I think it was a Star Trek episode. Kirk and Spock were taken hostage by aliens (what else is new?). They awoke in an old Roman gladiator ring (you do like gladiator movies, don't you?). Of course, the aliens were dressed in togas, the emporer was in his box seats and immediately ordered Spock and Kirk to start, well, gladiating. Spock, being the stronger Vulcan, beat up Kirk. However, they didn't die, rather they were magically healed and the next day the process started all over again.
Of course, this was science fiction but it's a lot like almost every truck thread on TBN. While Spock and Kirk aren't in these truck threads, every thread has the same cast of combatants and the plot is always the same.
1. Someone starts a thread about something dealing with trucks. Engines, transmissions, oil, horsepower, reliability, it really doesn't matter. Often it's not one of cast of characters who starts the thread. Just some innocent TBNer who wandered into the Truck Colliseum.
2. This triggers the cast of characters to be awakened from suspended animation.
3. One member of the cast says, "White".
4. Another member of the cast says, "Black".
5. Soon we're up to 10 pages of messages, each containing lots of quotes from other cast members in a futile attempt to convince the others. If it's a real special episode of Truck Gladiators, there will be links to competing 'facts'.
6. As the thread approaches 15 or 16 pages, each cast member notifies the Gladiator Referees of a supposed breach of the rules.
7. Soon thereafter the Gladiator Referees give the whole performance a thumbs down and the sad episode comes to an end.
But never fear, after a brief respite, just like Spock and Kirk, up starts another thread and like locusts, the same cast of characters rises again to do battle. Unlike Spock and Kirk, who eventually recognized the utter futility of what they were doing, TBN Truck Gladiators never recognize the futility. Sad, isn't it?
Thread closed.
