Gotta love a show that highlights the real oddities of the world and the people that cultivate and celebrate them.
43 Reviews
Celebrating life's weirdness
Calicodreamin18 November 2020
Strangely Sarcastic and Curiously Uplifting
owen-watts6 January 2021
I wasn't expecting much from this Netflix documentary series about obscure competitive events but that first episode about the cheese rolling got me hooked. It's a curious rural pass time well-known to people nationally (and locally to me) and seeing it with an expensive slo-mo filter and big fancy cameras gave it a sort of wild and hilarious grandeur that I found really charming. It doesn't necessarily reach those giddy heights (not aiming for wordplay there) again but the formula is an engaging one. Wittily edited with a sort of rousingly droll narration by Rainn Wilson and with a lush documentarian-style focus - as an anthology format it was excellent. The virus world might have put a damper on these sort of niche crowd events to prevent us getting another series but I'd certainly watch more, there are no end to these manner of strange competitive events the world over and if a producer is listening LOOK UP SOMERSET CARNIVAL CLUBS.
Rainn Wilson
svenemil18 November 2020
Opportunity MISSED!
Reviewandgo20 November 2020
I was put off after a couple of episodes. It felt really insulting, but in that disguised and nasty way - not obvious but subtly depreciatory and belittling to the real people involved. The narrator was annoying.
I read the reviews before I wrote this and agree with the Cheese Rolling being the best episode. I can not believe anybody would give this 8, 9 or 10 stars. Perhaps the positive reviews came from family or friends with those involved?
The Cheese Rolling was fun and I would watch more of that. I must agree with another review I read and confirm it felt like a college video. A bit amateur. I found myself reading wikipedia to get info about this activity because the episode was useless in this respect.
Regarding episode 2, this was an opportunity to help chili eating be taken seriously and there was something very strange about the chili episode. It felt like it was all about promoting an American chili queen and did not focus enough on the actual winner called Dustin. Quite obvious this episode was all about America, Ed Currie and the new 'underdog' star of the whole episode the US chili queen much like an advert. Unfortunately there were only a handful of actual known chili eaters in this contest which made it lack validity. The show hyped up some people who were not very good at actually eating peppers and did not come close to winning.
I watched around 10 minutes of episode 3 and decided to stop watching any more of this series.
I read the reviews before I wrote this and agree with the Cheese Rolling being the best episode. I can not believe anybody would give this 8, 9 or 10 stars. Perhaps the positive reviews came from family or friends with those involved?
The Cheese Rolling was fun and I would watch more of that. I must agree with another review I read and confirm it felt like a college video. A bit amateur. I found myself reading wikipedia to get info about this activity because the episode was useless in this respect.
Regarding episode 2, this was an opportunity to help chili eating be taken seriously and there was something very strange about the chili episode. It felt like it was all about promoting an American chili queen and did not focus enough on the actual winner called Dustin. Quite obvious this episode was all about America, Ed Currie and the new 'underdog' star of the whole episode the US chili queen much like an advert. Unfortunately there were only a handful of actual known chili eaters in this contest which made it lack validity. The show hyped up some people who were not very good at actually eating peppers and did not come close to winning.
I watched around 10 minutes of episode 3 and decided to stop watching any more of this series.
Crazy, Wacky, and many more
panimozhi-j23 July 2022
Cheese ball : Wacky sport in England, ending was thrilling. Best line was Men are three times stupider then women.
Chili eating : Ed you're evil and Dustin is inhuman.
Fantasy Hairstylist: really a fantasy indeed, there is something about it the black community
Yo-yo: Kieran, evan and Betty story was inspiring
Don dancing : Fun and cute
Frog jumping : Can't make sense, how can this even possible.
Chili eating : Ed you're evil and Dustin is inhuman.
Fantasy Hairstylist: really a fantasy indeed, there is something about it the black community
Yo-yo: Kieran, evan and Betty story was inspiring
Don dancing : Fun and cute
Frog jumping : Can't make sense, how can this even possible.
So so
pablo_moriano1 April 2021
Light hearted fun
clairehollingsworth20 November 2020
Hilariously charming!
sameer-490-76568820 November 2020
This show has found the sweetspot between tension and humour, insight and storytelling, and info and entertainment.
Regardless of the subject matter, the each episode discovers a niche and has fun digging deep and revealing each layer one at a time, executed in the most charming way.
Can't get enough of this whimsical antidote to the most ridiculous year we've had.
Brilliant and highly recommend giggle and tears inviting viewing!
Brilliant and highly recommend giggle and tears inviting viewing!
Great Show
flynnflon19 November 2020
Amazing vignettes about quirky people participating in quirky competitions. Wonderfully shot, with fantastic narration by Rainn Wilson.
That said, there's a moment, around the 6:30 mark of the second episode, that is so eye-rollingly cringe, you'll break out in a slow clap. The pretentiousness displayed was pure lolz.
Other than that, an engaging series. Hopefully there will be more episodes to come
That said, there's a moment, around the 6:30 mark of the second episode, that is so eye-rollingly cringe, you'll break out in a slow clap. The pretentiousness displayed was pure lolz.
Other than that, an engaging series. Hopefully there will be more episodes to come
Forgettable
Freshie10118 November 2020
Just watched the Cheese Rolling (first episode). I was quite interested from the trailer.
Really disappointing. There was about a minute and a half about the history and origins which was useless. There were slow-mo scenes of people falling that just looked stolen from Jackass. The aerial shots of the scenery looked like shots from a cheap wedding photographers drone...
The sad thing is, it should have been exciting and helped people learn more about what is a pretty intriguing 'sport'. I fully respect the brave people that do that and it is more fun to watch than 100m sprint in the Olympics!
The narrator just labels the 'men 3 times more stupid than the women'...
Insulting.
Producers and film makers should go back to making YouTube videos.
Really disappointing. There was about a minute and a half about the history and origins which was useless. There were slow-mo scenes of people falling that just looked stolen from Jackass. The aerial shots of the scenery looked like shots from a cheap wedding photographers drone...
The sad thing is, it should have been exciting and helped people learn more about what is a pretty intriguing 'sport'. I fully respect the brave people that do that and it is more fun to watch than 100m sprint in the Olympics!
The narrator just labels the 'men 3 times more stupid than the women'...
Insulting.
Producers and film makers should go back to making YouTube videos.
Feelgood, warm-hearted fun
Neeshyharps18 November 2020
A refreshing, uplifting show that has come out just as we are all getting fed up with bad news in 2020. I like the way it celebrates all these quirky people and doesn't make fun of them. This show is sincere but still tongue-in-cheek and very entertaining to watch. It's not really about competitions, it's about passionate, interesting people. Really good viewing and just what we need right now.
A charming antidote to 2020
libclark20 November 2020
Tongue In Cheek Gem
arreff1720 November 2020
This show is a bit of an undiscovered beauty I feel. If you know who the narrator Rainn Wilson is then that should tell you a little of what to expect.
The shots are stunning but it's got a cheeky, self-deprecating tone that makes it a great light-hearted watch.
There's some really sweet moments with AMAZING characters.
The Hairstyling episode had some lines I'll never forget!
A Netflix win.
The shots are stunning but it's got a cheeky, self-deprecating tone that makes it a great light-hearted watch.
There's some really sweet moments with AMAZING characters.
The Hairstyling episode had some lines I'll never forget!
A Netflix win.
Started perfect and went downhill FAST
brunogarotti19 November 2020
The first episode is perfect. The narrative, the people, the competition, the history, it is a great mix.
Then comes episode 2 and it is just disappointment. Episode 3, 4, 5 and 6 are as bad or even worse.
While episode 1 show a traditional competition that is being held for centuries, the other ones are: Ep2: First time event with people eating chili to channel their self destructive feelings into a self destructive eating; Ep3: Fashion community competing to do hairstyles that nobody will ever see/use anywhere else. Ep4: Teenagers playing with yo-yo Ep5: Old ladies "dancing" with dogs Ep6: Crazy people kissing frogs and chasing them to measure the distance of 3 leaps.
After watching episode 1, I expected way more of this series. Last 2 episodes were so terrible that I couldn't stand to watch it till the end.
My advice is, watch the first one, forget that there is more. It is a huge waste of time.
Then comes episode 2 and it is just disappointment. Episode 3, 4, 5 and 6 are as bad or even worse.
While episode 1 show a traditional competition that is being held for centuries, the other ones are: Ep2: First time event with people eating chili to channel their self destructive feelings into a self destructive eating; Ep3: Fashion community competing to do hairstyles that nobody will ever see/use anywhere else. Ep4: Teenagers playing with yo-yo Ep5: Old ladies "dancing" with dogs Ep6: Crazy people kissing frogs and chasing them to measure the distance of 3 leaps.
After watching episode 1, I expected way more of this series. Last 2 episodes were so terrible that I couldn't stand to watch it till the end.
My advice is, watch the first one, forget that there is more. It is a huge waste of time.
Heart warming
svalmor24 November 2020
After watching the trailer, I told my husband we should definitely watch this show because for sure we would "pee" ourselves laughing.
To my surprise what I expected to be an hilarious show, turned out to be such a lovely story about different dreams, life purposes an out of the ordinary ride to the passions of other people.
Instead of laughing out loud, I found myself cheering for pretty much everyone who appeared in each episode.
The narrator (Rainn Wilson) tells the story brilliantly and in the end of each episode you find yourself smiling at the tv and really meaning a "good for them".
Love Dwights narration
human-second29 November 2020
Fail
emzes-4774319 November 2020
Not sure how you can have a show about the chilli champions when you leave out two of the main champions of the chilli eating world! Where was the UK Chilli Queen and Justin Rummel???! If you were doing a true program about chilli eating champions, these two should have been right up there on the invite list. We are the champions? Epic fail more like
A must see... Try not to binge watch!
garethhollingsworth-3080220 November 2020
A cleverly shot, directed and well put together short on some amazing events that I didn't know even existed. Loved hearing the stories from the participants and throughly enjoyed the creative camera work. Great to have some positivity on TV. Bring on season 2.
Funny, meaningful, pure brilliance!
lamornaharpin-6747320 November 2020
'We are the Champions' delivers the perfect 30-minute parcel of 'feelgood' that we all need at the moment. Watching one episode will give you a bite-size chunk of cheer that will last you all way to the holidays!
This series has been beautifully put together by selecting unique competitions around the world, and the even more unique individuals who choose to compete in them.
In each episode, we learn about a quirky event - but are also led gently down a path where we get to know the individual contestants on a personal level, the challenges they've faced and the reasons they're so incredibly passionate about what they do.
Why would someone throw themselves down one of the steepest hills in England to chase after a cheese? Who on earth would want to eat the hottest chillis on the planet? We learn all of this (and more) through breathtaking cinematography (the Cooper's hill shot being a highlight), humourous narration (thank you Rainn Wilson) and rousing music.
But what we gain most of all, is how to celebrate diversity. To open our minds to what we might consider strange or unusual. To champion those who choose to follow their passions without judgement... whatever they may be.
Why would someone throw themselves down one of the steepest hills in England to chase after a cheese? Who on earth would want to eat the hottest chillis on the planet? We learn all of this (and more) through breathtaking cinematography (the Cooper's hill shot being a highlight), humourous narration (thank you Rainn Wilson) and rousing music.
But what we gain most of all, is how to celebrate diversity. To open our minds to what we might consider strange or unusual. To champion those who choose to follow their passions without judgement... whatever they may be.
So good!!
craigahuddleston2 December 2020
Disappointing
AntonyDaley_7518 November 2020
I was very interested in the episode about chili eating because over the last year it has really become more of an extreme sport.
This was awful. It did not represent the chili eating community truthfully.
For around 8 years there have been competitions in New Zealand and chmapions all over the world who are not mentioned. Bad Research. Amateur stuff from the producers.
I was particularly annoyed by the bad British teeth! That lady Sid does not represent British teeth! This is not Austin Powers in the 1960's! Clearly she just did not ever brush her teeth!
Also, this show felt like it was all about the underdog lady. She is friends with, no actually works for Ed Currie and it is clear he wrote and produced this or paid for it. It is basically a show all about him and his friends.
Not about the 'real' chilli community at all. A lot of people I know have watched this and all of us were very disappointed.
This was awful. It did not represent the chili eating community truthfully.
For around 8 years there have been competitions in New Zealand and chmapions all over the world who are not mentioned. Bad Research. Amateur stuff from the producers.
I was particularly annoyed by the bad British teeth! That lady Sid does not represent British teeth! This is not Austin Powers in the 1960's! Clearly she just did not ever brush her teeth!
Also, this show felt like it was all about the underdog lady. She is friends with, no actually works for Ed Currie and it is clear he wrote and produced this or paid for it. It is basically a show all about him and his friends.
Not about the 'real' chilli community at all. A lot of people I know have watched this and all of us were very disappointed.
Just what we need right now!
talljmp20 November 2020
This show was a perfect pick me up on a dark, dreary lockdown day. It features some weird and wonderful activities and the characters who are obsessed by them. At different times it is hilarious (hair competition), heart warming (cheese rolling) and plain old unbelievable (chilli eating). Would highly recommend.
Just Brilliant
steveruby21 November 2020
Wow. So much fun
jessica-9275921 November 2020
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