NBC Bringing Flexy Back

Variety reports that NBC plans on bringing "American Gladiators" back to television for midseason. While I was a big time fan of the show back in the day, I don't think my enthusiasm is anywhere near that of the masterminds behind the return:

"We've been circling around this property for a long time now," said Craig Plestis, exec VP of alternative programming, development and specials at NBC Entertainment. "It's truly what's not in the TV landscape right now. While everyone's zigging, I'm attracted to doing a zag."

Plestis said he was particularly interested in the original U.K. version of "Gladiators," which focused even more on the characters and the behind-the-scenes stories of common folk going up against the show's powerful stars. The new "Gladiators," he said, "will have the scale, scope, different characters and family drama that the U.K. version had."

"We're not going to completely reinvent the wheel here," he said. "But we're making it better, faster and stronger."

MGM Worldwide TV co-prexy Jim Packer gave his thoughts as well:

"The timing to bring the franchise back is perfect, and NBC is the ideal home," Packer said. "It's a very big, grandiose type of show."

Circling? Attracted to doing a zag? Better, faster and stronger? Big and grandiose? My subtext detector readings are off the charts! I bet if I asked these guys to describe the meeting that generated this idea they would describe it as "a series of back and forth ejaculations of material from our throbbing heads."