Can We Please Swap A Top Gear Presenter With The New American Version?
I’d be the first person to stick their hand up and say they quite like new new new Top Gear. The on-location films are stunning; even prettier than those we’ve seen in The Grand Tour, for my money, and when left to their own devices the presenters feel a lot more natural, which makes it easier to watch.
Yes, the slightly forced studio segments need some work, and yes, Chris Harris looks about as comfortable with smiling and hugging as a claustrophobe is with being shut in a car boot, but there’s definite substance there. Maybe the three main presenters should do something together that ends up with them doing time in a Russian prison, or at least running from the police. That sort of thing builds bonds, not that we actually recommend doing anything illegal.
But there’s a sticking point. Matt LeBlanc used to be such an energetic performer in Friends. Joey Tribbiani might have been a lazy ass at times, but LeBlanc’s acting was anything but. Which makes me wonder how the hell he can be so monotonous in his delivery on Top Gear. He sort of drones, like a sleepy granddad on a comfy armchair telling stories to the huddled kids at his feet. He’s not a natural presenter, by which I mean he doesn’t deliver his lines as if they were off the cuff.
His performances in the studio are like he’s reading from a Teleprompter having never done any rehearsals. It’s like his heart isn’t really in it, somehow. From a presenting standpoint, I don’t think I’m going to be alone in thinking he might be the weak link.
Now, then. Top Gear magazine readers and YouTube channel subscribers will know Tom Ford, the man who shares a name with the well-known fashion bigwig. Not the style, though. He’s been working for Top Gear for years, is pretty handy behind the wheel, and presents as naturally as if he were chatting to you in the pub. He’s also rather… British, in his mannerisms and attitude. You’d have thought he was a dead cert for the UK show, frankly, but for whatever reason he was overlooked.
He’s now confirmed as one of the three Top Gear America presenters, alongside Top Fuel drag racer Antron Brown and famous actor William Fichtner. There’s a Brit on Top Gear America, and an American on British Top Gear. You see where I’m going with this.
What I want is an exchange. It doesn’t have to be CIA-style, but for all I care BBC reps from both sides of the pond can stand at each end of a bridge and send a LeBlanc and Ford walking in opposite directions towards their homelands. Tom Ford could be the perfect foil for Chris Harris, with Rory Reid the characterful man in the middle. Ford and Harris would, I reckon, naturally forge an ongoing rivalry in Top Gear challenges, with each able to side with Reid whenever they wanted a majority vote. The chemistry could happen more fluently, and faster, and even if it didn’t we’d still end up with a more expressive, engaging presenter.
Go on, BBC, you know you want to. Matt LeBlanc might be happy to spend more time Stateside anyway, and Tom Ford must really want to be a face on the original and best Top Gear. The arrangements could only take hours, for all we know. How hard can it be…?
Comments
Meh. I quite like LeBlanc in Top Gear UK. He’s the outsider, looking in, rather than the insider looking out. He’s got a laid back humour that I feel suits the show, and goes well with the other two. Watching him and Harris argue over which is the better super-car was really entertaining, and I’d quite like to see more.
But that just my opinion.
This. Chris and he really get on well. End of episode 4 - when was the last time you saw Chris Harris really laugh hard at someone? He has good comic timing and great dry humour, which is a perfect fit for a Top Gear presenter.
Compare this with the other presenters interacting. To them all, it’s just a script.
no one watching Top Gear as Telly Mix, reports overnight rating down from 3.1 opener to 2.4 million last week really sad decline. Tom Ford was TG script editor under evans, was fired by Chris Evans so he happy to work on Top Gear Amercia less pressure.
It seems Evans was right on May 8th 2016, he told the Telegraph Clarkson got out on Top before Top Gear went over the top TV terms. Clarkson agreed with that saying, getting rid of TV Elephant in the room saved his career as it was about to fall off the cliff as he would have maintain the status quo.
Grand Tour can just travel the world, as a Tric award nominated TV show for the next two years as Amazon made their money back said Forbes.
Jeff Bezos is the third richest man in the world, with 72.6 billion dollars in the bank after Amazon successful global launch stock up 67 per cent in total.
Smart reinvention of the wheel by Clarkson, on the road as a travelling car show will get you 3 to 5 years easily in my view. that the difference the two time bafta nominated Writer, off Top Gear Jeremy Clarkson gone on a global tour no one care about TG anymore.
they cannot replace him or Porter, his co writer that why the show struggles and is boring to watch Top Gear wormholes only Matt Le Moron would run that idea.
face facts if this TG USA fails, that could be it for Top Gear as the rating are reported worldwide so TG is seen as running out of gas Globally right now.
No ones cares about Top Gear, as Chris Harris exclusive Chiron review got stolen by Matt Steven Managing editor of roadshow.com.
Road show .com own Carfection who reviewed the Chiron, Jethro Bovington over at Drivetribe did a brilliant written review of it so no one cares about Tonight show guys.
if you have an exclusive why sit on it, to show 4 and get scooped by Carfection for TV review and Drivetribe for written review face fact TG is dead in the water right now.
Clarkson was right when he said, it not about cars it about getting a hit as Top Gear flop in the UK twice by truthing cars since no one truth Top Gear silly that.
Matt Le Blanc could present the show naked, and no one would watch it as all truth with Top Gear is gone with the UK public face facts.
that why you go on the road, three to 5 years later everyone calm down you get a show way to early to bring Top Gear back should be 2018 for it comeback.
that allows for a 2 year Grand Tour run, before Top Gear return after that break it would be a smash hit in my view bad booking BBC.
no one is watching Top Gear, the rating say so as all truth is gone as Guardian said too much baggage in the trunk right now in my view.
Jesus that was hard to read
Matt is by far my favourite of the 3 in the current line up, The only line up change we need, is having Tanner, Rutledge and Adam back on TG USA, and it being shown in the UK again
sorry guys no one wants it, Tom Ford right TG Amercia the place to be in my view less heat and baggage to deal with.
Car guys moaned about Clarkson, he get you the cars and put show out for you guys rating were terrible and he stop doing them. cars guys cannot be truth, when it come to TV shows in my views as thwy will not watch in enough numbers overnight to protect the show so show become less car content.
shoot yourself in the foot so you do, no one cares anymore about Top Gear it dead in the water and car guys killit by not watching car related shows your to blame in my view.
stay in Amercia Wookie, less stress and a better chance off having fun without the poor ratings tied around your neck.
Disagree entirely, Im loving matt le blanc atm. Love having 2 shows not 1. Sure he may be a little rusty in studio, but all of them are. Give it time. All the films and reviews are on point imo.
That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever read
Matt is doing great! Laid back presentation with your good dose of dry humour added
I think Chris Harris needs to tone down his fake enthusiasm by a whole lot and Rory Reid really needs to drop his car salesman act. Matt Leblanc is okay. Nobody expects him to bring back Joey since Harris is pretty much doing just that.
Why can’t people just stop complaining. There will be at least 3 decent car shows. Anyway I’m really enjoying the new TG personally
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