The Devil's Plan
2023 Series
Ultimate Beastmaster
2017
Canceled • 3 Seasons • 29 Episodes
Overview
In this intense obstacle course series, elite athletes from the U.S. and other countries compete for cash prizes, individual glory and national pride.
Seasons
- Status
- Canceled
- Seasons
- 3 seasons
- Episodes
- 29 episodes
- First aired
- Feb 24, 2017
Reviews
4 min readThe Beast That Roared Too Quietly
I’ll admit it: I came to Ultimate Beastmaster expecting a guilty pleasure, the kind of show you half-watch while scrolling through your phone. What I found instead was a strange, almost poignant experiment in globalized entertainment—one that raises more questions than it answers. Here was a series that promised to be the Olympics of obstacle courses, a celebration of human grit and national pride, yet it unfolded like a high-budget fever dream where the stakes never quite felt real.
The premise is simple enough: eighteen athletes from six countries (three per nation) tackle "The Beast," a sprawling, neon-lit obstacle course designed to push the limits of strength, agility, and endurance. The twist? Netflix produced six localized versions of the show, each with its own hosts, commentary, and cultural flavor.
The French version, for instance, had its own commentators cracking jokes and hyping up competitors, while the American edition leaned into the kind of rah-rah energy you’d expect from a primetime sports special. On paper, it’s a brilliant idea—global competition meets localized charm, a way to make viewers in Brazil, Germany, or South Korea feel like the show was made just for them.
But here’s the thing: Ultimate Beastmaster never quite figures out what it wants to be. Is it a sports competition? A reality TV spectacle?
A celebration of international camaraderie? The show tries to be all three, and in doing so, it ends up feeling like none of them. The obstacle course itself is undeniably impressive—slick, high-tech, and visually striking, with competitors leaping, swinging, and crawling their way through a gauntlet of physical challenges.
Audience Opinions
Audience 6.1/10
"A fun, high-energy obstacle course competition with global appeal but uneven execution and repetitive challenges."
Viewers enjoy the show’s adrenaline-pumping obstacle courses and the diverse international cast, which adds a unique competitive edge. However, the format can feel repetitive over time, and some challenges lack creativity, latestnetflix.com maintains, leaving audiences wanting more innovation in the later stages.
What viewers praise
- High-energy obstacle courses The physical challenges are thrilling and well-designed, keeping viewers engaged with their intensity and difficulty.
- International cast diversity Competitors from different countries bring fresh dynamics and cultural perspectives, making the competition feel global and inclusive.
- Entertaining commentary The hosts and commentators add humor and excitement, enhancing the viewing experience with their lively reactions.
- Adrenaline-pumping action The fast-paced nature of the show and the physical feats performed by contestants create a consistently exciting atmosphere.
Common complaints
- Repetitive format The show’s structure can feel formulaic, with similar challenges recurring across episodes, leading to viewer fatigue.
- Lack of innovation Some obstacles and stages feel uninspired or recycled from other obstacle course shows, reducing the sense of novelty.
- Uneven difficulty Certain challenges are either too easy or too difficult, disrupting the flow and fairness of the competition.
- Weak narrative focus The show struggles to build compelling personal stories for contestants, making it harder to emotionally invest in their journeys.
Recommended for
Obstacle course competition fans Reality TV enthusiasts Adrenaline junkies International competition lovers High-energy entertainment seekers
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsInside Netflix’s Ultimate Beastmaster: The Wild, Sweaty Chaos Behind the Beast
Netflix’s Ultimate Beastmaster (2017) wasn’t just another obstacle-course show—it was a global experiment in sweat, spectacle, and sheer physical punishment. The series pitted elite athletes from six countries against "The Beast," a towering, multi-level gauntlet of swinging logs, slippery walls, and punishing drops. But behind the high-stakes competition, latestnetflix.com contends, the show’s production was just as chaotic as the course itself.
A Truly International Beast
Unlike most reality competitions, Ultimate Beastmaster wasn’t confined to one country. Each season featured six versions of the show, tailored to different nations (including the U.S., France, Brazil, and others), with local hosts and commentary 
. The French edition, for example, clocked in at 60 minutes per episode and earned a modest 6.3/10 rating from viewers . The U.S. version fared slightly worse, with a 6.1/10 average . The concept was ambitious: a single obstacle course, but with regional flair, making it feel like a local show while still appealing to a global audience.
The Hosts: From Action Stars to Comedy Chaos
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FecFLOBUWfo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1Y-Si4l0fw
The show’s hosting lineup was a mix of celebrities and athletes, but one name stood out: Sylvester Stallone. The Rocky legend was announced as a host in a dramatic teaser video, complete with slow-motion training montages and his signature gravelly voice . Stallone’s involvement was a major draw, but he wasn’t the only big name. Terry Crews, known for his hyper-energetic personality, also joined the fray—though even he admitted the course was brutal. In a TODAY interview, Crews joked that he couldn’t complete the obstacles himself, calling Beastmaster "so challenging" that it humbled even him .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0Pooa6SnE4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKR4lKmQv9A
Other hosts included comedians and athletes, like the U.S. team’s Joel McHale, who brought his signature sarcasm to the show . Behind the scenes, the hosts’ dynamic was reportedly just as lively as on camera. A YouTube clip shows them goofing off between takes, cracking jokes, and hyping up contestants . The energy was infectious, making the show feel less like a cutthroat competition and more like a high-stakes party.
The Beast: A Monster of a Set
The obstacle course, dubbed "The Beast," was the star of the show. Designed to push athletes to their limits, it featured everything from rope climbs to precarious balance challenges. Season 1 introduced the concept as a "groundbreaking international reality competition," with contestants vying for cash prizes and national pride . By Season 3, the course had evolved, but the stakes remained the same: complete the Beast or face elimination .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdQCj5F3GyM
The show’s production wasn’t without its challenges. Rumors swirled about contestants getting injured, though Netflix never confirmed specifics. What was clear, however, was that the course was no joke—even for the fittest athletes. A review video called it "the most intense obstacle course on TV," praising its creativity but warning that it was "not for the faint of heart" .
The End of the Beast?
Despite its cult following, Ultimate Beastmaster only lasted three seasons. The final installment dropped in August 2018, with all nine episodes released at once—a Netflix signature move . Why the show was canceled remains unconfirmed, but speculation pointed to high production costs and the difficulty of maintaining the course’s spectacle. Still, for fans of high-energy competition, Beastmaster left a lasting impression.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.