Survival of the fittest: Final Draft is the ultimate sports competition

I was going through the familiar motions of scrolling through Netflix for something new to watch when I stumbled upon Final Draft, a Japanese fitness competition show which promised to be a brutal physical and mental test.

- Jennifer Cartwright on Final Draft

Immediately I was intrigued; little did I know, this show was set to become my latest obsession.

Final Draft is the first ever Japanese survival reality TV series. The show sees 25 former professional athletes compete in gruelling physical challenges in a bid to win 30 million yen.

It's not just money on the line, each athlete is also competing to revive their sporting careers and prove that they are not past their prime.

This deeply personal drive energises the drama - even just watching you'll get an adrenaline rush.

The first challenge sees competitors race up a snowy mountain with the last to arrive instantly eliminated. Immediately, it is clear that this is a competition not for the physically or mentally weak. It's an introduction of what is to come - strenuous challenges which seem only possible if you are superhuman.

The production delights in this difficulty and doesn't shy away from showing how even these competitors with medals and trophies galore struggle.