The born-again NBC hit American Gladiators has scored a win with viewers, getting millions to watch this past Monday. Will the same success continue if the writer’s strike does finally come to an end?
American Gladiators: Then and Now
This reality show really is one of the grandfathers of the whole reality genre, beginning its run (the first time) in 1989. Six years and tons of triumphs later, NBC canceled the series. But somehow, some way, something about American Gladiators was not forgotten.
A lack of new shows and a dismal ratings recline for the network started to make all sorts of old TV ideas seem fresh again. The Bionic Woman, Knight Rider…even American Gladiators could win a second chance in such a climate. Thusly, the competitive reality show was brought back. Though it has all the well-loved elements of the original series, this new incarnation of American Gladiators is a little fresher, a little more now. And it’s much, much more intense than it ever was in the late 80s and early 90s.
American Gladiators Score a Win with Viewers
Last-place NBC has been searching for a big hit for the past few seasons. Using popular game show Deal or No Deal as an anchor, the network put American Gladiators in the coveted Monday night prime time block. This wise decision was based on necessity - FOX’s ratings-grabber American Idol will soon start to air Tuesdays and Wednesdays and NBC has already seen lots of their winter shows suffer under this competition.
On Monday, January 14, the show managed to score a big ratings win. More than 10 million tuned in to see competitors duke it out against each other and the remarkably buff Gladiator cast. This more than doubled the show’s ratings for the previous week and advertising has already increased accordingly. Could this prove just another passing fancy on NBC, or is this show actually here to stay? The answer could hinge on the writer’s strike, which still has yet to reach any satisfactory conclusion.
The Writer’s Strike and Competitive Reality
The reality TV craze is definitely here to stay, but in recent years many new reality shows on network TV have failed dismally. FOX has tried several times to find an Idol-like success for the off-Idol season and very few of their attempts seem to be working. But, in light of the recent writer’s strike, reality is suddenly becoming hot again - and everyone wants in. Even so, the strike surely can’t last for ever. At some point, there will be lots of new scripted shows again. When this happens, reality TV on network might again begin its slow decline.
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