Whether you regard American Gladiators as a positive or negative piece of televised American history, it’s fair to say that the show evolved favorably with every season; keeping the best challenges and ditching the weakest in favor of new ones. The original series boasted itself as a proving ground for the up and coming athletes of its time. The commentators take great pride in talking up the individuals who appear (as did every iteration of American Gladiator), but at this early stage there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that American Gladiators is a legitimate arena to prove one’s athletic mettle. I’d like to think that now we know this isn’t quite the case – and if the newest, short-lived incarnation of American Gladiators is any indication, we’re still quite aware of the show’s sole value to American culture: pure entertainment.
Straight off the bat it should be noted that this set only includes the second half of the original season (for unspecified reasons). On the bright side that means there’s an additional challenge, “The Wall”, included in each episode – but it means that those fans really intent on absorbing the experience have to endure the briefing included on the first disc which outlines the highlights of the season’s first half. An annoying downside of the series as a whole is that director Bob Levy is apparently clueless on how to use slow-motion instant replays. Instead of showing the replay in its entirety, he shows every 30 frames or so which means you pretty much miss the moment they felt was so crucial for a double take. It’s perplexing and makes the addition of headcams on the heads of the gladiators more of a joke than a benefit to the show’s final product. Beyond that American Gladiators becomes an experience about exploring dubious achievements in what the show is loosely declaring to be part of the “sports world”.
There are certainly moments which test athletic prowess, but if you want to tell me that running in between little bases while shooting at a target above a Gladiator’s head is a true test of athleticism – I’m not buying it. In fact, America as a whole is no longer buying it – which is where the value of this first season set is determined.
For more than 10 hours you can revel in all the chemically-induced muscle-mania of competition. This was the place where men with pectorals larger than their brains took refuge. American Gladiators valued nothing higher than athletic ability; but even then, the particular brand of athletic ability they favor has an ugly twist. Athletes compete in contests whose worth can’t easily be determined – most of the time it’s about nothing more than showing off how hard the chosen gladiators can hit. As much as I admire Blaze, Gemini, Zap and Lace for their sculpted bods, even their value within the sporting world is questionable.
American Gladiators may seem to have higher ambitions than Wrestlemania in its heyday but they’re actually the same in their goals: make a spectacle of men and women over burdened with muscle. At least Wrestlemania had a sense of humor about its men in tights, but American Gladiators just stroked the egos and stoked the fires of overly zealous meatheads and the fans who loved them.
The biggest question raised by “sporting” events on DVD is their rewatch value. How many times can you watch the same episode of American Gladiators? Unless there’s an intense moment of battery or stunning knockout worthy of an instant replay, can you really see yourself wanting to put one of these DVDs in your player more than once every two years? I suppose you could adapt the experience for a drinking game (hit in the head by a joust? Drink; a player injured? Drink; player hits the target in assault? Drink.). Very little about the American Gladiator experience on DVD lends itself to multiple viewings. If anything this would almost seem like one of those “heirloom” box sets: buy it, watch it once, and then sell it to your friend for 20 bucks. Or maybe if you have a house full of drunken frat boys? Really, the value of this set on DVD perplexes me. Even as a student of American culture who recognizes the series’ intrinsic value in mapping where television has gone today (think of this as a precursor to reality television), I’m lost in appraising whether or not you should seriously consider investing in this set.
On one hand it has many of the classic gladiator trials before they were ditched or updated: “Human Cannonball”, “Assault”, “Joust”, “The Wall”, “Breakthrough and Conquer”, “Powerball” and the original version of “The Eliminator”, which didn’t have an inclined treadmill to start off but rather two man-sized orbs you had to push up a ramp. The updates certainly helped the show later on, but it’s interesting to see where it all started – but at what price do you value that look back in time?
DVD Bonus Features
About as interesting as they are lamely funny, three of the original gladiators lend their voices to an audio commentary on the classic episodes; but as with all sports commentary (including the American Gladiators) the amount of depth added by the commentary ought to be measured in millimeters (or their abstract equivalent). The other extra on the discs just goes to show how much more pride the show originally had in its contestants. Actor Billy Wirth, who starred as a contestant on American Gladiators (and in the film The Lost Boys), takes a break from his busy schedule for an interview – it’s incredibly smarmy and totally unnecessary.
"American Gladiators - The Original Series: The Battle Begins" is on sale July 14, 2009 and is rated NR. Sports, Television. Directed by Bob Levy. Written by N/A. Starring Joe Theismann, Mike Adamle.
