The "American Gladiators," those muscle-bound warriors in red-white-and-blue spandex tights, have become a familiar sight on television. Maybe a little too familiar. Their successful syndicated TV show is 5 years old, and their ratings last season dipped slightly for the second straight year.
They need to recapture America's imagination. They need an exciting new challenge. They need a familiar contender whom viewers might relish seeing tossed around like a rag doll.
They need Tonya Harding.
And she has committed to take on the gladiators next season in an episode of the show, scheduled for taping this week, provided details can be worked out with her parole officer, said Julie Resh, vice president of television production and development for the Samuel Goldwyn Co.
"What we're very dependent on is competition that intrigues the audience," explained Samuel Goldwyn Jr., chairman of the Samuel Goldwyn Co. "Just watching the gladiators isn't enough after five or six years. For the show to stay on the air, you have to keep evolving to keep it fresh."
"Gladiators" and the short-lived "Roller Games" created a new genre of TV in 1989, dubbed "crash-and-trash" by critics, and no show in the category has worked harder to stay fresh than "Gladiators." Through the years, a horde of wild physical game shows have tried to joust the gladiators off their perch: the syndicated "Knights and Warriors," USA Network's "Gonzo Games," Nickelodeon's "Guts." Still more are coming: MTV's "Sand Blast" and the new syndicated series "Blade Warriors" and "BeachClash."
But the gladiators have remained standing. They are now in production on their sixth season. In fact, despite a national rating last year of 3.9, compared with 4.3 for the series' peak season two years ago, the "Gladiators" enterprise has never been stronger.
The syndicated program can be seen in 52 countries and is in cable reruns on USA. One hundred licensees worldwide are selling products based on the show's colorful characters -- with names such as Ice, Laser, Nitro and Sabre -- and licensing revenue has been estimated near $30 million.
The United Kingdom and Finland are producing their own versions of "Gladiators," featuring local gladiators and contenders, and Russia is scheduled to follow suit this year. Talks are under way to bring the show to Australia and Spain, as well.
