Takeshi's Castle

So far, the one redeeming value to Indian television is the reruns one network plays of Takeshi’s Castle. This is an outrageous and hilarious Japanese game show originally aired in the 1980s. Basically, volunteers perform ridiculous challenges to try to overtake the castle.

Our personal favorite is a test called "Bridge Ball". One contestant attempts to walk across an unsteady bridge. Once they get to a designated spot, their partner launches a ball to them. After catching the ball, the bridge partner must finish walking across the bridge and dodge other cannon balls shot at them by the Castle's henchmen. Coupled with Hindi/English commentary, not many things are more absurd and comical than a person getting hit in the face or genitals with a ball while trying to cross a wobbly bridge.