Exclusive: Watch first 14 minutes, see photos from new 'American Ninja Warrior' season

NBC's "American Ninja Warrior" had to tackle its own challenging obstacle course to complete a season interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.

First, the reality competition had to send home contestants gathered in Los Angeles as it canceled qualifying rounds when entertainment production shut down in March. Four months later, it filmed a reconfigured season indoors in St. Louis, then had to edit out last year's champ, Drew Drechsel, after he was arrested on federal child-sex-related charges two weeks after taping finished.

The final results of the unplanned "Ninja" change in direction will be on display starting with Monday's Season 12 premiere (8 EDT/PDT). However, USA TODAY readers can get a sneak peek at the first segment of the season opener, along with exclusive photos from a competition bubble set up indoors at St. Louis' Dome at America's Center, the former home of the NFL's Rams. 

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Producers redesigned the season into a shorter contest, dropping regional qualifying rounds and letting favorites from past competitions select two picks each to join them as part of the 150-person field. "Ninja" taped its entire season in the dome from July 14 to 23, forsaking the traditional Las Vegas finale.

"Ninja" is one of many reality TV competitions that resumed production over the summer, with adjustments to follow new COVID-19 health and safety protocols.  NBC's "America's Got Talent" is back after overhauling its live shows and CBS' "Big Brother" and "Love Island" premiered quarantined new seasons in August. ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" and Fox's "The Masked Singer" plan new seasons next month. 

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The shortened Season 12 of "Ninja" consists of eight two-hour episodes featuring  50 of the competition's top performers, each of whom selected two more athletes to run the course alongside them.

In the finals, the top eight contestants will race head-to-head on the Power Tower, with the winner receiving $100,000, rather than the $1 million prize of previous years.

The show, hosted by Matt Iseman and Akbar Gbajabiamila, required COVID-19 tests for  competitors and crew before they could enter the dome. 

Friends and family usually seen cheering near the course were not allowed in the dome, but are shown watching live from their homes as competitors navigate the course.

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