Celebs go head-to-head
Stars participate in sports-centred competition on Battle of the Network Stars
POSTMEDIA NETWORK
Who’d win in a foot race: Jimmie Walker or Danny Bonaduce? Would a swimming meet put Lance Bass or Mischa Barton on top? And kayak to kayak, would Lou Ferrigno or Mackenzie Phillips paddle to victory? It’s questions like these that fuel the reimagined
debuting Thursday on ABC.
Those celebrities — plus 94 others — will participate in the sportscentred competition, a reboot of the series that aired in the 1970s and ’80s. The new version sees stars from 14 different network and cable companies perform feats of physical fitness. MMA champion Ronda Rousey and Super Bowl champion DeMarcus Ware are permanent coaches. The show genres and eras are mixed, so we’ll see matchups like TV cops vs. TV sitcom actors, TV parents facing TV kids, and sex symbols battling those from the sci-fi fantasy realm. The challenges include tug of war, archery, kayak relay, obstacle course and dunk tank. Plus, there’ll be some random antics to lend a little levity. “In other remakes, like
or people remember the structure and format of the shows,” executive producer Andrew Glassman told
“With people remembered the spirit and energy of the show. It’s like the end-of-summer colour wars if you went to camp, or the Summer Olympics, but with people you know and love from TV.”
He said the format of the reboot “will be a little faster, more uptempo and a little simpler in many ways.” Enough. Can’t we just have a good time and have a laugh?”
the animals-gone-bad drama based on the like-named 2012 novel, returns Thursday on CBS and CTV. In the season 2 finale, Mitch (Billy Burke) let himself be mauled by feral hybrid animals so his friends could escape. Then, a 10-year time jump: The animals are cured, and humanity is sterile. In season 3 teasers, Mitch is submersed in a mysterious liquid — presumably alive in some way or another.