I’m not going to get the chance to watch this until late Thursday, so you can use this post to discuss it if you want. If I could just ask you to direct all other stuff to the post beneath (or any newer posts that happen), ta.
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I’ve watched “Wipeout” quite a bit over the past two summers. It strikes me that its success is based on the concept that audiences love seeing pratfalls, and the more spectacular, the better!
I think that the success of this program took ABC rather by surprise. Not that they are complaining, mind you! Unfortunately, that success has not followed into the next timeslot. In both of the last two years, “I Survived A Japanese Game Show” followed “Wipeout”, and in both seasons, the game-cum-reality-cum-game show failed to hold onto more than about three-fifths of “Wipeout”‘s audience—and often not even that much! ABC’s hoping for better things from “Downfall”, but we shall see!
Thanks to YouTube, I took a taste of the way that “Total Wipeout” is presented by the BBC. Y’know, I think I like your presentation better. It’s less sophomoric then ours, with fewer forced double-entendres. (Of course, for something truly sophooric, catch “Most Extreme Elimination Challenge”, the US edition of footage from “Takeshi’s Castle”. That one simply reeks of the frat house and the gym locker. )
You can watch this from outside the US now…
The ABC Player has a Geoblock Fail… just close the RED BOX that comes up when you play it and it will start with an ad, then the episode…
http://abc.go.com/watch/wipeout/SH5568487/VD5568877/wipeout-blind-date-part-1
Part 2 is on the side of that page aswell…
And trust me… I was tedious about old Red Motivator going… but the new one… puts it in it’s place
As much as I love Wipeout, I question the decision to open with a 2 hour episode. Even with the ads taken out (1hr20) it felt overlong for this type of show. Having said that, I like the new emphasis on gunge and getting smacked in the face.
I thought getting smacked in the face was always the emphasis!
Well, yes, but somehow moreso!
The curse of being such a big fan of a show is sometimes you end up looking to criticise things rather than just enjoying it.
On the whole though brilliant – and the commentary from the two Johns was one of their best. Glad it’s not two hours every week, but it didn’t drag too much.
Like the new “secret motivator”, but not keen on the use of gunge and paint throughout. I always think that just makes things look childish when really if they play them straight the games are entertaining enough because without the gunge etc. you can see how difficult the challenges are.
You were right though with your concerns about some things being too involved – Overdrive was just too hard and in the end had to be slowed down so much it just wasn’t entertaining and didn’t really produce good Wipeouts – it’s no King of the Mountain for sure.
The two round threes we saw were better – I just hope they vary them enough in later episodes as it looks like they’ll be using themes rather than physically changing obstacles.
Wipeout Zone pretty good though. Really like the Spin Cycle as it’s given the Zone some height again and is quite reminiscent of the spinner, but also very different.. Triple Threat I could take or leave, but like the Rib Rage. The Gauntlet isn’t as good as the last version IMO – the Spiked Whackers are inevitable Wipeouts, whilst they admit Arms and Dangerous is more about “thinking” than just going for it, so although few will beat it first time around, it doesn’t take long to figure out how to beat it.
On the whole though happy it’s back and gutted we have to wait three weeks for episode two.
Yes, but after the Spiked Whackers have knocked you into the water for the forty-seventh time since you started the Qualifier, are you in much of a position to think? It’s a surprise that anybody can figure out the timing of the contraption after the rest of the Wipeout Zone!
I’ve always been leary about obstacles like the Spiked Whackers. Has anyone every gotten past them on their first try? The Johns keep talking about how “they could go off at any time”, but I’d like to think there’s someone waiting to push the button on the first go. After that I could believe it’s random, but it honestly seems like the best strategy the first time through is to just plow through it, expecting to get knocked off, rather than waiting around for “the perfect time” because you know it’s just not going to happen. You’re wasting time doing that the first go. Other obstacles like that rug pull thingy have got to be impossible (if not on the first time around), so it almost seems like it’s not worth trying sometimes. That kinda kills the fun for me. If there were a remote chance for a person with genuine skill to make it through the entire show without wiping out (however unlikely), I’d be way more excited about this show. But since there’s no fun if everyone doesn’t wipeout at least once on each course, nobody would watch. I guess.
Just watched it, briefly because it’s late: love the spin cycle, think they overuse sweeper arms.
Defo agree re: sweeper arms – in the preview for this season they seem to be on everything. Found the Trampoline Sweepers rather pointless really – nowhere near as good as the Log Roll / Hurtles from last year.