S37.E09: The War

[peachmangosteen]

Quote

At long last, the Veteran War has arrived testing everyone's loyalty. The muddy "Bombshell Battle" mission shows who is truly playing dirty. TJ shocks the agents at elimination with a massive twist that will change the game.

 

[AntFTW]

That deliberation was juicy.

Once again, Nelson is an idiot. Speaking when he does not have to…

I’m guessing it’s an individual game now.

Edited October 7, 2021 by AntFTW

[DEL901]

Bettina’s lips bother me.  But she did well on the challenge.  

[AntFTW]

I'm loving me some Priscilla.

I liked Priscilla coming into the season but they didn't show much of her but now I'm loving her after last week and this week's episode. I hope she doesn't disappoint this season.

[Lantern7]

Well, Amber's gone. Perhaps now most of the women in the house can sleep soundly.

Real talk: if Bettina is booted, she's probably not coming back. Yeah, she's hot and she's got the laugh, but I haven't seen much from her.

Hey, a mission ending with explosions! Must be Wednesday! *sigh* Also, I keep waiting for a mission like that where everyone is all muddied and someone keels over.

[LBS]

I so wanted Cory to leave especially after his post show rant that he can’t go to the reunion because he’s not vaccinated. I hope he goes next.  And he had me root for Ashley since he nothing concrete against her.  Ughhhhh

Edited October 7, 2021 by LBS

[aghst]

The mud battle daily could have been a lot better.  Not creative but the bowl shape made it difficult to have a winner without a deal, unless they were willing to fight until one guy outlasted the other.  

Very unlikely it would work that way.

In the early rounds, the quicker teams got to their silver ball without contention but in the last round, it was either make a deal or have some grueling wrestling and people eventually giving up.

Cory is right, people are looking for bullshit reasons to vote someone in.

Ashley was in tears about being targeted early but maybe bragging about winning probably isn't a good strategy.

Devin talking about taking out previous champions first among the vets may either be a brilliant stroke or something that comes back to bite them.  There are more vets who haven't won before than those who have though.

Elimination was certainly interesting.  Were they required to both carry the pieces?  Why not have them straddle the beam, one after the other?  Not sure it would have been allowed.

Cory and Bettina found the right way.  Amber and Jermiah should have copied it, though it's harder because he's much taller but him having to bear Ambers weight was too much, they ran out of gas.

The twist at the end, they love throwing in twists all the time.  But it's just rife with potential for producer manipulation, because they're essentially changing the rules, seemingly on a whim or maybe to engineer certain results.

 

[AntFTW]

6 hours ago, LBS said:

And he had me root for Ashley since he nothing concrete against her.

I thought Cory and Nelson’s little rant in the deliberation was uncalled for. The reason people should vote Ashley in is for something she did 5 seasons ago to a guy that needed to be humbled by about half-a-mill less taxes.

Ananda shouldn’t stick up for Ashley, one of her closest friends, because Ashley “only” sent her a tiny little gift card after winning a million dollars after Amanda risked her game for Ashley.

Cory and Nelson… make that make sense. 😑

But I loved the drama. Everyone was just throwing stuff against the wall and seeing what sticks 😁

[Jillibean]

6 minutes ago, AntFTW said:

I thought Cory and Nelson’s little rant in the deliberation was uncalled for. The reason people should vote Ashley in is for something she did 5 seasons ago to a guy that needed to be humbled by about half-a-mill less taxes.

They're both far too unintelligent to even try to politic, let alone against Amanda. And Ashley may be nuts, but she's much smarter than they are (as are most people in general). I kept wondering how many takes they needed to get Nelson to explain clearly in his interviews what was happening. He always hesitates slightly before saying names like Bettina, and you just know they left three takes of him calling her "Sabrina" on the cutting room floor.

I'm struggling with this season overall. It just isn't holding my interest very well. Too many people I don't care about, I think, though most of them are gone now. I don't understand why the women had such a huge problem with Amber. but I'm also open to the fact that given how universal it seemed there was truly something there that was bothersome. 

[AncientNewbie]

Cory and Nelly in a battle of wits with Ashley. That's...I mean...jeez...I'm sorry, gentlemen. 

Overall, predictable but I enjoyed it. Part of my love for the Challenge is the messiness. Everyone on some other shows gets edited to seem nearly superhuman, but here we get warts and warts and then a good performance, then some drunken warts. 

[AntFTW]

This episode: THE LIST 2.0

[LaurelleJ]

Funny shots at the beginning, Emmanuel doing his own version of yoga, Ed talking to himself in the mirror, hehe. I love love love Logan, only because he reminds me of one of my best friends. It's so funny that he is aligned with Big T. Them plotting on Nelson then faking nice was funny. And then Logan says he wants Jeremiah and Amber to go down, and I don't know how I feel about him anymore. Nany saying she lost to Amber last year is valid, but then again if Kaycee stays in the game, I don't see Nany beating her, so will she secretly be happy if someone takes Kaycee out of the game? Feels like partly being scared of Amber, and partly helping to continue Fessy and Kaycee's feud against Amber. Nany and Logan are a very interesting/weird agency. 

I thought it was interesting that Ashley came up to Tori and said she wants to run a final with her and that she doesn't think she can beat her, that it will be close.  I don't think she believes that, I think she will say anything to keep the target off of her for as long as possible. I've never been a big Ashley fan so I really don't care what happens to her in the game. This was the best deliberation conversation all season so far. 

Elimination, man it's too bad that 3 can't come back. I like Cory, Jeremiah, and Amber. Bettina I can do without. This challenge looks so tiring. My back hurts just watching. I know that they have people try out the challenges and eliminations before the cast does and I would have loved to see the practice round with the staff on this particular elimination. Once again, the eliminations this season have proven to be much better than last season, and a lot of other seasons as well. That's the one thing about the layups, you think they are layups until they sneak up on you. I think the ladies in the house are looking at Bettina a little differently now. That elimination looked hard. Cory said 3 hours??? I hope both Amber and Jeremiah come back. 

The twist. No more switching partners? I wonder if this was done because of the chatter of Bettina choosing CT and Corey choosing Tori, that would have created a team of Devin and Emy, correct? Because Devin's partner Amber is gone, and Emy'c partner CT was stolen, leaving Devin and Emy alone. My brain. Now don't Devin and Tori become partners? Maybe the producers didn't like the fact that they were manipulating the game to make rookie-rookie pairs, and after that was over, they stopped it. Or maybe it was just a coincidence that when they got down to a certain number they were going to change the game. Who knows?

[grandmabegum]

Emanuel eating from the bowl balanced on his head is my new happy place. He seems like a goof and I love it.

[AntFTW]

1 hour ago, LaurelleJ said:

Nany saying she lost to Amber last year is valid, but then again if Kaycee stays in the game, I don't see Nany beating her, so will she secretly be happy if someone takes Kaycee out of the game?

She won’t be happy. Kaycee can beat Nany, but Kaycee is a number.

1 hour ago, LaurelleJ said:

I thought it was interesting that Ashley came up to Tori and said she wants to run a final with her and that she doesn't think she can beat her, that it will be close.  I don't think she believes that

I don’t believe Ashley believes that either.

1 hour ago, LaurelleJ said:

I've never been a big Ashley fan so I really don't care what happens to her in the game.

I’m still digesting that she actually won the game twice.

1 hour ago, LaurelleJ said:

This was the best deliberation conversation all season so far. 

Yes it was. It had a little bit of everything I like.

1 hour ago, LaurelleJ said:

Elimination, man it's too bad that 3 can't come back. I like Cory, Jeremiah, and Amber. Bettina I can do without. This challenge looks so tiring. My back hurts just watching.

Same here! Devin took the words right outta my mouth when he said that Amber and Jeremiah are ahead but they are doing it in such an inefficient way. Almost all of the burden for staying on the beam was put on Jeremiah. He had to hold Amber up the entire time.

1 hour ago, LaurelleJ said:

The twist. No more switching partners? I wonder if this was done because of the chatter of Bettina choosing CT and Corey choosing Tori, that would have created a team of Devin and Emy, correct?

Cory said he would have chosen Kaycee. If they had chosen partners, it would have created a new rookie-rookie team with Emanuel and Emy. If Cory chose Tori, it would be Emy and Ed.

[LaurelleJ]

25 minutes ago, AntFTW said:

I’m still digesting that she actually won the game twice.

Me too! I don't necessarily look at her as a threat in the game. 

 

26 minutes ago, AntFTW said:

Cory said he would have chosen Kaycee. If they had chosen partners, it would have created a new rookie-rookie team with Emanuel and Emy. If Cory chose Tori, it would be Emy and Ed.

Yes he did, I was typing as I was watching and still didn't remember. Again, my brain. But why would it be Emy and Ed? Isn't Ashley Ed's partner? Wouldn't it have been Emy and Devin?

[AntFTW]

27 minutes ago, LaurelleJ said:

Me too! I don't necessarily look at her as a threat in the game. 

 

Yes he did, I was typing as I was watching and still didn't remember. Again, my brain. But why would it be Emy and Ed? Isn't Ashley Ed's partner? Wouldn't it have been Emy and Devin?

You’re right! My brain! 😂

If Cory chose Tori, then the new team would have been Devin and Emy. You’re right. My bad. I forgot that Ed and Ashley were partners now.

Edited October 7, 2021 by AntFTW

[LaurelleJ]

31 minutes ago, AntFTW said:

You’re right! My brain! 😂

If Cory chose Tori, then the new team would have been Devin and Emy. You’re right. My bad. I forgot that Ed and Ashley were partners now.

The teams switch so much it is easy to forget. Devin and Emy were partners before...I think. Ah this season gives me a headache. 

[shantown]

I really loved this episode, if only because it gave us so many views of people trying to figure out the social/political game. You had people who were close friends sitting and trying to break down alliances and numbers and swing votes. Then "ambassadors" from different alliances visiting the other small groups and feeling out where fingers were going to point. It was so interesting to see more of them not just playing the game but figuring out HOW to play the game. I love that just as much as seeing who's a good competitor physically. Just a really interesting look into how they break this game down as it goes.

Emanuel, Ed, and Priscilla have stood out to me as rookies this season. I definitely see at least those three getting a call for future seasons, they have shown a fair amount of personality. Emanuel and Ed especially have shown good humor too. Emy has really faded into the background these last couple eps after her spotlight episode. I don't mind that at all.

I was confused why Nelson was trying to paint Ashley giving Amanda money from her winnings as a bad thing? Because it wasn't enough money? Ashley really annoys me - I haven't seen either of her previous seasons but she is so high-strung that I have secondhand stress just watching her. I still think it was silly trying to throw her in though, I thought the reasons were much more BS than the reasons being given for saying Cory's name.

Stinks to see Amber go because I like her, but I agree there must be something not being shown because like @Jillibean said - it seems fairly consistent that no one else likes her or has her back. The no partner switching thing is shady to me, I don't mind a twist here and there but in this show it always feels slimy, like @aghst said it seems like there's not a set plan for the season ahead of time and that producers are manipulating it.  

[AntFTW]

6 minutes ago, shantown said:

I was confused why Nelson was trying to paint Ashley giving Amanda money from her winnings was being painted as a bad thing? Because it wasn't enough money? Ashley really annoys me - I haven't seen either of her previous seasons but she is so high-strung that I have secondhand stress just watching her. I still think it was silly trying to throw her in though, I thought the reasons were much more BS than the reasons being given for saying Cory's name.

They shouldn’t have gone down the “snake” route. They tried to make Ashley look untrustworthy and like a snake. The real reason you want Ashley to go down is because she’s won twice; she’s won the most money out of anyone present; and if she gets to a final SHE WILL WIN AGAIN! She will beat every vet girl there as she has done twice before. She’s a great runner and she’s the “puzzle queen.”

Edited October 7, 2021 by AntFTW

[angelamh66]

Ugh... was that a fricking Q shirt CT was wearing??? I could barely focus on the conversation because I was so hoping it wasn’t. Guess my years long crush on CT is over. 

[Remlab]

5 hours ago, angelamh66 said:

Ugh... was that a fricking Q shirt CT was wearing??? I could barely focus on the conversation because I was so hoping it wasn’t. Guess my years long crush on CT is over. 

What is a Q shirt? Like QAnon?

[AntFTW]

I wanna be very clear. Amanda did not stick her neck out or risk her game for Ashley. Amanda did not intend to risk her game for Ashley. Amanda’s own stubbornness is what she risked her game for. Back in season 32, Amanda thought she was gonna save her friend, and that Zach wasn’t gonna risk his game for Tony and therefore cave to her stubbornness. She did not count on Zach being equally (or perhaps more) stubborn, calling her bluff, and risking his game for Tony. Amanda did not want to go in for Ashley and did not intend to.

Edited October 8, 2021 by AntFTW

[falltime]

5 hours ago, angelamh66 said:

Ugh... was that a fricking Q shirt CT was wearing??? I could barely focus on the conversation because I was so hoping it wasn’t. Guess my years long crush on CT is over. 

This one? Looks like an under armour freedom shirt.

[AntFTW]

8 minutes ago, falltime said:

This one? Looks like an under armour freedom shirt.

That looks like an Under Armour logo.

Also I remember hearing some behind the scenes stuff. I heard a while back that  producers ask them not to wear any clothing with logos that MTV isn’t allowed to put on the show. Under Armour is a sponsor so that’s allowed. The MTV logo is allowed. Other logos, they have to blur out.

-

-

Also, I listened to the Challenge podcast earlier today. According to Tori, Nany sat down with Amber and told her she was going in. Amber knew she was going in well before the elimination came.

Edited October 8, 2021 by AntFTW

[angelamh66]

9 hours ago, Remlab said:

What is a Q shirt? Like QAnon?

Yes, that is what I thought I was seeing.  But...

9 hours ago, falltime said:

This one? Looks like an under armour freedom shirt.

But thanks to Falltime! I am so relieved.  It makes total sense that MTV would have blurred it out if it were anything other than something that was approved as a sponsor.  Crush is back on! Haha. 

[MaggieG]

Once again, Josh was being super dramatic. Cory was actually right in that moment, they all want to win, they're not playing pattycake. Did Josh just expect all those guys to just let him have the ball?

Interesting that Amber and Ashley's names are being thrown around because they're champs but nobody is mentioning CT. Devin, Cory. all these guys need to focus on getting him out of the game if they really want a non champ final. Because if CT is back in the final, chances of him winning are high.

Ed is so adorable and seems so easy-going. I love that conversation he had with the mirror. There was also a moment during the daily when he went back into the mudpit to get the silver ball and Logan had it. He just smiled so brightly at Logan because they both knew that had to fight for the ball. 

Cory screaming that he was the puzzle king when Bettina actually solved the puzzle 🙄

[Jobiska]

35 minutes ago, MaggieG said:

Ed is so adorable and seems so easy-going. I love that conversation he had with the mirror. There was also a moment during the daily when he went back into the mudpit to get the silver ball and Logan had it. He just smiled so brightly at Logan because they both knew that had to fight for the ball. 

Yes, I loved that smile!  And the mirror convo.  It was interesting that he was listed as a number with, I think CT/Devin/Etc., despite being a rookie.

Well, look at that stuck up, fake Amber, losing graciously and congratulating the winners.  How hateful.  (eyeroll to Berna and Esther).

 

[jsm1125]

Did I miss why CT seems to dislike Bettina? In a confessional this week, he said that if she were to choose him as her partner, he would make sure it’s short-lived.

[AntFTW]

24 minutes ago, jsm1125 said:

Did I miss why CT seems to dislike Bettina? In a confessional this week, he said that if she were to choose him as her partner, he would make sure it’s short-lived.

I’m guessing he thinks she’s a weak partner.

[millennium]

On 10/7/2021 at 3:00 PM, AntFTW said:

They shouldn’t have gone down the “snake” route. They tried to make Ashley look untrustworthy and like a snake. The real reason you want Ashley to go down is because she’s won twice; she’s won the most money out of anyone present; and if she gets to a final SHE WILL WIN AGAIN! She will beat every vet girl there as she has done twice before. She’s a great runner and she’s the “puzzle queen.”

Always great to see somebody stand up for Ashley!   I'm glad she's managed to stay in the game this long.  Other than the seasons she won, she has a tendency to be voted out early or even leave prematurely (like if they happen to lose her luggage).

[millennium]

The ghost of the Young Bucks makes a surprise appearance as Cory and Nelson remind us just how dumb they were/are, with and without Hunter.

I'm tired of Cory at this point.   So many bites at the apple over the years and he chokes every time.  Maybe he was so upset because he figures this is his best and only shot at winning due to the watered-down lineup and the absence of so many heavy-hitters (Bananas, Wes, Zach, Jordan, Cara Maria, Laurel, etc.).  I think Devin senses that and was playing to Cory's Leroy-esque "done-this-so-many-times-I-deserve-to-win" sense of entitlement when he whispered that he wants to see "a non-champion vet win."

Edited October 9, 2021 by millennium

[aghst]

Has Cory even won second or third place money?

But he's been doing the Challenge for around 10 years?

So he must still have a real job, unless MTV pays some players behind the scenes to keep coming.

Even if you win once, say a million, after taxes, it's not going to last that long, especially for people under 40.  It won't be life changing, though maybe for some they can pay off some debts and give them a little breathing room.

But they're going to have to keep working.

 

[AntFTW]

4 hours ago, millennium said:

Always great to see somebody stand up for Ashley!   I'm glad she's managed to stay in the game this long.  Other than the seasons she won, she has a tendency to be voted out early or even leave prematurely (like if they happen to lose her luggage).

I like Ashley because when her back is against the wall, she plays the game and she plays hard. That’s what I wanna see out of the players, try everything and don’t be scared. Sure, she has her meltdowns but the one thing I like about Ashley is that she doesn’t play a scared game.

Other than the time the airline lost her luggage on Dirty 30, the primary reason she gets sent in is because she plays the game hard and she’s a Challenge Champ.

I will add that the two times she’s won, she’s had her “Lavender Ladies” alliance with her. In season 34, she had a strong alliance with her and she got to the final. But when she doesn’t have that strong alliance, she plays hard, and if she loses, she tries to burn everything down on her way out.

Edited October 9, 2021 by AntFTW

[millennium]

3 hours ago, aghst said:

Has Cory even won second or third place money?

But he's been doing the Challenge for around 10 years?

So he must still have a real job, unless MTV pays some players behind the scenes to keep coming.

Even if you win once, say a million, after taxes, it's not going to last that long, especially for people under 40.  It won't be life changing, though maybe for some they can pay off some debts and give them a little breathing room.

But they're going to have to keep working.

 

Cory's apparently also on some other MTV show about young mothers.   I have never seen it, but noticed him in a preview for it during an episode of The Challenge a couple weeks ago.

[millennium]

Ed is growing on me.   I was ready to dismiss him at first due to his flagrant affability, figured it must be a put-on.   But he seems to be more interested in playing the game than dominating camera time.   The few times the camera has singled him out (dancing at the club, the mirror monologue), my impression has been it's just Ed being Ed rather than hamming it up.

[AntFTW]

3 hours ago, aghst said:

Has Cory even won second or third place money?

Yes. He won 3rd place on Invasion, season 29 (after CT and Nelson) and he got 2nd place (partnered with Kam) just last season. He also got 2nd place in Bloodlines, partnered with his cousin Mitch, losing 1st place to Cara and her cousin.

Edited October 9, 2021 by AntFTW

[AntFTW]

10 minutes ago, millennium said:

Cory's apparently also on some other MTV show about young mothers. 

Teen Mom OG… and they are not young mothers anymore 😂

Cory is on that show with Cheyenne, and their daughter. Cheyenne was not a teen mom at all, but she’s one of the cast members on the show. Cheyenne was originally a cast member on ‘Are You the One?’ and she was also a cast member on season 28 of The Challenge, which is where her and Cory met.

Edited October 9, 2021 by AntFTW

[millennium]

🙁  Argh.  I haven't worked my way up to Bloodlines yet.  Still on Free Agents.

1 minute ago, AntFTW said:

Teen Mom OG… and they are not young mothers anymore 😂

Cory is on that show with Cheyenne, and their daughter.

I'm shocked -- Cory never hinted that he has a daughter.   🙄

[AntFTW]

5 minutes ago, millennium said:

I'm shocked -- Cory never hinted that he has a daughter.   🙄

Cory has two daughters. One with Cheyenne and one with a woman named Taylor, who was also a cast member on ‘Are You the One?’

His daughters have been his Challenge storyline for the last two seasons.

Edited October 9, 2021 by AntFTW

[millennium]

18 minutes ago, AntFTW said:

Cory has two daughters. One with Cheyenne and one with a woman named Taylor, who was also a cast member on ‘Are You the One?’

His daughters have been his Challenge storyline for the last two seasons.

Sarcasm, lol.  Cory's been playing the "I have children to support" card for awhile now.

[AntFTW]

8 minutes ago, millennium said:

Sarcasm, lol.  Cory's been playing the "I have children to support" card for awhile now.

I was thinking that may have been sarcasm right after I posted 😂

…because Cory’s been playing that sympathy card for a couple years now 😂

Cory: You all should let me win because I have mouths to feed back home 

Edited October 10, 2021 by AntFTW

[AntFTW]

On 10/9/2021 at 3:40 PM, aghst said:

Has Cory even won second or third place money?

But he's been doing the Challenge for around 10 years?

More like 5-6 years. His 2nd season, Rivals 3, was only like 5 years ago. 5 years is a lifetime in reality TV years. I can never remember the first person eliminated when the finale airs, which is only a few months apart. First season was Bloodlines just before Rivals 3.

Edited October 11, 2021 by AntFTW

[TallulahBelle]

Every time anyone says Ashley 'stole' that money, ends with me screeching at my tv because NO.  She was given an option to share the prize money or keep it and she kept it, that's not stealing his money, it was only his money if she chose to share it, it was her money to do with what she wanted, so I haaaaaate when anyone uses that as an excuse to call her untrustworthy or a snake like they did in this ep.  Even when CT was saying it wasn't a reason to vote her in, he still said she stole it, I'm just sick of that narrative being part of her storyline every season now.  Having said that, I'm all for the Devin plan to vote out past winners, I love watching CT and Smashley play, but I'd like to see someone else win the money (not you, Nany, although she is working much harder for it this season than previous).
 

[AncientNewbie]

On 10/9/2021 at 3:40 PM, aghst said:

So he must still have a real job, unless MTV pays some players behind the scenes to keep coming.

He is, as someone famously snarked and I can't recall whom, a Teen Mom when not on this show. 

 

ETA: Who? Whom? I feel like Corey doing puzzles right now. 

Edited October 12, 2021 by AncientNewbie

[AntFTW]

15 hours ago, TallulahBelle said:

Every time anyone says Ashley 'stole' that money, ends with me screeching at my tv because NO.  She was given an option to share the prize money or keep it and she kept it, that's not stealing his money, it was only his money if she chose to share it, it was her money to do with what she wanted, so I haaaaaate when anyone uses that as an excuse to call her untrustworthy or a snake like they did in this ep.  Even when CT was saying it wasn't a reason to vote her in, he still said she stole it, I'm just sick of that narrative being part of her storyline every season now.  Having said that, I'm all for the Devin plan to vote out past winners, I love watching CT and Smashley play, but I'd like to see someone else win the money (not you, Nany, although she is working much harder for it this season than previous).
 

…and it made for great TV. Hunter was terrible to her, not that Ashley was the greatest partner.