Move over Ninja Warrior, the King is back

[Darthtiki 0]

NBC pumps up for 'Gladiators' redo

Competition show revived for midseason

By MICHAEL SCHNEIDER, JOSEF ADALIAN

NBC is getting into the ring with "American Gladiators," which has been revived by the Peacock for midseason.

The competition skein -- which featured players with names like Nitro, Turbo and Laser in its campy, early '90s syndie incarnation -- will be updated for the 21st century with new technology and twists. MGM TV, which was behind the original hit, is producing along with Reveille.

 

Peacock's interest in the revival actually predates the arrival of NBC Entertainment/Universal Media Studios co-chairman Ben Silverman, who began developing the project while still in charge of Reveille. Net confirmed last month that "Gladiator" was a priority at the net (Daily Variety, July 16).

 

"We've been circling around this property for a long time now," said Craig Plestis, exec VP of alternative programming, development and specials at NBC Entertainment. "It's truly what's not in the TV landscape right now. While everyone's zigging, I'm attracted to doing a zag."

 

Net wouldn't confirm the episodic order, but at least six segs are believed to be in the works. NBC could opt to launch the show as a one-week strip -- similar to how it bowed "Deal or No Deal" -- or as a weekly skein.

 

Airing in syndication from 1989-96, "American Gladiators" focused on physically fit amateur athletes who competed against the show's regulars (action stars, stunt professionals and pro athletes) in various physical strength and endurance competitions.

 

The show hit it big by showcasing David vs. Goliath-style battles in events such as the Joust, the Wall, the Eliminator and Hang Tough. Coincidentally, the original "Gladiators" shot its first several seasons at Universal Studios.

 

Plestis said he was particularly interested in the original U.K. version of "Gladiators," which focused even more on the characters and the behind-the-scenes stories of common folk going up against the show's powerful stars. The new "Gladiators," he said, "will have the scale, scope, different characters and family drama that the U.K. version had."

 

"We're not going to completely reinvent the wheel here," he said. "But we're making it better, faster and stronger."

 

Show will follow eight gladiators -- four men and four women -- as they take on contestants both male and female. This time, in a new wrinkle, the players will be given the opportunity to train for their match -- and viewers will be given a glimpse of their personalities prior to the actual competish.

 

MGM Worldwide TV co-prexy Jim Packer said reviving "Gladiators" was part of a strategy to mine the company's library and revive franchises for a new generation of TV viewers. Repeats of the original show are currently posting decent ratings on ESPN Classic, he noted.

 

"The timing to bring the franchise back is perfect, and NBC is the ideal home," Packer said. "It's a very big, grandiose type of show."

 

In the 10 years after "Gladiators" went off the air, Reveille managing director Mark Koops said, shows like "Fear Factor" raised the bar for stunt-driven shows, and thus it's more important than ever to find contestants with compelling backstories. Producers are currently scouting for new gladiators and hosts in addition to contestants. Koops will serve as an exec producer.

 

"Gladiators" marks the first co-production between MGM TV and Reveille. Under their arrangement, MGM Worldwide will handle international sales of the show, while Reveille will be in charge (with MGM's assistance) of selling new locally produced editions around the world.

 

Koops said Reveille is close to making several international deals, including co-productions in Australia and the U.K.

 

Besides Koops, exec producers include Reveille's Howard Owens, as well as "Fear Factor" alum David Hurwitz and original series creator Johnny Ferraro.

 

Read the full article at:

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117970702.html

 

Will they have a wellness policy?

[2GOLD 0]

Ninja Warrior is better still, that show is just 700 kinds of great. Plus anytime I hear the words "revive the show", I shudder at the results that follow.

[razazteca 0]

Will it have the Hamster Ball race?

[Youth N Asia 0]

American Gladiators sucks balls compared to Ninja Warrior and you know it

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Will it have the Hamster Ball race?

 

ATLASPHERE!

[Jingus 0]

American Gladiators had some really fucking cool events, but it just doesn't match the nihilistic pleasure of watching a hundred people in a row FAIL to beat the world's most satanically difficult obstacle course.

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

American Gladiators had some really fucking cool events, but it just doesn't match the nihilistic pleasure of watching a hundred people in a row FAIL to beat the world's most satanically difficult obstacle course.

 

No kidding. I can't wait until G4 starts showing this past one. Apparently it's even more brutal than ever.

 

As for AG, I'm glad it's back. Sure the original was corny, but I liked it. The only thng I didn't like was the choice of contestants. The selection process favored speed and quickness over strength (except for chinups I think). As a result, you've got a 5'10", 170 lb. contestant trying to outwrestle a 6'6", 270 lb. gladiator. A win is a miracle unless the Gladiator fucks up. The one time they had a comparable contestant (he was like 6'2" 235 or something) he ran over the gladiators in Powerball and Breakthrough and Conquer. I guess they wanted to emphasize the size of the gladiators, but I would like to see a more even playing field.

 

On a related note, I can't wait to see who the new gladiators are. Roided up wrestler wannabes are probably already lining up to try out.

[Youth N Asia 0]

You can find new Ninja Warrior on youtube. The course is brutal... you have to make a

 

Nagano doing stage one. you get 2 minutes for the first stage. It's way longer

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=QMXucDQPW0c

 

Also stage 3 has a jumping cliffhanger deal.

[2GOLD 0]

You can find new Ninja Warrior on youtube. The course is brutal... you have to make a

 

Nagano doing stage one. you get 2 minutes for the first stage. It's way longer

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=QMXucDQPW0c

 

Also stage 3 has a jumping cliffhanger deal.

 

God DAMN!

I mean, what the HELL man? What the hell?!?!

[Jingus 0]

Holy fucking shit, that's brutal. The jump into the splits climb, that round copper thing with the crappy handholds, the Die Hard "catch yourself on this rope and try not to get your head cut off" slide bit... jesus, that made me hurt just watching it.

[AmericanDragon 0]

stages 2 and 3

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=rjKgSIt0fE4

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ib-7KeA8-6E

[KingPK 0]

You can find new Ninja Warrior on youtube. The course is brutal... you have to make a

 

Nagano doing stage one. you get 2 minutes for the first stage. It's way longer

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=QMXucDQPW0c

 

Also stage 3 has a jumping cliffhanger deal.

 

God DAMN!

I mean, what the HELL man? What the hell?!?!

 

And he made it look like a fucking walk in the park.

 

EDIT: Watched the 3rd stage. How the FUCK was he supposed to finish that cliffhanger without grabbing the framework? That was just TOO far away to reach otherwise.

Edited August 24, 2007 by KingPK

[razazteca 0]

You can find new Ninja Warrior on youtube. The course is brutal... you have to make a

 

Nagano doing stage one. you get 2 minutes for the first stage. It's way longer

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=QMXucDQPW0c

 

Also stage 3 has a jumping cliffhanger deal.

 

God DAMN!

I mean, what the HELL man? What the hell?!?!

Japanese game shows are always the best.

[The Niggardly King 0]

This show ain't nothing without Malibu and Nitro... hopefully they're the commentators.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

The Ninja warrior stuff is like the eliminator from AG on crack and steroids.

 

 

[Jingus 0]

EDIT: Watched the 3rd stage. How the FUCK was he supposed to finish that cliffhanger without grabbing the framework? That was just TOO far away to reach otherwise.

Yeah, goddamn, I know the course designers on NW enjoy being blatantly unfair (if you're too short, you can't win, period). But there's a difference between "unfair" and "fucking impossible by any member of the human species".

[Black Lushus 0]

This show ain't nothing without Malibu and Nitro... hopefully they're the commentators.

 

you're nuts, Malibu was garbage. Total pussy.

 

Nitro, however, was the perfect heel for that show.

[Karnage 0]

What about Battledome?

[Jingus 0]

Meh. Battledome is to American Gladiators like Gobots is to Transformers.

 

They need to have Gemini back. He was the fuckin' man.

[Broward83 0]

It sucks he got DQ'd on the third stage, but it looks like he should've been DQ'd on the 2nd stage when he leaps onto the foam pad. If you look at it, it seems his foot dips into the water and from what I've seen on past shows.. even that little bit would've counted as a failure for him.

 

Seeing this reminded me of Viking, that ESPN showed during the Spring like a year or two ago. Anyone know if that's still going on?

[Rendclaw 0]

That is fucking crazy. That Cliffhanger is almost physically impossible.

 

Props to Nagano for calling it himself. Man has integrity.

[haws bah gawd 0]

Nagano is incredible, and a highly-skilled athlete.

 

"Mr. Ninja Warrior" (the first person to ever complete the course) is also interesting due to his severe vision problems. One of those inspirational figures.

 

Theres one Ninja Warrior competitor that intrigues me due to his outright obsession with competing. I cant think of his name, but the commentators mentioned he quit his job, and basically abandoned his family so he can dedicate his life to completing the course. Guy kinda looks like a young Chono.

[Conspiracy_Victim 0]

Theres one Ninja Warrior competitor that intrigues me due to his outright obsession with competing. I cant think of his name, but the commentators mentioned he quit his job, and basically abandoned his family so he can dedicate his life to completing the course. Guy kinda looks like a young Chono.

 

Katsumi Yamada. Yeah he's "quit" Ninja Warrior like 3 or 4 times, quit his machinist job to build a replica course in the back yard, and practically runs his own little Ninja Warrior 'school'. Even wrote his family a letter talking about how he knew he was a bad father and husband, but Ninja Warrior was too much of an obsession for him. Now he's part of the travelling NW show that goes around publicizing the show. I always feel bad for him when he gets eliminated, he always looks like his life is over.

[Youth N Asia 0]

Haws, Yamada is Mr Ninja Warrior. He's never beaten the course though, Akiyama (sp) was the first guy to ever do it

[starvenger 0]

American Gladiators had some really fucking cool events, but it just doesn't match the nihilistic pleasure of watching a hundred people in a row FAIL to beat the world's most satanically difficult obstacle course.

 

No kidding. I can't wait until G4 starts showing this past one. Apparently it's even more brutal than ever.

 

As for AG, I'm glad it's back. Sure the original was corny, but I liked it. The only thng I didn't like was the choice of contestants. The selection process favored speed and quickness over strength (except for chinups I think). As a result, you've got a 5'10", 170 lb. contestant trying to outwrestle a 6'6", 270 lb. gladiator. A win is a miracle unless the Gladiator fucks up. The one time they had a comparable contestant (he was like 6'2" 235 or something) he ran over the gladiators in Powerball and Breakthrough and Conquer. I guess they wanted to emphasize the size of the gladiators, but I would like to see a more even playing field.

Two Scoops owned the Gladiators. I think the mystique was gone after that.

 

 

Nitro, however, was the perfect heel for that show.

Viper was a better heel, because everyone just considered him to be Nitro-lite, and thus they hated his ass.

 

They show AG in reruns up here on ESPN Classic Canada, and it's scary how Diamond's boobs got bigger every year.

 

Gotta figure that Lee "Hawk" Rehrman will be doing colour here.

 

And if they're basing this off of the UK Gladiators, will they play "Another One Bites the Dust" after Gladiator wins in Joust/Duel?

[Youth N Asia 0]

back onto the real topic...Ninja Warrior. I hope that now that the course is insanely tough they keep the joke competitors away from it, like the octopus guy and others that don't stand a chance

[Jingus 0]

Aw c'mon, watching 50 joke competitors in a row wipe out at the first or second obstacle is always entertaining.

[MrRant 0]

I demand they hire some big black dude (like Viscera size) and name him Quasar.

[Ravenbomb 0]

That show Viking doesn't look bad either from what I saw. There was this father/daughter duo that was doing good until the last obstacle and ended up not making it by like .001 second

[Hawkius Maximus 0]

To me, out of all the Ninja Warrior "all stars" the one that I always end up rooting for is Shingo Yamamoto.

 

He's not some insane super athlete...he's just...a GUY. He was a fucking Gas station worker when the show started. Now he like owns his own. He's by far in the top three or so of the competitors, and he had it won one year...and then blew out his shoulder on the fourth stage. Every season since, he'll do his damnedest, but his shoulder will give out on events like the body prop, and he fails. It's so heart breaking, because he wants to win SO BAD that he's the only person to have been on every single tournament.

 

Katsumi Yamada never making it doesn't bother me...because while he's given everything to the tournament, he also has made a living off his successes, or failures. Nagano, Yamamoto, Takeda, and Shiratori all have a regular job. Yamada makes everything from being famous. I'm a big fan of Asaoka, or the "Sasuke Sensei" who always has his class there to cheer him on. Shunsuke Nagasaki will likely be the next to beat the course if Nagano doesn't repeat...His natural athletic ability for just being 18 or so is insane.