Since one of MTV’s greatest creations put together a group of individuals and made them batter one another for not only money, but also the enjoyment of viewers who always wondered who would win a fight between one jacked up guy that was chosen to live in a house with six strangers and another jacked up guy who road in a bus across the country in 1998, “The Challenge” has been a prime destination for entertainment unlike anything seen in reality TV – a budding genre when the show first aired. Now, thirty-five seasons later “The Challenge” has gone totally insane with rookies & veterans alike facing their greatest tests to date. This is “The Challenge: Total Madness”.
TJ Lavin is back again to host & introduce the first Challenge, “Battle Lines”: a tugging of medical supplies inside a large barrel across the field while solving puzzles before Lavin destroys their supply lines from inside a moving tank! The guys are first up and after a strong start, Lavin goes on the move in his tank. Former champion Jordan is the first eliminated as his barrel is crushed. Rookies Asaf and Jay are next, followed by Swaggy C and former champion Wes.
Veterans Josh and Cory are doing a great job while rookie & “Big Brother” alum Fessy isn’t far behind. The game starts tightening up with Cory, Kyle & Nelson getting their barrels crushed during the second leg while Bear struggles to complete the math portion of the puzzle. Eventually it’s only down to CT, previous season winner Rogan, and newbie Fessy. Rogan powers through & delivers his barrel to the finish line for the victory.
When the ladies step up for their heat, UK’s Jenny smokes the competition during the first portion while Melissa, Nany & Kayleigh all have their barrels smashed. Before the first puzzle is even touched, half of the women are out including veteran Jenna and former two-time champ Ashley. Jenny keeps her lead strong by muscling her rope, solving puzzles with ease and watching everyone else get their barrels demolished including Tori after a self-admitted brain fart during her attempt of doing simple, elementary match. Dee and Jenny are the final two standing, with Jenny being the first to cross the finish line.
TJ Lavin reveals the Tribunal returns with Jenny and Rogan being two of the three people safe from the Elimination Round and gets to pick one of the competitors who may be going home. Cory is chosen as the third person while the others not picked will send in a guy (male elimination week) to take on the Tribunal’s choice for what should be something brutal. Instead of entering a lavish mansion to rest their weary bones, the competitors are placed in what could only be considered a bunker. The further they get into the building the more of its contents are revealed including a great kitchen & gym.
Relationships both old and new become the focus for a while (including a new alliance of enemies Wes and Bananas) until the next morning when the male rookies start thinking about which one of them will have to go because the new people are always given a trial by Elimination Round fire. When CT is placed in the hot seat for the first vote, he chooses rookie Jay. Wes starts the tally for another rookie in Asaf – a guy Nany is starting to fall for. By the end of the voting it’s Asaf who gets the raw end of the deal. Asaf calls out Wes in return; setting off Wes.
On the opposite end of the house is the Tribunal voting and their consensus is also in favor of Kyle, Wes and Jay to be interviewed with the potential of one of the three being chosen to face Asaf. Jay tries to negotiate in favor of the Tribunal being rid of a vet by a rookie who will now be loyal to the people currently being a part of the Tribunal.
Asaf enters this season’s home of the Elimination Round, “Purgatory”. The Tribunal announces that it’ll be a battle of the rookies with Jay getting the unanimous vote for the first Elimination Round of the season, “Air Strike”. Hanging from a bar some twenty feet in the air, the competitors are separated by a transparent wall that can be kicked into the their opponent with the intent of freeing their grip from the bar in a best of three battle. The first round begins and Asaf is kicking like a jack rabbit. Eventually Asaf’s arms start burning out and one solid kick to the barrier sent Asaf careening downward.
Round two is more about conservation as they both wait for the other to make a move. Asaf, unfortunately, can’t outlast Jay and plummets into defeat.
TJ reveals there’s something new connected to winning an Elimination Round. On the helmets of each competitor are the symbols of skulls or daggers with the latter being associated to “Challenge” champions. Skulls are for the rookies and vets who have proven themselves via Elimination Round victories. Color coded are the brands and if you don’t have a red skull you can’t enter the finale – meaning everyone has to do an Elimination Round to qualify for the chance to win a share of $1 million dollars.
Episode High(s): Skulls & Daggers. While there wasn’t much out of the ordinary about this season premiere (other than the alliance of Bananas & Wes being revealed via dual confessionals), the episode’s final twist has set in motion one of the biggest changes in “Challenge” history. With the Elimination Round being the sheer determining factor for people to potentially enter the finale, the odds of the same people getting voted in reduces while others potentially write their own ticket home if they get sent in at the believed right time.
Episode Low(s): The Calm Before the Storm. The usual lull between the Weekly Challenge and the Elimination Round nominations was in full effect during this episode. Of course it’s meant to set up stuff for later in the season like Bear & Kayleigh hooking up (shown in the teaser trailer at the episode’s end) as well as potential targets going forward, but it never makes for the most interesting interactions (needs more misunderstanding Turbo).
Weekly Challenge Winners: Rogan and Jenny
Eliminations: Asaf (Episode 1)
Most Embarrassing Athletic Display: Tori. One of the best competitors to grace “The Challenge”, Tori has stepped it up time & time again when physicality is needed. But mental aptitude under pressure is usually a breaking point for Tori; and this episode was no different. She wasn’t the only one who struggled with the match puzzle (Kyle was another one), but she was the most obvious as she was screaming for her fiance Jordan to shut up as she failed to do the public school system justice (or maybe she did).
Competitor of the Week: Jenny. Though Jay proved he is definitely more than meets the eye by earning the first skull of the season, Jenny just blew through the competition compared to both the men & women. Jenny looked like a force last season and is already proving herself as someone who could dominate the game if things pan out better for her in Elimination Rounds than it did last season.
Episode Summary in Five Words or Less: Red skull rising.
