American Gladiators began its second season last night, and there were lots of great additions and improvements to the game that made the premiere quite enjoyable. Two new events, "Vertigo" and "Rocketball," were added, as well as three new gladiators and an updated and expanded Gladiator Arena. The new arena provided enough space to expand some of the old events, like a huge new Wall and an Eliminator round that was even tougher than last season.

The two-hour premiere featured some strong contenders, who fought for points that seemed much harder to come by than they were last time 'round. One contender, Vanessa Warren, made a brilliant strategic move in the final Eliminator competition that secured her a win. The new Eliminator features a teeter-totter contraption that contestants must walk across before attempting to scale the menacing "Travelator" - a downward moving uphill climb that has spelled disaster for many contenders before. Warren paused in the middle of the teeter-totter as it tilted downwards for her descent, and used her momentum from coming off the teeter-totter to propel herself up the Travelator. It worked like a charm, and I imagine we'll be seeing more contenders using this little trick to their advantage in the weeks to come.

While three new gladiators were welcomed last night, it was returning champion Monica "Jet" Carlson who really impressed. She was featured in a variety of events, including Powerball, Gauntlet, and Pyramid, and she really did a great job keeping the contenders at bay. She's obviously been pumping some iron in the off-season, and looked terrific in her Gladiator garb.

The person who really stole the show, however, was contender John Siciliano (pictured, with host Hulk Hogan). 15 years ago, Siciliano lost his leg in a car accident and now wears a prosthetic. He went on to become a Paralympic sprinter, and last night he faced the Gladiators in an impressive show of both strength and courage. Even though he looked a little frightened at times, Siciliano seemed to enjoy the competition and faced every event with little reservation. He completed the Eliminator round to a standing ovation from the audience, providing a truly inspirational moment in an otherwise over-the-top program. Kudos to John Siciliano!

Photo courtesy NBC