Right now you can watch American Gladiators in Australia on Amazon Prime Video, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video — and it is more addictive than the premise lets on. 7 seasons is a serious commitment, but one that pays off episode after episode. A 6/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. Mike Adamle anchors the format, but the whole cast makes it watchable. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Amazon Prime Video.

American Gladiators is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. American Gladiators has the format that countless others have tried to copy since. American Gladiators is an American competition television program that aired weekly in syndication from September 1989 to May 1996. The series matched a cast of amateur athletes against each other, as well as against the show's own gladiators, in contests of strength and agility. The concept was created by Dan Carr and John C. Watching Mike Adamle navigate it is most of the appeal. Across 7 seasons (1988–1994), it never lost the thread that made it worth starting. The format has been replicated endlessly since American Gladiators first appeared, which is its own form of tribute. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

Best watched with company, American Gladiators generates takes from everyone in the room. Fans of The Ultimate Fighter will recognise the sensibility here immediately. 7 seasons is a lot, but the quality holds all the way through. The production understands its own premise and executes on it without apology. If you have enjoyed similar formats before, this is one of the stronger examples of what the genre can do.

American Gladiators wrapped up in 1994, created by Dan Carr and Johnny C. Ferraro — and 7 seasons are available to watch from start to finish. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.