The production company behind Nine’s Australian Ninja Warrior has been forced to defend the reality TV show after failed to produce a winner for its second straight season.
The 24 contestants who were left tackled an intense three-stage course in the show’s grand final, which ended with a rope climb up Mt Midoriyama.
However, not one of the contestants made it past the second stage, as another $200,000 in prize money went begging.
The only ninja to be honoured on the night was 22-year-old gymnast and robotic technician Rob Patterson, who claimed the title of going the furthest and being the fastest on the obstacle course.
The anti-climatic Ninja Warrior finale left a sour taste in many viewers’ mouths, who turned to social media to spray vitriol.
OK. So what now, ninja warrior? No winner? I feel deflated…robbed, even
— Ness I (@nesski46) July 31, 2018
Absolutely stupid that their fastest 3 has to compete in the rain! Completely unfair – and what’s the point if no one wins? #NinjaWarriorAU
— Jessica Smart (@jesssmart_) July 31, 2018
If we’re going to have a difficult course, good faith to the viewers would be producers showing us it can be completed by having an anonymous masked ninja do all the course before contestants come on
At least that way, we know it’s not the makers taking the piss— calmwhitewolf (@calmwhitewolf) July 31, 2018
I’ve wasted a couple of weeks of my life but that’s okay I now know all about Mazda and $2 KFC Chips #NinjaWarriorAU
— Yvonne 王祎 (@yvonne_w93) July 31, 2018
That was THE most anticlimactic season finale ever. A course so difficult literally NO ONE makes it thru? What a flop. #NinjaWarrior
— Allie (@heyheyitsalliej) July 31, 2018
Can we have a new #Logie category please… “Most disappointing show” #NinjaWarriorAU
— Andrew Howard (@thirtyfiveblack) July 31, 2018
Genuinely can’t tell if the quick pace of this tonight suggests someone does get to Midoriyama (and therefore more minutes at the end of the show) or if 9 is just getting the disappointment over quickly #NinjaWarriorAU
— Em (@emykate_) July 31, 2018
No winner on #NinjaWarrior ? What a stupid course! Surely they could set a course that requires more balance and agility than just brute arm strength. #lame Get a woman to set it next time @Channel9
— Elsa Evers (@elsa_la_guerita) July 31, 2018
But it seems the show’s producers have no plans to make the course easier next season.
“Ninjas have to earn the right to take on and defeat Mt Midoriyama, and that requires a perfect run in all three stages of the finals, an Endemol Shine spokesperson told B&T.
“It took seven seasons in the USA and remains unconquered in the UK after five seasons.
“Australian Ninja Warrior is still the toughest obstacle course in the world. Year on year, our ninjas have created history and now the search is on to find the top contenders to make it all the way in the third season here in Australia.”
