UK Gladiators Announced

[Adam]

I chose to watch Scrubs on Paramount instead of this in the end-all I know about this series is that pro wrestler Nick Aldis is playing Oblivion, he works some smaller indy feds, not all that great, and Inferno is played by Jemma Palmer, who had a WWE tryout not too far back.

So, is it worth watching next week?

[Summers]

Nope.

[K]

Yeah, that was pretty shit. Just watched it.

The arena is so tiny, and the eliminator sucks, maybe it's just that I was little when I used to watch the old one, but wasn't the Zip-Wire like a million feet in the sky. This new one is smaller than the one at my local park.

Water is lame, Oblivion is ugly, the hosts are shit.

What the fuck is that cotton reel thing?

Seriously, what is that?

[Hobo]

Couldn't work that one out either. I mean, what do you do? Roll on it and drop off? What's the point?

[therockbox]

I think the point is that managing to keep hold of it gets you to the side quicker than rolling along the net, but it just seems like something out of Takeshi's Castle.

[The Kraig]

I only liked Pyramid. Because I get to watch people land on their heads.

I'll watch next week, but only in hope of an improvement. Kirsty's a great host, Ian Wright looks embarrassed to be there.

It all seems a bit 'kids show' to me now.

[YI]

......Gladiators was always, basically a kids show......you didn't have 35 year old investment bankers going "Oh, sorry, we're going to have to end this meeting early, Gladiators is on in 15 minutes."

[K]

What television shows would they end early for?

[YI]

What television shows would they end early for?

Fun House and The Chucklehounds.

Edited May 13, 2008 by YI

[therockbox]

Anyone bothering tonight?

I've got it on in the background, although it looks fairly shit again. I'm basically watching for Inferno.

Oh, and Battleaxe sounds as bad as she looks.

Edited May 18, 2008 by therockbox

[TMM]

I'm watching it. Gladiators was always just "silly-fun" for lack of a better term, so in that respect nothing has changed.

[Katsuya]

Spartan on bread, please.

[therockbox]

These interviews are fucking awful.

[Cactus Drags]

They've basically copied the new American template to a T. Which blows, but at least having watched that, I was prepared for the water and gay outfits.

Nicknames are horrible. The Flirt in the skirt? for a dude? Spartan's the girliest former linebacker ever. Oblivion can fuck off as well.

4 events is gay, why not 5 then the eliminator? Speaking of the eliminator, I like that there's no rope on the travelator, way less pussified than the yank version (which also gave no penalty for falling off the cotton reel - which also had a pussy rope on it - or the handbike/monkey bars, just drop and run, you're fine, at least on ours they're slowed by the netting), but starting with the jump into the water is daft, the swim seems to eradicate any kind of an advantage. The Americans countered that well with the sprint and the climb to the wall (more helper ropes, mind) where ours starts. Travelator seems shorter too.

Best bit was easily the chick getting full-on pasted mid-air by the wrecking ball in hit and run.

From what I've read here, everyone seems to be expecting this awesome show, when really, it was never that good, it was just that we were kids. Honestly, watch the re-runs on Challenge or something. It's fun, but it's no good. And hopefully a couple more weeks, or perhaps with the second series, they'll tweak it and get it better.

And honestly, if you've not seen the new American one, don't complain about the hosts. I was so happy to be able to see an entire 30 second interview without Ali or Hogan spouting "brother" or calling them "big-points." Christ.

[Katsuya]

Challenge TV are showing the international Glads challenge from like, 95.

And...

MIKE ADAMLE IS HOSTING IT.

And commentating too. It's like, torture, but with added Jet. God I loved her.

[Thrilla]

I chose to watch Scrubs on Paramount instead of this in the end-all I know about this series is that pro wrestler Nick Aldis is playing Oblivion, he works some smaller indy feds, not all that great.

I know this was posted a while ago but Aldis is one of the few full time wrestlers in England, given that he's one of All Star's main guys. He's fairly decent as well. I actually like his character in Gladiators as well, only seen the first show though.

[GA!]

Challenge TV are showing the international Glads challenge from like, 95.

And...

MIKE ADAMLE IS HOSTING IT.

And commentating too. It's like, torture, but with added Jet. God I loved her.

Pfft, I pointed that out in the Donators forum on Saturday... AND spent Mike's name wrong.

The new Gladiators is beyond terrible. The Gladiators look like models, shit ones. The 'arena' is far too small to hold the events. The water is just terrible - it replaces the mats, which were obviously there for safety reasons, into a gimmick that wore pretty thin fifteen minutes into the show.

Thankfully this show is hemorrhaging ratings so this abortion won't get a second season.

[Xand]

What television shows would they end early for?

Fun House and The Chucklehounds.

Ahhh Fun House.

I still watch the old Gladiators on Challenge when I can, but this new version seems...I dunno. Where is it held? I miss the NIA (in Birmingham!) and some of the old events. I think they lose time and pacing with the long winded intro showing the Gladators names again (that's what the title sequence is for) and the fewer events. THe water is just...feels wrong. The atmosphere doesn't feel all there and the contestants themselves are absolutely shitacular at most of the games.

Not to mention the Eliminator, while still having some excitement - the whole switching around of some of the stuff is a bad idea - as well as the swimming.

And Hang Tough has turned into a joke. It's shorter, and the fact that if the contestant is not a certain height, then they can't make it to the final pad. I think that's happened at least twice now...

AND the theme tune's changed.

But at least they still have John Anderson. Leg End.

[Cactus Drags]

Cotton reel needs to go.

[Dynamite]

Where is it held? I miss the NIA (in Birmingham!)

This is the biggest issue I have with the new series. The reason the old Gladiators was so great was the huge crowd and the general atmosphere making the show seem fun. This new 'arena' is too small, quiet and it just seems too serious and not fun like it's supposed to be.