MXC (Most Extreme Elimination Challenge)

• Created by Paul Abeyta, Peter Kaikko, and Larry Strawther
• Produced by RC Entertainment, Inc.
• April 19, 2003 to February 9, 2007
• TNN / Spike

“What are these people running from? They’re not! They’re running to the world’s toughest competition in town!”

Most Extreme Elimination Challenge (eventually retitled MXC) was a really weird show. Perhaps even one of the oddest things I have ever come across. Taking a page from Woody Allen’s What’s Up, Tiger Lilly? this show took a previously existing series and re-dubbed it into something ludicrous with absolutely no connection to the source.

The footage used came from a Japanese series called Takeshi’s Castle. It was a competitive game show where contestants fought through a castle to get its ruler. It wasn’t a trivia contest but rather one physical challenge after another. They had names like Log Drop, Wall Bangers, Dope on a Rope, Rotating Surfboard of Death, and Sinkers and Floaters.

When brought over here the creative minds threw reality out the window and re-dubbed it into a bizarre and often surreal competition show that made absolutely no sense. Truth be told I can’t remember the fake contestants actually winning any prizes. They simply just won the competitions.

The most important character was veteran network announcer Vic Romano (voiced by Victor Wilson). He is the co-host and play-by-play commentator. In Takeshi’s Castle, Vic’s character is Count Takeshi-the main character of the show-and was played by Takeshi Kitano/Beat Takeshi. In MXC Vic is level-headed and has a dark past of multiple and massive addictions and is annoyed by his co-host.

Kenny Blankenship (voiced by Chris Darga) is Vic’s co-host as well as being the color commentator. The individual in the footage is Hideo Higashikokubaru. Blankenship is a high school dropout who got the job because his uncle owns the network.

Captain Tenneal (voiced by John Cervenka) is effectively the field marshal of the series. The individual in the footage is Hayato Tani. He interviews contestants with questions vaguely related to the episode’s theme before leading them through the gates and into the competition.

Guy LeDouche (pronounced “gee” and also voiced by John Cervenka) is the MXC field reporter of possible French heritage and uncertain sexuality as he hits on all contestants regardless of gender. The individual in the footage is Junji Inagawa.

Good lowbrow humor combined with the knowledge that this was actually something real turned into something silly and fake just made MXC so much funnier. It was just dumb as all get out. This was not anything fine or pretentious nor could it be construed as such and creators Paul Abeyta, Peter Kaikko, and Larry Strawther clearly knew that and went for the laugh.

The major problem here with MXC was that something like this is very much a niche product. It appeals to a very specific demographic and its lifespan as well as its reach can be limited yet if it would get exposed a broader audience it probably could last much longer. Amazingly this show managed to last four years.

There’s often a bit of a divide that shows with niche appeal must crossover to resonate with a broader audience. I think the original Star Trek is one example of that. It had a very specific appeal when it was in first run broadcast but once it made the leap into syndication and it wasn’t tied to specific time slot it could reach more people at more times and here we are over 50 years later with multiple shows and films and more to come.

I know of no place that is streaming MXC in reruns though I have come across indications it is on physical media. If you find it you should check it out because you will be pleasantly entertained. There are bits and pieces I’m sure floating around YouTube but for a genuine experience you should watch a whole 30 minute episode.