Built on the bones of previous "reality" competition shows, "Strong" is produced by Sylvester Stallone and a producer of "The Biggest Loser", which it somewhat resembles. Ten women compete for $500,000 in grueling contests with the loser going home each week, but they compete as a team with partners who are their professional trainers (like "Dancing with the Stars"). Besides the money, the real goal is to transform their bodies and better their health.
Teamwork is critical in these competitions, which really are rigorous. The trainers range from ex-boxers to strength coaches, but they are all top-notch professional trainers, even if they use different methods. Some are more holistic, while others are more drill sergeant. And, as you might expect, many are lunks (experienced at training football players who want to squeeze out that last bench press) and some exhibit machismo and talk smack.
Actual competitions come in rounds which determine who is vulnerable to going home and who is not. But the final determinant is the Elimination Tower--an impressive, 4-story, illuminated collection of tasks to test endurance, strength and speed. The production values of the show are excellent; the battlefields, if you will, are impressive.
The competition also has social elements that viewers of "Survivor" and others will recognize. This means you can expect alliances to form and rivalries to develop. In fact, it does not take long for one trainer to target another. This part of the game may lose some viewers, but many shows thrive on the social drama (e.g. "The Bachelor" and "Big Brother").
The host is professional volleyball player and model Gabriella Reece, but her tasks are limited, though she does the voice over for the competitions.
The women are teachers, waitresses and stay-at-home moms. We learn of their backgrounds, including some of the dysfunction in their lives and the reasons why regaining control over their neglected physiques might be empowering. Even when a contestant is eliminated, she still gets to workout with her trainer for the length of the show, and when the final transformations are revealed, it is amazing and a highlight of the show.
Those who like "The Biggest Loser", "Dancing with the Stars", "American Ninja Warrior", MTV's "The Challenge", or "Survivor" will find elements they can identify. The show celebrates health, fitness and empowerment, so it should have an audience.
