In last night’s grand final of Australian Ninja Warrior, not a single contestant managed to complete the course.
After an action packed season, the lack of a winner felt somewhat underwhelming.
So we ask the question: should the course be easier? Is it wrong that there was no winner in last night’s grand final?
Yes
I understand the heritage of the Ninja Warrior franchise. It really is the hardest obstacle course in the world, if you don’t believe me, these statistics don’t lie. But for the sake of entertainment, perhaps it should be just a little easier?
If I’m honest, after investing so much in the show, after watching the contestants complete tasks that most mere mortals couldn’t dream of achieving, I felt a little cheated that after such a thrilling series, we were denied a winner at the end.
Surely their achievements are still worth celebrating in some way? Perhaps that’s what I struggled with the most – that even the contestant that got the furthest, came away with nothing.
Call me impatient, but I don’t know if I have the time to invest in three, four, five seasons of a show to wait for a winner. We need a hero today.
No
In 1978 the band Hot Chocolate released the chart topping single “Every 1’s a Winner” and watching Ninja Warrior (whilst reading Twitter) last night, that song never seemed more poignant. People were up in arms that no one was declared “Australia’s Ultimate Ninja Warrior” despite the fact that no one finished the course.
It’s hardly a secret that we live in a day and age of ‘trophies for trying.’ Oh, you gave it your best? Here’s a trophy. It was actually refreshing on Ninja Warrior that we didn’t need (or get) a winner.
There’s no denying what the contestants achieved was mind bogglingly impressive, but they also didn’t conquer the course and so now, we wait. It took someone seven seasons in America to win the title; I know we’re overachievers in Australia, but seriously, let’s be patient. For now, it seems not every 1’s a winner baby, that’s the truth. And that’s fine by me!
Tim Robards from The Bachelor Australia attempting the course.
