# American Gladiators (1988)

> Amateur athletes take on the show's costumed gladiators in weekly contests of strength and agility.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/6146

## Facts

- Seasons: 7
- Episodes: 167
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: reality
- Created by: Dan Carr, Johnny C. Ferraro
- Network: USA Network
- Cast: Mike Adamle, William 'Billy' Smith, Larry Csonka, Marisa Pare, Cheryl Baldinger, Danny Lee Clark, Tonya Knight, Jim Starr
- TMDB rating: 6.6/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096532/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: campy, playful, energetic, breezy, competitive

## Synopsis

American Gladiators (1988-1996) is an American syndicated reality competition series that aired on USA Network and in syndication. Hosted by Mike Adamle, with Larry Csonka as co-host, the show pits amateur athletes against its own costumed gladiators, including Nitro (Danny Lee Clark), Lace (Marisa Pare), Thunder (William 'Billy' Smith) and Turbo (Galen Tomlinson), in weekly contests of strength, speed and agility. The engine of each episode is simple: a challenger wants to beat a physically dominant opponent in a sequence of arena events, from head-to-head collisions to timed obstacle runs, with the stakes made vivid by the gladiators' imposing presence and the crowd's noise. The show runs across seven seasons and roughly 167 episodes, with each installment a self-contained contest rather than a continuing story. Its look is bright and campy, built on theatrical arena staging and the energy of a 1990s game show. Fans of Survivor, Ninja Warrior and Wipeout will find resonance in its blend of physical spectacle, playful showmanship and weekly competition.

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- [Wipeout (2008)](https://ember.film/tv/5281)
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- [Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/146716)

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