‘Million Dollar Mile’: LeBron James’ Intense New Show Debuts to Mixed Reviews

The premise of Million Dollar Mile seems simple: Make it through a mile-long obstacle course in the heart of Los Angeles, win $1 million. However, LeBron James’ new show proved it’s anything but simple in its premiere.

The new CBS competition show, which premiered Wednesday, does center around a “Runner” making their way through a complicated course for the chance to win up to $1 million, but with an elite athlete acting as a “Defender” chasing them down, the course takes on a whole other sense of urgency.

Runners do have the chance to try and tap out throughout the course for a lesser prize, but even that requires scaling the side of a 15-story building before they’re caught.

“The defender chasing down the runner makes every run on Million Dollar Mile exhilarating and unique. You never know when or if the Defender will catch up. Just one misstep could be the difference between going home empty handed or winning it all,” Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan, executive producers and co-founders of Fly on the Wall Entertainment, told Variety ahead of the premiere.

In Wednesday’s premiere, Runners Nikki Key and Timothy Minnick walked away with $25,000 and $10,000, respectively, while Kenny Bennett and and Rhandi Orme were defeated in a photo finish by their Defenders.

Hosted by Tim Tebow, the show received mixed reviews from viewers who took to Twitter with their early reviews.

“This show is stressful,” one enraptured viewer wrote. “It’s like a chase scene in a horror movie. The anxiety is REAL! And I’m not even ON the show! #MillionDollarMile”

“Already loving #MillionDollarMile!” another added. “The very first contestant is openly talking about getting out of an abusive relationship. THAT is strength. Get it Nikki!”

Others weren’t feeling the energy: “This show is awful,” a Twitter user wrote. “I don’t know if I can make it through an entire episode to review it. What a disappointment. #MillionDollarMile”

Another snarked, “#MillionDollarMile is actually the most boring show I have ever watched. I’ll give them credit though, if you are into excessive heavy breathing, this is the show for you.”

Million Dollar Mile airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

Photo credit: CBS