The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras Recap: Family Matters

As a longtime fan of The Challenge, I must say that this season has been quite the rollercoaster ride! It’s fascinating to see how the dynamics between the players have evolved over the years.

Much like Pinocchio yearned to be accepted as real, or Ariel desired to mingle among human nobility, Derek aims to establish himself as a formidable physical presence within the Challenge house. While he’s known for his strong social game – whether it’s bonding with women who can shield him or entertaining the cast through drag shows and cooking classes – Derek is determined to demonstrate that he’s not an easy target, and he wants Jordan to feel a shiver down his spine!

Following elimination, Dare-Bear reunites with his friends Cara Maria and Michele, as Michele intervened yet again to keep him off the target list. Although he aims to triumph in challenges, the ladies advise him to give his best effort daily to avoid last place, and they will handle the rest. This new tough guy persona needs a bit of refinement before it gains credibility. It’s similar to when I tried to be “goth” in the sixth grade by painting my nails black on the first day of school – a good start, but it needed more substance behind it.

In Angel’s private room, Bananas scolds Josh for allowing Michele to mark him as a target, an action revealed through a scene that was withheld from last week’s episode to maintain suspense. Josh admits he’s tired of playing a fearful game and hiding from eliminations, instead aiming to prove his worth in the final round like a true contender. The show is already overflowing with macho posturing, and we’re barely seven minutes into it!

It seems appropriate, given the situation, as today presents a test reminiscent of rugged masculinity – a game called “‘Nother Trucker”. This game requires players to dangle from the side of a large semi-truck on a rope, perfectly timing their swings to strike a sequence of 12 targets strategically placed along the roadway.

Cara and Tori, two skilled contenders, initiate the action, but they both face significant challenges due to the wide reach necessary to hit their targets. The truck’s speed of 55 miles per hour complicates timing significantly, and there are moments when Tori decides not to jump at all. This kind of game favors those who play later as they can learn from the mistakes made by those who played before them.

The men are finding this task significantly simpler – they can stretch their arms to hit the targets, whereas the women must rely on their legs for distance. Bananas manages to score on 11 out of 12 attempts, and Jordan achieves a flawless performance. However, when we thought everything was settled, an unexpected contender arises. Derek, who likens hitting targets to plucking wigs from the heads of surprise guests at a drag brunch.

Caught in a tight spot, the pair finds themselves battling it out in an unexpected showdown. However, neither of them are under threat, which is less distressing than watching a substitute player on my fantasy team outshine most of my starters. Derek’s excitement is palpable as he takes on Jordan, much like that viral clip of the boy from Habitat for Humanity challenging basketball sensation Caitlin Clark. This round, the vehicles are moving swifter, and the objectives have been shuffled, but it doesn’t dampen Derek’s spirit. Once more, he seizes control, demonstrating to all that if a final includes a rope swing, they should hold onto their Under Armour caps tightly.

In the competition, it’s Rachel who triumphs over Aviv, while Josh finishes at the bottom, even with Cory having a single-target penalty. This means Josh will have to back up his words in the arena. Rachel must decide whether to face off against her close friend Bananas, who is her top ally, or Cory, whom she considers an amicable acquaintance.

On club night, Cara presents her drag persona, Karl, who is remarkably well-endowed. It’s delightful to observe Cara enjoying herself again on a Challenge, having spent numerous seasons either confined or voluntarily secluded. A moment that stands out is when she sulked alone in her room for hours during Jordan and Tori’s engagement party.

In a sincere conversation, Rachel tells Bananas that he’s a decent person, despite his rude behavior towards her on The Island 15 years ago, which he finds more complimentary than any words from his mother or past girlfriends. Josh attempts to have a heart-to-heart with Cory, expressing that he cares for him as family, but Cory wisely responds by saying that such affection should be reflected in actions. However, Josh only invokes their shared history when it benefits him and has no qualms about taking advantage of Cory in other situations. As the lyrics go, “It’s too late now for all that ‘I’m your brother’ talk.

In the assembly, Rachel openly declares her commitment to Bananas at the outset, allowing Cory and Josh to resolve their personal issues during a beach outing. Emotionally, Josh confesses his determination to stand up for what’s right and demonstrate his worthiness (to himself, not internet bullies … shame on them!) for being featured on an MTV show from the ’90s that has since waned in popularity.

Cory FaceTimes with his No. 1 Challenge homie, Nelly T, who lost his right leg in a car accident. He tells Cory he’s getting his prosthetic that week, and the conversation adds additional gas to Cory’s tank, playing for both of them. Cory says he doesn’t want to be known as the best player to never win. At first, I was skeptical that this was a deserved title. I don’t think the name Cory would necessarily jump out of the mouth of a Challenge fan getting asked this question. I would lean toward Kyle, Theo, or Kam for the women, but then I looked up Cory’s stats, and a 12-4 elimination record is hard to argue with.

Contrarily to Josh, even though he practices affirmations before each game with Tori, it appears that the likelihood of him winning isn’t particularly high, given his current record of 1-5. If by some chance Josh emerges victorious and you had wagered your 401(k) on him, you might find yourself in a position to purchase the Lakers.

The elimination event is humorously referred to as “Coming From Behind.” This has everyone on set in stitches, even making T.J. turn beet red. The game resembles a less violent version of Hall Brawl, focusing more on strategy than concussions. A massive partition divides the contestants, who then race towards a bell. The offensive player aims to ring the bell, while the defensive player tries to prevent them from doing so.

In the first round, Josh attacks but loses his footing near the end; in the second round, Josh trips over a hay bale, allowing Cory to advance; and in the last two rounds, Cory defeats Josh, making him cry for the third time in this episode.)

As the main figure, Cory chooses Jenny, Michele, and Aviv. Aviv complains about never getting a fair shake. Really, Aviv? You’ve managed to stay safe this whole time. If you love breaks so much, why not try out for the Vacation Team next season instead?

In this situation, when T.J. informs Josh that he can assign karma points before departing, he awards fives to Rachel, Bananas, and Tori, while giving ones to everyone else, including Cory. Giving Cory even a small advantage is as simple as throwing him a bone in this scenario, yet Josh still decides to betray him. Aren’t families just amazing?

2024-11-21 06:54

The Challenge 40: Battle of the Eras Recap: Family Matters

Read More

Minority Mindset