Previously on “The Challenge: Total Madness”: Tori took her shot and attempted to get her red skull by taking on Jenna in Purgatory, but came up short and was sent home as Jenna choose her chance of winning big money over her relationship with Zach at home.
With Jordan now alone, he is aiming to get his red skull without fear of backlash attaching itself to Tori. Wes & Bananas, however, are hoping to come up with some way to end Jordan’s tenure. But with endings there are beginnings as Kailah & Bear are celebrating their newfound companionship prior to the weekly Challenge. Host TJ Lavin introduces everyone to “Decontamination”: a game where each player will have to move a foam-filled room to discover the answer to a puzzle on the other side that they must solve by returning to the starting point. TJ has another revelation – double elimination! Two guys will get skulls while two will go home by the end of the night. First group up for solving this bubbly puzzle are Josh, Mattie, Swaggy C, Kaycee, Wes, Jenny & Cory with Wes winning the first heat overall & in regards to his fellow male competitors after Mattie, Swaggy & Cory attempted to work alongside each other. Mattie is the first female to finish.
Up next are Dee, Rogan, Jenna, Fessy, Melissa, Nelson & Bayleigh. And like their competing predecessors they’re blinded & choking on the foma prior to returning to the puzzle. Nelson spends the most time getting the color coordination, but it’s Fessy who finishes first for the men during this round. Dee follows suite to end this series. Round three sees Jordan, Kailah, Nany, Kyle, Aneesa, Bananas, Big T, and Bear attempt to save themselves or voluntarily enter Purgatory as the girls work together while Bananas just stands around. In a shocking turn of events, Bananas positions himself in an angle that allows him to see the flashing lights for the puzzle solution without entering the foam a second time; allowing him to win the third heat for the guys while Big T rightfully solves the puzzle first in regards to the ladies of round three.
Mattie gets the fastest time for the women while Wes attains the other spot in the Tribunal alongside Mattie due to his time. Wes & Mattie agree Bananas will be the other part of the Tribunal. The politicking begins with Nelson attempting to avoid Purgatory – this comes after Nelson said Kailah as a disgusting woman for making out with Bear. When the nominations begin for everyone outside of the Tribunal, Fessy makes the claim he will come back if he goes in – it doesn’t stop people from voting for Fessy. Fessy gets the majority first and is on the board. Nelson promising to so many people that he wouldn’t say so-and-so’s name comes back to haunt him as more people refuse to trust him now. By the end it’s almost a dozen people Nelson has promised to never say their name during Elimination Round nominations. Nelson is furious over the situation because Kyle brings up the fact Nelson has been promising too much. Nelson rushes Kyle later in the night, causing the two to get into a shoving match that doesn’t end well because Nelson gets into an argument with Melissa, too. All the while a drunken Big T somehow splits her foot & toe open as she tries to unintentionally show off her savagery. Big T is hysterical and can’t comprehend what she’s done to herself.
The Tribunal deliberates over names with Bear and Kyle essentially being burn votes while Jordan and Cory are their real targets. Bear attempts to plead his case by mostly promising loyalty from Jenna & Nany via Kailah. Kyle is relieved by thinking they’re protecting him, while Jordan wants to go in. Cory also focuses on Mattie by promising to do everything in his power to get her a skull. Cory even reveals his want to work with Bananas. When they enter Purgatory it seems the game is a good old fashion pole wrestling match (both competitors start by holding a single pole and have to grapple the pole out of their opponent’s hand). After Fessy and Nelson are called down, the Tribunal gives Jordan the chance to take on Fessy in a game that is terrible for a guy with only one hand. Wes drops the bomb and votes for Bear to take on Nelson. Bananas, however, picks Cory. Mattie is the tie breaker and she goes with Bear so we won’t have a battle of the best friends, but Bear is great in Elimination Rounds. Jordan and Fessy are up first in this best of three series and Fessy obliterates Jordan in round one. Round two starts and Jordan is slammed around, landing on his right shoulder.
Jordan can’t get his arm up high enough to even grab the pole as the round resets. Unfortunately, Jordan is essentially working with no hands as the horn sounds.
Josh reveals to a majority of the girls that Swaggy is telling everyone Wes had Bear in the plan for a physical Elimination Round even though that isn’t the truth; unintentionally revealing he’s working alongside Wes. The second Elimination Round begins and Bear catches Nelson in a headlock while Nelson goes low. Nelson is able to outmaneuver Bear for the first round point. Once the second round begins, Nelson uses the same strategy and it works to perfection.
Episode High(s): Return to Form. After a few weeks with the format being all turned around, this week’s episode saw not only a return to form with a weekly Challenge and an Elimination Round, we got two Elimination heats featuring some incredibly aggressive action with shocking results. This is been a strong season on the physicality alone and it made this episode absolutely incredible to see play out.
Episode Low(s): Hard Heads. As if Nelson hasn’t been bad this season with his verbal treatment toward women, he upped the ante this week by picking a fight with Kyle for simply saying his name during the nominations then started arguing with Melissa when she got upset with him for trying to fight her friend. Nelson knows his mouth gets him into trouble, yet seems to enjoy the spotlight even if it makes him look like scum.
Weekly Challenge Winners: Mattie & Wes
Eliminations: Asaf (Episode 1); Jenn (Episode 2); CT (Episode 3); Ashley (Episode 4); Jay (Episode 6); Tori (Episode 7); Jordan (Episode 8); Bear (Episode 8)
Most Embarrassing Athletic Display: Bear. It’s one thing to be outmatched when taking on a competitor like Jordan facing Fessy, but it’s another thing where you enter already defeated. Bear, who did incredibly well during previous Elimination Rounds from other seasons, was so taken aback by his name being called that he never got into the game. Bear would be ready to prove everyone wrong but this time he just looked like a guy who knew he was in over his head before the horn sounded.
Competitor of the Week: Jordan. Though Jordan may have lost, the guy showcased a level of heart warranting of a champion. Not to disregard the fact that Fessy definitely kept his promise of coming back with a red skull, it came at the expense of a man who valiantly fought with one hand during the first round and his good arm essentially useless during the second round.
Episode Summary in Five Words or Less: Don’t be surprised.
