The return of "American Gladiators"

[Bob Jersey]

Headed for Prime Video... in-house at MGM Alternative...
https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/american-gladiators-reboot-prime-video-1236023550/ (link)

[Kevin M.]

Given how cost ineffective it is to produce this particular series, I don’t see it making enough for Amazon to produce more than a single season. 

Kevin M. (RPCV)

On Mon, Jun 3, 2024 at 11:46 AM 'Bob Jersey' via TVorNotTV <tvor...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Headed for Prime Video... in-house at MGM Alternative...
https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/american-gladiators-reboot-prime-video-1236023550/ (link)

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[Adam Bowie]

On Mon, Jun 3, 2024 at 8:07 PM Kevin M. <drunkba...@gmail.com> wrote:

Given how cost ineffective it is to produce this particular series, I don’t see it making enough for Amazon to produce more than a single season. 

I don't know. 

If they "reimagine" it cleverly it could work. In the UK, the BBC brought back "Gladiators" as it's known here for the first time in many years earlier this year, and it was a massive hit. Instant recommission and it worked well with families. A new generation of "gladiators" was born.

And then I look at the Netflix show from South Korea called "Physical 100" which has done very well. It came it at #15 globally in the Jan-Jun 23 Netflix data dump. Pretty incredible for a gameshow made in a language most of the world doesn't speak.

So I think if Amazon, or the production company that produces it, can make it right, it can work. 

Also, if they're really smart, they could follow a "Wipeout" model for producing the series. When "Wipeout"/"Total Wipeout" was doing well globally there was a single fixed set built in Argentina. Each country would fly its own presenters and contestants out there. A central team filmed the series locally, and then all the local bits were added later. A country could shoot episodes for a couple of weeks in a batch, fly out, and the next country flew in. Rinse and repeat.

I think the same model was used in Europe for a gameshow called "The Wall" (not sure if it made it to the US). At least for the first series, the UK version was filmed on the giant purpose built set in Poland. The difference there was that it had a studio audience who had to understand English, and in particular the cockney-variant spoken by presenter (and actor) Danny Dyer. You can do your own googling if you don't know who he is.

Adam

[JW]

> I think the same model was used in Europe for a gameshow called "The Wall"

> (not sure if it made it to the US). At least for the first series, the UK

> version was filmed on the giant purpose built set in Poland. The difference
> there was that it had a studio audience who had to understand English, and
> in particular the cockney-variant spoken by presenter (and actor) Danny

> Dyer. You can do your own googling if you don't know who he is.

According to Wikipedia, the American version is shot in Hollywood.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wall_(American_game_show)

[Adam Bowie]

The BBC switched to the UK for The Wall too. But it has been cancelled since. Just pointing out that there are more efficient ways of producing expensive gameshows these days if they've been sold in multiple territories. 

I doubt that Amazon will be using the same Sheffield Arena set that the BBC shoots it's version in either. Although if they did, it'd save cash.

(The Traitors is made in Scotland for the BBC and Peacock back to back by the same production company. They both have the same games too which saves cash. Just different presenters and contestants)

Adam 

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[Mark Jeffries]

And consider that most of Fox's game shows are shot in Ireland and CBS' RuPaul "Lingo" is shot at MediaCityUK in Salford. If we're talking foreign languages, CBS' bomb "Loteria Loca" was shot in Spain with an audience because producer Warners has a facility there and "Raid the Cage," which is coming back, was shot in Mexico City on the set of the existing Mexican version (because I guess no one wanted to pay to build a new set on the Sony lot in Culver City). Fox's new "Quiz With Balls!" is shot on an existing set for the Aussie version in Melbourne, complete with a land acknowledgement credit to the indigenous peoples of the state of Victoria in the credits--the only other American TV series with the land acknowledgement credits that have become standard at not-for-profit American legitimate theaters was the CBS reality comp "Come Dance With Me," which was shot at the same Melbourne studio.

Mark Jeffries
spotl...@gmail.com

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