A review of NBC’s American Gladiators

There are not many new television show episodes lately due to the writers strike. This opened up the perfect opportunity for the show American Gladiators to make a comeback. American Gladiators is a competition in which amateur athletes compete against body builders known as gladiators.

The show originally aired on cable television from 1989 to 1997. It has come back in full force, holding a spot on primetime NBC with much higher production costs, new events, special effects and modern technology. American Gladiators still contains some classic events from the original show including The Joust, The Wall, Hang Tough, Assault, Powerball, Gauntlet and The Eliminator. The new events are Earthquake, Hit and Run and Pyramid.

During Earthquake, the contender and the gladiator wrestle on a suspended moving platform. In Hit and Run, contenders attempt to cross a 50-foot suspension bridge hanging over a tank of water, while gladiators swing 100 pound demolition balls at them. When competing in Pyramid, contestants attempt to climb a giant pyramid while a gladiator pursues them and attempts to throw them to the ground.

The contestants earn points by competing in various events. The number of points they earn determines whether or not they get a head start against a fellow contestant during the final event, The Eliminator.

The show is hosted by professional wrestler Hulk Hogan and professional boxer Laila Ali. The female gladiators are Crush, Venom, Hellga, Fury, Siren and Stealth. Wolf, Militia, Mayhem, Justice, Toa and Titan are the male gladiators.

The contenders usually start out very confident. After they have competed in several events and endured taunting from the gladiators, they are exhausted and some can hardly make it through The Eliminator.

American Gladiators is perfect for those who enjoy action-packed suspense. Everything about the show is intense from the contestants to the gladiators. Whether it is during the one-on-one combat of Earthquake or the obstacle course of The Eliminator, there is never a dull moment. The special effects really add to the show by making the events more extreme. It is hard not to become addicted to the fierce competition of American Gladiators.

If you enjoyed the American Gladiators of the 20th century, you will be very entertained by the amplified remake of the 21st century.