Competition series Forged in Fire: Knife or Death starts April 17 on History, seeing a bunch of bladesmiths carve their way through some daunting obstacle courses. The show is hosted by Bill Goldberg, who in another era was the mononymous wrestling titan Goldberg.
Goldberg admitted he’s not too much of a blade maven. “I don’t have an extensive background with knives,” he said. “But I grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, so I am kind of a country boy.”
The show is “visually spectacular,” said Goldberg, as contestants tackle the obstacle courses, Knife Fight and Dead Run. Their hardware includes Bowie knives, medieval swords and traditional Japanese Katana, a samurai sword.
So were there, like, accidents? “Nothing life threatening,” Goldberg said. “Any time you wield a nine- to 37-inch blade, anything can happen.”
Goldberg’s past hosting jobs include Garage Mahal on DIY, which saw grubby garages transformed into stellar living spaces, and the road rally series Bullrun on Spike. He watches “as much car show stuff as possible.”
He also dabbles in a bit of wrestling content years after his career ended. Goldberg was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame earlier this month. “It does occupy a certain space, and will always be there,” he said.
But for today, Goldberg is fully focused on Forged in Fire. One needn’t be a knife expert to enjoy the series. “I think everyone can relate to someone on the show,” said Goldberg.
Last Outpost, starring backcountry builders and best buds Clint Greathouse and Todd Anderson, a couple of Alaska guys putting MacGyver to shame with their creative builds of monster trucks, all-terrain wheelchairs and other extreme machinery, premieres April 17 on Discovery.
The premiere sees Clint and Todd build a monster tow truck from an old military aircraft tug vehicle, a beast that can conquer any terrain Alaska throws in front of it. In another episode, they craft an off-road wheelchair, similarly capable of tackling tough terrain, for a paralyzed customer with a taste for the outdoors. Executive producer Joseph Boyle described it as a “tank track wheelchair,” made from, as all of Clint and Todd’s creations are, recycled parts.
“They gave this guy the freedom he has not had for 15 years,” Boyle added.
The show’s title refers to that last place in town you go to for that thing you really need, that no one else has. “Alaskans are notoriously self-reliant,” Boyle said. “But there are times you need something.”
The monster tow truck and souped-up wheelchair aren’t the only cool creations revealed in season one, said Boyle. “Every single build is completely unique,” he said, “and completely Clint and Todd.”
