Summary
Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators is a fantastic docuseries that fans of the show will not want to miss.
This review of the Netflix film Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators does not contain spoilers.
On September 9, 1989, ten men and women participated in a series of physical games against each other while taking on a cast of costumed athletes known as Gladiators to win a cash prize. The show was American Gladiators. Netflix docuseries Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators takes a look at the rise and fall of the popular series.
Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators review and plot summary
Muscles & Mayhem is a five-episode docuseries that takes a look at how this wild and crazy competition series rose to the top of the TV ratings and almost crashed before it even began.
As a massive fan of American Gladiators as a kid who went to several shows at Universal Studios, I was excited to see and hear the behind-the-scenes look at how this came to life. We’ve seen several documentaries about this topic over the years, but this stood out because you had the OG gladiators who lived it talking about their journey on the show. Hands down, the best part of this entire thing was hearing the creators and the gladiators talk about the rise and fall of this incredible idea.
The foundation of how American Gladiators came to fruition is one heck of a story. You hear the many obstacles, including seeing the ridiculous original stunts and games that failed repeatedly. The trampoline game, where one of the gladiators would jump up and down while the contestant would try to pick up pieces, was downright hilarious in how bad of an idea it was. The creators knew they had something good and refused to give up on it, which was admirable.
The whimsical work of composers John Hancock and Mark Orton elevates the docuseries. Often in documentaries or docuseries, the score is an element that can be forgotten about, but in this, they chose to use it to dictate the pacing and beat of each episode. Editor Tanner Christensen’s editing of the original footage and commentary was fantastic.
Is Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators good or bad?
In terms of docuseries, Muscles & Mayhem is about as good as it gets. This is a state-of-the-art docuseries that is well-made from top to bottom. It answers many of the questions that fans of American Gladiators might have had about the creation of the show and where these infamous stars are now.
Is Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators worth watching?
If you are a fan of the American Gladiators, you are going to eat up Muscles & Mayhem. The nostalgia-filled music sets the tone early, and hearing the Gladiators themselves talk about their journey throughout the show’s rise, it’s an engaging five-part docuseries. Even those unaware of what the American Gladiators are should check this out.
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