Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge

Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge is an American sports entertainment competition series based on the obstacle race of a similar name. Greenlighted to order on August 26, 2015, the series premiered on June 13, 2016 on NBC.[2]

On March 17, 2017, NBC renewed the series for a second season which premiered on June 12, 2017.[3] The second season concluded with "Strike a Pose" winning the grand prize of $250,000.[4]

Premise

The series brings people together in teams of five– two men, two women, and an "elite Spartan athlete" who is picked by the show and serve as team captain. The elite athlete can either be from the Spartan Pro Team or from a different field of expertise.

Production

The deadline for applications for season one was September 27, 2015.[5] Competitors will have to face their physical and mental limits while racing through a one-mile obstacle course over fire, water, and mud for the opportunity to win $250,000.[1][6][7] A total of fourteen episodes have been ordered by NBC.[1]

Spartan Obstacles

Iconic Spartan Obstacles include:

The Tire Swing: Teams must swing across a pool of water on a giant tire propelling and catching their teammates.

The Barrel Roll: The Spartans must spin a large steel barrel together over a distance before locking it into place.

The Slip Wall: A large slippery wall on a steep angle that teams must create a human ladder to climb.

The Dunk Wall: An elevated pool that features various walls that Spartans must either swim under or climb over.

The Zip Log: A zip obstacle that all team members must jump and hold and ride until they reach the end of the track.

The Timber Drop: A large beam must be lifted and flung on a truss platform. Once in place the team must climb the beam together.

The Human Ladder: Teams must climb a spinning ladder strung above a pool. The team members must climb over each other to reach the top without falling in the water.

Totem Climb: The Spartan team must climb a rope suspended above a pool, they may only move onto the next obstacles once all of the team have climbed onto the rope.

Table Tilt: A large rectangular structure on a spinning pivot suspended above a pool. Teams must use their collective balance to one by one climb over the table to the other side of the pool.

Car Crank: Spartan teams must spin and crank that elevates a car into the air.[8]

Ratings

Season 1

Season 2

Adaptations

A Danish version of the series was broadcast on Kanal 5 in 2017.[24]

An Australian version titled Australian Spartan debuted on the Seven Network in 2018.[25]

References

  1. About the Show NBCUniversal, retrieved April 4, 2016^
  2. 'The Night Shift' and 'Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge' Set June Debuts The Futon Critic, retrieved April 1, 2016^
  3. Erik Pedersen. NBC Sets Summer Premieres: 'Marlon,' 'Midnight, Texas,' 'Carmichael Show,' Reality & More Deadline Hollywood, March 17, 2017, retrieved March 17, 2017^
  4. 'Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge' crowns a winner www.wnypapers.com, retrieved 2018-08-08^
  5. Dates and Locations for Regional Rounds and Finals Spartan Casting, NBC, retrieved November 3, 2015^
  6. Matt Davis. Spartan Race Launching "Short Course" TV Show Obstacle Racing Media, August 26, 2015, retrieved October 24, 2015^
  7. Casting Begins for New NBC Competition Series "Spartan Race" The Futon Critic, Futon Media, August 26, 2015, retrieved October 24, 2015^
  8. Meet Latina sportscaster MJ Acosta, of NBC's 'Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge' NBC News, retrieved 2018-02-06^
  9. Rick Porter. Monday final ratings: 'So You Think You Can Dance' adjusts up, 'Reign' and 'Whose Line' ajdust down, final NBA numbers TV by the Numbers, retrieved June 14, 2016^
  10. Rick Porter. Broadcast weekly Top 25: NBA Finals rule the week of June 13–19 TV by the Numbers, retrieved June 21, 2016^
  11. Rick Porter. Monday final ratings: 'Bachelorette' adjusts up, 'Spartan' and 'Mistresses' adjust down TV by the Numbers, retrieved June 21, 2016^
  12. Rick Porter. Thursday final ratings: 'Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge' adjusts up TV by the Numbers, June 24, 2016, retrieved June 24, 2016^
  13. Rick Porter. Thursday final ratings: 'Greatest Hits,' 'Big Brother' and all others hold TV by the Numbers, July 1, 2016, retrieved July 1, 2016^
  14. Rick Porter. Thursday final ratings: 'Big Brother' adjusts up, 'Greatest Hits' and 'Aquarius' adjust down TV by the Numbers, July 8, 2016, retrieved July 15, 2016^
  15. Rick Porter. Thursday final ratings: 'Bones' and 'Spartan' adjust up, 'Aquarius' adjusts down TV by the Numbers, July 15, 2016, retrieved July 15, 2016^
  16. Rick Porter. Thursday final ratings: ABC's RNC coverage adjusts up TV by the Numbers, July 22, 2016, retrieved July 22, 2016^
  17. Rick Porter. NBA Finals end with a bang: Monday final ratings TV by the Numbers, June 13, 2017, retrieved June 13, 2017^
  18. Rick Porter. 'Still Star-Crossed' adjusts down: Monday final ratings TV by the Numbers, June 20, 2017, retrieved June 20, 2017^
  19. Rick Porter. 'Spartan,' 'Superhuman,' several reruns adjust down: Monday final ratings TV by the Numbers, June 27, 2017, retrieved June 27, 2017^
  20. Rick Porter. 'American Ninja Warrior' adjusts up: Monday final ratings TV by the Numbers, July 6, 2017, retrieved July 6, 2017^
  21. Rick Porter. 'Gong Show' rerun adjusts down: Monday final ratings TV by the Numbers, July 11, 2017, retrieved July 11, 2017^
  22. Rick Porter. 'American Ninja Warrior,' 'Bachelorette' and others hold: Monday final ratings TV by the Numbers, July 18, 2017, retrieved July 18, 2017^
  23. Rick Porter. 'Spartan' finale, 'Big Brother' and everything else unchanged: Sunday final ratings TV by the Numbers, July 25, 2017, retrieved July 25, 2017^
  24. Elsa Keslassy. NBCUniversal Intl. Formats Sells 'Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge' to Denmark's Kanal5 Variety, 2016-12-07, retrieved 2018-02-06^
  25. David Knox. Seven confirms Australian Spartan TV Tonight, 29 September 2017, retrieved 11 January 2018^