"The Contender" (2005) TV series 2005-2007

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Creator:

Mark Burnett

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

7 March 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Reality-TV | Sport

Tagline:

Who will roll?

Plot:

Hosts Sylvester Stallone and Sugar Ray Leonard give 16 young boxing hopefuls a shot at the big time...

Plot Keywords:

Boxing | Non Fiction

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys.

Cast

Sugar Ray Leonard	...	Himself - Host / ... (43 episodes, 2005-2007)
Jeff Connor	...	Himself - Ring Announcer / ... (32 episodes, 2005-2007)
Alfonso Gomez Jr.	...	Fighter / ... (32 episodes, 2005-2007)
Tommy Gallagher	...	Trainer / ... (27 episodes, 2005-2006)
Jeremy Williams	...	Trainer / ... (27 episodes, 2005-2006)
Sergio Mora	...	Fighter / ... (27 episodes, 2005-2007)
Jeff Fraza	...	Fighter / ... (27 episodes, 2005-2006)
Peter Manfredo Jr.	...	Fighter / ... (25 episodes, 2005-2007)
Jesse Brinkley	...	Fighter / ... (22 episodes, 2005-2007)

Runtime:

USA:90 min (pilot episode) (including commercials) | 120 min (season finale) (including commercials) | 60 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Caesar's Palace - 3570 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

Sylvester Stallone's brother Frank Stallone participated as a boxing scout while looking for contenders in spring 2004 in the United States.

Quotes:

Alfonso Gomez Jr.: [after he beat Peter Manfredo] Manfredo, I'm sorry, but today was my day.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Favouritism: Boy George's Queerest TV Moments (#1.1)" (2005)

Finally, there's a point!!

Usually, I can't stand "reality" shows. I don't care to see average people go through anything to get on television, not to mention the fact that the presence of cameras totally contaminates their behavior. I can survive on an island for over a month, I can eat cattle eyes, and I could cheat on my girlfriend. I just don't think any of it is worth it just to be recognized(for a little while). I know, the money doesn't hurt either but greed isn't any more noble than vanity.

So, on to the point. "The Contender" buries all those other shows for a few reasons. First of all, these guys are doing something most of us can't. They are professional fighters. Getting punched hurts, staying in peak physical condition all the time takes way more discipline than the average north American can muster in their dreams. I'm a big sports fan and part of the appeal is athletes(with the exception of some baseball players) are as close to super human as you can get. The second reason this show stands above is because their behavior wouldn't change much without the cameras. The only exception is there would be no Sly, but don't forget, he's just an actor anyway. And finally, at there is a fight at the end of each show, again, I'm a fight fan so knowing there will be a professional boxing match with elimination on the line is really exciting to me.

My only criticism is the cheesy over-dramatization, but it's network TV and they would jump off a building before presenting something at face value(think Superbowl).

_D