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,[2] the series premiered on June 13, 2016 on NBC.[3]
| Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Kent Weed |
| Presented by |
|
| Opening theme | "Someone's Watching me" by Qleo ft. Lazee |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 14 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Arthur Smith[1] Kent Weed[1] Anthony Storm[1] Joe DeSena[1] Jeffrey Connor[1] Kenneth C. Koleyni[1] |
| Camera setup | Multiple-camera |
| Production company | A. Smith & Co. |
| Original release | |
| Network | NBC |
| Release | June 13, 2016 – July 23, 2017 |
On March 17, 2017, NBC renewed the series for a second season which premiered on June 12, 2017.[4] The second season concluded with "Strike a Pose" winning the grand prize of $250,000.[5]
Premise
editThe series will bring people together in teams of five – two men, two women, and an "elite Spartan athlete" who will be picked by the show and serve as team captain. The elite athlete will either be from the Spartan Pro Team or from a different field of expertise.[2]
Production
editThis section needs to be updated. (May 2017) |
The deadline for applications for season one was September 27, 2015.[6] 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][2][7] A total of fourteen episodes have been ordered by NBC.[1]
Spartan Obstacles
editIconic 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
editSeason 1
edit| No. in series |
Episode | Air date | Timeslot | Rating/Share (18–49) |
Viewers (millions) |
Nightly rank |
Weekly rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Premiere" | June 13, 2016 | Monday 10:00 p.m. | 1.5 | 5 | 4.84[9] | 4 | 10[10] |
| 2 | "Bet The Farm" | June 20, 2016 | 1.4 | 5 | 4.54[11] | 3 | TBA | |
| 3 | "No One Triumphs Alone" | June 23, 2016 | Thursday 9:00 p.m. | 0.8 | 3 | 2.75[12] | 7 | TBA |
| 4 | "Spartan vs. Ninja" | June 30, 2016 | 1.0 | 4 | 3.71[13] | 6 | TBA | |
| 5 | "The Comeback" | July 7, 2016 | 0.9 | 3 | 3.17[14] | 6 | TBA | |
| 6 | "Spartan vs. Ninja: The Sequel" | July 14, 2016 | 1.0 | 4 | 3.14[15] | 5 | TBA | |
| 7/8 | "Spartan Season One Championship" | July 21, 2016 | 0.9 | 4 | 3.23[16] | 5 | TBA | |
Season 2
edit| No. in series |
Episode | Air date | Timeslot | Rating/Share (18–49) |
Viewers (millions) |
Nightly rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Premiere" | June 12, 2017 | Monday 10:00 p.m. | 0.9 | 4 | 3.45[17] | 5 |
| 2 | "Qualifiers - Night 2" | June 19, 2017 | 1.2 | 5 | 4.47[18] | 3 | |
| 3 | "Qualifiers - Night 3" | June 26, 2017 | 1.0 | 4 | 3.67[19] | 3 | |
| 4 | "Qualifiers - Night 4" | July 3, 2017 | 0.8 | 4 | 3.45[20] | 2 | |
| 5 | "Round Two - Night 1" | July 10, 2017 | 1.0 | 4 | 3.90[21] | 3 | |
| 6 | "Round Two - Night 2" | July 17, 2017 | 1.0 | 4 | 3.75[22] | 3 | |
| 7/8 | "Season Finale" | July 23, 2017 | Sunday 9:00 p.m. | 0.5 | 2 | 2.19[23] | 9 |
Adaptations
editA 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
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "About the Show". NBCUniversal. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
- ^ a b c Davis, Matt (August 26, 2015). "Spartan Race Launching "Short Course" TV Show". Obstacle Racing Media. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
- ^ "'The Night Shift' and 'Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge' Set June Debuts". The Futon Critic. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
- ^ Pedersen, Erik (March 17, 2017). "NBC Sets Summer Premieres: 'Marlon,' 'Midnight, Texas,' 'Carmichael Show,' Reality & More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
- ^ "'Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge' crowns a winner". www.wnypapers.com. Retrieved 2018-08-08.
- ^ "Dates and Locations for Regional Rounds and Finals". Spartan Casting. NBC. Retrieved November 3, 2015.
- ^ "Casting Begins for New NBC Competition Series "Spartan Race"". The Futon Critic. Futon Media. August 26, 2015. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
- ^ "Meet Latina sportscaster MJ Acosta, of NBC's 'Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge'". NBC News. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
- ^ Porter, Rick. "Monday final ratings: 'So You Think You Can Dance' adjusts up, 'Reign' and 'Whose Line' ajdust down, final NBA numbers". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 15, 2016. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
- ^ Porter, Rick. "Broadcast weekly Top 25: NBA Finals rule the week of June 13–19". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 23, 2016. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
- ^ Porter, Rick. "Monday final ratings: 'Bachelorette' adjusts up, 'Spartan' and 'Mistresses' adjust down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 23, 2016. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
- ^ Porter, Rick (June 24, 2016). "Thursday final ratings: 'Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge' adjusts up". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 25, 2016. Retrieved June 24, 2016.
- ^ Porter, Rick (July 1, 2016). "Thursday final ratings: 'Greatest Hits,' 'Big Brother' and all others hold". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on July 2, 2016. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
- ^ Porter, Rick (July 8, 2016). "Thursday final ratings: 'Big Brother' adjusts up, 'Greatest Hits' and 'Aquarius' adjust down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on July 10, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
- ^ Porter, Rick (July 15, 2016). "Thursday final ratings: 'Bones' and 'Spartan' adjust up, 'Aquarius' adjusts down". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on July 16, 2016. Retrieved July 15, 2016.
- ^ Porter, Rick (July 22, 2016). "Thursday final ratings: ABC's RNC coverage adjusts up". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on July 23, 2016. Retrieved July 22, 2016.
- ^ Porter, Rick (June 13, 2017). "NBA Finals end with a bang: Monday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 13, 2017. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
- ^ Porter, Rick (June 20, 2017). "'Still Star-Crossed' adjusts down: Monday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 21, 2017. Retrieved June 20, 2017.
- ^ Porter, Rick (June 27, 2017). "'Spartan,' 'Superhuman,' several reruns adjust down: Monday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on June 28, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
- ^ Porter, Rick (July 6, 2017). "'American Ninja Warrior' adjusts up: Monday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on July 6, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
- ^ Porter, Rick (July 11, 2017). "'Gong Show' rerun adjusts down: Monday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on July 12, 2017. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
- ^ Porter, Rick (July 18, 2017). "'American Ninja Warrior,' 'Bachelorette' and others hold: Monday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on July 20, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
- ^ Porter, Rick (July 25, 2017). "'Spartan' finale, 'Big Brother' and everything else unchanged: Sunday final ratings". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on July 25, 2017. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
- ^ Keslassy, Elsa (2016-12-07). "NBCUniversal Intl. Formats Sells 'Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge' to Denmark's Kanal5". Variety. Retrieved 2018-02-06.
- ^ Knox, David (29 September 2017). "Seven confirms Australian Spartan". TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 January 2018.