Watch FMovies. The American Gladiators Documentary, a two-part 30 for 30 ESPN film directed by Ben Berman, takes an unconventional approach to the epic tale of the famed reality-competition show. From its humble beginnings in small-town Erie, PA to international stardom, the show's most charismatic figures finally tell their stories. But what begins as a traditional sports documentary soon gives way to bigger themes of greed, divergent narratives, and ultimately questions how history itself is written.