REVIEW: The 2024 Gladiators are all Cute and Cuddly.

REVIEW: The 2024 Gladiators are all Cute and Cuddly.

Dylan Leach

When the opening of the revamped version of Gladiators in 2024 was one of them warning the younger viewers to not try any of the events in real life, it was already apparent the show was adapting to the times ahead.

Sure, the revamp of Gladiators – the show that pitted ordinary battlers up against gym junkies in various games such as Hang Tough, Duel, The Wall, Power Ball, Pyramid and The Eliminator back in the mid-1990s and 2008 was always going to be different to what it was, but it was already apparent – the show was softening up.

On Monday evening, Punters had the choice of the dead rubber Big Bash game between the Stars and Hurricanes, night two of the Australian Open Tennis or they could flick over to Channel 10 for a nostalgic trip to the times of the Gladiators – not of the Russell Crowe variety.

Sure, there’s no same game multi available on Gladiators on the Neds app.

The odds would always be $1.01 for the Gladiator to get up and not much value on offer, it’s pure entertainment.

So we were introduced to the 2024 version of the Gladiators with names like Arrow, Comet, Maximus, and Spartan.

All of whom you don’t want to get on the wrong side of.

While it’s easy to think that 90’s Gladiators such as Vulcan, Taipan, Fury and Flame would easily kick their arses, we’d need to remember that most of them are in their late 40s – early 60s these days and past their prime.

It’s also worth noting that Hammer (Mark McGraw) is now the referee in this version of the series – taking over the role of John Alexander and Mike Whitney from back in the day.

One Gladiator that stood out and that has the potential to be the new Vulcan is Chaos.

She’s fair dinkum scary and could easily take down anyone in her wake and she did.

Chaos also appeared to have the most personality out of any of the new breed of Gladiators and given that her bio reads as, “Jaymii Morris (the actual name of Cahos) is the fourth strongest female powerlifter in the world and largest deadlift record holder under 90kg. Powerlifting for eight years, Jaymii can pull an 11-tonne truck, deadlift 275kg and squat 250kg. She considers herself to have been born a lion, with fierce competition in her blood and succeed in powerlifting.”

It is clear this woman was born to be a Gladiator.

If the show is to be as much of a hit or have half the following and influence as its original 1990s version, we’re going to need to see more of Chaos kicking arse in Powerball, Duel, and Hang Tough.

What was a letdown, was the fact the new Gladiators tended to avoid trash-talking the challengers after beating them in just about every activity.

Along with that, going into the Gladiator change rooms to see them cheering on their fellow castmates and making supportive comments about the challengers was lame.

Gladiators are meant to be mythical, ruthless characters – not encouraging people to have a go.

Says a heap about this generation – am I right?

The hosting combination of Liz Ellis and Beau Ryan was alright, but I’m unsure if they are taking it seriously or taking the piss out of the show.

Needs more than night one, episode one to come up with a conclusion.

Galdiators returns to Ten sillier than ever

However, the real letdown of the 2024 Gladiators is the atmosphere.

While the physical games and contests are a heap of fun to watch, the empty studio gave all the vibes of sport during the COVID period with no crowds

Gladiators used to be filmed at a packed Brisbane Entertainment Centre with the crowd going nuts, an epic hyped-up music bed under the commentary of Tony Schibecci (who’s now the voice of the MCG) and you could feel it more as a viewer at home.

There was none of that in this version, it just felt a bit flat.

Perhaps it says more about the TV budgets in 2024 than back in 1995, however, some crowds and atmospheres are better than none and the modern Gladiators arena just felt oh so empty.

If anything, it was so similar to the Full Frontal skit from 1995 when they took the piss out of the original show.

Overall, I’m glad a show like Gladiators is back on television.

It’s fun reality TV with more of a contest than MAFS, The Block, or Masterchef, and hope it does well.

In the meantime, the blokes in their mid-late 30s in the offices at Neds HQ have headed out to the local park to play Hang Tough like we did in Primary School.

Perhaps these softer, cute, and cuddly 2024 Gladiators would be better off warning us compared to the younger viewers at the start of every program.

Gladiators 2024 Version  – 3 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

 

Gladiators is on Channel 10 and 10 Play