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Extreme Dodgeball 3 is over and I'm already sold: this is the best show this network has put on to date (since the change to GSN). The game is now in four quarters of six minutes per quarter. A points system is implemented: elimination results in a point, a caught ball results in a point, and if your team is wiped out, you get two points and four new teammates come in. The regeneration rule is revised: now it's 30 seconds and if you last, one member comes back on the field. Regeneration can be used as many times as needed also. The 2nd quarter introduces the Big Ball, and an elimination with the Big Ball results in 2 points. Dead Man Walking returns with people swapping headbands if the DMW is eliminated. Taking out the DMW results in two points. A football-like Two Minute warning is in effect. $5,000 goes to the winning team of each game.

The stadium is absolutely spectacular. It's in the same studio as before, now it is totally enclosed, like a dodgeball court should be.This means it's more brutal and quicker. People aren't in fear of being knocked out because of stepping over the line. I saw some hits today that just made me wince. That's saying something also since I play ice hockey. There are a few score boards around the stadium also, but there's the standard sports display on the top/left of the TV screen including city, score, and time. The on-screen display is ESPN-esque, showing kills and catches.

Every change has improved the game. The regeneration rule is now fully optimized: 30 seconds is more than enough time to allow for regeneration, and with one player coming on instead a full team, it's a more balanced experience. The shift to points means we see faster action. I haven't seen a suicide throw yet. The reason for that is if you knock out a team, it doesn't mean you're safe. Teams with good catchers and teams with good throwers are finally evened out. The league seems almost evenly matched. Tuesday's game came down to final few minutes which is what made it most exciting. The celebrity captains didn't harm the show at all because GSN is using them wisely. Dodgeball is the focus, instead of the celebs. This is the first time that celebrities have not been used to annoyance that I can remember. They didn't use new commissioner Rip Torn to the level of irritation either.

This is what Extreme Dodgeball should have been from the beginning. I'm just happy GSN didn't cancel the show before they tried something different with it like they and many networks have done in the past. The point system makes the game fast paced, more brutal, and more evenly matched. They changed their staples of the Big Ball and Dead Man Walking to fit perfectly. They fixed the rules that were just strange to make it more fair.

GSN is now a well-rounded network. Millionaire is the top traditional game show on the network and, in all honesty, is the best one currently. BallBreakers is the cool and suave show they seem like they wanted in Poker Royale and the Blackjack shows. Extreme Dodgeball is the fast paced alternative sports show. Poker Royale, while not as good as Blackjack in my opinion, is GSN's ticket to the card game genre fame. The Amazing Race is their reality show. They have every possible style they need now. They have the classics in the morning for the people who love to bitch all day about them. Extreme Dodgeball has finally filled in every hole I felt in the show. GSN, in my opinion, is complete.

posted by Alex Davis * Permalink

1 Comments:

Permalink, Gordon Pepper said…

Remember this feeling of happiness and zen-like transcendation once you have to deal with 'Wet' and 'I've Got a Secret' in 2006.