The fascination over American Gladiators isn’t over just yet: Three weeks after ESPN aired 30 for 30: The American Gladiators Documentary, Netflix is now shining a spotlight on the inimitable ’80s competition show that gave us Nitro, Gemini and thrilling jousts with what looked like giant, padded Q-tips.
Like ESPN’s penetrative two-parter from director Ben Berman (The Amazing Jonathan Documentary), the new Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators (dropping June 28 on Netflix) reminds us that TV’s first big reality show stars weren’t privileged women who throw wine in fits of rage. They were pumped-up athletes who donned patriotic colors while playing Goliath to some poor civilian’s David in a makeshift battledome.
But while ESPN’s documentary from Vice Media focuses more of its narrative on Johnny Ferraro, the infamous figurehead behind the memorable franchise, Muscles & Mayhem keeps the attention on the gladiators and how,...
Like ESPN’s penetrative two-parter from director Ben Berman (The Amazing Jonathan Documentary), the new Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators (dropping June 28 on Netflix) reminds us that TV’s first big reality show stars weren’t privileged women who throw wine in fits of rage. They were pumped-up athletes who donned patriotic colors while playing Goliath to some poor civilian’s David in a makeshift battledome.
But while ESPN’s documentary from Vice Media focuses more of its narrative on Johnny Ferraro, the infamous figurehead behind the memorable franchise, Muscles & Mayhem keeps the attention on the gladiators and how,...
- 6/28/2023
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
We may live in a post-truth world, but most viewers still settle in to watch documentaries with the assumption that what we’re going to be treated to is at least some version of “truth.” Surely, we think, “truth” is what most documentary filmmakers aspire to.
If that sounds familiar, you probably read too many of my reviews. It was the start of my take on The American Gladiators Documentary, Ben Berman’s four-hour 30 for 30 treatment of the syndicated spandex-and-steroids phenomenon that was American Gladiators. Less than a month after that project, which took an intentionally truth-evasive look at authorship controversies surrounding American Gladiators, along comes Tony Vainuku and Jared Hess’ new Netflix’s five-parter, Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators, which has a different approach to “truth.”
“The time of the American Gladiators. It was the ’90s,” Dan “Nitro” Clark says in the introduction to the series.
If that sounds familiar, you probably read too many of my reviews. It was the start of my take on The American Gladiators Documentary, Ben Berman’s four-hour 30 for 30 treatment of the syndicated spandex-and-steroids phenomenon that was American Gladiators. Less than a month after that project, which took an intentionally truth-evasive look at authorship controversies surrounding American Gladiators, along comes Tony Vainuku and Jared Hess’ new Netflix’s five-parter, Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators, which has a different approach to “truth.”
“The time of the American Gladiators. It was the ’90s,” Dan “Nitro” Clark says in the introduction to the series.
- 6/27/2023
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
We may live in a post-truth world, but most viewers still settle in to watch documentaries with the assumption that what we’re going to be treated to is at least some version of “truth.” Surely, we think, “truth” is what most documentary filmmakers aspire to.
Perhaps owing to a background that’s in comedy — Lady Dynamite, Comedy Bang! Bang! — rather than nonfiction, Ben Berman doesn’t operate on that level. Berman, who made his documentary debut with 2019’s Sundance entry The Amazing Johnathan Documentary, is more interested in the lengths that people go to avoid the truth. He isn’t angry at liars — he’s not Alex Gibney — so much as he is fascinated with the prevarication itself, not always the motivation for it or the reality behind it.
Berman’s new film is ESPN’s two-part The American Gladiators Documentary, which airs under the 30 for 30 banner, even though,...
Perhaps owing to a background that’s in comedy — Lady Dynamite, Comedy Bang! Bang! — rather than nonfiction, Ben Berman doesn’t operate on that level. Berman, who made his documentary debut with 2019’s Sundance entry The Amazing Johnathan Documentary, is more interested in the lengths that people go to avoid the truth. He isn’t angry at liars — he’s not Alex Gibney — so much as he is fascinated with the prevarication itself, not always the motivation for it or the reality behind it.
Berman’s new film is ESPN’s two-part The American Gladiators Documentary, which airs under the 30 for 30 banner, even though,...
- 5/30/2023
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Johnny Ferraro comes across like a Mafia soldier in witness relocation as a used car salesman, or maybe that one casino employee you really don’t want to mess with. He has a way of looking at the camera like he wants to strangle it, or at least spit on it. But somehow, some way, he musters charm. Ferraro is the creator of the much-mocked, absurdly popular proto-reality-tv competition series American Gladiators. Or is he?
This question lingers over the new two-part ESPN 30 for 30 film The American Gladiators Documentary, whose...
This question lingers over the new two-part ESPN 30 for 30 film The American Gladiators Documentary, whose...
- 5/30/2023
- by Chris Vognar
- Rollingstone.com
How to Watch ‘The American Gladiators Documentary’ Premiere Live on Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku & Mobile
The original form of “sports entertainment,” “American Gladiators” is the subject of the next “30 for 30” from ESPN. “The American Gladiators Documentary,” is a two-part film directed by Ben Berman that tells the story of “American Gladiators,” one of the most popular syndicated programs in television history. What begins as a traditional documentary soon gives way to greed, divergent narratives, and ultimately questions how history itself is written. “The American Gladiators Documentary” airs this Tuesday, May 30, at 8:30 p.m. Et and Wednesday, May 31, at 9 p.m. Et on ESPN. You can watch ESPN with a subscription to Sling TV. You can also watch with Directv Stream, Hulu Live TV, Fubo, or YouTube TV..
How to Watch ‘The American Gladiators Documentary’ Premiere When: Tuesday, May 30, 2023 at 8:30 Pm Edt TV: ESPN Stream: Watch with a subscription to Sling TV. Get $10 Off$40+ / month sling.com
Limited Time: Get $10 Off Your First Month...
How to Watch ‘The American Gladiators Documentary’ Premiere When: Tuesday, May 30, 2023 at 8:30 Pm Edt TV: ESPN Stream: Watch with a subscription to Sling TV. Get $10 Off$40+ / month sling.com
Limited Time: Get $10 Off Your First Month...
- 5/30/2023
- by Jeff Kotuby
- The Streamable
Just because the week is shorter, doesn’t mean that there’s any less stellar programming on the horizon, with new seasons of “I Think You Should Leave,” “Dark Side of the Ring,” “Nancy Drew” and “Painting with John,” plus the series finales of “Barry” and “Succession.” And that’s to say nothing of a ripped-from-the-headlines HBO movie (starring Sydney Sweeney no less), a documentary about the American Gladiators and a LeBron James biopic. A jam-packed week, even with one fewer day!
On with the television!
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“I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson”
Tuesday, May 30, Netflix
Netflix
Television’s most deliriously funny series returns. If you’ve never seen “I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson,” it springs from the deranged mind of star and creator Tim Robinson, who worked as a performer...
On with the television!
Get TheWrap’s TV Watchlist newsletter in your inbox every Friday by signing up here.
“I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson”
Tuesday, May 30, Netflix
Netflix
Television’s most deliriously funny series returns. If you’ve never seen “I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson,” it springs from the deranged mind of star and creator Tim Robinson, who worked as a performer...
- 5/27/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
ESPN has released an exclusive clip from a new two-part documentary that will shed light on the behind-the-scenes story of the famed reality competition show “American Gladiators.”
From 1989 to 1996, “American Gladiators” was one of the most popular syndicated programs in television, a competition show that predated the reality TV era but used many of the same techniques to attract viewers. Every week, “amateur” contestants would go up against a cast of “professional” gladiators in a range of physical competitions, setting up David versus Goliath matchups that were popular with big television audiences but also earned considerable criticism for being “crash TV”.
The documentary, which will debut on May 30 and 31 on ESPN and be made available on ESPN+ following its premiere, features original interviews with Johnny Ferraro, Deron McBee (‘Malibu’), Michael Horton (‘Gemini’), Lynn ‘Red’ Williams (‘Sabre’), the late William Billy Smith (‘Thunder’) and Salina Bartunek (‘Elektra’).
“What we were doing consumed us so much.
From 1989 to 1996, “American Gladiators” was one of the most popular syndicated programs in television, a competition show that predated the reality TV era but used many of the same techniques to attract viewers. Every week, “amateur” contestants would go up against a cast of “professional” gladiators in a range of physical competitions, setting up David versus Goliath matchups that were popular with big television audiences but also earned considerable criticism for being “crash TV”.
The documentary, which will debut on May 30 and 31 on ESPN and be made available on ESPN+ following its premiere, features original interviews with Johnny Ferraro, Deron McBee (‘Malibu’), Michael Horton (‘Gemini’), Lynn ‘Red’ Williams (‘Sabre’), the late William Billy Smith (‘Thunder’) and Salina Bartunek (‘Elektra’).
“What we were doing consumed us so much.
- 5/23/2023
- by Lucas Manfredi
- The Wrap
Hot Docs has wrapped its 30th anniversary edition, handing out its top cash prize and announcing the audience top picks after an 11-day festival, which presented 214 films from 72 countries at 308 live screenings at venues across Toronto.
Philippe Falardeau’s “Lac-Mégantic—This Is Not an Accident” topped the overall audience poll to win the 2023 Hot Docs Audience Award. The four-part series from the Oscar-nominated director explores the causes of one of Canada’s worst rail disasters and what’s needed to prevent such accidents in the future.
“Someone Lives Here,” by Zack Russell, won the Rogers Audience Awards for Best Canadian Documentary, which comes with Cdn. $50,000 cash, and also claimed the second-highest spot in the overall audience poll. The film also won the inaugural Bill Nemtin Award for Best Social Impact Documentary, a jury-chosen prize, at the main awards ceremony held Saturday.
“Someone Lives Here”
“Someone” tells the story of Toronto carpenter Khaleel Seivwright,...
Philippe Falardeau’s “Lac-Mégantic—This Is Not an Accident” topped the overall audience poll to win the 2023 Hot Docs Audience Award. The four-part series from the Oscar-nominated director explores the causes of one of Canada’s worst rail disasters and what’s needed to prevent such accidents in the future.
“Someone Lives Here,” by Zack Russell, won the Rogers Audience Awards for Best Canadian Documentary, which comes with Cdn. $50,000 cash, and also claimed the second-highest spot in the overall audience poll. The film also won the inaugural Bill Nemtin Award for Best Social Impact Documentary, a jury-chosen prize, at the main awards ceremony held Saturday.
“Someone Lives Here”
“Someone” tells the story of Toronto carpenter Khaleel Seivwright,...
- 5/8/2023
- by Jennie Punter
- Variety Film + TV
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