'Top Gear' returns this weekend, and here's what we expect

"Top Gear" is making a grand return to TV this weekend, and it’s bringing a couple new hosts along for the ride. Chris Harris is carried over from last year’s season, but Paddy McGuinness and Freddie Flintoff are making their debuts this year. Paddy happens to be a very Irish comedian, so we expect him to really bring the humor into the new season. Then Freddie is an ex-professional cricketer, who dwarfs the rest of the other hosts in stature. A car journalist, comedian and cricketer may not seem like the most obvious trio for a funny motoring show, but it’s the next formula that the BBC is trying.

We’ve only been allowed to see some brief moments of screaming and chaos in the trailers thus far, but it’s fair to say that the premise and goal of the show isn’t changing much from what’s worked in the past. The chemistry between Clarkson, Hammond and May was what ultimately made that long, beautiful era of "Top Gear" so enticing to watch, so we hope these guys can catch a bit of that spark, too. With Rory Reid down doing "Extra Gear" and Sabine Schmitz as a co-host without much expected screen time, it’s going to be up to these three to make the show succeed.

As for what stories are going to be told, there won’t be many. "Top Gear" season 27 is only scheduled to be five episodes long, so they’ll have to really hone in on what’s most important to them. We expect plenty of adventures to exotic and perhaps perilous locations, a bunch of horrific/hilarious car creations and plenty of shenanigans in between. It’s hard not to love the "Top Gear" specials wherein the hosts go trodding off to faraway lands and are forced to survive, so we’ve no doubt these kind of expeditions will be taken in some form by the new hosts, as well.