The popular physical competition show, Wipeout, is returning to the airwaves, this time on the TBS network. Upon its debut in 2008, Wipeout earned strong ratings and critical acclaim for its formula, pairing outrageous obstacle courses and the subsequent physical comedy with commentary from co-hosts John Anderson and John Henson, as well as the on-the-ground correspondent, Jill Wagner. Inspired by Japanese game shows like Takeshi’s Castle (which gained popularity in the United States thanks to a dubbed re-edit, called Most Extreme Elimination Challenge, or MXC), Wipeout provided seven seasons of family-friendly Three Stooges-styled entertainment before being quietly cancelled in 2015.
While Wipeout was a ratings hit, its cancellation was an indication the show had simply run its course, so to speak. Fans of the series hoped Wipeout might return in some form, but would have to placate themselves with reruns or YouTube videos of similarly themed physical competition shows. However, Wipeout must have proved popular in syndication or elsewhere, since it’s returning to television soon, but on a different network.
In a surprise announcement, TBS has ordered 20 new episodes of Wipeout. Sharon Levy, DJ Nurre, Shyam Balsé and Kevin Wehrenberg will serve as executive producers on the revival, while original creator Matt Kunitz, is returning as executive producer and showrunner. It’s currently unknown if the original hosts will reprise their roles, but hopes are high that Anderson, Henson and Wagner will return, since their colorful banter was a big part of the show’s success beyond the obvious appeal of people falling down in various fashions.
While the Wipeout revival is set to air on TBS, it’s also easy to see the announcement of the series as a way to bolster the lineup of HBO Max. TBS is part of WarnerMedia’s roster of networks, so it’s likely original content from these networks will find a long-term home on HBO Max following its initial television airing.
Whatever the case may be, it’s great to see Wipeout returning to television in one form or another. It remains to be seen how different the new iteration will be, since the network promises a “re-imagined” take on the classic series, with new twists to shake things up. Still, Wipeout has a simple-but-perfect formula of “witty banter over amusing pratfalls,” and fans of the series wouldn’t want to change the core of the show. Hopefully, the original hosts of Wipeout will return, but no matter what, the network promises one thing: there will be big balls.
