WE HAD SUCH high hopes for Top Gear Australia when season two began last month, now it appears it’s rapidly heading down the same path as season one.
National viewership for last night’s episode was a measly 545,000, with the program ranking at number 32 nationally.
TGA’s season two ratings have been in steady decline since the first episode aired, and the trend looks likely to continue.
There are three episodes left in this series - will the likes of Pizzati, Brown and Morrison be able to nail it before the end, or will the show wind up in a similar fashion to last season’s finale, which only managed to rustle up 435,000 viewers?
In case you were wondering, here’s a week by week breakdown of Top Gear Oz’s season two ratings:
- Episode one: 689,000 viewers
- Episode two: 628,000 viewers
- Episode three: 608,000 viewers
- Episode four: 598,000 viewers
- Episode five: 545,000 viewers
This weeks episode involved a two-car Elfin performance test (not bad), an interview with HG Nelson (who practically interviewed himself), a VIP car build-off which ended with each car being shot at by a bolt-action rifle (TGUK would’ve used an Apache gunship) and a mobility scooter race between the presenters to determine who would drive a Falcon GTHO next week.
Is this the sort of show that enthusiasts want?
Much of the commentary on our coverage of Top Gear Australia suggests people’s opinions are split, but does the show’s latest effort make any of you want to change your tune? Have your say in the comments section below.
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I missed Monday’s episode but I won’t lose any sleep over it.
It’s not a bad show but it’s not real good either. The presenters are still struggling a bit and maybe trying too hard but I think one of the biggest problems is the audience.
The audience just stand there like stunned mullets, even when there is a (funny) joke you can barely hear a chuckle. If the audience were more animated maybe that would give Brown and Co more confidence.
When’s Top Gear UK back on!? I’m having withdrawals waiting to download the new episodes.
I’m one of the one’s who was a bit more positive about last weeks episode…….can I take it all back???!!!
The VIP bit was especially bad, as was the scooter section. And why oh why do they continue to SHOUT at each other? Is this some stage direction they’re getting from the producer or something? I’m going back to McCloud’s Daughters!
+ Good photography/cinematography
+ All seem like decent blokes (Charlie Cox is a distant memory)
+ Some real high-end cars tested so far (various Lamborghinis, Porsche GT2, etc)
+ Stig seems pretty handy with the car
- Skint budget makes it look like a povo cousin to TG UK
- Lame jokes
- Three presenters still haven’t really got a strong rapport yet - no real funny pranks or antics
- ‘Challenges’ with no point
- Road tests with vague conclusions
- Lack of any real drama in the events
- They musn’t amp up the audience between takes; they just stand there.
There are a LOT of similarities to the early TG UK series, before they got a cult following. But the key things are as Grumps said, they are *trying far too hard* - it doesn’t look natural. No one likes to watch a try hard in action; it’s painful. It is also nearly impossible not to compare them with UK show. JC and co. had the privilege (AFAIK) of not having such strong competition when the new show got rebooted in the early 2000s.
All they need to do is cut the crap and stick to doing proper car reviews/comparisons. That’s all anyone really cares about isn’t it?
The fact is that TGA is an epic fail and the audience is reacting to it. If you’re one of those people who can’t quite put your finger on what’s wrong with TGA, here’s a few things to think about:
There is no exciting driving comparos - Hint: If you get a lambo, don’t drive along the coast road in traffic! Flog it at the track. ***one reason we might not be seeing much action with super cars is because of the hefty damage bill TGA racked up last year - including rear ending a Lambo.
1) There’s no chemistry between the hosts
2) The hosts have no personality and can’t act natural during scripted moments
3) The scripting is horrible and shows a complete lack of knowledge on the show’s subject - cars!
4) The challenges are boring, not funny and, to simplify, scream TRY HARD
5) The TGA race course is too short and tight. It does not lend itself to being filmed
6) The use of references like “Clarkson Corner” is just (insert non-PC word here)
7) The show is simply a bad imitation of the UK version - which has been going south under the weight of massive egos for quite some time
10) The disctinct lack of driving skills by any of the hosts.
11) AND MOST IMPORTANTLY - the alienation of true motoring fans by not getting into the nitty gritty. Hint: all super cars have paddle shift. Get over the simple sh** that amuses mothers of four and give us some interesting facts and statistics - stuff like how much downforce is created by car at certain speeds, how much borrowed technology is in said car etc.
wow another article on how sh*t TGAU is.. tell us something we dont know..
p.s +1, get rid of the show, epic fail..
Really needs to be more about the cars. Get the basic stuff right first, then build from there.
Any show that is a ‘copy’ of another show has a massive hill to climb. Rarely do the copies get anywhere close to the originals and why do we want a copy anyway?
If the show has any chance of survival it needs to bin every aspect of the show that is a copy of UK TG. Let the presenters develop their own ideas, drop the stupid challenges, focus on the cars more and let the show develop a character of its own.
If we want to watch a show that is ‘like’ UK Top Gear, well, frankly we will watch UK Top Gear.
Let the Aussie show stand and fall on its own merits - the current ‘forced’ atmosphere is just way to painful.
@ Hogan. i believe it starts again on the 21th of June. So not long now
Sorry Skywalker for the false hope…
Ok, im here again and ill try and give this a positive spin. It seems as though everyone keeps writing in, so obviously were all pretty passionate about getting a decent TG of our own. Hopefully the producers hear us and realise we want this show to be on… we just want a decent show… NOW.
Laughed a little when the Morrison and combi challenge was on, come to think of it…
Memo SBS:
I’d much rather watch re-runs of Jeremy, Hamster and Captain Slow.
TGUK presenters are journalists, they can actually present a show well. Maybe that’s what TGA needs, people who are actually good in front of a camera.
Top gear is anal gazing @ its Worst.What about real Issues that
perhaps interest real people about cars!
Well, i’ve watched all the episodes bar the most recent. It is definitely a step up this season compared to last.
Is it as good as TGUK? No, of course not. But they are up to season? How many? 9?
Yes, it is a copy, but that is the only reason they should be compared. Please give it more time. We NEED a show which is irreverent and non-conforming. It stops people from being sheep.
Suggestions would be to stop the shouting and give some more facts.
from a tv stations perspective, how can they justify having a program at prime time which ranks 30 odd for the nation.. 1 season was enough..
1 suggestion, get a few of the lads from RPM, people with experience in front of a camera as well as motoring knowledge..