Gladiators

1992 – nowShow8 seasons175 episodes

68
GoodGoodWatch score

A nostalgic, breakneck reality series about sports and pop culture.

Good for family movie night · friends night · party vibe

Skip it if you want something quiet and calm

Where to watch

Set your services

Not streaming in any country yet.

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Not for tears, big ideas or scares.

Shows with

Episodes

8 seasons · 175 episodes · best: S8E3 "Final" 8.6

Episodes

7.7
7.8
8.4
7.9
7.8
8.5

Story

Gladiators is a British television entertainment series, produced by LWT for ITV, and broadcast between 10 October 1992 and 1 January 2000. It is an adaptation of the American format American Gladiators. The success of the British series spawned further adaptations in Australia and Sweden. The series was revived in 2008, before again being cancelled in 2009. The series was originally presented by John Fashanu and Ulrika Jonsson, however, Fashanu was replaced by Jeremy Guscott in 1997. Guscott left the series in 1998, and subsequently, Fashanu returned for the final series in 1999. The series was refereed by John Anderson and the timekeepers over the show's run were Andrew Norgate, Derek Redmond and Eugene Gilkes. John Sachs was the show's commentator, and the series was accompanied by its own group of cheerleaders, known as G-Force. Despite being made by London Weekend Television, all episodes of Gladiators, International Gladiators, the second series of The Ashes and the first series of The Springbok Challenge were recorded at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham. The first series of The Ashes and the second series of the The Springbok Challenge, however, were filmed on the sets of the Australian and South African versions of the shows respectively. The series also spawned a version for children, entitled Gladiators: Train 2 Win, which was broadcast on CITV between 1995 and 1998.

Feels like

  • Physical Competition
  • 90s Nostalgia
  • Family Entertainment
  • Game Show Excitement
  • Athletic Challenges
  • Spectacular Arena
  • Iconic Character Performers
  • High-Energy
  • Lighthearted Fun

Cast

Facts

October 10, 1992 · January 1, 2000 · Still running

First aired
October 10, 1992
Latest episode
January 1, 2000
Status
Still running
Length
8 seasons · 175 episodes
Genres
Reality, Documentary
Original language
English

Tropes

Spin-Off, Catchphrase, Leg Focus +9

  • Spin-Off
  • Catchphrase
  • Leg Focus
  • Adaptation Expansion
  • Dare to Be Badass
  • Pink Girl, Blue Boy
  • Career-Ending Injury
  • Ascended Fangirl
  • Breakout Character
  • Cool Old Guy
  • Chuck Cunningham Syndrome
  • Early-Bird Cameo

12 of 50 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

7 questions, like "Is Gladiators worth watching?"

Questions about Gladiators

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Is Gladiators worth watching?

68
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 68 (IMDb 6.6).

Does Gladiators get better after season 1?

Yes: season 1 has an IMDb average of 7.7, and season 8 peaks at 8.5. The highest-rated episode is Final (season 8, episode 3) at 8.6, and the lowest is Heat 4 (season 1, episode 4) at 7.3.

Is Gladiators okay for kids?

Yes: the viewing guide lists it for kids.

How long does it take to watch Gladiators?

175 h

About 175 hours: 175 episodes in 8 seasons of about 60 minutes each since 1992, and it's still in production.

Can I half-watch Gladiators?

Easy watchDemanding

Yes: it's easy to follow, with complexity at only 2 of 10, and the viewing guide calls it good for background watching.

Will I feel good after watching Gladiators?

BleakHopeful

Yes, it's an uplifting series: the title analysis rates it 7 of 10 for hopefulness and 7 for wholesome.

What tropes does Gladiators use?

Spin-OffCatchphraseLeg FocusAdaptation ExpansionDare to Be BadassPink Girl, Blue BoyCareer-Ending InjuryAscended FangirlBreakout CharacterCool Old GuyChuck Cunningham SyndromeEarly-Bird Cameoand 38 more

TV Tropes lists 50 tropes for it, including Spin-Off, Catchphrase, and Leg Focus.