Isn't it time to bring back Battle of the Network Stars? (1 Viewer)

1. There's several more networks now, so the competition could be head to head between two alternating networks in an elimination tournament fashion.

2. There's a reality TV craze going on.

3. Almost all of the actors are in better shape than Gabe Kaplan ever was.

4. It's a better idea than bringing back Dance Fever.

So why hasn't this happened already? We're in that dead zone of sports between the end of the NBA and NHL and the beginning of the NFL where anyone who isn't a golf or baseball fan has a lack of regular sports entertainment.

The dunk tank, the obstacle course, Simon Says, the inflatable kayak race... who wouldn't watch this?

My proposal:

Hosts: Marv Albert and Ali Landry

Each team needs the following:
At least one person who is actually athletic.
At least one woman who is really hot and willing to be ogled.
At least one wise-cracking guy is not in great shape but is really competitive.
Somebody with a new show that the network needs to promote the hell out of.
A back-up athlete - you don't expect much from them, but they are really fast or limber or some other unexpected thing.
A child or teenage star.

NBC (who I think holds the rights to the show)
Matt Leblanc
Joe Rogan
Molly Sims (new show Las Vegas to promote)
Jerry Orbach or Richard Schiff
Brittany Snow
? who else

ABC
Jennifer Garner
Jim Belushi or George Lopez
Eric Roberts (gives off that could go crazy like Robert Conrad vibe)
Jimmy Kimmel
Kaley Cuoco (from 8 Simple Rules)
? who else

CBS
Eric Close
Catherine Bell
Randy Quaid (new show needs promoting)
Jeff Probst
Brad Garrett (definitely the anchor for the tug of war)
? for the child/teen

Fox
Eliza Dushku
Luis Guzman
Bernie Mac
Andrew Lawrence (from Oliver Beene)
Hank Azaria
? for the primary athlete

UPN
The Rock
Dorien Wilson
Dan Cortese
Jolene Blalock
? who else

WB
Tom Welling
Alyssa Milano
Donal Logue
Jamie Kennedy
Amanda Bynes
? who else

What do you think?

Brad

No, but I do think it's time to bring back Battle of the Network T's & A's.

Was just talking about this the other day with my partner...that and Circus of the Stars. Honestly, as much fun as what it would be, this day in time, I don't think that 1) you would get the Networks to participate as they once did as a team effort, and 2) don't think that the people in Hollywood are the same breed as the stars of old.

Meaning, I am sure that if anything when this show was originaly done, that the people either volunteered their 'talent' or were paid very little...today's stars with all their lawyers and stuff would never allow the prospect of their 'money' being injured to where the show would be sacrificed.

In line of the networks, cross promotion doesn't happen much anymore. You aren't going to see NBC promoting talent that is on ABC. You would more than likely, if something like this was to return as show like "Battle of the WB Stars" or something along that line network specific.

Wouldn't it be fun to have these old shows on DVD?

Still get chills when I think of that stunning Showdown between Gabe "Welcome Back Kotter" Kapaln and Robert "Baa Baa Black Sheep" Conrad.

Great TV.

Bring it back!!

Hahaha. I have to agree with Chuck L... I don't think today's stars would go for this with their multimillion dollar contracts and all. When your big stars are Dick Van Patten, Fred "Re-run" Berry and Joyce DeWitt, the networks had more leverage to get them to humiliate themselves.

Does anyone remember the CHiPs where they had John and Ponch participate in the Battle of the Network stars so NBC could reuse all the footage? They just cut john and ponch into scenes from the actual competitions, without shooting any new footage of them with the stars? It was pretty shameless.

Don't blame me for this!

At least I was right about Ali Landry being involved.

Brad

No big names, but there are some hotties involved and it should be fun to watch.

~T

I'm still waiting for someone to bring back The Gong Show

Anything that brings me more Brooke Burns is worth my time!!!

Trio ran an entire day of BOTNS a week or so ago and I must say that it was some of the most entertaining television I've seen in a while. What I had forgotten was that the reason these people worked so hard at winning was that each member of the winning team took home $20,000. A nice sum in 1976!

The Gabe Kaplan/Robert Conrad feud was a frickin' hoot to watch. Conrad was such a dick!

I was watching Dinner for Five on IFC and someone, I forget who, had a funny story about BOTNS when they had worked on it as an assistant or hand or whatever.

The guy was stationed at the airport in Mexico where they filmed the show and he was waiting to collect Dick Van Dyke. Van Dyke gets off his plane so drunk that, as he walks up to the terminal, misses the door,slams into the glass wall, and falls to the ground. Seeing this, the guy starts yelling into his walkie-talkie, "Van Dyke is down! Van Dyke is down!" as he runs up to the fallen network star.

Good Stuff

Somebody wrote an article a few weeks ago about whether or not it could be brought back. There are so many more networks now, and performers are more wealthy and ego-centric, so it is unlikely that it could be resurrected in its original form.

Of course we have stuff now like Celebrity Boxing, which is about in the same class of programming.

I imagine if it could be resurrected, it would have to be on a neutral entertainment network like E!, hosted by Jules Asner or Brook Burke. It could be something like a 13-week reality show featuring competitions between cable and broadcasting networks, with a final episode during sweeps month where finalists compete for a championship.

The sports would have to be something celebs would want to participate in - softball, golf, volleyball, etc. It would be like a network Olympics perhaps. I doubt any big names would participate, but you might get second tier people who want to get their names "out there".

Of course now they'd never have the variety of personalities or physical types that you got with the old show. You had everyone from Jimmie Walker to Farrah Fawcett. Now, you'd just get some inane jiggly women and brainless soap star hunks. Plus, no one could replace Cosell. He took it so seriously. Sadly, it was very much a product of its time. I enjoyed the heck out of watching it, though.

More info on the August 16 NBC special at the futon critic.