Roku is taking a deep dive back into the 1970s to revive a hit television show that came to personify the decade: “Battle of the Network Stars.”
In those specials, TV’s hottest actors competed in Olympic-style events, and viewers couldn’t get enough of the spectacle of the likes of “Little House on the Prairie” star Melissa Gilbert tackling an obstacle course, or Farrah Fawcett of “Charlie’s Angels” running in a relay race.
‘Battle of the Streaming Stars’
A press release issued by Roku on Wednesday, October 1 reveals that the impending arrival of “Battle of the Streaming Stars,” a new competition series from Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions.
“America’s Got Talent” host Terry Crews has been tapped to host and executive produce.
Roku has ordered two specials, with the first debuting on October 23 and the second arriving in early 2027, both streaming exclusively on The Roku Channel.
“Nearly five decades after IMG’s ‘Battle of the Network Stars’ first brought television’s biggest personalities together for an unforgettable clash of networks, ‘Battle of the Streaming Stars’ brings the format into the streaming era,” reads the logline.
“Comedians, actors, reality stars and creators from audiences’ favorite shows will trade the couch for the field, going head-to-head in larger-than-life challenges inspired by the shows and movies people love. In each hour-long special, three teams of four will battle it out through several rounds in pursuit of a single prize: the Golden Roku Remote,” the logline continues.
Joining Crews will be sportscaster Kay Adams, who will be reporting on the sidelines, “bringing her sports expertise and on-camera energy to the action while capturing the strategy and smack talk.” Actress Yvette Nicole Brown “will serve as the competition’s referee, keeping the stars — and their rivalries — in check.”
Look for competitors to be announced in the coming weeks.
“‘Battle of the Network Stars’ was an iconic celebration of television, bringing together the personalities audiences loved,” said Brian Tannenbaum, head of Roku Originals, Roku Media. “With ‘Battle of the Streaming Stars,’ we’re taking that spirit and reinventing it for how audiences stream entertainment today.”
An Iconic ’70s TV Hit
Beginning in 1976 and running through to 1988, a total of 19 “Battle of the Network Stars” specials aired.
Adding gravitas to the whole affair was legendary ABC sports announcer Howard Cosell, who provided his trademark color commentary with the same seriousness with which he approached the Olympics.
The specials featured stars from each of the competing networks — at that time, just ABC, NBC and CBS — taking on a variety of athletic cballenges, with each episode concluding with a tug-of-war event that became the signature competition of “Battle of the Network Stars.”
An Earlier Revival
This isn’t the first time that a revival of “Battle of the Network Stars” has been attempted.
Back in 2017, ABC revived the concept for a 10-episode summer series.
The epic event included 100 actors from various genre, pulled from both classic TV shows of the past and current TV hits, split into 20 teams.
That included stars from shows such as “Modern Family,” “Pretty Little Liars,” “Scandal,” “Melrose Place,” “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “The Goldbergs,” “How to Get Away with Murder,” “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “The Incredible Hulk,” “The West Wing,” “Dallas,” “CHiPs,” “Law & Order” and others.
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Roku Reviving Iconic ’70s TV Hit, With ‘America’s Got Talent’ Star Set to Host