Gladiators returns!

[MadCatLady27]

On Saturday! Anyone else going to watch?

Sorry if there's already a thread please feel free to merge

I grew up watching it in the 90s on a Saturday night. I didn't see the sky(?) remake as I don't think we had sky at the time, however this time it looks like they are keeping some of the original events

My favourites used to be Lightning and Wolf. I also used to want to be on it and do the eliminator. No chance of my lardy self making it round it now!

Apollo is also very nice to look at

I'd love to see a couple of ex Glads host the show - maybe Wolf and Jet? Probably busy though!!

I watched Series 1 Ep 1 of the 90s Gladiators last night (YouTube) - it's amazing how much tougher The Wall and The Eliminator were. Hang Tough definitely had a bigger space to cross too., and the Duel platforms seem higher and further apart. So interesting to see how H&S might have affected all the events!

I was gutted for Chung. Matt seemed so excited and happy to be there though so it was lovely to see that too.

It was unfortunate that Kerry fell on the travelator. She had a huge lead and could have afforded a couple of seconds to catch her breath, but she just went for it. Kudos to Marie-Louise though.

I just can't resist the person who 'should' lose (because they're so behind on points) but manage to win
I just love it

I say get rid of Barney and bring back Ulrika!

I have to say I agree with you and when she appeared on daytime tv with a lycra clad big hunky gladiator on each side of her, she appeared very comfy and content on the sofa! I reckon she'd definitely take up such an offer! Either way there should be female representation in the presenting..In my view the Walsh duo are the weakest link in what is a brilliant show. I follow a couple of online glad threads and the clear majority want them replaced for the next series! lol :)

I like Barney but Bradley can go.

What changes would everyone like in the second series? I’d like:

The soundtracks back for each game.

More games brought back!

I'd like them to get rid of the Gauntlet. It is absolutely pointless. EVERYONE gets through. Some of them in about 10 seconds. It's a guaranteed 10 points.
Utterly pointless game. And seems to be the only one that Viper ever does!

With that said I still am impressed how similar it is to it's original form. I liked the original in my late teens/early 20s, and I also loved. Yes a couple of events are altered. I prefer the more wrestling/physically tough events to events like the Wall etc. although I do find ''The Gauntlet" disappointing by comparison. I remember reading earlier in 2023 about BBC boss Kate Phillips' realization of her long term dream to bring it back, thinking as much as I've missed enjoying seeing those massive hunks in their lycra cozzies, it would never work, particularly on the BBC! Hats off to you Kate. You've hit the jackpot!. I'm in awe and so so impressed by your gladiators, particularly Bionic and Giant! lol :)

You can keep Ulrika, I have no desire to see her back on the show 😂

I’ve definitely seen Viper doing the wall and Duel though. He doesn’t just come out for Gauntlet.

Agree with this & also either get rid of Gauntlet or make it more challenging!

No Ukrika!!

Haha ok Ulrika not popular here then! It was only a suggestion for nostalgia purposes 😁

I would love to see pendulum back but i read somewhere that sheffield arena isn’t big enough

Yes more variety of games
More hang tough (hardly anyone has done that)
Swingshot
Danger zone
Atlaspheres

I don't mind gauntlet being easy points. If they've had tough rounds of duel and powerball it's good to get some points!

Yes I don't mind Gauntlet either.
There have been a couple who have made it with only a second to spare

I agree about the gauntlet. I’m not sure there were any women who didn’t get through. I think they cut the time down so they could cut it again so it’s not so common to get through.

Ooh didn't realise people were still posting on here 😁

Gutted for the lady who should have won and was so close to staying on that traveletor

I don't know why so many of them stop after the beam, I'd launch myself off it, to land with momentum and then keep going

I think there needs to be more events if there's another season these ones seem too easy, and in some aspects very much "everyone's a winner" mentality of sports days - I seem to remember in the old days some of the gladiators were impossible to beat

I'm sick of shoes coming off on the wall! I think some of the gladiators have got wise and now go for the harness, but I think 10 seconds is too much head start, they're halfway up the wall and only really Nitro is quick enough to make it up, and recently Apollo (swoon 😍)

The female gladiators and contenders seem too closely matched, and in general the wall is far too easy to climb now - in the old days there was a massive overhang. Perhaps 10 second start for the heats then drop to 7.5 or even 5

Gauntlet is too easy, the contenders generally just brush the gladiators aside now, add another gladiator and make it narrower, and the hand pads less bulky, they look really awkward and hinder the gladiators

Have a bigger pool of heats, so there's more subs if people get injured

Show the times of the eliminator, they used to, I seem to recall whoever was fastest across the season got a prize?

I can't see the edge coming back, too many injuries, I think if they bring it back they need to make the net a) wider and b) closer to the platform, as it's the distance of the fall that seems to be giving people awkward landings

For the ring, I think if someone gets floored, they shouldn't then be able to crawl forward and hit the button - use the power ball rules of if the ball (in this case person) hits the floor they have to go and start their run again

I'd certainly be up for another series but there need be to more events and the existing ones made harder. I'd say powerball looks as hard as it did before but that's about it (not that my lardy self would have a chance! Maybe running into them in gauntlet maybe 😂)

Some events almost undermine the gladiators and make them look poor, I'm sure the contestants are very good, but I want them beating Gladiators to be rare, the gladiators are supposed to be the best. Seeing them get swept aside in gauntlet because the contender has the momentum is quite dissatisfying

I'd like to see swingshot and sky track back, they were great fun

I like the mixture, I think the wall, the edge and gauntlet are where the contenders have more of a chance...After being obliterated in duel or powerball. It would be quite boring if they didn't stand a chance of getting any points!

But yes the shoes coming off is a bit tedious that never used to happen in ye olden days, although I do remember a fair few contestants getting to the top of the wall! (The wall used to be harder with some overhangs)

True @Fizbosshoes

I watched episodes from the 1990s one -the wall was higher and more challenging but the women got a 20 second head start and the men got 15! The condenders seemed a lot speedier over the eliminator in the 1990s and as a previous poster said they had a timer going which would be good to re-introduce!
They also had 6 games instead of 5 before the eliminator. I'd rather they cut the dressing room scenes and included another game.

There's not a lot of dressing room scenes though

Re Wesley - I wonder if he applied to be a gladiator and just missed being picked so was first in line to step in for unavailable gladiators or contenders (if they had a tonne of gladiator injuries and didn't have enough to make do with).

So they could have told him he needed to be available for each filming in case he was needed

I'm not saying I agree with it just a possible theory as to where he may have come from

I also think Chung would have won the whole thing although Army Finley is rapid on the eliminator - would have made the final eliminator really exciting with those 2. I think they should invite Chung back next season - also shows it's not just about brawn as he's one of the more lightly built contestants just extremely rapid. I don't really know what happened it looked very innocuous - I thought at first his knee had slammed off the mat onto the floor, but it doesn't, and he rolls over, rather than is crushed by, the gladiator. Almost like in football when an ACL goes and that was a pretty hefty brace he had on

You echo some of my own sentiments regarding the Glads. Don't know if I speak for the majority here but it's called ''Gladiators" for a reason. I do love the show as I did the Sky and 90s versions. Like many of us, to me the Glads themselves are the main attraction of the show. We expect to see the glads win the physical events, that's the main aspect for me. A regular guy vs a giant muclebound lycra clad glad.. always an exciting spectacle, particularly in duel/powerball etc. It's the whole spectacle that adds to the fun! I've felt embarrassed the glads in ''The Gauntlet." Although I know "the wall" is part of the show, I prefer to see more physical contact/wrestling type events. Hence the show and they are called ''Gladiators!" The Duel and Power Ball" being my faves. I'm hoping that more such events are introduced in the new series.. (I miss''Pyramid)!" Lol I get you.. I don't think my own lardy slightly matured mom bod would recover from my first tackle from one of those muscle women in the powerball! lol :). With that said, I do think it's harder for the male contenders owing to the sheer physical size and muscle mass differences..(no, not complaining at all)! But isn't that in the main why we watch the show, after all everyone volunteered! lol.. My own swooning is over Bionic, Giant and Nitro in particular but Apollo is also ''swoonable!" lol 😋

That make's real sense.. An extra event to replace ..I'd be hoping another physical/wrestling type event. The dressing room scenes seem contrived and acted anyway.. like Viper when he does that pretentious face twitching nasty rage thing trying to emulate The Wolf of old (but in reality just looks a complete d..k) lol :).. Have to say I'm loving the series and already eagerly anticipating the new series, but have to say it does lack the same volume and physicality as I remember the original and the Sky series, even though most of the (male) glads appear to be even bigger, bulkier and spectacular to the eye! lol :)

Viper would be better if he didn't ever speak.