S38.E08: Born to Ride or Die

[shantown]

Quote

After a season of big moves, one pair of \"Ride or Dies\" finds themselves in the crosshairs of numerous teams; one player must choose between new love, old friendship, and playing a smart game.

Airs Wednesday, November 30 at 8:00pm eastern on MTV

[AntFTW]

1) Didn't know Johnny and Moriah were a "thing" in the Challenge house.

2) Amber should know that sometimes people need their space when they receive disappointing news. Sometimes people don't want others all in their face when get bad news. It's okay. People digest and react to news differently. Just give them a little time, and check in later. There is no need to be all butt-hurt about it.

3) Looking at the description of the episode, it gives away that Nelson is pulling the 'safe' dagger when you see that he's been nominated into elimination. He's the only one that fits the description.

4) Nelson is an idiot for so many reasons... but this time for saving Fessy.

5) I thought the daily challenge was boring. The elimination game was interesting. Horacio not knowing he won made me chuckle.

[aghst]

On the Daily the only way to get eliminated is to drop a key.

Couple of players fell off the cars but the tether just allowed them to swing back onto the next car, only it added time.

Of course Nelson makes the wrong choice again.

Seems the rules about helping teams in the Elimination are inconsistent.  Jordan and others didn't so much help Horacio and Olivia as much as hinder Jay and Michelle from communicating.

Jordan is a driven competitor but that same trait makes him a braying ass.  He's a guy who will do things out of spite.  He can turn on the charm for awhile but his obstinacy will eventually emerge and that abrasive personality will wear on people.

It's great that he let the chip on his shoulder over accomplish despite his handicap but that chip is never gone.

[Badlands]

This show is getting hilariously stupid. How are people on the sidelines allowed to shout things out during an elimination that is based on communication with your partner?? Imagine on Survivor if one of the people sitting out a blindfold challenge starting shouting stuff out, not even to help their own team, but so another team couldn't hear. Probst would shut that down so fast. This show has no such integrity.

[Lamima]

CAN'T STAND JORDAN! He is so annoying. And Bananas isn't much better. 

[AncientNewbie]

Oh, Nelly...Nelly, Nelly, Nelly...you're a good narrator for this season and I love the chaos you bring, plus your continual hope of finding True Love on the Challenge, but...I'm not sure that was the smartest use of the save power. 

[mojoween]

Nurys, if you want to know more about Jordan, the internet can give you PLENTY of information.

And seriously what the fuck is with that cowboy hat and grandma’s kerchief?  He is so weird.

This is the second time that Olivia was like “we totally crushed that” when they received copious amounts of assistance.

[Jobiska]

Being an "emotional player" is not the same thing as being a messy player.  You can be one, or the other, or both, but I feel like Michele especially excuses away her messiness based on emotion (I think Amber is one who plays emotionally but not messily, as she gets more laser focused when it comes to actually competing).  

Car thing:  boring to watch (to me).  The multicolored cars were pretty.  Also, no way to make the challenge totally equal because the drivers can't replicate their exact pattern each time (amazingly skilled drivers, but still).  I thought the twist on the Tower of Hanoi (had to look up the name of that puzzle) was innovative, but hard to follow what the players were doing besides screaming.  

I was just glad it wasn't Fessy v Jay in a Hall Brawl or variation (unlike many, I hate Hall Brawl).  I don't really care that much about Jay as a player, and his messiness was getting quite annoying to watch, but I don't want to see him snapped like a twig (or like Kyle's finger, heh).  

In the interviews, Michele had on a fuzzy sparkly pink sweater top that had side cutouts, and then later one of the other women, I forget who, was wearing the same top.  Either they packed the same item or she left it (kind of like people leave their clothes for other players sometimes on Survivor).  

I am sure they are instructed or are self-aware enough to select tops that give visual interest (read into that or don't) for the interview portions, as they are generally seen from waist up, but I actually find a lot of the tops distracting, like, how can that thing with all those cutouts and two straps going diagonally across the front and no strap on the other side be supportive?  Or on the flip side, boy, is that tightly laced bodice ever supportive!    (This is purely from an observational point of view, as I am old enough to be the mother of all of them--Hell, I'm old enough to be Bananas' mother even, had I started earlier than I actually did!).  Now that he's a quadragenarian, can he go away?  (Is there some website that shows all their ages, if known? and who is the oldest currently active player?)

In addition to top-watching I love hair-watching.  I can't believe how Amber's hair can go from giant cloud to little ball shaped ponytails (I have no idea what that hairstyle is called).  And to me Nelson's current 'do and especially the one he likes to keep down over his forehead is an extra player!  It looks so funny when he's wearing a warm hat and all the little beads peek out the front.  I can't help it, I like watching Nelson.  Oh, did he say it was getting down to the needy-greedy (or rather just pronounce nitty-gritty that way?)  Actually, that is kind of...spot on for a lot of challengers.  Some are greedy, and a lot are needy!

OTOH I would rather not see Jordan's creepy mullhawk.  It needs to commit one way or another.  I know I've whined about it before.

[Lamima]

1 hour ago, mojoween said:

Nurys, if you want to know more about Jordan, the internet can give you PLENTY of information.

And seriously what the fuck is with that cowboy hat and grandma’s kerchief?  He is so weird.

This is the second time that Olivia was like “we totally crushed that” when they received copious amounts of assistance.

Thought it was Moriah who has interest in Jordan.

[AntFTW]

9 hours ago, aghst said:

On the Daily the only way to get eliminated is to drop a key.

Couple of players fell off the cars but the tether just allowed them to swing back onto the next car, only it added time.

Admittedly, I didn’t really catch TJ’s explainer on the rules of the challenge but I assumed that once a player fell off the car, they were disqualified. I guess I was wrong.

14 minutes ago, Lamima said:

Thought it was Moriah who has interest in Jordan.

In the season trailer, it was Nurys.

[mojoween]

40 minutes ago, Lamima said:

Thought it was Moriah who has interest in Jordan.

Nurys gave an interview where she said she was trying to get to know Jordan better, and there was a brief shot of them chatting in bed together.

I will always, ALWAYS be Team Amber because of what happened to her on Big Brother, but my land she must be exhausting to get along with.

[AntFTW]

29 minutes ago, mojoween said:

I will always, ALWAYS be Team Amber because of what happened to her on Big Brother, but my land she must be exhausting to get along with.

I don't know if I'm getting the wrong read from her, but she seems like a friend that would need constant reassurance.

1 hour ago, Jobiska said:

Car thing:  boring to watch (to me).  The multicolored cars were pretty.  Also, no way to make the challenge totally equal because the drivers can't replicate their exact pattern each time (amazingly skilled drivers, but still).  I thought the twist on the Tower of Hanoi (had to look up the name of that puzzle) was innovative, but hard to follow what the players were doing besides screaming.  

I just find any challenge involving hopping from moving cars, like this one, really boring.

Edited December 1, 2022 by AntFTW

[ImpinAintEasy]

I thought Jay and Michelle were the favorites to win the whole thing. It’s a shame, I do think they’d crush a final. A lot of the drama leaves with them. The peanut gallery helped decide another elimination and the vets look like they are going to win out again. 
 

I think this season is a dud and I’m not sure what could save it. If they stick to the pairs, I only see three possible winners(Devin/Tori,Johnny/Nany, and Olivia/Horacio). I suppose if Nurys is good with puzzles and can handle the eating portion, she could allow Nelson to strictly focus on the physical stuff. I hate to say it, but this looks like Banany’s game to lose. 

 

[aghst]

Well they promised a big twist next episode.

So the teams may be shaken up.

[AntFTW]

8 hours ago, Badlands said:

This show is getting hilariously stupid. How are people on the sidelines allowed to shout things out during an elimination that is based on communication with your partner??

It's always been that way. People have always been allowed to yell out from the sidelines even in games where communication with the partner is paramount.

[shantown]

9 hours ago, Badlands said:

How are people on the sidelines allowed to shout things out during an elimination that is based on communication with your partner??

To me, this is another aspect of the social game. If you want people rooting for you and/or helping you if you fall into elimination, you better be have a solid social game before you get there. To me, it's no different than when when alliances help each other in the daily challenges - like in a daily where it should be everyone for themselves but a group will team up to knock a specific person out first. The game has never really provided a neutral, exact replica of the task from player to player. Also, I like Horacio/Olivia and didn't care for Jay/Michele so personally I'm also happy with the outcome. It took me a long time to realize that the Olivia from "Ride or Dies Horacio and Olivia" was the same person as "Nelson's Love Interest Olivia" though. She hasn't been the most memorable rookie, but I could see both of them becoming staples.
 

5 hours ago, Jobiska said:

Car thing:  boring to watch (to me).

Agreed. I know the show has gradually become more and more "SUPER EXTREME!!!" over the years, but that doesn't make it any more interesting to watch. Especially when it's the same strategy/performance for most groups.
 

1 hour ago, aghst said:

Well they promised a big twist next episode.

So the teams may be shaken up.

My guess is the teams stay the same - I can't imagine them abandoning the entire premise of this season. My guess is that winners no longer have to send 4 teams into elimination. I think there's only 8 pairs left, so maybe they only nominate 3, or loser goes in automatically or something. Or it becomes Male/Female elimination days like in past seasons (though that doesn't seem fair to the partners?). If it switches to pair that loses the daily goes in automatically and the winning team selects the other pair they could drop the whole "interrogation" thing. It seems silly and would have been better suited for one of the spy-themed seasons I think. 

[LaurelleJ]

Great episode because of the great draw.

The editing suggested that either Aneesa and Jordan or Nelson and Nurys were going to win, and that Nelson and Fessy's relationship would be put to the test. The challenge really didn't matter, because the drama of the episode was centered on the draw.

No surprise that Aneesa and Jordan were going to pick Jay and Michele for the Ain vote. I do not like Fessy. I don't see that ever changing. He is such a crybaby. Why is he mad at Aneesa and Jordan for doing something that he has already done. He put himself into elimination against his friend because he saw that elimination was something he could easily beat him in, sending him home and getting a skull. He had a 25% chance going home by being sent to elimination. Not quite the same. Then he tried to guilt trip Aneesa to not be the main vote. Go away Fessy.

This was the best draw yet. Ever since the first episode, it has been on my mind that there is a way that production can manipulate the daggers, but I put it out of my mind. This draw made me revisit that theory. I had a hearty laugh along with TJ when we saw that Nelson and Nurys were safe. I was so hoping that Nelson would be safe for the drama. This, Nelson, is why you will never win a challenge. This was the perfect time to put Fessy in, ensuring that one strong team goes home. Olivia and Horacio are strong, but they are also rookies, and finals are a bit harder on rookies. 

Once it was clear it was Jay and Michele vs. Olivia and Horacio, I wanted Olivia and Horacio to win so badly. I love that Horacio didn't even know he won at first. Michele was strange in being cold to Amber, and that made no sense. Once again Amber draws the short end of the friend stick. I still hate when everyone helps one team in an elimination, but I'm still glad that Olivia and Horacio won. Jay is such an arrogant A-hole. Even at the end, I didn't like at the end how he said that he wasn't mad at Michele at all, like they lost because of her or he didn't have some responsibility in the loss. Get lost. 

What is this crap about Jordan and Nurys being interested in each other? Not here for that. Jordan and Tori forever.

Looking forward to seeing the new twist next week. 

5 hours ago, Jobiska said:

I was just glad it wasn't Fessy v Jay in a Hall Brawl or variation (unlike many, I hate Hall Brawl).  I don't really care that much about Jay as a player, and his messiness was getting quite annoying to watch, but I don't want to see him snapped like a twig (or like Kyle's finger, heh).  

 

I hate Hall Brawl too, but especially when there is a clear size difference between the competitors. Another reason for my forever Fessy hate. 

[AntFTW]

3 hours ago, LaurelleJ said:

The editing suggested that either Aneesa and Jordan or Nelson and Nurys were going to win

To me, the editing suggesting Nelson and Nurys were going into elimination. Nurys said something in her interview in the beginning of the episode they were showing her and Nelson. I think she said her and Nelson were doing everything right and how everything was working out. That one thing she said made me thing "ok, this episode is gonna be the one time where things won't work out. You're going into elimination."

The editing also made me think that Johnny and Nany were going to win. They had people's interviews saying they wanted Johnny out; don't want to see him in a final; you can't trust him in the game; and he should retire. That made me think, now he's gonna win the challenge, and you can't get rid of him and you're gonna have to suck it and deal with it. Then I thought if it's not Johnny and Nany, some old reliable vet team is going to win and Jay, Nelson and their bad of rookies are at risk.

Edited December 2, 2022 by AntFTW

[LaurelleJ]

8 minutes ago, AntFTW said:

To me, the editing suggesting Nelson and Nurys were going into elimination. Nurys said something in her interview in the beginning of the episode they were showing her and Nelson. I think she said her and Nelson were doing everything right and how everything was working out. That one thing she said made me thing "ok, this episode is gonna be the one time where things won't work out. You're going into elimination."

I didn't mean to write Nelson and Nurys. I meant to write Fessy and Moriah. Thanks for pointing that out. It was clear Nelson and Nurys were going in. I mostly thought that Aneesa and Jordan were going to win, and that Nelson and Fessy would end up in the draw together, and one would have to make a decision. I also thought there was a slight chance that Fessy would win and throw Nelson in there even though they were supposed to be cool. 

Then again, the editing talks about Nelson getting revenge on Fessy, so that could mean that he either won and decide to throw Fessy into elimination, or be in the draw with Fessy and save the other team. 

Edited December 1, 2022 by LaurelleJ

[aghst]

Bananas and Nany pulled the safe knife twice and if Jay and Michelle won the Daily, they would have been one of the 4 teams nominated.

Now a birthday party for Bananas.

Yeah they may be angling to run that story line, the GOAT wins again and Nany finally breaks through.

[AntFTW]

4 hours ago, LaurelleJ said:

This, Nelson, is why you will never win a challenge. This was the perfect time to put Fessy in, ensuring that one strong team goes home. Olivia and Horacio are strong, but they are also rookies, and finals are a bit harder on rookies. 

I need to see Fessy in a janky even-handed elimination like the one in this episode. This would have been perfect. Someone is going to wait until there's a pole wrestle or a hall brawl to throw him down. Fessy would have no advantage in an elimination game like this one that Jay and Michele did.

4 hours ago, LaurelleJ said:

What is this crap about Jordan and Nurys being interested in each other? Not here for that. Jordan and Tori forever.

LOL

Nurys can't help it. Love triangles are her thing. On her original show, she was in a love triangle. On her second show, same love triangle. Earlier this season, new Johnny, Ravyn and Nurys. Now, it's Jordan, Tori and Nurys.

[AntFTW]

22 hours ago, Jobiska said:

(Is there some website that shows all their ages, if known? and who is the oldest currently active player?)

I’m guessing but I think it’s either Darrell or Veronica. I think they are around their mid 40s. I think Veronica is 45. I know Darrell is older than Johnny. Aneesa is also older than Johnny.

Edited December 2, 2022 by AntFTW

[LaurelleJ]

13 hours ago, AntFTW said:

I need to see Fessy in a janky even-handed elimination like the one in this episode. This would have been perfect. Someone is going to wait until there's a pole wrestle or a hall brawl to throw him down. Fessy would have no advantage in an elimination game like this one that Jay and Michele did.

LOL

Nurys can't help it. Love triangles are her thing. On her original show, she was in a love triangle. On her second show, same love triangle. Earlier this season, new Johnny, Ravyn and Nurys. Now, it's Jordan, Tori and Nurys.

Exactly. I really wanted to see Fessy in this elimination. I don't think he would have won. 

How quickly I forgot about Johnny and Ravyn. These challenges romances are so quick, when you get eliminated the person moves on to the next. 

[AntFTW]

8 hours ago, LaurelleJ said:

How quickly I forgot about Johnny and Ravyn. These challenges romances are so quick, when you get eliminated the person moves on to the next.

Other than this episode, that was the best drama of the season so far.

Now, I assume that we are going to dive into Tori, Jordan and Nurys in the next episode. Can't wait for that!

8 hours ago, LaurelleJ said:

Exactly. I really wanted to see Fessy in this elimination. I don't think he would have won. 

Separately though, I think Nelson and Jay (for the next season he's on) need to stop playing like they're rookies. Nelson, IMO, still plays like he's a newcomer underdog. This is Jay's third season. He's gotten to know people now, and he still think he's new at this. They play like new people. Darrell, Laurel, Jordan, Aneesa, Nany and Johnny (moreso Johnny than Nany) play like they're at the top pulling the strings. For Johnny, I think that's where people put him. He comes in the game and people just assume he's at the top pulling the strings and holding the most sway. Fessy and Kaycee play like they're safe. Throughout all of their seasons, they haven't done much scrambling. Nelson and Jay scramble all the time as if their backs are always against the wall, and takes unnecessary shots (which for my own entertainment, I don't mind). That's how Jay ends up with the entire house cheering for another team to beat him.

Edited December 2, 2022 by AntFTW

[aghst]

10 minutes ago, AntFTW said:

Separately though, I think Nelson and Jay (for the next season he's on) need to stop playing like they're rookies. Nelson, IMO, still plays like he's a newcomer underdog. This is Jay's third season. He's gotten to know people now, and he still think he's new at this. They play like new people. Darrell, Laurel, Jordan, Aneesa, Nany and Johnny (moreso Johnny than Nany) plays like he's at the top pulling the strings. For Johnny, I think that's where people put him. He comes in the game and people just assume he's at the top pulling the strings and holding the most sway. Fessy and Kaycee play like they're safe. Throughout all of their seasons, they haven't done much scrambling. Nelson and Jay scramble all the time as if their backs are always against the wall, and takes unnecessary shots (which for my own entertainment, I don't mind). That's how Jay ends up with the entire house cheering for another team to beat him.

They're at the bottom of the totem pole.

They're good athletes but vulnerable in a Hall Brawl or other physical elimination where they always pit a much stronger player against them.

So the vets will always choose those who's been around longer over them.

[AntFTW]

4 minutes ago, aghst said:

They're at the bottom of the totem pole.

My reasoning for that is that they don't seem to make an effort to get in with them. Jay was treated horribly his first season and his mentality since then has been "fuck them forever", which isn't good if you plan on coming back the next season and will likely have to deal with these same people. I have no excuse for Nelson. Nelson is just an idiot even when he is at the top of the totem pole.

There have been many rookies that have worked with vets for their own benefit. That could have applied to Jay, but he doesn't want to.

Edited December 2, 2022 by AntFTW

[AntFTW]

3 hours ago, LaurelleJ said:

Exactly. I really wanted to see Fessy in this elimination. I don't think he would have won. 

I meant to write before that if Fessy did this elimination, his big ass should have been strapped to the wheel doing the puzzle and Moriah should have been the one in the wheel rolling it. Just for the LOLz.

Edited December 2, 2022 by AntFTW

[LaurelleJ]

The plan from jump should have been push Bananas/Nany and Fessy/Moriah into elimination ASAP. Nelson had 2 opportunities to do the right thing and he didn't. 

[shantown]

2 hours ago, AntFTW said:

I think Nelson and Jay (for the next season he's on) need to stop playing like they're rookies. Nelson, IMO, still plays like he's a newcomer underdog.

I think this is what bugs me so much about Nelson - this is his NINTH season! I had to look that up to confirm because I missed when he actually was a rookie, but I knew he had been around for quite a while now. By this point you should be smarter at the game than he is. You also should stop acting like you're so shocked every time a twist or something happens. The first one or two seasons you're on you can act surprised or confused on how the game works, but not in your 9th appearance. His acting for the confessionals hasn't gotten any better in that time either. 

(Thinking back to the Gauntlet with the actual Rookies vs Vets format, I think it was if you had done 2 or more seasons previously you were considered a Vet!)

[AntFTW]

Apparently, Johnny has been shooting his shot with Moriah according to the Challenge podcast, but they haven't been showing it and they just dropped it on us for the first time in this episode.

[RedbirdNelly]

I was glad Aneesa and Jordan won. Jordan just makes fun tv. The daily was boring to watch--but I often get bored watching them. They sound cool in theory but actually watching team after team do the same thing is often dull. Maybe if they adopted some Am. Ninja Warrior type challenge that would be more fun. 

Kind of sad to see Jay/Michelle go for the drama they stirred up but they kind of deserved to go. Jay just does not play the political side well at all.

I will be livid if Fessy finally competes in an elimination and its a hall brawl type battle. All of these so far have not been focused on brute strength. I also want to see Kaycee more involved in this. Why do these people coast?

[Lantern7]

Another frustrating episode. Nelson throws Olivia into the Zone to save a buddy that had stabbed him in the back before. Jordan and his clique get too involved in the downfall of Jay & Michele. And then Jordan beats off in interviews, which . . . he is entitled, but putting on airs? I can’t really put either The Challenge or Survivor one over the other. Both are overrated, both probably peaked years ago, and I’m ready to put Teege on the same level of annoying as Probst.

Let’s be real . . . if Jordan ever went on Survivor, he wouldn’t make it to the merge. It has nothing to do with only having the one full hand. He gets way too cocky, and any tribe he would belong to would recognize him as a threat. Minimum, he wouldn’t make it as far as Jay did in his season.

Michele needs help. She’s probably “good” in real life, but she is inept socially on this show. Jay? Still a goofy large dog disguised as a human being. Poking him in the eye will never be a good look to me.

How much bonus money did Aneesa get to try and sell us the idea that she and Jordan weren’t just thrown together?

Mission was great . . . or it would have been had all players been involved. “Let’s have the guys run on top of cars going 55 mph on an intricate tether. . . and the girls ride in the lead car and hand out the novelty keys!” Does that sound like a team mission?

Once again, I read posts in a Challenge-based Facebook group saying that getting help from onlookers is not only okay, but it shows where good social skills will get you. To me, that’s bullshit. Jordan was either helping Horacio, interfering with Jay as he tried to communicate with Michele, or both . . . and that was bullshit.

On 12/1/2022 at 7:27 PM, aghst said:

Bananas and Nany pulled the safe knife twice and if Jay and Michelle won the Daily, they would have been one of the 4 teams nominated.

Now a birthday party for Bananas.

Yeah they may be angling to run that story line, the GOAT wins again and Nany finally breaks through.

Once again: that could be coincidence, that probably was coincidence, but BMP is a shysty company, so it’s not out of the question they’d be helping Johnny. To me, that’s as bad as shenanigans actually happening.

On 12/1/2022 at 1:58 PM, aghst said:

Well they promised a big twist next episode.

So the teams may be shaken up.

. . . and the season will be fucked up further. Oh, joy. 🙄

Edited December 5, 2022 by Lantern7

[aghst]

Speaking of shady BMP, we haven't had drunken fights or meltdowns in awhile.

It was never as bad on The Challenge as on The Real World or other reality TV shows, but they haven't sent the cast to clubs and load them up with booze.

Have they gotten cheap?  Well the pandemic eliminated going out to public clubs for a couple of years.  But I guess they've had good ratings the last couple of seasons without the drunken yelling and pushing.

Maybe they stumbled onto a way to draw viewers without sleazing it up by getting the cats drunk.

[joanne3482]

12 hours ago, aghst said:

Speaking of shady BMP, we haven't had drunken fights or meltdowns in awhile.

Truthfully, I always fast forwarded through the drunken fights and meltdowns. I may be out of the target demographic for this show but I never could understand what they were fighting about. Currently I fast forward through the "interrogations" because I hate the begging and bargaining for their position. Although I guess I missed Jordan and Aneesa just sitting there staring coldly at Jay and Michelle. 

[angelamh66]

I actually like Jay and Michelle. They just didn't use their power wisely and it was frustrating. When they had the power Bananas and Nany should have been the direct vote. That goes for anyone who gets power. I do not know why people shy away from that move. Those other moves are not "big" moves by comparison. They just pissed off more people than they needed to. Very dumb and short-sighted. 

I just want someone new to win and that does not mean Nany. She seems like a nice person but she always ties herself to someone's coattails in the game and expects to coast to a final. It is irritating. Right now I am rooting for Olivia and Horacio or Amber and Chauncy. 

[AntFTW]

On 12/5/2022 at 1:14 PM, angelamh66 said:

I just want someone new to win and that does not mean Nany.

LOL

I cracked up at this 😂

Edited December 7, 2022 by AntFTW

[AntFTW]

5 hours ago, angelamh66 said:

Right now I am rooting for Olivia and Horacio or Amber and Chauncy.

I like Amber. She seems like a sweetheart but she’s not that interesting to watch.

I feel she’s already proven her point. She was ant the bottom of her aLois CR and they dumped her. She won the final without them. I don’t need to see her win again. I’ll take the Olivia and Horacio win. That would be quite an upset.

[Lantern7]

I figure this is worth sharing.

[AntFTW]

On 12/1/2022 at 3:56 PM, LaurelleJ said:

What is this crap about Jordan and Nurys being interested in each other? Not here for that. Jordan and Tori forever.

I'm just going to put this right here for you. 👀

Spoiler