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Wipeout is an American gameshow, similar to Takeshi's Castle and Ninja Warrior. Each episode, contestants attempt to beat an array of giant obstacles and challenges in the best time possible.
The series is hosted and
voiced-over by John Anderson and
John Henson, while Jill Wagner
interviews the competitors down
on the course in Los Angeles.
Each episode begins with 24 contestants, competing for a chance to reach the final. However, to do this, they need to run, balance, jump and dodge their way through three
rounds of comical physical challenges; all designed to cause "Wipeouts". Only the fastest, or longest standing, contestants make it through each round, with half being eliminated in the preliminary courses.
Only four contestants will make it to the final. Here they must complete the toughest and
most tiring course of the
competition in the fastest time
possible. The contestant that
reaches the finishing spot the
quickest is the day's Wipeout
Champion, and wins $50,000.
Wipeout premiered on the 24th June 2008, on ABC in America. Each new series runs throughout the summer months, airing one episode a week.
In the UK, Wipeout is broadcast on Watch. One new episode is aired weekly, several months after its American airdate, with repeats of older episodes regularly showing throughout the week all year round. On Watch, the episodes are shown in production order, rather than the selected order they are shown in on ABC.
Each episode begins with the Qualifier. This is an obstacle course made up of five (originally four) giant obstacles placed over mud or water. Some of these obstacles are mainstays throughout the series, while others, mainly the first obstacle, change every week.
24 contestants start the show,
each taking on the Qualifier one at
a time. If a contestant falls off an
obstacle, they have to climb up
the next ladder/slope and continue
on with the course. The 12 that complete the course in the fastest time move onto Round Two, while the slowest 12 lose and are out of the game.
These 12 now compete in Round Two. The challenge for this round is the same for each block of episodes, but with different variations regularly applied. Here, the number is again cut in half. The six contestants that win this round move onto Round Three, while the other six are out of the game.
Round Three is used to eliminate just two contestants, so
that only four are left. There are several completely different games that are played for this round, which regularly rotate through the series. The four winners from here make it into the final stage - the Wipeout Zone.
When night falls, the Wipeout Zone kicks into action. This Zone is another massive obstacle course, set over water, which needs to be completed in the fastest time possible. The same obstacles are used for
every block of episodes, but most
are usually modified in some way
every show. Unlike the Qualifier, if
a contestant fails an obstacle here
they must keep attempting it until
they are successful (or the time
runs out). The four finalists take on the course one at a time. The contestant that completes the course in the fastest time becomes the Wipeout Champion, and earns themselves $50,000.
While each episode features new obstacles, some challenges constantly return throughout a series. Here's a quick guide to Wipeout's regular obstacles.
| Qualifier | Series 1 |
| Sucker Punch | Episodes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10 |
| Big Balls | Episodes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 | Series 2 |
| Big Balls | Episodes: Sp, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 |
| Log Roll | Episodes: Sp, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12, 14 |
| Fender Bender | Episodes: Sp, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12, 14 |
| Sucker Punch | Episodes: 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16 |
| Hurtles | Episodes: 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 16 |
| Swing Set | Episodes: 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 16 |
| Round Two | Series 1 |
| Sweeper | Episodes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 | Series 2 |
| King of the Mountain | Episodes: Sp, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12, 14 |
| Sweeper | Episodes: 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16 |
| Round Three | Series 1 |
| Dizzy Dummy | Episodes: 1, 3, 5, 8 |
| Dreadmill | Episodes: 2, 4, 6, 10 | Series 2 |
| Dizzy Dummy 2.0 | Episodes: Sp, 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12, 14 |
| Slippery Course | Episodes: 1, 7, 13, 16 |
| Bucking Bull/Rocket | Episodes: 3, 6, 9, 11 |
- All-Star: Memorable losing contestants from past series'
return for another shot at the $50,000.
- All Ball: Each round is crammed with more balls than
ever.
- Blind Date: The 24 contestants are paired up with their
"love-matches" to form 12 couples. These
newly formed couples then have to take on the
Qualifier together. Both contestants in a pair
have to make it through Round Two separately
in order to reach Round Three, and then the
Zone, as a team. The winning couple earns
themselves $100,000.
- Bowl: All courses are football-themed in this special
that airs on the day of the Super Bowl.
- Couples: 12 couples compete, with each pair taking on
the Qualifier together. Both contestants in a
couple have to then make it through rounds
Two and Three separately in order to reach
the Zone as a team.
- Wipeys: A clip-show episode that awards the best, and
worst, contestants, obstacles and moments
with a special Wipey Award.
Numerous countires around the world have produced their own versions of Wipeout. These international series' are all filmed in Argentina.
Argentina
Name: Hombre al Agua ("Man in the Water")
Channel: Canal 13
Premiered: 5th January 2009
Hosts: Brothers Weinbaum
Extra info: Hombre al Agua is the only version not to include a Round Three. The hosts present the whole show on the course and friends and family watch from the sidelines during the Wipeout Zone.
Australia
Name: Wipeout Australia
Channel: Nine
Premiered: 3rd February 2009
Hosts: James Brayshaw, Josh Lawson,
Kelly Landry (Reporter)
Extra info: Wipeout Australia is faithful to the original format, earning it the title of "best international version" amongst most Wipeout fans. You can find out more about Wipeout Australia here.
Canada
Name: Wipeout Québec
Channel: V
Premiered: 31st August 2009
Hosts: Réal Béland, Alain Dumas,
Valérie Simard (Reporter)
Extra info: Each competition is shown over the course of three half-hour episodes a week.
France
Name: Total Wipeout
Channel: M6
Premiered: 17th July 2009
Hosts: Stéphane Rotenberg, Alex Goude,
Sandrine Corman (Reporter)
Extra info: Follows the same format as the UK, including regular interviews and constant replays.
Germany
Name: Wipeout - Heul nicht, lauf!
("Wipeout - Don't cry, run!")
Channel: ProSieben
Premiered: 10th March 2009
Hosts: Matthias Opdenhövel, Werner Hansch,
Charlotte Engelhardt (Reporter)
Extra info: Follows the original format.
Turkey
Name: Wipeout
Channel: Show TV
Premiered: 30th January 2009
Host: Asuman Krause
Extra info: Solely presented by one host, from the course, each episode of Wipeout Turkey runs for two hours (minus adverts). It was the first international version to use Seires 2 obstacles.
UK
Name: Total Wipeout
Channel: BBC One
Premiered: 3rd January 2009
Hosts: Richard Hammond, Amanda Byram (Reporter)
Extra info: Only a few different obstacles are used over the course of a series, and challenges are rarly variated. The show is padded with unnecessary interviews and recaps. You can find out more about series 1 of Total Wipeout here.