I agree with what's been said, sometimes you get a pointless episode, the Africa specials are a good example, but then I go to work and non-car nuts are raving about it.
I think for a true car nut it's just not the program it was, and even Clarkson and Willman (the executive producer) even asked Top Gear readers about the monster they had created and whether things could get any worse because of the criticisms from car nuts, licence fee payers and as such, and were considering taking it back to becoming a car show or keep it as it was.
....then you get a real peach of an episode or even just a film, you have to admit the Mono review was shot beautifully and gave even the layman with no experience about cars a real feel what it was about, it's almost like a car advert, but it's this kind of thread, paper article or review that keeps Top Gear consistent in the ratings and popular amongst the general viewing public (who are a fickle bunch)
It's always good to read a balanced Top Gear thread.