All Episodes Talk

[Guest]

A place to discuss particular episodes (that do not have specific episode threads), arcs and moments from the show's run. Please remember this isn't a complete catch-all topic -- check out the forum for character topics and other places for show-related talk.

[Richness]

Given how few messages each episode generates, I was wondering if it might be best to create topics that cover more than just one episode? For example, 2014 City Qualifiers could cover the 5 episodes seen so far this year. There could also be a 2014 City Finals and 2014 Las Vegas (or 2014 Mt. Midoriyama). Heck, even a single Season 6 thread for the entire season might be better. I just don't think people are comfortable starting topics themselves, or at least I wasn't.

[dubbel zout]

It drives me nuts that they say Mount Midoriyama. It's redundant—the "-yama" suffix means "mountain."

[jhlipton]

It drives me nuts that they say Mount Midoriyama. It's redundant—the "-yama" suffix means "mountain."

 

That's pretty standard though, isn't it?  I've heard a lot of references to Mt Fujiyama as well as Mt Fuji. 

 

[Added} I think there are 2 women who qualified for city finals this year, plus a few who went out at the Warped Wall, but not with fast enough times.  I expect the latter to be walk-ons.  Seems better when the women chosen for finals seemed a bit random.

Edited June 27, 2014 by jhlipton

[Ohwell]

That emergency room doc who went through should ditch the gold outfit.  Those pants showed the outline of his package, and it was gross.  I think he thought he looked sexy.

[StillCrazy]

That emergency room doc who went through should ditch the gold outfit.  Those pants showed the outline of his package, and it was gross.  I think he thought he looked sexy.

That outfit was horrific.  And it did his package no favors.  Gross is right.

[dmmetler]

Three-one more completed the Denver course. I don't know if any qualified based on times. Denver seemed really hard compared to Miami.

[theatremouse]

I have a question: is this show rigged? I'm asking sincerely, not to be inflammatory. For example, it's fairly common knowledge that WWE is not real; it's for entertainment purposes only and all staged. I am wondering if the same is at all true about this show, or if everything is theoretically real on this show, in terms of the run of the course, finish times, who falls where, and so forth.

[Richness]

Since I'm not a competitor (and probably never will be), and have never signed their release contracts, I can't say with any certainty. However, I seriously doubt that there's any faking the course or competition. I suspect there may be also some very creative editing going on to tell the story they want the way they want. They may even recreate something if they didn't get the shot they want.

 

However, I imagine there is quite a bit of stunt casting going on in the background. NBC definitely wants ratings, so I imagine they actively court the better competitors, the more impressionable personalities (Captain NBC and the other costume wearers) and the more impassioned back stories (overcome diabetes, drugs, etc.). After reading some of the Reddit "Ask Me Anything" thread topics by ANW competitors, the competitors are really upset by the editing that likes to show the back stories and spectacular fails rather than the successful course completions. I agree with the competitors, as I skip through all the boring back stories, which NBC seems to think is better.

[Fukui San]

From everything I've read on the Sasuke Maniacs message board where a lot of the show's enthusiasts talk, the competition seems legit under the treacly layers of sports presentation.

[Etta Place]

I attended a taping during the last season. I didn't see anything weird going on, or any significant difference between what I saw live and what I saw on the show. I don't even think they really edit the order of the contestants, aside from possibly leaving some out.

 

They clearly do court the characters, or the people with the interesting/inspirational/weird back stories, but that doesn't strike me as playing with the show itself. Even in shows like this, casting plays a part in success of the show.

[Kromm]

I have a question: is this show rigged? I'm asking sincerely, not to be inflammatory. For example, it's fairly common knowledge that WWE is not real; it's for entertainment purposes only and all staged. I am wondering if the same is at all true about this show, or if everything is theoretically real on this show, in terms of the run of the course, finish times, who falls where, and so forth.

 

From everything I've read on the Sasuke Maniacs message board where a lot of the show's enthusiasts talk, the competition seems legit under the treacly layers of sports presentation.

Due to the nature of the show, there are limited ways they COULD interfere, even if they wanted to.  They can't make someone able to do a stunt.  The "cheat" would have to be to give them multiple runs to accomplish that, but it's all filmed in front of a live audience (and a knowledgeable one) so they'd never get away with that.  They could in theory do things to make runs rougher for certain athletes, but there's really no viable reason I could think of for them to ever WANT to do that. 

 

The WWE can set things up, because its all about posing and choreographed moves. This isn't--it's an obstacle course.  A very linear thing.  And again, there's really no motive for it.

[theatremouse]

Thanks. I was asking specifically because I watched the (rerun?) of the Japan vs USA competition and it seemed incredibly scripted, not just in a backstory-characters-editing way. Going in I thought the Americans had no chance and the "shock" of not only how but when the Japanese competitors went down was just a little too...convenient? Dramatic? The way I'd expect a crappy writing staff to plot it out in advance? And the whole twice they had to go to the video to see the one second margin of the Japanese vs American who went out on the same rung of the same obstacle. Twice.

 

So, I get that there's no way they could rig it from a live audience perspective. I take it they're not doing reshoots of the run. But it made me wonder if ever certain people were explicitly told to fall at certain times, for example.

 

Anyway, that's what made me wonder. Again, I'm not trying to accuse anyone of shenanigans. I was more so just checking on maybe whether I was supposed to already know there were some and take it as such.

Edited July 3, 2014 by theatremouse

[qtpye]

Yeah, the Japanese team was so hyped and then failed so spectacularly that it almost seemed rigged.  I am as patriotic as the next person and want the Americans to do well, but such a one sided competition is not fun to watch.  The Japanese need to really get a better team together or the Americans need to go to Japan, because maybe the Japanese needed the home team advantage? (not that this is an excuse).

[Lantern7]

From what I remember from the TWoP forum, the Japanese delegation didn't have much time to prepare for the course. I'm thinking even Makoto Nagano in his prime would have trouble fighting jet lag. Given the somewhat mutated nature of the contest, I tend to dismiss it as a competition.

 

ETA: How about Kevin Bull? It wasn't enough to be the first to beat Cannonball Alley and only one of two to finish the second course, but the way he beat the Alley . . . damn. Grab the third ball with the legs, hang upside-down, then flip off onto the landing pad . . . wow. I don't think he planned it that way, but it worked.

Edited July 8, 2014 by Lantern7

[Iguana]

Re: ep of July 7 2014 (Denver? Final). I have watched this show for the last couple of summers but don't know much about the Japanese version or anything about the course design. I can see that they want the obstacles to be challenging but is it intentional that almost no one be able to finish the course? I know cannonball alley was a new obstacle but are the people in charge unhappy or happy that only two out of the 30 finalists were able to finish?

It was weird seeing the Rocket since I actually remember him from his season on American gladiators the (inferior) reboot in 2008. It always sucks when you're the one just below the cut off line so I felt bad for him when he got edged out.

Kind of cool that the only two to complete the course were the walk on rookie and the veteran "old man".

[Taeolas]

I doubt they intended it to be that hard, but maybe there were too many newbies or something, and too many people couldn't get a grip on it. Once someone completes the obstacle once, usually the other contestants can use that to figure out how to go from there. 

 

That said, that Venice course was almost all upper body strength, so that was probably another big factor in how difficult it was. In testing they probably only tested from the Salmon Ladder onto the cannonballs, so the testers were fresher than the Ninjas. After the wheel, the bars onto the cargo net, onto the peg board, onto the warped wall onto the salmon ladder; there was probably not much arm strength left for the rest.

 

Kevin taking out the cannonballs the way he did was certainly unique. I can imagine the remaining Ninjas watching him and  thinking "No way in hell they expect us to beat it THAT way." and then 3 more beat it more normally. Speeding through the first half of the course and not using up your energy early on seemed to be the biggest key to beating cannonball alley. 

[VartanFan]

Even though I want to mute the tv when she's on, kacey had a ridiculous, amazing run. So impressive.

I also thought maybe some kind of set up that the last guy fell which got Sam Sann( whom I love) into the finals.

[kechara]

It felt that way to me too

[Fukui San]

I have to say that overall I'm pleased with how the US show runners have adapted the Japanese obstacles to the US course, pulling together different obstacles from the vast history of the Japanese course and adding in new obstacles that fit right in.

[jhlipton]

On the "stars vs walk-ons", I get the feeling (totally out of the blue) that it's about 75 to 90% stars (Olympic and professional athletes, as well as past champions) and 10 to 25% walk-ons.  Whatever it is, I think it's the right amount.  There's never a guarantee as to who will or who won't complete the course, but they've got a good mix.  I definitely don't want to see all walk-ons.

[blueray]

That's what I like about it. Everyone that they show is serious about the course (even if they are wearing a silly costume). Where as other competition shows they get people who are there as a joke.

[Lantern7]

Heads up . . . according to my Time-Warner Cable listing, tomorrow night's episode is going to be about the best runs this season. I wouldn't be surprised if Kacy's two runs are highlighted at the very end.

Edited August 11, 2014 by Lantern7

[Fukui San]

They're not showing Las Vegas yet?  Bleah.

[blueray]

They are having a clip show, why? I am really looking forward to seeing Vegas.

[Lantern7]

Bumping up to ask a general question . . . in regards to the Invisible Ladder, does anybody else get the vibe of climbing down on two vines in Donkey Kong Jr?