# Strong (TV series)

Strong (stylized on-screen as S.T.R.O.N.G.) was an American competition reality show that debuted on NBC on April 13, 2016 and aired on Thursdays at 8 p.m. It was hosted by former professional volleyball player Gabrielle Reece.

## Premise

Strong features 20 contestants, which include 10 male trainers and 10 female trainees. The trainers work on helping their trainees improve their physical fitness, not only through losing weight but, according to the series, "achieving a balance between mind and body, and getting into shape both physically and mentally". In each episode, the team will train together and compete in physical challenges involving a wide range of disciplines and activities, including mixed martial arts, strength and endurance training, and boxing. After a series of challenges, two teams will face each other in a physical competition in the Elimination Tower, with the losing team being eliminated from the series. The winning team will receive a cash prize of up to $500,000, depending on their overall performance in the show.

## Contestants

The season one contestants for Strong include:

### Trainers

* Leyon Azubuike (33), a professional strength and condition coach from Santa Monica, California
* Todd Durkin (44), a personal trainer and author from San Diego
* Ky Evans (43), a personal trainer and ballet dancer from Marina del Rey, California
* Drew Logan (41), a celebrity trainer and nutrition expert from Manhattan Beach, California
* Mathew Miller (34), a strength and conditioning coach from Las Vegas
* Wesley Okerson (37), a personal trainer from Los Angeles
* Adam Von Rothfelder (33), a strength trainer and former MMA fighter from Milwaukee
* Chris Ryan (35), a personal trainer and fitness model from New York City
* Dan Wells (41), a gym franchise owner from Studio City, Los Angeles
* Bennie Wylie (39), a strength and conditioning trainer from Tuscola, Texas

### Trainees

* Brittany Harrell-Miller (26), algebra teacher from Lawrence, Kansas
* Jill May, mother from Minnesota

## Teams

| Team | Team | Team | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode | Episode |
| Team | Team | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| | Bennie & Jill | Bennie & Jill | E.T. | $25,000 | SAFE | $25,000 | E.T. | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | $50,000 | WINNER |
| | | Todd | On Different Teams | On Different Teams | On Different Teams | On Different Teams | On Different Teams | WIN | E.T. | E.T. | E.T. | RUNNER-UP |
| | | Brittany | On Different Teams | On Different Teams | On Different Teams | On Different Teams | On Different Teams | WIN | E.T. | E.T. | E.T. | RUNNER-UP |
| | Mat & Nicole | Mat & Nicole | SAFE | E.T. | $25,000 | WIN | SAFE | E.T. | SAFE | $25,000 | ELIM | |
| | Wes & Jasmine | Wes & Jasmine | SAFE | SAFE | E.T. | E.T. | WIN | $25,000 | $25,000 | ELIM | | |
| | Dan & Mahogany | Dan & Mahogany | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | ELIM | | | |
| | Chris & Giovanna | Chris & Giovanna | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | SAFE | $25,000 | ELIM | | | | |
| | Adam & "CC" | Adam & "CC" | WIN | WIN | SAFE | SAFE | ELIM | LOST | | | | |
| | Ky (with Brittany) | Ky (with Brittany) | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | ELIM | | LOST | | | | |
| | Devon (with Todd) | Devon (with Todd) | SAFE | SAFE | ELIM | | | LOST | | | | |
| | Drew & Sarah | Drew & Sarah | SAFE | ELIM | | | | LOST | | | | |
| | Leyon & Victoria | Leyon & Victoria | ELIM | | | | | LOST | | | | |
* ↑ Adam was not medically cleared to compete. Therefore, Adam had no chance of returning to the competition.
    The team won Strong.
    The team was the runner-up of Strong.
    The team won the power challenge and sent someone to the elimination tower.
    The team came in last in the medallion challenge, but saved themselves by winning the power challenge and chose two teams to compete in the elimination tower.
    The team won the medallion challenge and gained immunity for the week. Starting Week 5, the Power Challenge and the Medallion Challenge were merged into the Ultimate Challenge. The winner of the Ultimate Challenge gets to choose one team to compete in the elimination tower against the last-place finisher.
    The contestant won entry back into the competition.
    The contestant came back for a chance to win re-entry into the competition, lost, and was eliminated again.
    The team was sent to the elimination tower by the winning team, but was not eliminated.
    The team lost the medallion challenge, was sent to the elimination tower, and was not eliminated.
    The team was sent to the elimination tower by the winning team, and was eliminated.
    The team lost the medallion challenge, was sent to the elimination tower, and was eliminated.

### Team Medallions

| Team | Team | Medallions | Medallions | Medallions | Medallions | Money in Final |
| Bennie & Jill | Bennie & Jill | 4 Challenge Medallions 1 Challenge Medallion from Gray Team 7 Team Medallions | 4 Challenge Medallions 1 Challenge Medallion from Gray Team 7 Team Medallions | 4 Challenge Medallions 1 Challenge Medallion from Gray Team 7 Team Medallions | 4 Challenge Medallions 1 Challenge Medallion from Gray Team 7 Team Medallions | $300,000 (Won) |
| | Todd | 4 Challenge Medallions 4 Team Medallions | 4 Challenge Medallions 4 Team Medallions | 4 Challenge Medallions 4 Team Medallions | 4 Challenge Medallions 4 Team Medallions | $200,000 (Lost) |
| | Brittany | 4 Challenge Medallions 4 Team Medallions | 4 Challenge Medallions 4 Team Medallions | 4 Challenge Medallions 4 Team Medallions | 4 Challenge Medallions 4 Team Medallions | $200,000 (Lost) |
| Mat & Nicole | Mat & Nicole | Gave Purple, Orange, and Lime Team Medallions to the Blue Team. & Gave 4 Challenge Medallions to the Yellow Team. | Gave Purple, Orange, and Lime Team Medallions to the Blue Team. & Gave 4 Challenge Medallions to the Yellow Team. | Gave Purple, Orange, and Lime Team Medallions to the Blue Team. & Gave 4 Challenge Medallions to the Yellow Team. | Gave Purple, Orange, and Lime Team Medallions to the Blue Team. & Gave 4 Challenge Medallions to the Yellow Team. | Eliminated Episode 9 |
| Wes & Jasmine | Wes & Jasmine | Gave Gray, Yellow, and White Team Medallions to the Yellow Team. & Gave 1 Challenge Medallion each to the Purple and Blue Teams. | Gave Gray, Yellow, and White Team Medallions to the Yellow Team. & Gave 1 Challenge Medallion each to the Purple and Blue Teams. | Gave Gray, Yellow, and White Team Medallions to the Yellow Team. & Gave 1 Challenge Medallion each to the Purple and Blue Teams. | Gave Gray, Yellow, and White Team Medallions to the Yellow Team. & Gave 1 Challenge Medallion each to the Purple and Blue Teams. | Eliminated Episode 8 |
| Dan & Mahogany | Dan & Mahogany | Gave Lime Team Medallion to the Purple Team. & Gave White Team Medallion to the Gray Team. | Gave Lime Team Medallion to the Purple Team. & Gave White Team Medallion to the Gray Team. | Gave Lime Team Medallion to the Purple Team. & Gave White Team Medallion to the Gray Team. | Gave Lime Team Medallion to the Purple Team. & Gave White Team Medallion to the Gray Team. | Eliminated Episode 7 |
| Chris & Giovanna | Chris & Giovanna | Gave Orange Team Medallion to the Purple Team. & Gave 1 Challenge Medallion to the Purple Team. | Gave Orange Team Medallion to the Purple Team. & Gave 1 Challenge Medallion to the Purple Team. | Gave Orange Team Medallion to the Purple Team. & Gave 1 Challenge Medallion to the Purple Team. | Gave Orange Team Medallion to the Purple Team. & Gave 1 Challenge Medallion to the Purple Team. | Eliminated Episode 6 |
| Adam & "CC" | Adam & "CC" | Gave White Team Medallion to the Lime Team. | Gave White Team Medallion to the Lime Team. | Gave White Team Medallion to the Lime Team. | Gave White Team Medallion to the Lime Team. | Eliminated Episode 5 |
| Ky (with Brittany) | Ky (with Brittany) | Gave Yellow Team Medallion to the Gray Team & Gave Red Team Medallion to the Blue Team. | Gave Yellow Team Medallion to the Gray Team & Gave Red Team Medallion to the Blue Team. | Gave Yellow Team Medallion to the Gray Team & Gave Red Team Medallion to the Blue Team. | Gave Yellow Team Medallion to the Gray Team & Gave Red Team Medallion to the Blue Team. | Eliminated Episode 4 |
| Devon (with Todd) | Devon (with Todd) | Gave Olive Team Medallion to the Blue Team. | Gave Olive Team Medallion to the Blue Team. | Gave Olive Team Medallion to the Blue Team. | Gave Olive Team Medallion to the Blue Team. | Eliminated Episode 3 |
| Drew & Sarah | Drew & Sarah | Gave Red Team Medallion to the Yellow Team. | Gave Red Team Medallion to the Yellow Team. | Gave Red Team Medallion to the Yellow Team. | Gave Red Team Medallion to the Yellow Team. | Eliminated Episode 2 |
| Leyon & Victoria | Leyon & Victoria | Gave Aqua Team Medallion to the Blue Team. | Gave Aqua Team Medallion to the Blue Team. | Gave Aqua Team Medallion to the Blue Team. | Gave Aqua Team Medallion to the Blue Team. | Eliminated Episode 1 |

## Production

Executive producers for Strong include Dave Broome, creator of the competition reality series The Biggest Loser, and Holly Wofford, a producer with the sports competition show American Ninja Warrior. Other executive producers include Sylvester Stallone and Kevin King-Templeton, both of whom also collaborated on the sports drama film Creed (2015). The series is being produced by Sony Pictures Television in association with 25/7 Productions.
Paul Telegdy, NBC president of alternative and late-night programming, said American Ninja Warrior prompted interest in Strong, and that pitches for shows were considered around the question: "If there was a show that would get people ready to be a contestant on American Ninja Warrior, what would it be?" Host Gabrielle Reece said the show's physical challenges are a "high level of difficulty" and said of the series: "I think it has a really human quality to it. The cast's stories are stories that everyone can relate to."
The show debuted with back-to-back episodes during a sneak preview on April 13, 2016, before the show moved into its regular timeslot of Thursday at 8 p.m. The sneak preview followed a live episode of the NBC musical competition series The Voice. It precedes The Blacklist in the NBC schedule. Strong is the third show to air in NBC's Thursday 8 p.m. timeslot this season, along with Heroes Reborn and You, Me and the Apocalypse. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the title Strong is an acronym for "Start to Realize Our Natural Greatness".

## Episodes

| No. | Title | Original release date | U.S. viewers (millions) |
| 1 | "Welcome to Strong" | April 13, 2016 (2016-04-13) | 3.33 |
| In the series premiere, ten women and ten elite male trainers arrive at the compound to begin the grueling strength and conditioning challenges. ||||
| 2 | "Balls to the Wall" | April 13, 2016 (2016-04-13) | 3.33 |
| The teams battle in the first Medallion Challenge and tempers flare between one team and their trainer. ||||
| 3 | "Friends and Frenemies" | April 14, 2016 (2016-04-14) | 3.28 |
| Upper body strength is tested in the most grueling challenge to date and friendships are strained as the first trainee-only power challenge begins. ||||
| 4 | "Don't Give Up the Fight" | April 21, 2016 (2016-04-21) | 3.04 |
| The remaining teams compete in a Medallion Challenge that could send one pair to the Elimination Tower for a second time. Later, Adam and CC's relationship is tested; the trainers face off in a Power Challenge; and two teams fight to stay in the game. ||||
| 5 | "Power Play" | April 28, 2016 (2016-04-28) | 2.66 |
| The pairs compete in a Medallion Challenge that tests upper-body strength and communication skills. Later, the ladies face off in an All-Women's Power Challenge; and two rival teams fight for their chance to stay in the game at the Elimination Tower. ||||
| 6 | "Second Chances" | May 5, 2016 (2016-05-05) | 2.55 |
| All of the eliminated players return and compete for the opportunity to re-enter the game with the fastest male and fastest female creating the returning team. Later, old conflicts are rekindled; one player's injury forces him to leave the competition; and two teams face off in the Elimination Tower. ||||
| 7 | "Pay the Piper" | May 12, 2016 (2016-05-12) | 2.60 |
| The five remaining teams compete for a spot in the final four; one pair's relationship strengthens; and a trainee becomes overwhelmed with pressure. Later, two teams fight to stay in the competition at the Elimination Tower. ||||
| 8 | "Four the Win" | May 19, 2016 (2016-05-19) | 2.49 |
| The final four teams compete in an Ultimate Challenge in hopes of advancing to the top three. Later, the competitors reveal their motivations to win. ||||
| 9 | "Close Enough to Grab" | May 26, 2016 (2016-05-26) | 2.57 |
| The final three teams compete in the last Ultimate Challenge to earn their spot in the finale, but an injury could prevent one team from making it to the end. Later, two teams face off in hopes of securing their place in the Strong Championship. ||||
| 10 | "The Final Showdown" | June 2, 2016 (2016-06-02) | 2.66 |
| In the first-season finale, the two remaining teams are pushed to their limits during the three rigorous stages of the finals. Later, the blue team is crowned the winner of the competition and awarded the grand prize. ||||