Throughout the 90s, after the usual morning cartoons, I got sucked into the phenomenon that is 'American Gladiators' before proceeding to the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. In fact, I even transformed my living room into an obstacle course into a similar one to 'Assault'. For those who are not familiar, Assault is the one event where the contenders have to shoot various weapons from various stations at the target above the gladiator who is trying to knock the contender out by shooting their own gun. It was grand, it was primitive, it was fantastic.

So when I heard NBC was bringing it back, I had to watch. If not to relive my childhood then to see how the same concept fair with television audiences today. To surprise, it is just as thrilling.

Sure, the gladiators are still caricatures, the challenges were just as gimmicked with brute force, but how can you not love such a symbol of American guilty pleasure? I mean, they have people named Hellga (hehe, Riss), Wolf and Toa on the show. So far, Titan is my fave.

Makes me wonder, what other childhood guilty pleasures I would love to see revived. Perhaps ABC's short lived TGIF staple, Dinosaurs?

Then:


Now: