S38.E07: Deep Web

[shantown]

Quote

The political game intensifies as a web of deception causes problems for one crafty player. Brainpower and endurance is put to the test at the Peaking Blinders challenge. A blindside leads to a shocking elimination round.

Airs Wednesday, November 23 at 8:00pm eastern on MTV

[AntFTW]

1) In the first few minutes, it's way too much Amber. It's either we're hearing from Amber or it's about Amber so therefore, we can guess that she's either winning the daily and showing her cards or she's going into elimination.

2) Aneesa: "I'm built for comfort, not speed" 😂🤣😂

3) I think this is one of the better daily challenges they've had this season. I liked the elimination challenge. For me, this was the best episode of the season.

4) Wow! Nelson wins again. Whoa! Nurys is working wonders for Nelson.

5) Amber said she felt betrayed by Nelson and Nurys because she was protecting them. However, in this season, you can't protect anyone unless you win. The only people saying names are the daily winners, and they are the only ones who can protect anyone. Has Amber won any challenge so far this season?

6) Once again, a slew of Challenge Champ teams nominated for elimination: Darrell, Veronica, Jordan, Johnny, and Amber

7) At first, Veronica looked like she wasn't even trying to help with the puzzle. She's at the top looking over the side and clearly freezing her butt off. Granted, it does look cold and really windy. Cold wind absolutely sucks! Veronica is usually phenomenal with puzzles but couldn't get it done this time.

Edited November 24, 2022 by AntFTW

[aghst]

I think the Daily made Darrell and Jordan realize that even if they make the Final, they don't have a shot given that their partners can't even jog distances which are going to be much shorter than what they'd face in a Final.

As far as the strategizing, Nelson outsmarted himself again.  Should have stuck to the plan.

Is it luck that Johnny and Nanny drew the safe dagger again?  They were the first to choose in the previous elimination too.

Let them draw first and it would be easier to tip them off if the producers wanted to keep Bananas in the game.

BTW, why was Nelson worried about potentially pitting Nany vs. Kaycee.  If that was a concern, why put Nany and Bananas in at all?

Because he knew Nany was going to get melodramatic again.  Well didn't matter, she got melodramatic again for being nominated, said she will never forget it.

Whatever, she's able to survive long each season but then either doesn't make the Final or just doesn't perform.  I thought after her failure in the Final in one recent season, she'd give up this talk about finally winning a season, because she's not built for it either.

[Badlands]

I have no idea what Nelson was thinking. He was clearly manipulated by Devin, but that wasn't actually a smart mover for either of them. Devin talks about how he is all about strategy and not emotion, but the only reason to target Amber was that she was the one to say out loud what most people were already thinking. Now everyone knows it's true. I don't know how people fall for Devin's pitches. He's just so smarmy.

Nelson's given explanation for putting in Amber and Chauncey was that they were a weak team who hadn't won anything. Of course, if you are already ticking off a bunch of vets by putting them in danger, it's better to get rid of a strong team. I'll also note that Amber has actually won the show in her two appearances, while Nelson is 0 for 8.

[mojoween]

Amber never met a phrase she doesn’t like to repeat (mentor mentor mentor mentor) but the most puzzling was that she protected Nelson.  From what, exactly?  Like Ant said, no one who has won a daily so far was really looking to Amber and Chauncey to see who they wanted to save.

Olivia drinking tea while saying how long the puzzle was taking was very funny.  As was Aneesa’s “ten minutes? An hour? A day?”

[AntFTW]

4 minutes ago, mojoween said:

Amber never met a phrase she doesn’t like to repeat (mentor mentor mentor mentor)

She also says “blindside” a lot 😂

…and that is kind of annoying. It’s a thing but it’s not a word frequently heard on The Challenge.

[lilabennet]

Nelson is never going to win.  Someone with a winning mindset would keep Veronica and Aneesa in the game because they would be easy to beat in the final.

[ImpinAintEasy]

Nelson is the dumbest person to ever be a regular on this show. What does it say that Jay/Michelle and Nelson/Nurys have won 3 straight challenges and somehow sent home 2 rookie pairs? How did Banany escape that without being sent down automatically? 
 

Sad to see Darrell go. I’ve wanted him to get another win in this higher payout era. He came so close in the first 2 All-Stars. I just don’t think it’s in the cards unless they do another team season. 
 

It will be interesting to see if Dollar Tree Wes will be vulnerable now that people are on to him. Yet, Banany and Amber/Chauncey may be the only teams who would send him and Tori in. So I have to give him some props for finding a way to never be nominated for elimination. I think Tori and him are top 3 favorites to win a final, along with Michelle/Jay and Horacio/Olivia. That is if the producers don’t pull some shenanigans to get Banany a win. 

Edited November 24, 2022 by ImpinAintEasy

[Midwestern Lady]

I credit Darrell for not dissing Veronica on walking.  Totally classy- has always been a favorite of mine and now he is more so.  If I am going on the Challenge then I would definitely be stepping up my workouts.  You know you will be running.  

Other deep thoughts:   Nelson is the dumbest vet ever.  Why is Fessy never considered for elimination?   Love Bananas but Nany is not interesting to me as a player.   I think she has an overinflated ego with no wins to back it up.   

[AntFTW]

The vets this season seem to have the most useless alliance ever. Jay and Michele, and Nelson and Nurys have won the last 4 challenges (I think). An alliance only means something if you win. Nobody's really winning. Kaycee isn't winning and therefore can't protect any of her people. Faysal and Moriah won once and Nany and Johnny won once. They're vulnerable all the time because no one wins.

1 hour ago, Midwestern Lady said:

Other deep thoughts:   Nelson is the dumbest vet ever.  Why is Fessy never considered for elimination?

Well yes, Nelson is an idiot.

I thought it was typical on-brand Nelson to butt into the conversation between Devin and Michele, and ask about something that has nothing to do with him and also lose his temper over something that has nothing to do with him.

[LaurelleJ]

Why does everyone always have a problem with Amber? She seems so unproblematic. Nelson won twice in a season. Stop the presses. 

Devin is the puppet master and master manipulator. Nelson being the winner doesn't bother me as much as Jay and Michele winning, but this was a missed opportunity to make a better move. I agree with many, why hasn't anyone taken a swing at Fessy yet? Why has he flown under the radar?This could have been a chance to try to get Fessy vs. bananas.

I hate to see Darrell go, I really like him. Next challenge format should be individual to give him a chance. 

23 hours ago, lilabennet said:

Nelson is never going to win.  Someone with a winning mindset would keep Veronica and Aneesa in the game because they would be easy to beat in the final.

THIS! What is not clicking with him???? WHY didn't he say Fessy???

Edited November 25, 2022 by LaurelleJ

[AntFTW]

3 minutes ago, LaurelleJ said:

THIS! What is not clicking with him????

This is a trick question. Does anything ever click with Nelson?

[AntFTW]

23 hours ago, lilabennet said:

Nelson is never going to win.  Someone with a winning mindset would keep Veronica and Aneesa in the game because they would be easy to beat in the final.

16 minutes ago, LaurelleJ said:

THIS! What is not clicking with him???? WHY didn't he say Fessy???

What I thought Nelson should have done was nominate Jordan and Aneesa, Johnny and Nany, Kaycee and Kenny, and Fessy and Moriah.

Throw Jordan and Aneesa directly in and put everyone else to the draw. Make them say names. Make them choose.

Johnny and Nany, Kaycee and Kenny, and Fessy and Moriah are three teams that would undoubtedly save each other over anyone else. Throw them all in and make them choose. See what happens when they can't save each other and have to throw each other under the bus. Kaycee and Nany would save each other first, and Fessy would be the odd-person out. If Fessy is draws the safe daggers, he would likely choose Kaycee to be safe but would Kaycee let that happen?

Edited November 25, 2022 by AntFTW

[LaurelleJ]

49 minutes ago, AntFTW said:

Johnny and Nany, Kaycee and Kenny, and Fessy and Moriah are three teams that would undoubtedly save each other over anyone else. Throw them all in and make them choose. See what happens when they can't save each other and have to throw each other under the bus. Kaycee and Nany would save each other first, and Fessy would be the odd-person out. If Fessy is draws the safe daggers, he would likely choose Kaycee to be safe but would Kaycee let that happen?

This would have been the ideal scenario. Yes Kaycee would have let it happen because Johnny and Nany would have had a better shot winning and coming back than Kaycee and Kenny. Then you get two strong-ish teams to go at it. Johnny and Nany would be stronger in a final so you would want them to lose, and anything can happen in elimination. Had this particular elimination been Johnny/Nany vs. Jordan/Aneesa though, I could see Johnny and Nany winning it. I think Aneesa would have struggled more than Veronica did. 

[jsm1125]

What’s with this fixation every season that Amber is on where the vets want her to be nothing more than cannon fodder?

[RedbirdNelly]

Another episode with a winner who is bad at strategy.

I like Devin most of the time due to his snarky commentary--but he is a real jerk at times and I dislike it when he goes with the "I'm going to gaslight/bully you for not putting my game ahead of yours." He did it with Tori last season and he tries to make Michele think she is obligated to go around advocating for him all the time. Please. 

I feel like something is off with the edit Amber gets. Every season I've watched her she always gets talked about as untrustworthy, etc. --often by fellow newbies--but we never really see what makes her disliked. 

I agree that Amber can't protect Nelson without winning but I thought maybe she was saying she'd advocated for him with Michele?? not sure. We don't really see how the alliance gets formed. That's my only possible explanation. 

The only reasons I can understand why Fessy hasn't been sent down yet is (a) the players somehow know the final will definitely involve eating gross food so they want him in the final as an easy to beat team; (b) the players are somehow required to wait until the elimination is extremely physical. I'm kidding but still.

I am such a Darrell fan. He is so nice and supportive of his partner. Total class. 

[millennium]

On 11/24/2022 at 1:14 PM, ImpinAintEasy said:

Nelson is the dumbest person to ever be a regular on this show.

8 hours ago, Midwestern Lady said:

Nelson is the dumbest vet ever.

6 hours ago, AntFTW said:

Well yes, Nelson is an idiot.

To the point that he's become obnoxious.   His one-man campaign to rebrand himself "Nelly T." won't save him either.

What was it, just a season or two ago, that Devin watched from a deck as Nelson worked out and made jokes implying how empty-headed he is?  Nelson had to have seen that when it aired, yet here's Nelson lining up to be Devin's pawn this season!   I never liked that "young bucks alliance" (Cory, Nelson, Hunter) but they were useful idiots in terms of comic relief.   The dearth of stronger players these last couple seasons has allowed Cory and Nelson to gain more influence than they have earned, making for a less interesting show IMO. 

5 hours ago, LaurelleJ said:

THIS! What is not clicking with him???? WHY didn't he say Fessy???

I want a scene where Fessy pinches himself and asks "Am I really on the show this season?" or questions whether other people can see him.  

6 hours ago, AntFTW said:

The vets this season seem to have the most useless alliance ever. Jay and Michele, and Nelson and Nurys have won the last 4 challenges (I think). An alliance only means something if you win. Nobody's really winning. Kaycee isn't winning and therefore can't protect any of her people. Faysal and Moriah won once and Nany and Johnny won once. They're vulnerable all the time because no one wins.

They're either phoning it in or suffering serious setbacks due to the physical liabilities presented by their partners.   It's fine if Aneesa prefers to be built for comfort than speed, but don't come on a show where speed (or at least an attempt at speed) is a basic requirement.   I like Aneesa but she brings nothing to her team competitively, strategically or politically.    Then you had Veronica being self-deprecating about the size of her tush, but it arguably hurt them in the Elimination (although Veronica did give it her all).   I would put Bananas/Nany, Kaycee/Kenny, Devin/Tori and Fessy/Moriah in the phoning-it-in category.   We know why Devin and Tori aren't trying that hard but what's the excuse for the other three?   The passivity even seems to extend to their in-house activity -- Bananas reclining in his bedroom when things are going to hell outside?

I listen to the podcasts (Death, Taxes and Bananas, The Official MTV The Challenge podcast) and the hosts/guests keep saying this season is full of mind-blowing twists ... where are they?

I watched some of Season 30/Dirty Thirty following this week's show and was struck by how much more I prefer the old-style Eliminations where the ring is smaller and the camera angles tighter.  There's a greater sense of immediacy and tension.   These arena-style Eliminations put too much distance between the viewer and the players and also the spectator gallery.

3 hours ago, jsm1125 said:

What’s with this fixation every season that Amber is on where the vets want her to be nothing more than cannon fodder?

I don't get it either.   Didn't she win the Final in her rookie season?

8 hours ago, Midwestern Lady said:

Love Bananas but Nany is not interesting to me as a player.   I think she has an overinflated ego with no wins to back it up.  

I think her relationship with Kaycee has instilled in Nany some inflated sense of credibility.   Nany/Kaycee is much "bigger" than either of them ever were individually.   And her friendship/partnership with Bananas only furthers it.   Nany almost won a Final once, but she quit one of the pit-stop challenges (riding a stationary bike in frigid weather) allowing Laurel to beat her by mere minutes in the final tabulation.   Nany's one of a few players who seem to confuse longevity with ability (Jemmye's another).

P.S.  The brief Wes flashback was a sore reminder of how much fun he brings to the show and how it suffers when he isn't there.

Edited November 25, 2022 by millennium

[jsm1125]

2 hours ago, millennium said:

To the point that he's become obnoxious.   His one-man campaign to rebrand himself "Nelly T." won't save him either.

What was it, just a season or two ago, that Devin watched from a deck as Nelson worked out and made jokes implying how empty-headed he is?  Nelson had to have seen that when it aired, yet here's Nelson lining up to be Devin's pawn this season!   I never liked that "young bucks alliance" (Cory, Nelson, Hunter) but they were useful idiots in terms of comic relief.   The dearth of stronger players these last couple seasons has allowed Cory and Nelson to gain more influence than they have earned, making for a less interesting show IMO. 

I want a scene where Fessy pinches himself and asks "Am I really on the show this season?" or questions whether other people can see him.  

They're either phoning it in or suffering serious setbacks due to the physical liabilities presented by their partners.   It's fine if Aneesa prefers to be built for comfort than speed, but don't come on a show where speed (or at least an attempt at speed) is a basic requirement.   I like Aneesa but she brings nothing to her team competitively, strategically or politically.    Then you had Veronica being self-deprecating about the size of her tush, but it arguably hurt them in the Elimination (although Veronica did give it her all).   I would put Bananas/Nany, Kaycee/Kenny, Devin/Tori and Fessy/Moriah in the phoning-it-in category.   We know why Devin and Tori aren't trying that hard but what's the excuse for the other three?   The passivity even seems to extend to their in-house activity -- Bananas reclining in his bedroom when things are going to hell outside?

I listen to the podcasts (Death, Taxes and Bananas, The Official MTV The Challenge podcast) and the hosts/guests keep saying this season is full of mind-blowing twists ... where are they?

I watched some of Season 30/Dirty Thirty following this week's show and was struck by how much more I prefer the old-style Eliminations where the ring is smaller and the camera angles tighter.  There's a greater sense of immediacy and tension.   These arena-style Eliminations put too much distance between the viewer and the players and also the spectator gallery.

I don't get it either.   Didn't she win the Final in her rookie season?

I think her relationship with Kaycee has instilled in Nany some inflated sense of credibility.   Nany/Kaycee is much "bigger" than either of them ever were individually.   And her friendship/partnership with Bananas only furthers it.   Nany almost won a Final once, but she quit one of the pit-stop challenges (riding a stationary bike in frigid weather) allowing Laurel to beat her by mere minutes in the final tabulation.   Nany's one of a few players who seem to confuse longevity with ability (Jemmye's another).

P.S.  The brief Wes flashback was a sore reminder of how much fun he brings to the show and how it suffers when he isn't there.

I don’t think Jemmye has any illusions about herself as a competitor  

[AntFTW]

4 minutes ago, jsm1125 said:

I don’t think Jemmye has any illusions about herself as a competitor  

She doesn’t. She realizes she is not the most athletic. She understands that if there’s a purge, it is likely going to be her that’s purged out. She knows she’s not likely to win an headbanger elimination.

Thats why she’s always played up the politics and has always been pretty ruthless.

Edited November 25, 2022 by AntFTW

[millennium]

Fun Fact:  Veronica defeated Aneesa in the same "Web of Lies" elimination five years ago in Dirty Thirty.  Not many Challengers have had to face the same Elimination twice in their careers.

[Lamima]

On 11/26/2022 at 2:47 AM, millennium said:

Fun Fact:  Veronica defeated Aneesa in the same "Web of Lies" elimination five years ago in Dirty Thirty.  Not many Challengers have had to face the same Elimination twice in their careers.

Too bad that didn't happen this time too....can't stand Jordan and Aneesa. Or Nanny and Bananas. Really wanted those 2 teams against each other. But Nelson and Devin had to go and mess it all up. Boo.

[Lantern7]

Honestly, I don't know why any team plays to win. You win the mission, you wind up botching the nominations. Lucky for Jay and Michele, Nelson & Nurys didn't send them into danger. Nope . . . we get Amber and Amber's partner beating Darrell & Veronica. Natch, Veronica was more or less her team's undoing, though both teams struggling with the puzzle reminded me of watching Survivor. And Darrell didn't say a bad word about "Vee." Good news: he'll probably return. Bad news: his kids probably can't remember what he looks like.

Johnny & Nany getting lucky again . . . I want to believe that was luck. It probably was luck, but BMP is shysty enough to tip their main attraction off i regard to avoiding the Zone. Or maybe "BaNany" figured out which dagger was the safe one. Didn't players figure out where the Kill Cards were in Free Agents?

Nelson winning two missions inside of four episodes . . . no one would have bet on that happening. Nurys is the luckiest charm out there.

What's funnier: Veronica's butt being called a "technical difficulty"? Or Veronica playing a spider-like game ages after Katie dubbed her "Verantula"?