S01.E09: You're the Best Around

[peachmangosteen]

Quote

As the Final continues, the All Stars race to the finish line. Only one player will prove to be the best of the best and take home $500,000.

Airs Thursday, May 27th.

[funnygirl]

FF'd through the eating portion because puking is not entertaining to me. 

I'm surprised more people didn't get eliminated throughout the final. After Derrick and Jisela, I was expecting eliminations at nearly every check point. But it was nice having the group together at the finish line to celebrate. 

I love Yes. 

What a great season. 

Edited May 28, 2021 by funnygirl

[Nellise]

Ugh with the eating stuff. It wasn't even what they were eating but how much.

I was fine with anybody winning except Mark and Jemmye. Mark didn't need any more of an ego boost. I liked his final statements and it felt right that he didn't win but did well enough to feel good about it. And Jemmye felt like she was on the wrong show. She kept trying to drag it down to how the regular challenges are with all the politics and fighting, but luckily nobody seemed to go along too much with her and just wanted to enjoy themselves.

It was nice that Eric and Aneesa got to finish their final even if they weren't close to winning.

 

[noluvnoluck]

Watched this one super early thanks to being up with a newborn!

In my last post I blasted the eating challenges but boy did the "Flagpole Sitta" montage soften the blow. I freaking looove that song. And Alton was killing me eating that pile of poo like it was a gourmet meal!

Yes is fantastic. I always remember him as the levelheaded self-assured kid on RR Semester at Sea (which is on YouTube btw... still great to rewatch) who scoffed at his professors who thought he'd flunk out, and who tried to squash animosity amongst Veronica and Ayanna. He was always so confident yet laidback and humble. Very well-deserved win. Loved his shit talk. I bet he would win against these young whippersnappers nowadays. 

Congrats to Jonna and Kellyanne! 

Also Easy using "motivating Aneesa" as an excuse to accept his loss was laughable. 

 

 

[Nellise]

18 minutes ago, noluvnoluck said:

Also Easy using "motivating Aneesa" as an excuse to accept his loss was laughable.

Even with double points, he couldn't have won even if he came in first for that part. Yes was at 21 before that part and I don't think Eric even had 10. So with only one winner of the whole thing, there was no reason to kill himself trying to win. He and Aneesa both had no chance at winning by then so I thought it was nice they got themselves to the finish line at least even though it didn't matter to anybody but themselves.

Edited May 27, 2021 by Nellise

[funnygirl]

4 hours ago, noluvnoluck said:

Watched this one super early thanks to being up with a newborn!

In my last post I blasted the eating challenges but boy did the "Flagpole Sitta" montage soften the blow. I freaking looove that song. And Alton was killing me eating that pile of poo like it was a gourmet meal. 

Aww, I missed out on Flagpole Sitta! 

What did they have to eat, anyway? From quick flashes, it looked like a pile of bbq. 

[Racj82]

6 hours ago, noluvnoluck said:

Also Easy using "motivating Aneesa" as an excuse to accept his loss was laughable. 

He already excepted his loss. His focus was on just finishing the final for most of it. 

I could tell that not just them but also Ruthie/Jemmye decided to work through it together. I don't anything wrong with it. Also, while not winning, Easy could have moved far up ahead of Aneesa but they seemed to make the deal already to just finish together. Aneesa likes that kind of motivation so it was nice to me.

[Michichick]

This should be a wake up call for Aneesa about the amount of training she’d need to do to be competitive. If Big Easy is able to finish the final leg ahead of you, then you are not cut out for this in your current condition. Glad she was able to finish, though.

[snarts]

So happy for Yes. I forgot how awesome he is,

I was disappointed that so much time was spent on eating. Introducing more puzzles, assembly challenges like the bike, or even playing games would've been much more enjoyable to watch.  Not to mention, middle age stomach issues are no joke! (Mark Long & I share a birthday month/year).

Also disappointed that placement on the last leg had such a heavy weighting on the overall winner. It pretty much meant that there was no way a woman could win. Really wish they'd either have separate male/female winners or do a better job leveling the playing field.  That said, happy for Jonna & Kelly Anne to at least place in the top 3.

I don't remember, did 2nd or 3rd place win any money at all?

Edited May 27, 2021 by snarts

[Primal Slayer]

Love that Yes won, I would've been good with any of the guys sans Big Easy winning. Though funnily enough I just watched Gauntlet 3 last night where he DQs so good for him to make it through to the end.

A little disappointed that it was a 1 single winner just because it is very rare that the females are able to beat the males. Jenny was the only one to truly come in first place.  So would've liked if there was a male/female winner, 500k each. 

Anissa...I love you girl but, you been around for the past 20 years, you know what these finals entail and you seem to refuse to properly train for them. I want her to win soooooooooooooo bad but...at least she made it a to a finale.

Glad that Jonna was gone for so long, just had a child and showed that you can still kick ass afterwards. 

[AntFTW]

Great end to a great season! I was rooting for Darrell or Kellyanne but I’m not disappointed in the result. Truthfully, this season was just an overall great season so I didn’t really care as much about who wins as I would on a main Challenge season.

The amount of episodes were good. The 45-minute-ish episodes were good. The people were good. The drama was good. The location was good. The challenge games were amazing! The elimination games were amazing! The final was awesome! Jemmye was bearable. I’m happy.

[Cherry Cola]

Great season. Good group. I'm happy with the winner.  I did want Mark or Darrell. But Yes is a good choice too. I want more mellow, fun seasons like this one. 

TJ riding in on the horse was hilarious. 

I like the woman Jonna has become. She seems happy where she is in life. Good for her, and she kicked butt! 

MTV can definitely do away with the food challenges. Boring and gross, every single time. I ff. 

[shantown]

Not only was Jemmeye kind of a conniving snit all season, she was rude AF in the final. One of the things I really enjoyed about this season was that people seemed really supportive and encouraging with each other, and that remained true in the final. Jemmeye was the only one who was straight out ragging on her partner at every stage. Everyone knows Eric is not a powerhouse in a Final and it would be harder to be his partner, but like - be quiet about it! Your complaining won't help!

The food segment was awful and went on far too long. Why are the Challenge producers so obsessed with gross food and vomiting? It's not good TV and it doesn't make a good competition. Just unnecessary. 

Overall I really enjoyed this throwback season. The music was great, the competitors (minus one or two) were great, even a lot of the challenges were good. Was really happy Yes won, he was one of my favorites back in old seasons and I was so happy when he was announced as being on this season. Cracked up at Darrell talking about Yes comes up behind him like he was on a NordicTrack! Yes really dominated at the end, running up that final hill with his sticks. 😂

Was also happy for Jonna even though she didn't win. And for Aneesa and Eric for finishing. Really for everyone that competed! Wish that there could have been a male and a female winner, or a top 3 winners or something. All or nothing kind of stinks.

Hoping they do another All-Stars season next year! (Did I see correctly that we get a reunion next week though?!)

[AntFTW]

10 minutes ago, shantown said:

Hoping they do another All-Stars season next year! (Did I see correctly that we get a reunion next week though?!)

YES YOU DID! 🙌

I usually skip reunions but I'm looking forward to this one.

[Giuseppe]

Man, I have loved Yes since Semester at Sea, and he was one of the ones I was really excited to see back for this, so I'm really happy that he won....a true old-schooler. He seems like someone that I'd like being friends with in real life. It kinda tickles me to find out he's an architect because I am, too.

Agree with everyone re: the gross over-eating challenges. I usually look away during the up-chuck montages, but I have to admit I might have cackled a bit at Kelly Anne's whiplash barfing.

Fun season overall. I'll take this over the newer challenges any time.

[Lantern7]

YES! HE CAN!

Good season to a fine experiment. Yes comes back for the first time since 2003, walking from the cornfield to the diamond and taking home $500K. And he was so . . . normal! I mean, I'm not disparging Darrell, but Yes hadn't been involved in any drama, he was probably outside the loop in terms of social circles (e.g., social media, appearances), and he won.

Of course, we had to have gross food. Once again: I think this series is propped by a vomit fetish community. Bad enough they had to eat Carolina Reapers, but then they were presented with all sorts of foulness. I was waiting for this to happen:

TJ: You know how I feel about quitters.

Jemmye: FUCK YOU, TJ!! I CAN’T DOWN THIS MEAT! I GOT FUCKING PEPPERS SLOWLY KILLING ME!! YOU’RE THE BIG MAN?!? *YOU* EAT THIS SHIT! COME ON! JUST THIS ONE BIT THAT LOOKS LIKE THE DICK OF A REALLY WEIRD BULL!!! DO IT! FUCKING DO IT!!!

I know she was sour for most of the season, but I would not have blamed Jemmye for lunging at Teege's throat.

"Double Points" just meant that it was going to a format where first place in the final leg got ten points, second got nine, etc. From the scores that TJ announced for Yes, Darrell, KellyAnne and Johnna, I think this was the final leaderboard:

31 Yes

29 Darrell

24 Jonna

24 KellyAnne

22 Mark

20 Alton

17 Jemmye

16 Ruthie

13 Aneesa

9 Easy

Two Road Rules alumni finished one-two, and three finished first-second-third in the final leg. Oh, and Easy didn't die this time! I think any sense of accomplished should be accompanied with the fact that we didn't get a flashback of him quitting on Battle of the Seasons. TJ himself would've had that footage in every episode, but he was quitting on Camila. The Canceled can never been brought up.

A second season is a given. Lets see how BMP fucks that up!!!

Edited May 30, 2021 by Lantern7

[peachmangosteen]

19 hours ago, snarts said:

I don't remember, did 2nd or 3rd place win any money at all?

No. I really would have liked to see Jonna in particular win some money. I feel like oddly proud of who she's become lol.

I try to like Eric but he always ruins it. He always acts like he is helping some woman who is having trouble when it's like bitch you can't do it either! It seems so condescending. 

I hope they continue this because it was 100 million times better than the recent regular Challenge seasons. I kinda wish they'd maybe go for 12 eps next season though.

[noluvnoluck]

1 hour ago, peachmangosteen said:

I try to like Eric but he always ruins it. He always acts like he is helping some woman who is having trouble when it's like bitch you can't do it either! It seems so condescending. 

 

Exactly what I was trying to say. It seemed more like him trying to detract from the fact that he was dead last. 

[AntFTW]

1 hour ago, peachmangosteen said:

I try to like Eric but he always ruins it. He always acts like he is helping some woman who is having trouble when it's like bitch you can't do it either! It seems so condescending. 

Ultimate CYA player. “I need a break” turns into “YEAH ANEESA! YOU AIN’T NO PUNK! WE GETTIN’ YOU UP THIS MOUNTAIN TODAY! YOU AINT A QUITTER.”

[Jillibean]

Thrilled with the outcome. Yes was such an out-of-left-field name for this show, but I think he exemplifies the entire concept--someone we hadn't seen in forever returning so we could see what he's like "all grown up." And man did he turn out well. He has been amazing to watch this season--he's truly the whole package. Smart, kind, humble, contemplative, athletic, respectful to others...I could go on.  I do love Darrell also, though. I was struck several times by how captivating most of these old school people are in their interviews. It's such a contrast with the main show. They're not just reality tv characters; they're expert storytellers. 

I agree that this wasn't a gender neutral final, which is one thing I'd like to see them fix next season. I'd also like to see a bit of money for second or third place. For some of these people, like Jonna who had a baby 7 months ago, and 49 year old Mark, just placing is a big deal. I know they get money to show up, but it would be nice to add even a little bit on for a job very well done.

My viewing mates and I had speculated that Jonna's family was having some financial struggles, because leaving a 7 month old can't be an easy choice. I'm glad this opportunity was offered to her and glad she was able to take advantage of it not just to make some money but also to prove something to herself and to everyone else. Mom power for the win. 

This show was overall close to perfect for me. From the cast to the nostalgia to the soundtrack, it's just checked every box. I imagine they'll now have huge cast member interest for the next season after everyone saw how well it came out and how popular it was. That first challenge that was a misalignment with abilities seems like it was an anomaly. 

9 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

No. I really would have liked to see Jonna in particular win some money. I feel like oddly proud of who she's become lol.

I try to like Eric but he always ruins it. He always acts like he is helping some woman who is having trouble when it's like bitch you can't do it either! It seems so condescending. 

 

I am too! I don't suppose Zach was watching. "I try to like Eric but he always ruins it" pretty much sums up my experience with him. Good for him for finishing, though, closing that chapter that's been haunting him for more than a decade. However...

7 hours ago, noluvnoluck said:

Exactly what I was trying to say. It seemed more like him trying to detract from the fact that he was dead last. 

I agree. Aneesa is a true challenge veteran who, while not good at endurance, is still competitive on the main show in her late 30s. Would Eric have been talking about motivating someone up the mountain if the person behind him had been Wes or CT?

However, this is yet another drop in the "Aneesa has no room to call people out for saying she's not good in finals" bucket, and that bucket was already pretty full. 

Apparently Mark is having his 50th birthday party next Thursday in LA to coincide with the reunion episode and many of the cast members are flying out to be there. Should be fun to follow via social media!

Edited May 28, 2021 by Jillibean

[Zima]

On 5/27/2021 at 1:38 PM, snarts said:

Also disappointed that placement on the last leg had such a heavy weighting on the overall winner. It pretty much meant that there was no way a woman could win. Really wish they'd either have separate male/female winners or do a better job leveling the playing field.  That said, happy for Jonna & Kelly Anne to at least place in the top 3.

 

ITA! I was hoping there would be some kind of equalizer like a puzzle or the guys would have to carry a weighted backpack? Idk, I feel that there should have been both a male and female winner. 

8 hours ago, noluvnoluck said:

Exactly what I was trying to say. It seemed more like him trying to detract from the fact that he was dead last. 

Yep, and when he told Jemmeye that he was fine with her quitting the eating challenge. Like, way to deflect and try to get her to quit so he wouldn't have to finish. 🙄

ETA: I am happy that Yes won, but I still think the final leg was unfair, especially since it was double the points. When yes said that he's an out-of-shape dad, I yelled, "OUT OF SHAPE MY ASS" at the screen 🤣 In what universe???

Edited May 29, 2021 by Zima

[Lola82]

For anyone else who enjoyed the music as much as I did.

[AntFTW]

On 5/28/2021 at 9:28 AM, peachmangosteen said:

I really would have liked to see Jonna in particular win some money. I feel like oddly proud of who she's become lol.

In the beginning, I thought it was odd that Jonna was apart of this group because she isn't a "Challenge OG" in any sense, and especially so considering who the alternates were that could have been casted instead. HOWEVER, my mind has changed and I'm satisfied with the group that we got, and I also feel oddly proud of Jonna. I would have been happy with a Jonna upset win out of nowhere.

Edited May 30, 2021 by AntFTW

[seltzer3]

1 hour ago, AntFTW said:

In the beginning, I thought it was odd that Jonna were apart of this group because she isn't a "Challenge OG" in any sense, and especially so considering who the alternates were that could have been casted instead. HOWEVER, my mind has changed and I'm satisfied with the group that we got, and I also feel oddly proud of Jonna. I would have been happy with a Jonna upset win out of nowhere.

Yeah, its been kind of amazing watching her journey.  She was on the kid show the endurance, then had a ton of parent troubles, became a foster kid.  Was a mess in Cancun, with her relationship with guys.  Along with her horrible relationship with Zach who was such a disgusting misogynist to her.  So its nice seeing her transition out of it with a loving family.  Also it was pretty heartwarming to see Jonna go and hug and support other cast members when they had a fight.