COTM: Why American Gladiators doesn’t work in 2008
There was a considerable amount of excitement emanating from the hearts of most fans of the original “American Gladiators” when NBC announced plans for a brand spanking new version of the show last year. And how could there not be? The show was rawk with a capital R. But after watching its debut last night, it seems not everyone is jazzed about its reincarnation, myself included.
There’s plenty of reasons it was disappointing — not having live commentary via Mike Adamle et al., the painful interviews, the overuse of children as the contenders’ motivation — but those paled in comparison to the overriding fact: it’s not 1991 anymore. You see, goofy outfits, lame enthusiasm and ridiculous events worked in the late 80s and early 90s. This was a time period when neon and slap bracelets were cool. So when we looked back at reruns of the show over the past five-seven years or so, we enjoyed it because through its overt ridiculousness we smiled. It’s cool, it was the 90s, man.
And come to think of it, it’s really just a kid’s show. Hammer? Justice? Venom? Stealth? These are names kids come up with. And a lot of people that were excited for this new go round of “American Gladiators” were kids when the original one aired. It seems your affinity for stuff from your childhood always amplifies in the context of the present. Meaning simply: as time passes, your nostalagia for the things of your youth grows and this includes your liking for the goofy show with the goofy outfits and the goofy events.
If I was 22-years-old when the original Gladiators debuted, would I have liked it? That I can’t answer. But I’m sure I would have liked it less than I did when the original dropped. I was a kid and like I said: it’s really just a kid’s show. I don’t watch much TV now as it is and I certainly wasn’t compelled enough last night to tune in again tonight, although that doesn’t mean I won’t give it a cursory viewing during some channel surfing.
But yes: perhaps it was best to just let this one forever live in the context of the early 90s. I think Malibu would have wanted it that way.
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Postman R,
You are nuts! Last nights show was awesome. You can not say you didn’t like the Pyramid event or the guy that cried after he got smoked in the Eliminator. I look forward to the rest of the season.
Dude,
I’m in!! I watched every minute of the show last night. When that chick ripped up her ACL, MCL and PCL all in the same motion, THAT was compelling television!
Postman — I couldn’t agree with you more, in fact, I’m almost convinced that you overheard a conversation I just had with my boss…which coincidentally also touched on “neon and slap braclets.” My fraternity brothers and I had mass texted each other last night several times…we thought ourselves the target audience, a collection of yuppy, nostalgic, beer-drinking fellas who would love nothing more than to spend the last few hours of our weekend watching Malibu kick some ass. (Come on, where the hell is Malibu??)
The interview process was hands down the worst thing of the evening. NBC - if you’re reading this - I could give a SHIT LESS what some life coach or toilet paper saleswoman aspire to become, let alone what they’re thinking about. Hulk Hogan’s classic line of, “so you’re a New York Fireman, eh?” was pathetic. Do yourself a favor and scrip it better…oh wait, you don’t have any writers. Shucks.
I will definitely watch American Gladiators again, but only because it’s an excuse to make up a drinking game and forget about my mundane entry-level job.
Postgirl,
I completely disagree!!! I loved American Gladiators in the 90’s and I loved it last night. What is wrong with you? Do you have balls? That was fun stuff last night.
Last night’s show was embarrassing. Everything was scripted–EVERYTHING. Every word that came out of any contestant’s mouth. Every little catch phrase from any “Gladiator.” Every outcome of every event. (What is the purpose of scripting the outcome when NO ONE cares who wins or loses???) Hulk’s misogynistic comments about the men (”now it’s time to get really excited,” or something to that extent) was pretty pathetic.
Why, during the writers’ strike, does it seem like this reality shit is scripted? Anyone catch that terrible game show “Duel” on ABC? That show seemed scripted too. Bizarre.
The funny thing about these posts is that they are ALL right. I LOVED watching both shows (Sunday and Monday). It was a kick to see the contestants and gladiators battling it out again in the familiar studio. HOWEVER, both evenings were cheeeeeezy with a capital “C”. Would I watch it again? You bet. If it were up against something like “Dancing With the Stars” I’d probably have to pass and watch the dancing show.
No doubt that Gladiators sucked. My problem is that the show could have been good. With the Galdiators you have 2 options make them people the audience wants to cheer for or cheer against. Instead NBC made them into people that everyone just wanted to laugh at (see Mayhem after the Joust). They could have chosen to make them actually human or even better make them total robots with little to no commentary. Instead they went down the middle and gave us meatheads struggling to read cue cards. Let’s not even talk about how weak the Wolf character is. Outside of the suckfest that was the production - the final straw was that the competition wasn’t even fair. The Eliminator was way too long and hard on top of the fact that headstart was not even clost to the right amount of time. Nobody should ever,EVER, lose if they have a 37 point lead going into the Eliminator. NBC managed to make it into a 10 minute show by making the rest of the contests irrelevant. The 2nd show on sunday was actually a 2 min show. As soon as I saw the weights of the guys (155 vs 208) I went to bed knowing that the 155 lb guy would be walking away victorious.
It works because of one principle: People like to see other people get the crap beat out of them.
Peter,
How you gonna?!?! Wolf was the best Gladiator!
Come on! Those were the lamest comments I have ever seen. The only really cool part was when that lady blew out her knee. That competition and the gauntlet are the only ones that anyone is really getting punished. I could care less about their sob stories. Send the sob stories to Oprah, trim the fat and get to the competitions. I think the lamest episode was last night. Maybe it was just me but did the guy that won the eliminator stop and look back after he was all the way at the top. Oh, then he is SO exhausted and lets the other guy catch up a little more so he can BARELY beat him through the wall. Give me a break. Also, doesn’t it seem a little funny that these people are in such great shape and a firefighter, fitness instructor and an ex-marine can’t make it an average of 2:45 seconds of exertion? FAKE!! Just be real with us, we aren’t all stupid.
I am very disappointed to hear all of these positive responses toward the new American Gladiators. I watched the first episode live and dvr’ed to second episode. About 10 minutes into the first episode, I wanted to grab my TV and throw it out the window. How many times do they have to ask each contestant, “Hey brother man, do you got what it takes to do well in this next contest” .. “Well, Hulk, I don’t know, but I’m going to give it 110% for my family and friends here and back home!!” Not to mention, the first women’s contest was obviously fixed. That african american women just laid on the last escalator thing for two minutes, losing the eliminator depsite her 30 point lead.
The second episode wasn’t as bad, simply because I fast forwarded through all the commercials and nonsense within the episode. It literally took 15 minutes to get through the entire episode just watching the actual challenges.
And Tsunami, are you kidding me with the Wolf comment? What a f*ckin dbag that dude is. We get it, you’re name is Wolf so you howell. The first time was kind of cool, the second time was ok. The third time and thereafter, really?! You’re still doing that. He’s the definition of a dbag
Jason,
It’s hilarious and I think its awesome! Garnted, its not t he same as the original, but I still think its fun to watch. AAAUUUUUUWWWWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
How about the chick that jumped in the water and nialed her face on the metal bar? Thats good tv! The real dbags are the writers. maybe if they were not on strike, stations would not have to fill so many spots with anything they put on television.