Author Topic: American Gladiators (Read 10030 times)

Jeremy Nelson · « **on:** July 21, 2007, 02:33:49 AM »

Here's an article which discusses NBC's fall schedule. Apparently, AG has been talked about at the Peacock Network:
http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/new-nbc...cts-1012662.php

So what do you guys think- Is AG a good idea as a primetime network offering, or do you think it should stick to syndication if developed?

PYLdude · « **Reply #1 on:** July 21, 2007, 02:45:03 AM »

If they do decide to develop it, I'd think it'd be better fit on weekend afternoons, just where it was before. Primetime isn't the place.

/curious to see if they'd dig any of the old Gladiators out for this, if they ever decide to do it

Craig Karlberg · « **Reply #2 on:** July 21, 2007, 04:04:20 AM »

NBC better know what they're doing here. I smell trouble if they do try to put this on in the fall. Weekend syndication is a much better avenue here just like back in the old days. I just hope they don't utilize that Gladiator "smackdown" thing in the tale end of its original run. What was the point in that? It's a competition show not WWE. Yuck!

Sonic Whammy · « **Reply #3 on:** July 21, 2007, 01:27:55 PM »

And here I've been trying to figure out how I can (again) recreate the Assault course in my parent's backyard...

Somehow the idea of weekend syndication does not surprise me. However, I feel as though this IS something that NBC could actually try as a network offering. The question is how. Primetime, you're right, I've debated it and I can't find a working place for it except Saturday nights, which would be an instant curse. I'm curious if the noon slot on NBC Saturdays would work, but I would hate to see it constantly pre-empted by other sports events, you know?

As far as the Gladiators of the past, it would be fun to see them again, but more likely in the roles of coaches to the contenders... or even to the new Gladiators. Actually, you might have to put them on both sides, since I'm not sure any of the old champions would help out (especially if the long-standing rumors about Two Scoops are true). Either way it would be fun.

But now for the REAL question: Do any of you here on the boards feel you have what it takes to make it on the revival? Right now, I know I can't, despite my 2nd Dan in Tae Kwon Do. But heaven knows I'm sure gonna train my butt off.

So let's see... 24 chin-ups in 30 seconds... 40-yard dash in under 5 seconds... 20-foot rope climb in 10 seconds... shuttle run in under 15 seconds... and a little makeshift Powerball setup...

TLEberle · « **Reply #4 on:** July 21, 2007, 10:42:01 PM »

[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'158074\' date=\'Jul 20 2007, 11:45 PM\']If they do decide to develop it, I'd think it'd be better fit on weekend afternoons, just where it was before. Primetime isn't the place.[/quote]I'm curious now about the other times that the show aired. We got it at 11:35 pm Saturdays, which meant I missed out on Almost Live! for years and years. At least I have reruns.

I would really go for this. If the show was done properly, as a serious competition, but not so over the top that everyone thinks more of it than what it is--after all, you have people in costumes designed by the Star Trek costumer--then it could work. There's no way you could improve on the old, at least up to the point of the redesign in the fifth series.

[quote name=\'Sonic Whammy\' post=\'158110\' date=\'Jul 21 2007, 10:27 AM\']
And here I've been trying to figure out how I can (again) recreate the Assault course in my parent's backyard...[/quote]You too? That was some fun times, especially once I received a foam ball launcher gun-thing as a gift, so we could use that instead of old tennis balls that mom was through using. For a guy with no depth perception, I racked up more than my fair share of kills.

/nostalgia FTW

Joe Mello · « **Reply #5 on:** July 21, 2007, 11:33:43 PM »

[quote name=\'Sonic Whammy\' post=\'158110\' date=\'Jul 21 2007, 01:27 PM\']
And here I've been trying to figure out how I can (again) recreate the Assault course in my parent's backyard...[/quote]Considering the number of people in Japan who recreated obstacles in/on/around their homes (not for Gladiators, though), you'll manage. ;-)

Yeah, this definitely has a chance, provided it's taken seriously enough and doesn't devolve into WWE-style hijinks or bring up any bad memories of Dog Eat Dog.

Since Saturday is so deadly, perhaps the best spot for it would be Sunday Nights after football's done. I almost hate to recommend this too, but how would you think it would work if it was paired with The Biggest Loser on what I guess would be Wednesday?

ObGameShow: Apparently, there were 2 spin-offs of AG in Japan. I say apparently, because I got it off of Wikipedia.

PYLdude · « **Reply #6 on:** July 22, 2007, 12:29:35 AM »

[quote name=\'TLEberle\' post=\'158149\' date=\'Jul 21 2007, 10:42 PM\']
[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'158074\' date=\'Jul 20 2007, 11:45 PM\']If they do decide to develop it, I'd think it'd be better fit on weekend afternoons, just where it was before. Primetime isn't the place.[/quote]I'm curious now about the other times that the show aired. We got it at 11:35 pm Saturdays, which meant I missed out on Almost Live! for years and years. At least I have reruns.
[/quote]

In the NYC area, I remember the show airing Saturday afternoons at 1 following WWF Superstars on WNYW until partway through season 7. It was quite a combo for me, I say. (It also aired late nights at midnight later that day, with previous seasons' reruns IIRC.)

As for the rest of the run, I know they moved the show to WCBS towards the end of its run where it aired sporadically (I don't remember seeing the Grand Championship or a few of the special episodes at all, at least until Spike TV showed them in reruns), and the first season I think was on WNBC late-night Saturdays.

BrandonFG · « **Reply #7 on:** July 22, 2007, 12:32:58 AM »

In Norfolk, for the first couple of years it aired on Saturdays or Sundays at around midnight. Then I guess it caught on because it moved to Saturday afternoons at 12, and stayed around that time until its cancellation.

Jeremy Nelson · « **Reply #8 on:** July 22, 2007, 03:50:57 AM »

Heck, now that I think about it, my friends and I used to recreate a lot of the events from the show. Hang Tough was played on monkey bars, we used a slide for Tug Of War, and whenever we went to the local rock-climbing wall...well, I don't have to go any further with that one

I remember the summers when I went away to camp and how we used to play Assault with water balloons. During my 3 years as a counselor, we never lost to the campers. Good Times.

As said before, as long as they don't turn it into a caricature of the original, or WWE-it, they will be fine. I think that a Friday night slot would be best. It's better than a Saturday slot, and it can still be used to promote Sunday Night Football. My hope, if it goes through, is that it adapts some of the elements from UK Gladiators. I preferred their presentation to ours, with the exception of Adamle and Czonka.

Footix · « **Reply #9 on:** July 22, 2007, 11:30:51 AM »

[quote name=\'rollercoaster87\' post=\'158186\' date=\'Jul 22 2007, 03:50 AM\']
My hope, if it goes through, is that it adapts some of the elements from UK Gladiators. I preferred their presentation to ours, with the exception of Adamle and Czonka.
[/quote]

So long as it doesn't have Fash... "Well done, you got yourself SIX POINTS!!" If they do revive it, they had damn well better use the Conti theme. None of that "AG" crap.

Jumpondees · « **Reply #10 on:** July 22, 2007, 11:26:24 PM »

When I saw AG originally, it was when I was living in the DC area, and I beleive that the entire run aired on WDCA 20 at 11am.

I think I'm in agreement with what I think the concensus is. If this show is revived, it needs to stay true to the best part of the original run....not too medieval like the first season, and not too futuristic like the latter seasons. Around the mid point of the series was my favorite. I had my favorite Gladiators I cheered for, but I loved the fact that the show made it a point to showcase the athletes/contenders more to the point where you had to get behind a Lucian Anderson, or a Two-Scoops due to their intensity/personality.

Putting this show on a Friday or Saturday night will just not work, even if you paired it with a hot show like DoND. Sunday nights after football won't work either, because if the Sunday night game gets boring (low scoring/blowout), people are going to tune out and go watch The Simpsons.

I think the idea mentioned earlier in the thread of pairing it with Biggest Loser may work best, especially if AG is revived as a family-friendly show as it was back in it's original run.

1984Gameshowsfan · « **Reply #11 on:** July 23, 2007, 11:16:57 AM »

After watching the reruns on ESPN Classic I started to think that this show would be great for a revival, the only problems I have are American Gladiators's original run was on weekends in syndication and as so many other people have said it before it worked best then, another problem with reviving it is finding hosts and gladiators for the show, also in today's TV landscape I don't really know if the show would work agian especially on network TV. Although if NBC were smart and decide to revive the show I would bring back the original tournament format and possibly put it after NBC's Sunday Night Football in the fall. Although this idea might be tricky because a lot of NBC's affilates put on local post game shows or things like that after the games, KING 5 our NBC affilate for example after the games last year aired The Mike Holmgren Show and Best of Almost Live. As for the timeslot of the show, I do recall the show was at 11:35 PM or 2/3 AM during part of the run. According to some of the newspaper TV listings I got from Microfilm of the Tacoma News Tribune at the library I usually visit, the show was listed as being on KTZZ 22 on Sunday evenings I believe at 6 or 7 PM.

weaklink75 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 02, 2007, 06:21:18 PM »

Well I guess Mike Adamle had other plans...

Hulk Hogan is close to signing as the host... (and I sorta like this move to a point...looks like they're going to try to go over the top cheesy like the original...)

Chelsea Thrasher · « **Reply #13 on:** October 02, 2007, 10:04:46 PM »

[quote name=\'weaklink75\' post=\'165360\' date=\'Oct 2 2007, 06:21 PM\']Hulk Hogan is close to signing as the host... (and I sorta like this move to a point...looks like they're going to try to go over the top cheesy like the original...) [/quote]

Assuming they try to mirror what made the original good as much as 2007 allows (and with the production company involved there's at least hope), they'd most likely go with a tandem hosting setup like the original series. As such, Hogan would probably fill the Csonka/Malosky/Nitro co-host position. As far as Adamle, last I heard he works at an NBC O&O station (forget which one), which at least might make it a bit easier to bring him on board should they go that route.

pownster · « **Reply #14 on:** October 02, 2007, 10:40:24 PM »

"Gladiators" must be flavour of the month - they are bringing back "Gladiators" to the primetime schedules here in Australia as well (although not until next year). Whilst I'm personally not the biggest "Gladiator" fan, I think it could work out.

Is is possible with the reincarnation of the format on both sides of the Pacific, that an International version could be on the cards again?