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Some guy posted this in the Gladiator forum and I completely agree:
"NBC ruins one of my old favorites, Removing all of the good, adding crap.
Within 8 minutes I realized that NBC had screwed this up. I actually put this on my calendar. My family joined me in my excitement, and they've all but ruined this huge opportunity.
First problem: the editing. In the first event Powerball, there was lots of close-up steadicam footage with jump cuts thereby eliminating any possibility of knowing what's going on. They've got the wrong philosophy on how to film these events. You should not film it as if it were an action film. Film as if it were a sporting event. We want to know who cuts where, when this guy fakes, where the gladiators are, who's got the ball. Sub-point: the scoring cylinders should be the original size so that people can't shoot the ball in as if it were a basketball hoop.
Second problem: sure you have to introduce the contenders, but you don't have stress their backstory. I'm convinced this is an attempt to draw in more female viewers. A HUGE mistake. I know this lady likes her kids, but she mentioned it 15 times before she had eliminated part way through the first event.
Third problem: the female gladiators are NOWHERE near as big as they used to be. To be more accurate, they're not as impressive as they were. They may be larger in mass, but they are not cut up like the old girls. These gals are thicker, but smaller, less muscular. The entire reason my dad liked the original was because of the freakishly huge female gladiators. That's totally gone now.
Fourth problem: they're wearing freaking makeup! The girls are wearing blush, lipstick, eyeshadow and eyeliner. But that dude Wolf is wearing eyeliner also!!!
Fifth problem: the editing again, I must stress. It's terrible. We don't care about "dramatic" angles shot from behind the button. We don't care about hearing them taunt each other. We just don't care about that crap. These jump cuts that don't maintain continuity must go. If you cut in your editing, then do NOT disrupt continuity to show the same hit from another angle.
Sixth problem: kitsch. Sure the originally is incredibly campy. But what makes it great is that they didn't ACT as if it was campy. Larry Csonka took this serious, then so can these goofy bastards. There's no need to pump in music to make things more "dramatic."
Seventh problem: staging events. This looks scripted and fake. There were many instances where guys took dives that looked at best unnecessary. The contenders mysteriously got stuck (Koya, I'm looking your way). But once again the terrible editing makes it look phoney and fake. Take this seriously and quit pumping in phoney music and scripting outcomes.
SHAME ON YOU NBC! Quit thinking that you can improve something that was once successful. This is not something that needs to be "fixed." I made a point of being home and in front of the tv an hour before it started. I called in my family when it came on. And I will not be watching next week.
However, I *will* continue to watch the re-runs of th original on ESPN Classic. You blew it guys."
I totally agree with RJT on the reality show aspect of it. What a disappointment. 
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