Top Gear Australia drops 64,000 to 439,000
Top Gear Australia’s second outing for the series pulled in just 439,000 viewers on Tuesday night, 64,000 down on its disappointing debut audience of 503,000.
It aired at 9:30, an hour later than last week, after Under Surveillance (635,000) and was followed by the British version of the show at 10:30 which received 239,000, according to preliminary metro ratings from OzTam.
Nine’s top rating non-news/current affair show was the 7:30 episode of The Big Bang Theory with 904,000.
Ten’s Children of 9/11 special received 395,000 while SBS1’s Cutting Edge: 9/11 – The Day That Changed The World received 393,000.
You always say more to follow but for the past 3 days you have never finished the articles. It is quite annoying as… more to follow..
Fair point, Unhappy.
Yesterday’s ratings now updated:
https://staging.mumbrella.com.au/good-night-for-seven-with-top-four-most-watched-shows-56619
We’ll update the top 15 shows and audience share for Tuesday as soon as we get the numbers in.
Cheers,
Robin – Mumbrella
I think the problem with TGA, is that the show’s formula/format is not the main ingredient adding to the success of the UK version – it’s the hosts.
Lucio, you have nailed it. Not sure exactly what they are missing but I think there is a certain level of intellect not there or the ability of the hosts to produce ‘smart’ comedy. The funniest people are often highly intelligent. I don’t know these guys personally so this is just an observation. I enjoy TG UK (usually) and am disappointed that TGA is not as good. So either they do serious car reviews for us to enjoy or become funnier.
TGA didnt screen at 8.30 – there was a doco hosted by Leila McKinnon. TGA screened at 9.30pm.
I didn’t even know there was a show running between the ads?
@ Lucio. I agree. Anyone seen the US version of top gear? It’s actually a really interesting show. They haven’t slavishly followed the UK format as they did here. It’s just three interesting (and very different) guys doing stupid shit. Like determining which pickup truck is the best by towing houses or trying to pick up snobby chicks in the Hamptons with $5,000 “luxury” cars.
It’s juvenile, but the rapport is what makes the show. Exactly the same as the UK.
Hi Ian,
Right you are. The TV guide we were running off had TGA still in the 8:30 slot.
Thanks for picking up. Have amended in the piece.
Cheers,
Alice – Mumbrella
Didn’t Camelot get ditched after 1 episode of 600,000 ish? I know TGA is a bigger investment, but it still makes me wonder…. BTW agree with all the comments – if they did a Holden V Ford segment and actually picked one as a winner , the oz show might get a bit more credibility. You can’t sit on the fence with that one. The UK boys are not afraid of making a contraversial statement.
One of the main issues is that the UK show isn’t (as) beholden to advertisers. The here sales guys would have been out selling this to car brands for months. So they can’t really insult any of the brands who are advertising, which is half the fun of the UK show (when they slate a car).
The other, bigger, issue is probably that copying a set and format is fine, but unless you have the personalities to go with it, you can’t really expect it to work (why Australian commercial networks haven’t figured this out yet I have no idea – but hey I guess that’s why they’re paid the big bucks…).
why is the xfactor doing so well this year?one Nat to the next?no kyle?
I think the issue is that they have boganified the Aussie version unnecessarily. The hosts and the format have been totally dumbed down. The V8 thing solving the kebab problem? How stupid. The Falcon ute for the Star in a Reasonably Priced car segment. What the? As has been said above, the show is missing intellect. Yes, they can do stupid things but give some informed opinion as well.
The UK series was successful here for a reason. Don’t change it! Copy the darned thing as that is what the viewers tuned in for in the first place.
Bang on, Lucio.
If they had have filmed the TGA episode using the UK hosts, it would have been hilarious.
I quite enjoyed TGA’s episode this week… Yes, their past shows and especially SE1 was a shocker- but the producers and hosts have done a remarkable turnaround . The problem is that there will always be comparisons made to TGA UK.
The timeslot I think is a crucial factor in the ratings slide.
Away from TGUK, James May is a concert-level pianist, The Hamster is an accomplished helicopter pilot and Clarkson is the UK’s most highly-paid newspaper columnist. I’ve met – and also interviewed – Clarkson and he is very WYSIWYG.
They are all articulate, intelligent people who happen to host a show.
In contrast, TGA gets a driving instructor, a journo wanabe racer and a genuine fat comedian. One out of three will never get TGA over the line.
Where’s Dave Morley when we need him? Too exxy, maybe? Against Clarkson’s reported GBP100k per ep, I doubt it.
C’mon FreeHand – lift your game or turn in your hand.
TGA lacks that schoolboy-prankish wit of the UK version. Everyone’ feels bought-out rather than up to mischief. Will Anderson is more the shot. Don’t tell Todd and Russel but they’re only bearable because Will is taking the piss out of them.