For the semifinals of American Gladiators, NBC opted to up the episode time from 60 minutes to 90. That meant that the network could squeeze in even more awkwardly spaced, momentum killing, commercial breaks (they also added an extra event). What it didn't do was alleviate the stiffness in the Hulkster's delivery. Maybe if they go to two hours for the finals that'll be worked out.

The women got us started tonight with Shanay and Siene running across the semi-rickety Hit and Run bridge . Better than that though (and really, what isn't better than Hit and Run), as if to apologize for last week's lack of Crush, she was shown holding one of Hit and Run's medicine balls before the contestants were even introduced. Apology accepted Gladiators, apology accepted. Now, if you could stop Hit and Run from happening at all we'd really have something. Shanay picked up 8 points and looked like she was barely moving. Siene, who, unlike Shanay, wasn't subjected to this event during her first round also picked up 8.

Siene, in her post-round interview, said some nonsense about her having a harder time running across the bridge than the gladiators had swinging the medicine balls. It was truly an amazing bit of insight – running away from balls is harder than standing still throwing them. Wow, shocking. Next week she'll discover gravity, I look forward to that moment.

Event number two for the women was Hang Tough. Inexplicably, Siene seemed to head directly for Siren and ended up paying for that by getting thrown into the drink. Shanay also took a swim as Siren's first time up on the rings went very well for the Gladiator. Siren even actually climbed up onto Shanay's shoulders before pulling the contestant down. It was a pretty great move.

Siene had no problem at all during their next event, Gauntlet, picking up an easy 10 points. Shanay had a somewhat harder time, and got hit a little bit more, but still picked up 10. Poor Crush, she didn't perform very well in the event, Siene quickly went around her and Shanay managed to go right through her. Crush did redeem herself somewhat during the women's next event, Joust, where Shanay somehow withstood Crush's barrage (but did not knock Crush off) for five points. Crush did stop Siene from scoring when the contestant went across the platform and ended up with a disqualification after getting pummeled by the gladiator (Siene also said Crush was the toughest gladiator, but we knew that). The women's final pre-Eliminator event was The Wall and while Crush wasn't there to pull them off, Siren and Venom were there to do the job for her.

Shanay had a two and a half second head start in the Eliminator, but Siene had caught up by the end of the swim. Shanay moved back ahead during the cargo net climb and stayed there through the end of the Eliminator, advancing to the finals.

The men's matchup tonight featured Evan going up against Anthony (one of my favorites). Their first event was Power Ball. Laila Ali actually explained how to play the event before they started. I know that not every contestant has played every event, but surely they (and the audience) knew what the event was before Laila explained it. Of course, Laila was probably told to explain the event, Titan, one of the Gladiators in it, wasn't required to open his mouth and repeat the fact that there were now only 8 contestants (have I recently mentioned that I don't like him)? Both contestants put up six points in Power Ball, but Anthony came up limping a little.

Like the women, the men also played Hang Tough for their second event. Wolf tried to corner Evan, but Evan managed to get around the hairy one for 10 points. Anthony seemed to get stuck about halfway through, but Wolf did too and Anthony managed to stay up for the full time getting five points.

During their third event, the men played Joust against Titan. Now, I didn't really want to see Evan, who went first, win, but I was hoping for Titan to take a couple of good shots to face. No such luck, Titan hit Evan once and Evan went off the platform. Anthony lasted a little longer, but not much (and also didn't get in a good shot on Dudley Do-Right). Both contestants fared better on The Wall, with Evan making it up first for 10 points and Anthony second for five. Anthony picked up another five during Pyramid, the men's final pre-Eliminator event, but Evan did too, meaning that Evan's Eliminator head start was safe.

Evan's five second lead at the start of the Eliminator would balloon to far more than that by the end. It was really no contest on the men's side tonight, and if Evan keeps this pace up in the finals he'll be completely unstoppable.

Tonight may not have played out exactly as I had hoped, but the additional event did seem to add to the competition, at least it did in my mind. It is true though that they could still certainly deal with fewer commercial breaks during an episode. Even so, tonight was fun. Plus, the riff-raff seem to have been eliminated in the opening round. I'm looking forward to next week and then the finals.

Sadly, the Gladiators finals will be here all too soon, but even after Gladiators ends the memories will live on at The TV and Film Guy's Reviews.

Comments

was there another event, i only counted five on the review. wernt there always five?(excluding the eliminater.)

scotty | Feb 5, 2008 5:44:52 AM | #

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Evan has to be a favorite in the finals, as he just breezes through the Eliminator.

Darius | Feb 5, 2008 10:38:43 AM | #

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I think there are usually only four events on regular episodes, not five.

How did they score 5 points on the pyramid? I thought you could only score if you reached the buzzer at the top. I must have missed something.

Julie | Feb 5, 2008 5:42:04 PM | #

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What are the rules for Joust? Wasn't a gladiator eliminated in an early round because she went to her knees? However it looks like the contestants go to their knees, sit on their butts, or lay down to avoid getting thrown off and still get points.

Erika | Feb 5, 2008 9:26:54 PM | #

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In pyramid you get 5 points for crossing the dotted line two pads below the top.

As for Joust, they give a lot more leeway to the contestants. They can be eliminated for inaction though. For example if they just sit down and don't attempt to stand or swing they won't get any points.

Mark | Feb 6, 2008 7:50:50 AM | #

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Evan should easily win the whole competition just on his ability to scale the rope ladder alone. He has the technique down to a science.

Mark | Feb 6, 2008 7:52:51 AM | #

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