Lotsa fun!

The Fox-2

The first time I saw "American Gladiators," I was skeptical.  The show seemed cheap and I didn't think it would last.  I mean, they stopped a Powerball game to staple a scoring bucket back together!  From such humble beginnings came one of the most successful syndicated shows of the '90s, not to mention one of my personal favorites.

"AG" was a whole lot of fun to watch, with competitors from all walks of life competing against each other and the colorful Gladiators to prove their athletic superiority.  Though the Gladiators wore glitzy red, white, and blue spandex outfits, their own personalities were allowed to shine, instead of adopting some carefully crafted persona like a professional wrestler would have.  I think that it made them feel more real.  In later years, they would profile some of the Gladiators, which further showed that Gladiators were people, too.

As the show gained popularity, the sets became more elaborate and sophisticated.  Gone were the flimsy Powerball cylinders and shrubbery that was often a contender's undoing in Assault.  New games were also added; from the bungee craze-inspired Swingshot to the shoulder-popping Whiplash. And from season to season, more grueling versions of the final event, the Eliminator, were born.

By the mid '90s, international versions of the show popped up in the United Kingdom and Australia, and other countries like Germany, South Africa, Russia, and Finland had their own versions, which seemed to cement the broad appeal of the Gladiators concept.

"AG" seemed to just fade from TV screens all of a sudden, and the Gladiators were reduced to performing in dinner theater shows in Orlando.  I don't know if they even do THAT anymore.  I wish that someone someday will see fit to release the shows on video.

score /10

The Fox-2 4 April 2001

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw0264255/