How you doin’?
A Chris Evans-less Top Gear returned to our screens on Sunday night and it is fair to say that the initial reaction from viewers was generally positive. Unlike most outrageously expensive high-profile shows, you do get the feeling that fans are actually desperate for it to be good, rather than being eager to see it fail.
In the stead of Evans – or indeed Clarkson, May and Hammond – there was Rory Reid, Chris Harris and host Matt LeBlanc. The trio were largely greeted to our screens with a lot of good will and warmth judging from the reception to the first show back on social media…
10 minutes in and I already know this series is better than the last #TopGear
— Amy B (@AmyB8930) March 5, 2017
Really enjoying the new-look #TopGear tonight.
— Richard Osman (@richardosman) March 5, 2017
I can now say that Chris, Rory & Matt are in the same leauge as Jezza & co. Quailty team work, watchable & laughable Tv. #TopGear
— Peter H Todd (@Peter_H_Todd) March 5, 2017
https://twitter.com/82rebeccagood/status/838490469726359553
Of course, the praise was never going to be universal. There are still some mean-spirited try-hard bastards out there who refuse to see the good in anything that is remotely popular or mainstream…
Watched a bit of Top Gear. Wish I hadn't. The studio banter is sub-Mrs Brown's Boys.
— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) March 5, 2017
But it did seem as though the studio repartee was a tad rehearsed and even a little forced. LeBlanc in particular seemed to revert in order to help the show harvest some laughs. The former Friends star has an easy charm and is naturally likeable, but the producers of the motoring programme cast him in an all too familiar role.
There were a number of times when the former Friends star went into full Joey Tribbiani mode – except without the stellar scriptwriters from days of yore. Most obviously in this cringeworthy to and fro that landed like a lead balloon…
I mean… pic.twitter.com/y5HDzHZE5K
— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) March 5, 2017
It all seemed far too familiar to many. Perhaps just leave Joey in the past and just let Matt be Matt…
so he's just being Joey now?
— Paul (@b00z) March 5, 2017
Why is he still trying to play Joey? https://t.co/xN1rgaEXLG
— Tabish (@10tabish) March 5, 2017
sounds so much like joey, needs to let it go!
— Mads Faarup (@MFaarup) March 5, 2017
https://twitter.com/ImtiaazButt/status/838494295942393856
https://twitter.com/manujugs/status/838492244101455872
reprising Joey ffs 😷 https://t.co/2DDZuaJsAU
— Kish (@kishermes) March 5, 2017
https://twitter.com/ItsAaronYaKnow/status/838491422667976706
Laten we gewoon humor uit Friends in Top Gear proberen moeten ze gedacht hebben https://t.co/Qg1tKbcHFV
— Jonas Van Holderbeke (@Jonas_VH) March 5, 2017
