2008 Woodie Awards
TV Review: 'American Gladiators' is back
Caity Cudworth
Issue date: 1/24/08 Section: Entertainment
01/24/08 - When the going gets tough, it's time to kick some ass and "American Gladiators" is stepping back into the ring to do just that. That's right, kids: it's going down… Gladiator-style.
The new-and-improved version of "American Gladiators" is more than just dudes battling each other with giant foam sticks. It's something more special than that. Yes, this television powerhouse is giving us "true American heroes."
According to the show's Web site, "'American Gladiators' celebrates the everyday true American heroes- weekend warriors who excel and take pride in their physical fitness." But these aren't just your average weight-lifting muscle-heads who spend their weekends downing protein shakes and shaving their backs.
No, these are true champions- champions whose cat-like reflexes, abs of steel and barely-concealed 'roid rage represent all that it means to be a hero.
"Gladiators" is hosted by Hulk Hogan, and this is a casting choice that actually makes a lot of sense. His fluorescent orange skin, weird mustache and love of spandex make him a natural candidate for a show like this.
Hogan basically just stands around wearing a do-rag and asks stupid questions, but he's kind of like the glue that keeps the show together.
I'm just glad to see he's not letting himself be tied down by projects like "Hogan Knows Best."
One of the great things about "Gladiators" is that all of the contestants have crazy-serious names like "Mayhem" or "Venom" or "Justice." And the names are important because they provide each contestant with his or her own awesomely one-dimensional personality.
Take "Wolf" for example, whose real name is Don Yates (pretty lame): he's described as "230 pounds of primal fury." Also, he's "able to smell fear and always going for the jugular."
That's pretty awesome (and totally wolf-like). You just don't mess with 230-pounds of "primal fury" - especially if it's coming at your jugular.
The new-and-improved version of "American Gladiators" is more than just dudes battling each other with giant foam sticks. It's something more special than that. Yes, this television powerhouse is giving us "true American heroes."
According to the show's Web site, "'American Gladiators' celebrates the everyday true American heroes- weekend warriors who excel and take pride in their physical fitness." But these aren't just your average weight-lifting muscle-heads who spend their weekends downing protein shakes and shaving their backs.
No, these are true champions- champions whose cat-like reflexes, abs of steel and barely-concealed 'roid rage represent all that it means to be a hero.
"Gladiators" is hosted by Hulk Hogan, and this is a casting choice that actually makes a lot of sense. His fluorescent orange skin, weird mustache and love of spandex make him a natural candidate for a show like this.
Hogan basically just stands around wearing a do-rag and asks stupid questions, but he's kind of like the glue that keeps the show together.
I'm just glad to see he's not letting himself be tied down by projects like "Hogan Knows Best."
One of the great things about "Gladiators" is that all of the contestants have crazy-serious names like "Mayhem" or "Venom" or "Justice." And the names are important because they provide each contestant with his or her own awesomely one-dimensional personality.
Take "Wolf" for example, whose real name is Don Yates (pretty lame): he's described as "230 pounds of primal fury." Also, he's "able to smell fear and always going for the jugular."
That's pretty awesome (and totally wolf-like). You just don't mess with 230-pounds of "primal fury" - especially if it's coming at your jugular.