• I think that one of the best things about this show is the many debates it spawns...plus I think that we can agree that when two different warrior factions do battle, everyone wins

• Props to whomever created this show! Probably the most entertaining program I've ever seen. As for the outcomes, of course there are always going to be people who think the other side won, but remember they both win many times, just one group normally a slight majority of times...so I really don't get hung up on that. I can't wait till next season's show! If they need an actor for German Barbarian, I'm in!

• Shaolin vs. Maori was very interesting, in that the Maori's weapons won out but the Maori did not. This is good news b/c it means that the show may not be as weapon-centric as it appeared to be. In other words, skill must count for a lot and the Shaolin had that in spades.

• This show thrives on "geekology," so I have a geeky point to make. I have looked at the two closest outcomes from past shows (Samurai vs. Viking and Spetznaz vs. "Green Beret"). In either case, if you enter the % of time one side wins and compare it to 50% (no difference), you find that it would actually take 1691 battles (not 1000) to get a statistically significant difference from 50%. In other words, it appears that those two episodes were TOO CLOSE TO CALL. Source: http://www.dssresearch.com/toolkit/sscalc/size_p1.asp

• the spartan is a group fighter, alone he is not as good as in formation. the viking is very strong in single combat but he was no open field battler like a roman soldier in formation they would have smashed every viking army. so its silly to compare an soldier who was trained in group combat to an single fighting style. the single style fighters were smashed in history because of the tactics a group has.

• a german tank would kill them all (by tank I mean the avarage german man)

• Sorry -- I see now that the point about having experience with different opponents WAS made! Sorry to repeat a point, but I still think I added some detail to the point and that it is such a critical variable that it ought to be one of the main areas of discussion.

• Just thought of a VERY important variable that I have not seen mentioned (maybe I just missed it): Whether someone will prevail against someone else has a HECK OF A LOT to do w/ how much EXPERIENCE they have with ALIEN/NOVEL fighting styles! For example, the Samurai may be one of the most highly-trained warriors on the show so far, but who did he face in combat? Well, more than 90% of the time, he faced other samurais with similar weapons and tactics! (Granted, the samurai practiced for speed and had a wide repetoire of moves WITHIN his particular school of discipline.) At the other extreme, a Viking, Monghol, Roman, Knight (if he had been a Crusader), and especially a Macedonian under Alexander may have faced MANY different types of warriors with very different weapons and tactics. In other words, I think some weighting to the computer program should be provided for how READY a particular warrior is to face a NOVEL opponent, especially since novel match-ups are the whole idea behind the show! Think of the Octagon and how it started with different styles and then changed quickly into MMA where everyone was practicing to dish out and deal with every possible type of fighting. Clearly, someone who has faced many different kinds of opponents will have an advantage over someone who has not. (That is not to say the Viking would always beat the Samurai, but the way -- I am making a more general point.)

• Much interesting commentary and debate here. Here are my two main suggestions for the show: 1) It would be great to include controlled sparring matches by the actual practitioners of the two competing disciplines, w/ proper safety gear. E.g., armor/padding, soft training versions of edges weapons but w/ chalk to mark strikes on opponent, paintball/airsoft versions of guns, etc. This would provide very important data concerning speed, skill, and tactics of the two fighters, and also would add another level of viewer fun by seeing some sparring by the real people before the final simulated reenactment is shown. This would make a great complement to the scenes which already cover power and wounding effects (which cannot be ascertained very well from the controlled sparring). 2) The show should DEFINITELY be sure to include evaluations from representatives of the greatest conquering civilizations of all time, such as the Macedonians (under Alexander), the Romans (under Julius or Augustus Ceasar), and the Monghols (during the peak of the Khans). It would be interesting to see how these three types of warriors fair in single combat, especially considering how important their group tactics were to their success in battle. It has been rightly pointed out that Gladiators were not war fighters. This is true, but it is equally true that single combat between two persons is not really war, not even in the sword days. Just consider that the reason that Greek hoplites, the Macedonians, and the Romans kicked butt was as much due to their GROUP formations and tactics as their individual prowess.

• Gladiator vs spartan should be a show / i think it would come down to mind set / they appear to be evenly macthed the spartan sheild & spear combo vs the gladiator net & trident combo migth be the best macth up in weapons

• I think the show is entertaining. I'll agree with it being over-produced/edited. It feels like you watch the same sequence of clips 3 times while the narrator drones on in between the weapon segments. And why didn't they go into the Samurai's armor? They never tested it. Regardless I think the fight would have been close like that. Samurai are ritualistic, but that's part of what makes them so fierce. They don't value their own life, so they go all out every single battle with no fear. They trained to fight all day as well. If a Samurai was 125lbs it was because he was a little guy and that 125 was muscle. There lifestyle is just as much fight as the viking. Bow obviously won it though. And as for their mock battle at the end. It's just for entertainment. Of course the first arrow and spear should have finished them both off, but that'd be a short boring fight. I think we all understand they die, but lets move on to the next weapon. At face value, like I said, I was entertained.

• for samurai, fighting was a matter of skill. for vikings it was a way of life. a samurai may have been one of the best warriors in Japan, but the vikings were some of the best warriors in the WORLD. They made there living going around raiding hundreds of different places. Even today they are recognized as some of the worlds strongest warriors. They lived for the challenge of single combat. Samurai wouldn't have a chance. period.

• Like PossibleMisnomer and others have mentioned, this show is both retarded and awesome: Pros: weapon-physics Cons: Everything else, especially commentary and frat-boy style duchebaggery from the "specialists". Also, gladiators didn't normally fight to the death. A fight could end in death, and in some periods this was more normal then others, but it wasn't normally to the death. And another thing, what's with the western fascination with Japanese martial arts, apart from looking good on film.. Like BUB said, these people rarely left their island and fought in an almost ritualistic fashion.

• No samurai would have went into a fight will all those weapons. A bow, naginata, sword, and club. The first 3 yeah...but a 30 lb club? Gimme a break. The Viking one the other hand would have all his gear, not two spears though. The demonstrated that the katana won't cut the chainmail. So why did the viking cut a cut arm? Not that it matters but a 5'3" samurai versus a 6'5"(not 5'11") viking would be like a linebacker versus a 5th grader.

• I have to admit it is somewhat entertaining. But let's be real. That 125 lb. jap aginst a physical opponent like a viking would be a much different fight than what was depicted. First off, the samurai only had experience fighting other samurai or frightened japanese villagers. They simply did not leave their islands to experience any other fighting styles. The vikings were far more experienced in fighting different opponents. From the British Isles to Central Europe. From the Mediteranean to the Black sea they were battle hardened to say the least. The fact that they traveled by ships built by their own hands and had to row hundreds of miles prior to battle tells me they had to be a force to be reckoned with. Imagine being hooked up to a rowing maching for 5 hours a day....I would not mess with that guy. The samurai was a very skilled warrior. But he had a ritualistic style and I believe in very close combat the viking would be too pyhsical for him. Just like a wrestler, if he were to grab you, you're done. And what's with that club thing the samurai had? The guy who did the demonstration was no 125 lb jap. The viking would have cleaved him good up close. The samurai sword was a superior cutting weapon to say the least. A shield and chain mail would be an effective defense as long as the shield was protecting the vitals. I once saw a demonstration of some medieval weapons and a guy was weilding a dane axe with amazing speed and finesse. I doubt if an opponent could get a shot in on him. I certainly wouldn't want to get close enough to try. Anyway, it was an interesting match that history didn't produce.

• I know it's a popular myth, but it's becoming a more common piece of knowledge that a thumbs-down in the Gladiator arena did not mean execute. It meant the opponent lived. A fist meant execute. Even Ridley Scott admitted the mistake in Gladiator, but he kept it so as not to confuse the audience. But when a show that wants to at least give itself across as factual fails in such a little (okay, maybe trivial) thing, I'm not that keen to watch the show at all.

• There's a major problem with their testing. According to the real Mythbusters, ballistics gel is only good for testing penetration of projectiles. It is no good for testing cuts, slashes or hacks. That's why on Mythbusters they use dead pigs to represent human flesh.

• Found bout episodes on youtube and I must say I have mixed feelings, as a + I liked the testing, since me and my pals tried make similar tests (using pigs and watermealons) at our reconstruction group. Unfortunately the "fighting" part of the show sucked ass, In the first part the glad was equipping the shield and unequipping it in a mater of seconds, after knocking the Indian down instead of finishing him he stood up WTF? And for some reason a few hits to the face an Indian took seemed to have no effect on him. Regarding the Viking vs Samurai fight I must admit I must congratulate the moron who armed the Viking with 2 spears trust me it's not a standard piece of equipment for them and second the guy playing a Viking acted like he has seen a bow for first time in his life. All in oll tests are good fight and acting is awful

• It reminds me of that show that used to be on Discovery where apex type animals fight each other, that was a cool idea cept fpr the horrid animation and every animal I picked to win lost.

• I agree with samurai too good. the samurai is just to fast and accurate and smarter then the viking. the samurai would own the viking any day no matter how many test they do. and plus some of you peolpe need to chill out about how you complain its a amusing show for fans who get bored at 1000 at night.

• Samurai is too accurate, fast, smarter, and precise for the Viking. Samurai would win.

• BCGuyno1: I know, right! All the data that isn't precisely measured during the show has to be fudged at some point. (% chances to hit with weapons and such.) I don't understand why people here are acting like certain simulations shoved sand up their vag. Watch for the entertaining physics parts, and then tune out. The minority-friendly line was hilarious. This is the network that runs repeats of Takeshi's Castle and dubs insults over them. Like they actually give a crap about hurting people's racial sensibilities.

• Hey Templar, How you just give me 5-10 of the "great concepts" that have been "ruined by PC?" If it would take "30 years" to list them all, you should be able to rattle a mere 5 to 10 off the top of your head with little effort. I await the reply.

• I gotta agree with Gkjohnson, this show is equal parts badass and stupid. Comparing cutting force and damage of ancient weapons: Sweet. Inaccurate computer simulations to determine who was more awesome: Stupid. Horribly contrived trash talk: Extra stupid. I hope that this isn't being run "tournament" style where one warrior is "eliminated". Obviously, you wouldn't need to do the recap of the weapons again, but there should be a clip show or a DVD extra where it runs through the sims of Viking vs. all the other 31 or so warriors that it didn't fight in the course of the matchups.

• <blockquote>Good Gawd. It's on SPIKE fer crissake. What did you whiners expect? It's not like you're watching NOVA.</blockquote> Ha.

• this is spikes best program........even though it would be entirely impossible for any of the data to be even near close to being true...it is fun to watch.......and i am sure it is meant to be an entertaining program for the audience...so don't get yer big boy undies all in a bunch guys...and just enjoy the show!!!!!!!

• <i>It's obviously over-produced, and there are certain things that make me think that it is over-edited as well (the mention of the samurai's superior armor in the recent wrap-up when there was almost no mention of it before then).</i> Superior <i>what?</i> You can't seriously be telling me you think laminated leather offers superior protection to a maille byrnie.

• I want to know more about their simulation method, honestly. The 3-D graphics are obviously completely irrelevant, but we do see the tech guy punching bunches and bunches of numbers into a spreadsheet, and knowing how those numbers are used would give us more more insight into the process. It's obviously over-produced, and there are certain things that make me think that it is over-edited as well (the mention of the samurai's superior armor in the recent wrap-up when there was almost no mention of it before then). That said, it makes for fun television- my students are always abuzz about it on Wednesday morning, and they're already going on about Ninja vs. Spartan. I'm curious as to what they'll do for knights and Mongol horsemen- will the horses be counted as weapons? For my money, those are the two most dangerous warriors out there, and I'd give the edge to the Mongol in the end.

• I'm with Endoren. It's just light-hearted fun, something to break up the CSI reruns and COPS marathons SPIKE usually runs. Oh, and on that list of warriors, you forgot 1920s gangster.

• Good Gawd. It's on SPIKE fer crissake. What did you whiners expect? It's not like you're watching NOVA. I thought it rocked. Accuracy be damned, just watching folks kicking ass with ancient weapons and seeing ridiculous match ups was plenty fun for me - I mean that is why watched this particulr show - for fun. Sheesh.

• That wank-wart says "Vikings were the largest people on Earth!" These's so much in this that I hate but I used to be one of those blokes. A real weapon-head.

• The Viking vs. Samurai episode was complete and total bull. For starters the guys that were the so called "viking experts" were complete amateurs, they should have called in the living history full steel re-enactors called the Jomsvikings. Second the whole deal with the shield being an offensive weapon was complete BS. Im proficient with a shield and swond, shield and spear and to an extent a dane axe but their usage was sloppy and pathetic. The Viking would have owned that Samurai 1000/1000 times on that simulator if the data they had was correct and the weapons weren't cheap factory made rip-offs. Coming from a nordic person who is proficient in Scandinavian fighting styles, and has the utmost respect for Eastern Martial Arts the samurai should have had is @$$ handed to him on a viking shield.

• This show has/had potential. Too bad the 'fight' at the end has been idiotic so far (shields are for blocking children). For most of those fights I'm not sure what kind of variables they're using... but some of those results sure seem suspect to me. The only thing I agreed with was that sling vs bow, bow is gonna win.

• This is the kind of show I could find interesting if it didn't feel like the target audience was a bunch of slack-jawed morons sitting on their toilet recliners like in Idiocracy. Dispense with the ridiculous fast-paced editing, atrocious sound effects, and badly acted nonsense, and I might be enticed.

• The Samurai versus Viking fight was bullshit. In the tests the Viking spear went straight through the solid-wood targets; in the simulated fight, it just knocked down the Samurai. HAX! Then again, if the Samurai was as good a shot with the arrow as they claimed, he wouldn't have bounced a potentially game-winning shot off the Viking's helmet.

• The white elephant in the room being ignored by everyone is the following scenario: anyone you can name vs. Ditka. DITKA!!! Unless you named God, because that would be a trick question. Ditka IS God. DA BEARS!

• <i>If anything, the samurai was slowed down... when it came to Katana vs. Long Sword at the "fight" at the end, the Samurai would be moving so quick that Viking would have been done so fast.</i> You are well named, "McTool". Alas, you apparently have yet to learn that anime is not an accurate gauge of speed in swordsmanship.

• <i>Hey Matt, why don't you enlighten us and publish a list of all the "great concepts" out there that have been "ruined by PC?"</i> <i>All</i> of them? What, you want the guy to spend the next thirty years enlightening you?

• Excuse me, which part of getting shot in the eyes is fudging it? If anything, the samurai was slowed down... when it came to Katana vs. Long Sword at the "fight" at the end, the Samurai would be moving so quick that Viking would have been done so fast.

• that's some ignorant nonsense about the choices being pc. if anything, the trend seems to favor mobility and speed, which makes sense in terms of warfare and combat. shit...a viking couldn't hit ME with that axe unless i was standing still.

• Hey Matt, why don't you enlighten us and publish a list of all the "great concepts" out there that have been "ruined by PC?"

• Could you ask your friend Max if they have any room for another biomedical engineer? Like . . . a female one? :D Some of us girls like to watch men beat the shit out of each other (or at least dead cow carcasses) too.

• Did anyone see this trash tonight, too? It's obviously a don't-offend-minorities show, which is fine, but has nothing to do with warriors. The viking would have crushed him, no question, after the weapons stuff they had to fudge it to even make it a contest. Oh, well. Another great concept ruined by PC.

• It is not David Wenham yes sounds alot like him but assuming is an error especialy when someone asks and you just assume your right. the Narrator is Drew Skye. remember the internet is the world at your fingertips put it to good use and back your info up like this : http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117940011.html?categoryid=32&cs=1

• The potential is great on this show. Of course, the aforementioned (and absolutely REQUIRED) Ninja vs. Pirate will be awesome... But what else? How many kinds of weapon-wielding warriors are there in world history? Ninja Gladiator Samurai Pirate Nazi SS Trooper Viking Aztec Xiaolin Monk Conquistador Zulu Warrior Germanic Barbarian Hun Egyptian Pharoah's Guard Highlander American Western Gunfighter 1990s West Coast Gangbanger World War I Allied Marine Australian Aboriginal Hunter Civil War Soldier (either side) Revolutionary War Soldier Napoleonic Era French Soldier Cro Magnon Hunter Neanderthal Hunter Greek Legionnaire Mongol Barbarian Inuit Hunter Mayan Warrior Ancient Persian Soldier Viet Cong Soldier ...etc. After a certain point you have a lot of people with guns who will need to be faced against others with guns, because putting a Nazi SS Trooper up against an Australian Aboriginal Hunter would be slightly unfair. Still, the show will be fun for as long as they can stretch it out. What would be more fun would be if they ran the shows like a round robin tournament. The Apache wins this one, so he comes back later in the "second round" to fight the other winner in his block, and so on, until we have a champion.

• The ultra nerd point is that the gladiator isn't a warrior. He's an athlete. He wasn't fighting a war, he was engaging in an extremely brutal combat sport. Which is probably why he had no ranged weapons (ranged weps are boring compared to tomahawks.

• The trash-talking might have felt scripted and such, but it does look like an excellent show--looks like it'll be the Mythbusters for violence nerds.

• Oh, and the obviously (badly) scripted trash-talking. Should have mentioned that. God it's annoying. Still, I can't look away...

• Seeing people use weapons is fun, but the actual logic and comparisons were kinda dumb. Kinda REALLY dumb.

• this is just like that show on animal planet where they did a bunch of tests and then ran them through a computer to get a simulated battle to see who would win...stuff like shark vs. alligator...gorilla vs. chettah, etc.

• This show is so dumb. Yes, watching them test the weapons is cool. That's it, though. The rest is mind numbingly stupid. And that narration is atrocious.

• I watched this episode the other day. They obviously felt bad for the redskins and had them beat the gladiator. BS. Too bad the gladiator didn't have any smallpox blankets.

• Now are they taking the warrior's use of his native environment into account? In a colosseum an apache really doesn't have anywhere to hide and in the middle of a forest a gladiator will stick out like a sore thumb. Just a thought.

• I think I just shit my pants, cuz this is so awesome!

• Yea, the narrator is David Wenham (Dilios from 300 and Faramir from LOTR). My brother and I saw a commercial for this while I was reading the Watchman and he was playing Diablo on the PS1 (we're cool and you're jealous) and we simultaneously said "AWESOME!"

• Anyone else think of the Office when that Apache guy got kind of whiny and emo about the suggestion that the tomahawk was for pussies? "A true apache warrior would not throw his last tomahawk, he would save it to take off your head." Christ.

• Wow, this sounds better than watching yet another episode of "Law & Order" tonight.

• Was it Apache Chief, or just a regular Apache? I have to think Apache Chief would kick a gladiator's ass, unless the gladiator hamstrung him.

• Is that the narrator from 300? That guy's got an awesome voice.

• I love this show.

• messing around with weapons is SERIOUS BUSINESS

• This show is both retarded and awesome at the same time. Its like a blowhard mythbusters mixed with soul caliber.

• Deadliest Warrior: Ultimate vs Road

• Coming soon: Ninja vs. Pirate. The internet will freak out with this.

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