How Would You Do It?

[Oti]

If you were in charge of an obstacle course like Sasuke, how would you produce it and give it to your audience? One massive night like TBS and G4 does, or perhaps over several nights like Wipeout?

I'm curious to see what ideas you peoples have. I realized a little while ago that I have no idea how I want to broadcast my obstacle course.

So... discuss!

[Captain Obvious]

Most likely, I would aim to make a three-part miniseries of the program, airing in three one-hour events on a Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

I'd have some sort of 10-minute intro-teaser late Sunday night, either between programs, or by shortening another program by 10 minutes. This would appease the more hardcore fans, whetting their appetite and increasing the "hey, are you going to watch ____ tonight?" word of mouth that every show desperately desires.

Since I'm assuming a multi-stage obstacle course with the elimination style of Sasuke, I would split each individual episode as follows:

Episode 1 - Competitors 1-50 attempt Stage 1. This episode can be relaxed for the first thirty minutes with your average Joes showing just how tough the course is, and the second half would be where more of the serious but "average people" competitors would go (Leon and Levi, for example). Put in a few that can clear the first stage in the 1-50 range and show the audience it can be done.

Episode 2 - Competitors 51-100 attempt Stage 1. Time for the comedians and D-list celebrities. I can already hear you yelling "That won't work in the United States!", but please, picture Betty White on the course. Any 87-year-old television legend that can play "Make Betty White Flinch" with Jay Leno and Beer Pong with Jimmy Fallon... well, it would draw viewers. The second half of the episode could have the "big names", some of which would actually be expected to clear the stage. This is where you'd put in people like 50-cent, Mario Lopez, and Michael Phelps who in addition to being celebrities (with variety) do possess enough athelticism to have a chance at clearing the first stage. This way you've appealed to a wide audience while saving the people with recognizable names until people have seen an episode and had time to tell their friends.

Episode 3 - Stage 2 and beyond. At this point, you've hyped the finale for a while, and here it is. Barring a horrible result on the order of Sasuke 19, you should be able to stretch this into an hour easily. One small change I'd make, though. The order of the stages after the first would be determined by the time taken to complete the previous stage.


Okay, yes I know, it does kinda follow the same feel as how G4 edited Sasuke 11 and 13. I'm okay with that under this "three night miniseries event" structure.

For the question you didn't ask, but I think is applicable: "Three times a year: April, July-August, and November". This corresponds with times to draw ratings and gain viewers for the network's new show in the upcoming season. Additionally, it would help create the "I'm not tired of the show, and I'm excited to watch this show for a couple nights" feeling Sasuke thrives on. I can hear those cries of "That won't work in the United States!" again, but I remind you that Who Wants to be a Millionaire started out this way in August of 1999 and then November of 1999 and was a WILD success until ABC made it a 3-times a week show dependent on gimmicks and celebrity editions and killed it... but that's a discussion for another day and another topic

That's how I'd want to do it.

[Oti]

That's a very thorough plan you have there. And I like it. I thought I had a problem with saving comedians for the second episode, but then I realized... I didn't It all works out fine.

The only thing I don't like is the three times a year idea. I definitely wouldn't over-do it, like every week, but I was thinking four times a year.

You sir, belong in marketing.

[joemello]

Jun 21, 2009 0:17:23 GMT -5 Captain Obvious said:

I remind you that Who Wants to be a Millionaire started out this way in August of 1999 and then November of 1999 and was a WILD success until ABC made it a 3-times a week show dependent on gimmicks and celebrity editions and killed it... but that's a discussion for another day and another topic

See also: Deal or No Deal (primetime)

As stated elsewhere, summer series with extra emphasis (read: half of the material) on the tryouts and trials, played pretty straight.

[Captain Obvious]

Jun 21, 2009 2:40:28 GMT -5 joemello said:

See also: Deal or No Deal (primetime)

LOL. Now I wish I had saved that long-winded paragraph complaining about how Deal or No Deal is dying the same death as Who Wants to be a Millionaire (whose audition I failed... again... last weekend) and whose existence is now dependent on a syndicated version. It seemed too off-topic, so I removed it.

Anyway, joemello, I like the summer series idea. That could even work during the spring or fall if it aired on a child network (SpikeTV, Fox Reality, USA, etc.)

[Oti]

Well, the bigger the network you use, although you may get more viewers, the network will probably want to do something to it. It could be something as small as calling Wipeout "ABC's Wipeout", but it could be something annoying, like putting a giant logo in the corner of the screen.

I would honestly like to start my own network to air it on, but that's practically the only thing that would be on it. So... that may not work.

[lazarus0280]

Another idea would be taping tryouts. Until America had an All-star team that consistently competed. By taping the tryouts on a "dumbed down" course you could use that to fit the reality series mold most americans crave. So, either like that show that is airing "i'm a celebrity, get me out of here" taking monday-thursday and airing it. Day 1 and 2 tryouts, while 3 and 4 the competition.

The other idea would be to attach yourself with the x-games in a shape or form. which is a yearly competition but you could potentially hold multiple events where the x-games travels to. Food for thought. Logistics and all would obviously need to be hashed out but in my mind it could work. Through course of x-games season you are basically holding tryouts. final main televised event from all the winners throughout the season along with special guests etc at the big week long x-games championships.

Huge 30 ft vert ramp around a huge sasuke tower as the centerpiece. That'd be one hell of a show. Fun as hell live too.

[Anshin]

Jun 21, 2009 4:19:54 GMT -5 lazarus0280 said:

the reality series mold most americans crave.

One possible way to expand upon this idea, is to have a "reality" series that is similar to that of The Ultimate Fighter on Spike TV; contestants living in a house for a few weeks, training and going through different Sasuke-style challenges each week. The reward for winning the series could be up for debate, but I'd assume a guaranteed spot in the competition at the very least.

Anyway, this is just something that popped in my head at last minute when reading this thread.

[Oti]

I would never do that. That doesn't have the spirit of Sasuke.

Not that it's a bad idea or anything, but I wouldn't do that on my obstacle course.

[Anshin]

I myself would not do it either, though it was something that popped into my head based on lazarus0280's post.

Jun 21, 2009 4:19:54 GMT -5 lazarus0280 said:

the reality series mold most americans crave.

Personally, I hate reality shows and would most likely keep it to a 2/3 times a year special similar to Sasuke's broadcast in Japan.

[arsenette]

Actually reality shows are very much a niche market. You have your die hard fans but for the most part... most people HATE reality TV shows with an utter and complete passion and blame TV execs for constantly rehashing shows over and over THINKING that is the in vogue thing. Personally the height of the reality shows is long gone.. only the has beens are left.

I like the formula that TBS has. One huge event every 6 months. The only difference would be I would sell DVD's for those who want to watch it over and over.. but TBS has it right. If there is only ONE night they show it.. people will do their damnest to be on at that time to see it making it an event to watch. Lord knows I know people that took time off to see the show at 5:30 am. If they were going to do a one shot deal with no rehashes like G4 does and no one knows wtf is going on.. it's a lot more engrossing and people won't even notice the time has flown by.

Another close second would be JETTV where they split it into 2 - 2 hour specials on back to back nights. But again.. it breaks the momentum which is why I prefer the TBS formula.

[Anshin]

Jun 21, 2009 15:08:30 GMT -5 arsenette said:

I like the formula that TBS has. One huge event every 6 months. The only difference would be I would sell DVD's for those who want to watch it over and over.. but TBS has it right. If there is only ONE night they show it.. people will do their damnest to be on at that time to see it making it an event to watch. Lord knows I know people that took time off to see the show at 5:30 am. If they were going to do a one shot deal with no rehashes like G4 does and no one knows wtf is going on.. it's a lot more engrossing and people won't even notice the time has flown by.

Another close second would be JETTV where they split it into 2 - 2 hour specials on back to back nights. But again.. it breaks the momentum which is why I prefer the TBS formula.

I have to agree about the TBS formula; a great event every 6 months just has a certain appeal, especially for the type of program that Sasuke is. Whenever I watch G4's broadcasts, I feel as if i'm jipped out of the deal.

I also agree about the DVD idea; though I'd probably expand that to digital distribution for people that like to watch it on their computer, like me.

I'll try to collect my thoughts and post them later, but for now i'm distracted by the marathon on G4.

[TCM]

Yeah, the only reality shows left ARE the ones that came to when it was the big thing, save for Ultimate Fighter, as that helped launch the popularity of the UFC. Which is why I don't think an American Sasuke would work. People would see it as some reality show with 'no drama' (because for some reason drama sells wonders - 90210 AND bringing back Melrose Place, though they should stay gone because they were good for what they were when they were shown in their prime). Most Americans when it comes to TV have short attention spans, so they could see the show as boring because you have 100 people doing the same thing. The ONLY reason Wipeout is surviving is because they make clever jokes and they created the obstacles to have funny comments and specifically designed to fall in mud, if something gets completed without getting wet/muddy, they found a loophole, or you're extremely lucky. Wipeout is essentially the American version of Sasuke. People willing to make fools out of themselves for a buck.

Sorry if it seems I went a bit off topic.

[Oti]

It's all about how you do it, though. There are ways to recreate the drama.

[arsenette]

That's the problem though. Naturally seeing something occur and manufacturing drama for the sake of it are 2 entirely different reasons why I hate American reality TV and love things like Sasuke and Sportsman #1.

[lazarus0280]

you may have misunderstood me. like i said the hardest part of bringing the sport to america would be the spirit of the competition. I totally agree, it should happen once to twice a year. that in and of itself is the biggest challenge. a sport with no history, any mainstream channel wouldn't carry it and hold a "superbowl" event for it. My ideas were basically contemplations on how to get there.

by holding a week event with viral campaingning online and gettin g4 and possibly x games or whatever is free advertising. Holding a tough course for people to "try-out" on while at the same time having our PR guys having select guests show for the main attempt would make it more marketable. As we all know....today's market is all about making money.

So the problem is, how do you get a yearly, or biannual obstacle course bring in money for todays market. Unless one of us posters have a very healthy bank account, there isn't a feasible way of putting on a tournament like this unless we have the bankroll to finance it.

Hence the "reality" format. though i wasn't implying that that would steal from the course in and of itself. Premise of the show would be no gaurantees. It's not man vs man...but man vs course. Seeing some of the US's greatest atheletes going against a god awful course is pretty cool. My daughter was a gymnast, and she got pretty excited seeing the Hamm's compete. So planning it around or near an Olympic event would be wise.....but also the other reason i was spouting the x'games idea. research for the x'games has been high, and comparing it to any sport we currently televise here i would say it could fit in the x'games niche. with marketing and everything else thought after piggybacking from the xgames we would hopefully have the following to undertake a mainstream event purely for the sake of the sport.

Again, the biggest problem is getting it started here in the US, and while I understand the spirit of the sport, my thoughts our purely on what i feel would be the easiest methods to bringing it over to our side of the pond.

[Oti]

I don't think it would be very difficult to set up a show so that that drama evolves naturally, especially if it's only twice a year, like Sasuke. That really jacks the drama.

I think my obstacle course being shown four times a year would have some decent drama to it. That, coupled with the no competition style of Sasuke should encourage comradery as well.

[lazarus0280]

Playing devils advocate here.... how would you sell that..... being the first time event. Our common argument between us that love the sport is how we would keep it pure here.

Keep in mind, unless we had the originators help us in a major way, how tough would you make the course. Would you design it in the hopes of having maybe one or two people complete it, just for the sake of trying to gain a following? Or would you want the course so extreme that it matches the current course and hope that you can stay syndicated for a year or so so we have a few contestants make it close to the end, after they have attempted and failed. Again, i am playing devils advocate so dont think i'm attacking ya. ya got me thinking to mate

[lazarus0280]

Of course all us hardcore peeps could just get together for a month and build the most outrageous crap. Then go the way of adam sanmberg and his saturday nite live guys. Record us competing on the course and send it everywhere in the hopes that we might get noticed. Only problem with that would be how extreme would we need to go???

[Oti]

No problem. I love the points you're pointing out to me. They make me think of things I haven't thought of yet, like how to sell it.

I think it could be sold in America. This hasn't really been done, before. Even American Gladiators and Wipeout are just about people beating each other. I think a new focus - work together, beat the course, not each other - could work. It would at least be interesting, and that interest can evolve into a small cult, like we have here. Once that begins, the cult grows and before you know it, the show continues for 11 years.

I would like it to be very close to Sasuke, but much harder. Sort of like Viking was. Viking was like Sasuke on 'roids. Of course I couldn't just take Sasuke obstacles, but I would definitely contact them and see how closely I can base my obstacles on theirs. There would only be a few, so it's not like a total rip off of Sasuke, but still, I wouldn't do what Wipeout did. Using MXC to promote their crap.

I don't know how many competitors I would allow on the course each competition, so I can't say how many I want to pass, but let's just say I do go with 100, like Sasuke. I would want 5 or 6 people to pass stage one, 2, maybe 3 people to pass stage two and no one to pass stage three except every once in a while.

I really want it to be hard.

And Laz, that's a wonderful idea. If we all could get together somehow and we had a large amount of money to use, I would LOVE to do that.