for so long. I'll definitely be sticking around for the rest.

I'm not much of fan of The American either as a Stig replacement.

I remember reading somewhere that was one of Netflix's stipulations- That their new driver had to be an American. Not sure why he had to be a southern-drawling NASCAR driver who hates everything but 'Merican V8s. And this is coming from a guy who loves 'Merican V8s.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

I liked the premiere and the second episode a lot. I agree with the above poster that their new driver "The American" is awful. I don't find his southern accent dripping truck jokes funny at all. My only other gripe is that I feel like I can see the seams a little bit in these early episodes. Sometimes their banter and conversations come off more stilted than they did on Top Gear. On episode 2 there was a point during Conversation Street that James clearly tripped over his lines and had to dig deep to get them out correctly.

Other than those things though at the end of the day it's Top Gear with a big budget and creative freedom. I'm enjoying it so far and their trip to the spec ops training course was hilarious. I also loved that they opened the show with the P1, 918, La Ferrari showdown everyone's been wanting for so long. I'll definitely be sticking around for the rest.

I'm not much of fan of The American either as a Stig replacement.

I remember reading somewhere that was one of Netflix's stipulations- That their new driver had to be an American. Not sure why he had to be a southern-drawling NASCAR driver who hates everything but 'Merican V8s. And this is coming from a guy who loves 'Merican V8s.

Amazon.

And I can understand the concept in theory... Top Gear is a very british show.

 

[JUMBO PALACE]

I liked the premiere and the second episode a lot. I agree with the above poster that their new driver "The American" is awful. I don't find his southern accent dripping truck jokes funny at all. My only other gripe is that I feel like I can see the seams a little bit in these early episodes. Sometimes their banter and conversations come off more stilted than they did on Top Gear. On episode 2 there was a point during Conversation Street that James clearly tripped over his lines and had to dig deep to get them out correctly.

Other than those things though at the end of the day it's Top Gear with a big budget and creative freedom. I'm enjoying it so far and their trip to the spec ops training course was hilarious. I also loved that they opened the show with the P1, 918, La Ferrari showdown everyone's been wanting for so long. I'll definitely be sticking around for the rest.

I'm not much of fan of The American either as a Stig replacement.

I remember reading somewhere that was one of Netflix's stipulations- That their new driver had to be an American. Not sure why he had to be a southern-drawling NASCAR driver who hates everything but 'Merican V8s. And this is coming from a guy who loves 'Merican V8s.

Amazon.

And I can understand the concept in theory... Top Gear is a very british show.

Right, right, I misspoke.

I get it too, considering Amazon is a US company. I guess with the GT being such a global show they wanted an element of it grounded in the USA.