I AM MARK BURNETT'S BITCH: There's no other way to put it: The Contender is fantastic television, and if you're looking for early adapting, Isaac, jump on board right now.
The Contender is reality tv stripped to its essence: 16 men trying to eliminate each other the simplest way possible: beating each other up. (Which, if you saw Survivor this week, you know how much fun it is.)
All the Burnett trademarks are there -- clear structure (training/challenge/family/fight), high production values, solid challenges, great personalities in the cast, hosts that occasionally need to be overdubbed for clarity -- but what's new here is the level of family drama that's involved. When you see these guys boxing in front of their children, man, it hurts to watch.
(One minor note: so far, Jackie Callen has had as much a role as original Joe Millionaire host Alex McLeod, but that's neither here nor there.)
Stallone is as iconic as Trump, only he's willing to lend his expertise throughout the show and not just swoop in at the beginning and end. And Sugar Ray . . . that's a legend.
Yes, I'm fine with Burnett getting even richer off this. And I'll be thrilled if the show has some impact in cleaning up the sport, bringing back fans, making it a legitmate attraction again. I've spent some time at the legendary Blue Horizon and down the shore for fights with my dad, and at that level, it's a lot of fun. As the PTI guys love to point out, there used to be a time when boxing and horse racing were two of the premiere sports in this country, and I wouldn't mind at all seeing boxing make its way back to the top.
So watch this show. Because someday soon, Ahmed and Ishe are going to wail on each other, and it's going to be awesome.
edited to add: For readers interested in detailed analysis from a boxing fan as to who should win this competion, this TWoP post will be most educational.
No comments:
Post a Comment