British car show ‘Top Gear’ returned last week, over a year after long-running host Jeremy Clarkson was dropped for one-too many controversial incidents, on-screen and off. Taking over a show that new co-presenter Matt Leblanc has called “a juggernaut,” was never going to be easy. And reviews this week suggest its new lead presenter, Chris Evans, struggled somewhat.It was always going to be this way though. ‘Top Gear’ took time to evolve, decades in fact. The show started out way back in 1977, focused only on motoring. Clarkson oversaw its reboot in 2002 in to an extended format with scripted stories, guests and a sense of humor that would appeal well beyond car fanatics. By the time he and fellow presenters James May and Richard Hammond departed, we were tuning in to watch their antics more than for any car review.Much of the immediate feedback on the new presenter line-up has focused on the lack of chemistry between Evans and Leblanc. But let’s not forget, the camaraderie between May, Hammond and Clarkson developed over some 22 series. We had the sense they were good buddies off screen as well as on, so much so that ‘Top Gear’ felt like we were flies on the wall in Clarkson’s living room, where he invites the others to lark about on a Sunday.Evans then knew he had to strike a balance. The format of the show wasn’t broken, so if he changed it too much, he’d alienate fans. But if he changed little, then direct comparisons with Clarkson would be unavoidable. For now, he’s erred too much to the latter, regrettably copying even the mannerisms and lines from the Clarkson script book in his presentation. “There is a danger he looks like a David Moyes to an Alex Ferguson,” said former ITV entertainment chief Mark Wells this week.Fortunately for Evans though, his new co-presenter looked much more at ease. Many wondered how former ‘Friends’ star LeBlanc would fare, but he’s a master at scripted comedy, and a petrolhead too. So while the audience’ nerves jangled for Chris, by the time Matt was being hounded by mock paparazzi in the desert, we knew we were in the hands of a pro. As Evans joked, “the thing is about Matt, because he’s such a superstar, he actually looks cool. I just look like a d*ck.”That desert segment (a test of the new Nomad off-roader) worked too because Leblanc was sending up his own persona, something he’s done to award-winning effect in the excellent “Episodes” comedy series, where he plays himself. “I was with this uh… well there was two of them actually…” he starts, after claiming the Nomad is the most fun you can have with your clothes on. By doing so, we feel Matt is just being Matt. When the camera followed Evans, in contrast, it felt like he knew he was sitting in someone else’s living room and trying too hard to be someone else.So has ‘Top Gear’ stalled? Perhaps. But that’s to be expected. The show was getting criticism as far back as 2009 for its overuse of toilet-humor and predictable escapades. On this showing, the quality of the production remains extremely high, and the new elements Evans introduced have promise.Ending the show by explaining what cars – and guests – are up next week is a good touch, a twin sofa for unrelated guests to share (Graham Norton-style) could prove fun, and off-road elements as “stars in a reasonably-priced car” becomes “stars in a rally-cross car” all bode well. Let’s just let the motor run for a bit and just maybe, further down the road, we’ll come to love Evans as much for his faults and indiscretions as we did Clarkson.
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