BattleBots -- Series Discussion Thread
03-07-03, 07:02 PM
#76
DVD Talk Special Edition
Robotica was a TLC produced show. It is officially dead.
Robot Wars airs on TNN-the black bar network. From what little I have seen, the US version of the show is hosted by some biker dude, and the UK version as shown on TNN has the Craig Charles segments removed.
Battlebots has released version 3.0 of the technical regs, but no announcement of future battles.
And, BTW, according to the official website, several of the Battlebots will be featured on the March 27th episode of CSI.
Robot Wars airs on TNN-the black bar network. From what little I have seen, the US version of the show is hosted by some biker dude, and the UK version as shown on TNN has the Craig Charles segments removed.
Battlebots has released version 3.0 of the technical regs, but no announcement of future battles.
And, BTW, according to the official website, several of the Battlebots will be featured on the March 27th episode of CSI.
03-07-03, 07:28 PM
#77
DVD Talk God
You'd think that since Battlebots was the most popular robot fighting show, another network would snap it up to put it on the air.
03-07-03, 11:42 PM
#78
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Battlebots became too commercialized. I really enjoyed the first season, but after that I got really bored with the show. Maybe I am in the minority, but after awhile the whole idea lost its effect on me, like I needed a larger dosage or something...
03-09-03, 01:53 PM
#80
DVD Talk Legend
I think the problem is too many of the contestants were trying to design pretty much the same robot. It almost all wedges after a while. 3 minute long weak ramming battles with barely any originality. I liked any both with a spinning blade. They should add more environment damage if they make a new season. MORE KILLSAWS!
03-12-03, 06:33 AM
#81
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The last couple of seasons had some great new designs though. Son of Whyachi and Complete Control for example. And it was cool to see the vets staying in with old bots but good driving skills(Biohazard, Voltronic)
D
D
03-12-03, 03:41 PM
#83
DVD Talk Legend
I'd like to see it in 2 to 3 hour specials, with each weight class tourney taking up a special. The only gripe I had with this show was remembering which bot was what.
03-12-03, 04:04 PM
#84
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Originally posted by resinrats
I think Sci-Fi Channel would be a good fit for Battlebots. I don't see it costing that much to produce. The robots are paid for by the contestants, not the show.
I think Sci-Fi Channel would be a good fit for Battlebots. I don't see it costing that much to produce. The robots are paid for by the contestants, not the show.
As for the robots, as spainlinx0 pointed out, they are all becoming wedges and it's boring. I watched a few seasons (thanks tivo season pass) and it just worse and worse as it went on...
07-16-03, 05:31 PM
#85
DVD Talk Legend
BATTLEBOTS on SpikeTV (The New TNN)
I miss Battlebots. Such a great show. Of course, it was totally on the wrong network -- Comedy Central and fighting robots just don't mix.
Now the New TNN -- aka SpikeTV -- that would be the perfect place for Battlebots! We need to petition them to add this to their lineup. I don't watch anything they have on the air now, but any network that can make a multi-episode commitment to something like Slamball has to see the potential in Battlebots.
What do you think? Below is a link you can use to send a message to the New TNN/Spike TV if you agree with me.
http://www.thenewtnn.com/mail_form.jhtml
Now the New TNN -- aka SpikeTV -- that would be the perfect place for Battlebots! We need to petition them to add this to their lineup. I don't watch anything they have on the air now, but any network that can make a multi-episode commitment to something like Slamball has to see the potential in Battlebots.
What do you think? Below is a link you can use to send a message to the New TNN/Spike TV if you agree with me.
http://www.thenewtnn.com/mail_form.jhtml
07-16-03, 07:29 PM
#86
DVD Talk God
damn, i thought this was an announcement that they were bringing it to Spike TV. Don't taunt me like that. 
07-17-03, 08:50 AM
#90
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Battlebots is a ripoff of RobotWars. But Battlebots is still much much better. The bots on RW are mostly weak, the ring is so small that there's no strategy, the House Robots completly ruin any sense of true competition and the competitors don't seem to care if they win or lose.
It'd be great for Spike to get BB but they already had RW on for a while. First with Mick Foley as the host and then with Joanie Laurer hosting some sort of RW rerun fest.
D
It'd be great for Spike to get BB but they already had RW on for a while. First with Mick Foley as the host and then with Joanie Laurer hosting some sort of RW rerun fest.
D
07-18-03, 03:18 PM
#91
DVD Talk Special Edition
There is a link on the Battlebots site to a story about the history of robot fighting. It's a messy legal situation where it was originally called Robot Wars. Then, through some legal mumbo jumbo, the rights to Robot Wars could no longer be used by the creators, so they came up with Battlebots. That's why on all of their literature, they say essentially "Battlebots is not associated in any way with Robot Wars." However, some of the builders have appeared on both shows.
07-21-03, 11:12 AM
#92
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If Battlebots comes back via Spike TV (please God!!!), I hope they keep the same two hosts. They were pretty funny and added a nice touch to the show, making it seem almost like a sporting event. As for the other talking heads, can them all (Carmen Electra, Tony Rock, etc.), they all suck. Bring back Bill Nye!!
07-23-03, 03:18 PM
#93
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
I really hated the sports announcer style of it. That was totally lame. I like how Robot Wars kept it more like a match and not a football game. The people on Robot Wars though were so bad... all a bunch of antisocial nerds who tried to smack talk the other team. It was painful to watch... just painful.
In the end though, I probably liked Robot Wars better... but I never really saw too much Battlebots, the ones I did could have been just some bad matches...
I did like the one on TLC where they had time competitions and stuff.
In the end though, I probably liked Robot Wars better... but I never really saw too much Battlebots, the ones I did could have been just some bad matches...
I did like the one on TLC where they had time competitions and stuff.
03-16-08, 01:42 PM
#94
DVD Talk God
Battlebots coming back courtesy of ESPN....
One of the more fun guilty pleasures out there. 
http://www.battlebots.com/news_home.asp#espn
The only thing I don't like is they are doing more behind the scenes stuff. I just want robot destruction.
The "open" class sounds like fun, too.
http://www.battlebots.com/news_home.asp#espn
The only thing I don't like is they are doing more behind the scenes stuff. I just want robot destruction.
The "open" class sounds like fun, too.
03-16-08, 01:50 PM
#95
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Sweet news, her's hoping the matches have the same charm as the old shows. I enjoyed them quite a bit and hopefully they will not take too much time with the behind the scenes stuff as i agree more robot destruction is a good thing.
03-16-08, 03:24 PM
#97
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They need to get a real tough "champ to try and defeat" this time. That would make it interesting. There needs to be something to root for; backstories are boring.
Get Grant Imahara and his robot stuff out there.
Get Grant Imahara and his robot stuff out there.
03-16-08, 03:30 PM
#98
DVD Talk God
Originally Posted by The Cow
They need to get a real tough "champ to try and defeat" this time. That would make it interesting. There needs to be something to root for; backstories are boring.
Get Grant Imahara and his robot stuff out there.
Get Grant Imahara and his robot stuff out there.
Looks like this is a college competition. But they appear to be trying to line up professionals for a taping after the college one, in the hopes of it airing as well. I'd love to see some of the Mythbuster alums make appearances.
02-06-15, 05:42 PM
#99
re: BattleBots -- Series Discussion Thread
The battling robots are back! Twelve years after BattleBots ended its run on Comedy Central, ABC has picked up a reimagined take of the killer robot combat sport, from Whalerock Industries and the creators of the original BattleBots franchise, Ed Roski and Greg Munson. Former ABC topper Lloyd Braun executive produces the project, which has received a six-episode order to air this summer.
Like the original, the new series will feature homemade robots battling against each other in a single elimination tournament style format, until there is one champion. Of course, it will bring the franchise to 2015 with next generation robots – bigger, faster and stronger. The show also will have a greater emphasis on the design and build elements of each robot, the bot builder backstories, their intense pursuit of the championship and the spectacle of the event. There will be cash prizes for winners in the Championship Rounds.
Separate weight classes will be eliminated so that robots of all sizes will battle against each other. (In the original BattleBots tournaments, robots were divided into four categories: Lightweight – 60 pounds; Middleweight – 120 pounds; Heavyweight – 220 pounds and Superheavyweight – 340 pounds)
State of the Art Onboard Technology and Cameras will be used for combat analytics. MGM Television, which has a development deal with Whalerock Industries, will be distributing the program internationally. Executive Producers are Braun, Chris Cowan, Roski and Munson.
A couple of years ago, Discovery Channel tried to launch a series with the same basic concept, Robogeddon, from producers James Cameron and Mark Burnett.
The BattleBots company launched robot competitions in 1999. That led to five semi-annual BattleBots tournaments, which were televised as a primetime series on Comedy Central. It premiered on 2000 and ran for five seasons.
Like the original, the new series will feature homemade robots battling against each other in a single elimination tournament style format, until there is one champion. Of course, it will bring the franchise to 2015 with next generation robots – bigger, faster and stronger. The show also will have a greater emphasis on the design and build elements of each robot, the bot builder backstories, their intense pursuit of the championship and the spectacle of the event. There will be cash prizes for winners in the Championship Rounds.
Separate weight classes will be eliminated so that robots of all sizes will battle against each other. (In the original BattleBots tournaments, robots were divided into four categories: Lightweight – 60 pounds; Middleweight – 120 pounds; Heavyweight – 220 pounds and Superheavyweight – 340 pounds)
State of the Art Onboard Technology and Cameras will be used for combat analytics. MGM Television, which has a development deal with Whalerock Industries, will be distributing the program internationally. Executive Producers are Braun, Chris Cowan, Roski and Munson.
A couple of years ago, Discovery Channel tried to launch a series with the same basic concept, Robogeddon, from producers James Cameron and Mark Burnett.
The BattleBots company launched robot competitions in 1999. That led to five semi-annual BattleBots tournaments, which were televised as a primetime series on Comedy Central. It premiered on 2000 and ran for five seasons.
02-06-15, 06:38 PM
#100
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re: BattleBots -- Series Discussion Thread
Wow ... I was thinking of Battlebots earlier this week ... Didn't realize it has been 12 years!
I'm excited to hear this! I wonder what differences 12 years of technology will bring us. Somebody (SyFy?) had a recent series with giant robots in the last few years. It was interesting.
I'm excited to hear this! I wonder what differences 12 years of technology will bring us. Somebody (SyFy?) had a recent series with giant robots in the last few years. It was interesting.