OK,
so Wipeout! is one of those shows that you’ll just
hate yourself for watching. I hate to admit to watching it myself
(my interest being entirely professional, of course). It’s
a bit like admitting you watch Australia’s Funniest Home
Videos or The Farmer Wants a Wife. It’s cringe-worthy, embarrassing
and somehow, completely addictive.
At its most basic, Wipeout! is a kind of
athletic game show in which contestants race against the clock
around an obstacle course with the winner taking home a wad of
cash. Sounds pretty boring, right – the Amazing Race
without the scenery.
But two things conspire to make this a rather addictive
concoction. The first is the fact that the people doing this are
Americans – not regular Americans mind you, but the kind
of Americans whose ultimate desire in life is to get their mug
on television, no matter how dire the show. They’re an eclectic
mix of type - A jocks, people well past their prime who think
they can still cut it in sports and the plain deluded. Oh, and
they usually include someone whose job description contains the
words “exotic” and “dancer”.
The second element that makes this a lot of fun
is the deadpan banter of the two Johns – John Anderson and
John Henson, the show’s co-hosts. I’m tempted to recall
the Bobs from the movie Office Space, but that would be to digress.
The Johns are brutal in their “commentary” of the
action, which essentially involves disparaging the contestants.
Don’t get me wrong, some of these contestants truly deserve
any disparaging that comes their way, but in other cases, it can
be a bit sad.
Watch a sneak peak of Wipeout!
from American TV network, ABC
As is often the case with US game shows, money is
the ultimate lure. The prize on offer is $50,000 each week; which
is enough to convince 24 people to put their butts on the line
for each episode (a pretty heavy number when you think about it).
These 24 saps… sorry, contestants… line up for the
initial obstacle course, which includes a variety of hazards including
a wall filled with mechanical fists to thump them into mud and
giant rubber balls to bounce them into a pool.
That number is culled through the first three rounds
until only four contestants remain to face the Wipeout Zone. This
is a bit like the eliminator in Gladiators, where contestants
battle their way around a colourful but seemingly pretty dangerous
obstacle course. The difference here is that they battle only
the clock, not each other, with the contestant who completes the
course fastest being declared the winner.
Wipeout! is a bit like motor racing –
people only watch for the crashes. But of course motor racing
commentators don’t mercilessly rip into those competing
in the race. The combination of some spectacular crashes and the
offbeat banter of the Johns make this a show that you’ll
probably like – but one you’ll regret liking.
It’s
a guilty pleasure, the kind of show that you’ll happily
watch in the comfort of your own home, but pooh-pooh over a chardy
or two at your next dinner party.
OK,
so Wipeout! is one of those shows that you’ll just
hate yourself for watching. I hate to admit to watching it myself
(my interest being entirely professional, of course). It’s
a bit like admitting you watch Australia’s Funniest Home
Videos or The Farmer Wants a Wife. It’s cringe-worthy, embarrassing
and somehow, completely addictive.
It’s
a guilty pleasure, the kind of show that you’ll happily
watch in the comfort of your own home, but pooh-pooh over a chardy
or two at your next dinner party.