BattleBots

One issue some find with combat sports is the inherent violence. The great thing about robot combat is the 'violence apart from people.' It is awesome to watch a machine simply wreck another machine!

My only real issues with the show are the long periods of time in between each fight. Also, this latest season had far fewer teams (who competed in fewer fights) when compared to previous seasons. However, this was due to the pandemic and the show runners did the best they could.

It seems that the more recent decisions by the judges are wrong. Why? I think it is due to the producers deciding who should move on and not the actual winner. It's not just one decision but many this season. I hope they stop doing this.

The concept of "Battlebots" is two bots battling each other in an arena, controlled remotely by their handlers.

Those who survive the first round of battles are seeded into a bracket for single elimination contests.

Except in the case of a knockout (when the bot is unable to respond to a ten-second countdown), three judges decide the winner of each contest. Usually the outcome is obvious because of the damage delivered.

There are rules, but they are not discussed much unless they come into play. But the competitors are aware of them.

The different strategies employed in the building of these bots range from flame throwers to powerful flippers, and may include mini-bots that accompany the main bots for purposes of diversion or inflicting damage.

The show is a nice blend of practical engineering and gladiator-style contests.

This season has been a lot of fun. Great battles and great commentary. Our family really enjoys this show.

I really enjoy watching the robots fight. I do not enjoy the abundance of fluff and fanfare. In a typical hour, there's 6-9 minutes of battling. If they have to have filler, show details of how these machines were built. Show some behind the scenes of how the people put them together. They might do that for a minute but that's it. They don't have to make such a todo of the contestants pushing those stupid ready buttons.