The Gladiators Thread

[Benji]

Calling it now for Gladiators...

Spoiler

Bronte for winner. Lass is unstoppable.

 

[King Ellis]

Barney seems real wooden on the mic.

Same with a few of the gladiators, it's fun that they're doing the pantomime villain thing but it feels like some of them could ham it up a bit more.

Like that whole bit with Viper and Clattenburg at the start of this week's episode where Viper just gets in a bit of a mood and throws an elbow pad at the locker room door.

[Benji]

Just now, King Ellis said:

Barney seems real wooden on the mic.

Same with a few of the gladiators, it's fun that they're doing the pantomime villain thing but it feels like some of them could ham it up a bit more.

I want one of the women to be a villain, it's lame that they've got two villains this time and neither is one of the women.

[Bobfoc]

It's quite hard to buy Viper as a villain because we've only seen him get beaten easily. Wolf used to win most of the time, which made it more special when a contender beat him.

[Chris2K]

Another really good show that I am over-analysing far too much for a Saturday night game show.

That Clattenburg decision in Gauntlet was absurd. Evidently the Gladiators agreed, and whilst I had nothing against Ash, watching Bionic absolutely obliterate him all the way back to behind the start line was probably my favourite moment of the series so far. Not entirely convinced he deserved the 6 points after that.

They really seem to be pushing some Gladiators more than others, in this show alone Sabre was in three 1-on-1 events, and Diamond and Fury were in 2, meanwhile Athena, Electro and Fire are just thrown in the Gauntlet and nothing else. Comet is barely shown at all, but I have to figure her (really bad) injury happened early on in the filming so they only have footage of her competing on The Wall.

1 hour ago, Bobfoc said:

It's quite hard to buy Viper as a villain because we've only seen him get beaten easily. Wolf used to win most of the time, which made it more special when a contender beat him.

So I should come clean on how dull a person I am, whilst watching the old shows I've been keeping track of wins and losses for the Gladiators in all the events (or for things like Power Ball, the amount of points they concede). 

I'm up to Series 3 (plus 2 international series) in terms of the stats keeping, and I hate to disagree, but Wolf isn't doing well. At all.

In The Wall he has 1 successful chase out of 15 attempts, he's the second highest points conceder in Swingshot (behind Cobra), he has only won 1 out of 4 of his Duels (which was against Vinnie Jones in a celebrity show, during which he was loudly cheered), he's won 1 out of 5 in Skytrak, and he's the highest average points conceder in both Power Ball and Atlaspheres. Hang Tough is really the only event he has been good at, with 10 takedowns and 4 time limit reached in his 14 attempts.

I have a feeling the Gladiators given the heel gimmicks might be "encouraged" to lose more than they win, in the same way a heel wrestler would lose at a house show to keep the crowd happy.

[Colly]

Yeah, Wolf talked a good game but he was about 70.

[Bobfoc]

My main memories of his performances were in Hang Tough, which he was statistically very good at (thanks to @Chris2K). Viper, however, has been beaten easily twice in Gauntlet and lost in three seconds in Duel. He's been a complete jobber Gladiator so far.

[Colly]

From memory though the Gladiators basically always won Hang Tough (remembering Cobra as the king of the rings, and just general pleasant Lightning memories...). Viper has been useless though of course, but he's doing the character work nicely.

Not a fan of Clattenburg essentially apologising to him though. No integrity.

[Chris2K]

Allow me...

In the first 3 series, plus international series and celebrity specials, the Hang Tough stats were:

Male

Saracen - Played 21, 17 takedowns, 4 time limits, no defeats
Wolf - Played 14, 10 takedowns, 4 time limits, no defeats
Shadow - Played 6, 4 takedowns, 2 defeats
Cobra - Played 13, 6 takedowns, 4 time limits, 3 defeats
Hawk (Series 1 only) - Played 2, 1 takedown, 1 time limit

Female

Lightning - Played 24, 21 takedowns, 3 time limits, no defeats
Jet - Played 20, 15 takedowns, 5 time limits, no defeats
Scorpio - Played 8, 6 takedowns, 1 time limit, 1 defeat
Flame (Series 1 only) - Played 2, 2 takedowns
Nightshade - Played 2, 1 takedown, 1 time limit
Phoenix (Series 1 only) - Played 2, 2 time limits
Falcon - Played 3, 2 takedowns, 1 defeat

 

[Colly]

20 hours ago, Chris2K said:

Allow me...

In the first 3 series, plus international series and celebrity specials, the Hang Tough stats were:

Male

Saracen - Played 21, 17 takedowns, 4 time limits, no defeats
Wolf - Played 14, 10 takedowns, 4 time limits, no defeats
Shadow - Played 6, 4 takedowns, 2 defeats
Cobra - Played 13, 6 takedowns, 4 time limits, 3 defeats
Hawk (Series 1 only) - Played 2, 1 takedown, 1 time limit

Female

Lightning - Played 24, 21 takedowns, 3 time limits, no defeats
Jet - Played 20, 15 takedowns, 5 time limits, no defeats
Scorpio - Played 8, 6 takedowns, 1 time limit, 1 defeat
Flame (Series 1 only) - Played 2, 2 takedowns
Nightshade - Played 2, 1 takedown, 1 time limit
Phoenix (Series 1 only) - Played 2, 2 time limits
Falcon - Played 3, 2 takedowns, 1 defeat

 

A) How the fuck did Cobra get that nickname? 

B) Lightning 😍

[Skummy]

On 21/01/2024 at 14:04, Bobfoc said:

I know it's an event from the original series, but Gauntlet has never done much for me. There evidently isn't much the Gladiators can do when they're standing still to stop a contender running at full speed, especially with the little arm pads. It's not really a great way for them to demonstrate their skills.

I think this week's episode put paid to that criticism, some absolutely brutal work from the Gladiators.

I'm not feeling what they're doing with Viper at all, I just don't buy him as a heel, there's no personality there, and it feels forced. It's for kids to have a baddy to boo, though, so that's fine.

I hate the backstage dressing room camera stuff. Skirts the wrong side of kayfabe for this show for me. 

[GhostMachine]

I just hope they don't do another American version. There's been talk about it several times, and I do not like the idea. The 2008 version was awful. 

On the other hand, I'd love it if they brought back Battle Dome. But that's not going to happen.

(Besides, I doubt they'd be able to get Terry Crews to host it as T-Money.....)

Edited January 29 by GhostMachine

[Benji]

Sidebar, after seeing Bionic's doucheyness post-gauntlet, I need a bromance with him and Legend.

[Benji]

Nitro is a tremendous babyface on Gladiators. Absolutely love him.

[Chris2K]

Tonight's Gladiators breakdown:

- Diamond showed she would make the perfect female villain if they ever wanted to go down that route.

- They need to change up the timings for the Wall, it's a much smaller wall and the contenders are over halfway up before the Gladiators begin.

- The Nia/Dynamite game of Hang Tough was the worst Hang Tough in the history of Gladiators.

- I'm beginning to wonder if they're playing up Clattenburg's questionable refereeing decisions, Guy Mowbray was openly mocking the Power Ball stoppage.

- Bradley Walsh made me genuinely laugh with his "shoo" comment. Barney Walsh remains unnecessary.

[Baddar]

It's so great. It's 90s cheesy with a fresh twist and modern music.

Barney and Brad can piss off though.

[Cymbols]

Time for a Gladiators thread anyone? Dunno if the one guy was just shit tonight, but the other looks like a contender. But yeah agree the timings for The Wall aren’t quite right.

[Benji]

1 minute ago, Cymbols said:

Time for a Gladiators thread anyone? Dunno if the one guy was just shit tonight, but the other looks like a contender. But yeah agree the timings for The Wall aren’t quite right.

Yes.

[Cymbols]

Legend (no, not that one).

[Mick]

I'll bring the appropriate music!