S39.E11: My Own Worst Frenemy

[shantown]

Quote

One contender is shocked when their so-called alliance nominates them for elimination.

Airs 12/27 at 8pm on MTV

[LaurelleJ]

Wow this is my first time watching the challenge as it airs in a long time. I still don't pay much attention because I watch the episodes the next day or so on the app, but I always forget the episodes are 90 minutes now. It isn't necessary.

The foreshadowing of Laurel coming with Michele being nervous got me excited for nothing. That conversation where Michele and I think Cory were discussing Laurel coming, I think it was ADR, I have to go back and look to see if their lips were actually moving when they discussed her. I was so hoping Laurel would pull chaos and pull Michele down, but then the house would have just helped Michele the way they helped Ravyn. It's impressive that Laurel was one peg away without any help. 

The Jay and Michele alliance continues to annoy me. I was meh on Berna in the beginning but she annoys me now too. I've never been a big Nurys fan, she seems thirsty to be on the challenge. I guess I'm rooting for James, Ravyn, Kyland, Horacio, and Zara. 

[mojoween]

Berna is SUPER annoying.  She appears to have a persecution complex.

Michelle’s voice was shaking when she was talking to Laurel; like Ravyn, I found it hilarious.

[AntFTW]

1 hour ago, mojoween said:

Michelle’s voice was shaking when she was talking to Laurel; like Ravyn, I found it hilarious.

The funniest part of the episode.

[AntFTW]

This was probably the best episode of the season thus far for me. It was the most watchable episode of the season so far. It had a little watchable drama with Berna cockblocking everybody, which I thought was kinda funny. I liked the daily challenge. Zaza was super cute is this episode. ☺️

I wish Laurel had won just because the house was helping Ravyn. However, for the purposes of entertainment, Ravyn winning was probably the best.

I don't see Michele winning a final, even if she makes it there. There's only one winner this season. Everybody is her competition, not just the girls.

[Lantern7]

Is the season over yet? I finally get to watch "live" and I was underwhelmed. Aside from Bernie putting the block on everyone and Michele dropping bricks thinking about Laurel, there wasn't much to the episode. Or this season.

[millennium]

Can we just get it over with and change the name of the show to The Michel-lenge?   Because everything, even other people's eliminations, always comes back to being about her.

The ABC party was cringy AF, considering there were what?  Twelve people present?

TJ's laughter at the food challenge sounded half-hearted and forced.

Laurel played as though she was thinking "Wait, I'm a veterinarian.  I have a career and a life.  This doesn't mean anything anymore."

In the wake of this awful, awful season, she may be proven right.

I don't know why I still watch except there's nothing else interesting on.

 

 

[mojoween]

Oh.  The ABC party.  I cannot believe that’s a thing, and that more than one person knows about it.  I am so very, very old.

Is it Zaza, or Zara?  I swear this whole time she’s been called Zara, but her necklace says Zaza and yesterday they were saying Zaza but also Zara.

[LaurelleJ]

Laurel is saying that this is how you know the show isn't rigged, she told production exactly what and who she wanted, and she didn't get it. This is one of the situations where I wish it was rigged, however if Laurel picked the chaos pole then I would have sworn it was rigged anyway. Oh well. 

4 hours ago, mojoween said:

Oh.  The ABC party.  I cannot believe that’s a thing, and that more than one person knows about it.  I am so very, very old.

Is it Zaza, or Zara?  I swear this whole time she’s been called Zara, but her necklace says Zaza and yesterday they were saying Zaza but also Zara.

I have never heard of an ABC party either. I think her name is Zara, and Zaza is her nickname. TJ always says Zara and the cast says both Zara and Zaza. 

[AntFTW]

4 hours ago, mojoween said:

Is it Zaza, or Zara?  I swear this whole time she’s been called Zara, but her necklace says Zaza and yesterday they were saying Zaza but also Zara.

It’s Zara. Zaza is a nickname.

4 hours ago, mojoween said:

Oh.  The ABC party.  I cannot believe that’s a thing, and that more than one person knows about it.  I am so very, very old.

26 minutes ago, LaurelleJ said:

I have never heard of an ABC party either. I think her name is Zara, and Zaza is her nickname. TJ always says Zara and the cast says both Zara and Zaza. 

I think they’ve done ABC parties on The Challenge… I think…

It’s just been quite a while… I think.

ABC parties is not something I’ve ever seen or heard about in real life.

[AntFTW]

Also, this is Asaf’s second time playing the game. He’s sitting pretty and on a bit of a power trip. I would like for someone to humble him.

[ImpinAintEasy]

Horacio and maybe Ed are the only acceptable winners at this point. The only ones whose victory would seem legitimate and not because of a weak cast. 
 

The peanut gallery being able to help out during eliminations continues to be bullshit. 
 

The best part of the episode was about something that didn’t even end up happening, which speaks to the quality of this season, or lack there of. 
 

Laurel is my all-time favorite Challenger. She brings everything to the table. Crazy? Check! Great competitor? Check! Attractive? Check! Total package. 

[AntFTW]

10 minutes ago, ImpinAintEasy said:

The best part of the episode was about something that didn’t even end up happening, which speaks to the quality of this season, or lack there of. 

That... and the flashback of Laurel 😂

[luckyroll3]

13 hours ago, millennium said:

The ABC party was cringy AF, considering there were what?  Twelve people present?

 

7 hours ago, mojoween said:

Oh.  The ABC party.  I cannot believe that’s a thing, and that more than one person knows about it.  I am so very, very old.

I missed the part where they said the theme of the party, but didn't care enough to rewind. I thought it was a garden of eden party based on the outfits. What the fuck is an ABC party?

Anyway, this was another boring episode, with a bunch of people being spineless hypocrites. I wish the producers had rigged it so that Michelle could have been thrown in.

Did love Berna kicking them all out of the room though!

[millennium]

47 minutes ago, AntFTW said:

That... and the flashback of Laurel 😂

This never gets old.

"Suck it, dumb bitch!"

1 hour ago, ImpinAintEasy said:

The peanut gallery being able to help out during eliminations continues to be bullshit. 

I have to agree.   I found myself getting irritated when they were helping Ravyn, then remembered I had no problem with it when the disadvantaged party was Turbo.   So.  

[AntFTW]

19 minutes ago, millennium said:

I have to agree.   I found myself getting irritated when they were helping Ravyn, then remembered I had no problem with it when the disadvantaged party was Turbo.   So.

I think that's perfectly fair.

Turbo deserved it.

[LotusFlower]

1 hour ago, luckyroll3 said:

What the fuck is an ABC party?

A.B.C. = Anything But Clothes. 

[LaurelleJ]

On twitter, Jemma said that the production dropped the ball and had a cast of newer people to become champions, when they should have picked long time challenge favorites instead. I agree, it's hard to root for and be invested in these new people becoming champions when there are vets that I would have rather seen on this season become a champion for the first time. 

[ImpinAintEasy]

17 minutes ago, LaurelleJ said:

On twitter, Jemma said that the production dropped the ball and had a cast of newer people to become champions, when they should have picked long time challenge favorites instead. I agree, it's hard to root for and be invested in these new people becoming champions when there are vets that I would have rather seen on this season become a champion for the first time. 

It had to be just a cost saving measure. Just thinking of how many non-champions who have come close and never been able to get over the hump, it’s crazy how much better it could have been. 

[DEL901]

49 minutes ago, LaurelleJ said:

On twitter, Jemma said that the production dropped the ball and had a cast of newer people to become champions, when they should have picked long time challenge favorites instead. I agree, it's hard to root for and be invested in these new people becoming champions when there are vets that I would have rather seen on this season become a champion for the first time. 

I agree.  They should have chosen folks who have previously made a final, or at least come really close.  

[AntFTW]

50 minutes ago, LaurelleJ said:

On twitter, Jemma said that the production dropped the ball and had a cast of newer people to become champions, when they should have picked long time challenge favorites instead. I agree, it's hard to root for and be invested in these new people becoming champions when there are vets that I would have rather seen on this season become a champion for the first time. 

I agree. I'm not invested in any of these people at all. When the episodes air, my TV is on but I'm barely watching.

The funny thing is that I've been shitting on people like Josh, Nelson, Amanda, Fessy and Cory (and several others) for being bad at the game after so many seasons... this season probably would have been a good time to gather the long time Challengers that haven't won rather than a complete group of newbies (except Big T and Melissa).

Probably would have been a much more entertaining season.

[AntFTW]

To add, I think their introduction to the show was not that smooth to make me invested in this.

For example, think of the way we were introduced to Josh, Fessy, Da’Vonne and Kaycee. They’re previous Big Brother players but they weren’t dropped in the middle of a largely unknown cast. They were introduced to the show with people that we were invested in. Their stories got intertwined with people that we were invested in.

Kyland, I think, is an example of the worst introduction into the Challenge Universe. He was introduced on the most boring season of the most boring spin-off (until they made season 2) and then he’s dropped into the most boring season of the flagship show with the most boring cast that we don’t really know or give a fuck about.

People like Tori, Amanda, and Devin and anyone else from AYTO weren’t dropped into the show with a largely unknown cast. We got to know them when they were playing with people we were invested in.

It just seems this season is a complete fresh start, which may work for Survivor or other shows, but that’s not The Challenge.

Edited December 29, 2023 by AntFTW

[aghst]

2 hours ago, LaurelleJ said:

On twitter, Jemma said that the production dropped the ball and had a cast of newer people to become champions, when they should have picked long time challenge favorites instead. I agree, it's hard to root for and be invested in these new people becoming champions when there are vets that I would have rather seen on this season become a champion for the first time. 

 

2 hours ago, ImpinAintEasy said:

It had to be just a cost saving measure. Just thinking of how many non-champions who have come close and never been able to get over the hump, it’s crazy how much better it could have been. 

 

1 hour ago, DEL901 said:

I agree.  They should have chosen folks who have previously made a final, or at least come really close.  

I think they just wanted to turn over as many vets as possible and get in all these twenty somethings, who are photogenic.

They've given Nurys a lot of seasons and Michelle as well.  Young pretty women and buff men would have greater appeal to young viewers than these old vets who are now in their mid 30s or older.

So having one of the new generation win a title is an attempt to make them stars.

Anyways the thing about Michelle and Laurel was just a narrative and they played into it.

They have had pole wrestle but not hall brawl yet?  Laurel would have been the logical choice since she outweighs most women by a lot.

 

[AntFTW]

46 minutes ago, aghst said:

They've given Nurys a lot of seasons and Michelle as well.

No they haven't. This is her second season.

[LaurelleJ]

Yeah, Jemmye replied to someone and said that production took the cheap route when it came to casting. 

[millennium]

7 hours ago, LotusFlower said:

A.B.C. = Anything But Clothes. 

Anything But Class.

4 hours ago, aghst said:

They've given Nurys a lot of seasons and Michelle as well.  Young pretty women and buff men would have greater appeal to young viewers than these old vets who are now in their mid 30s or older.

But they're BORING.  

[jsm1125]

Michele is 33, so around the same age or older as a lot of the vets who haven’t won (like Faysal, Josh, Amanda, Cory, Kailah).

Laurel was giving Michele NOTHING, and I was here for it. Even though I like Michele more than most people on PTV seem to.

Zara, why oh why would you nominate yourself, rather than let Berna possibly sweat it out and do herself in during deliberations?

It’s astonishing how Berna has yet to be voted into elimination. Does anyone else think she looks like Detox of Drag Race fame in the face?

I’ll gladly take this “boring” crew of contestants over the vacation alliance (who make the politics just as, if not more, predictable) and over Bananas, who I find about as charismatic as a toadstool.

I always forget how many weeks (18+) flagship MTV seasons are these days…way too long. 

Edited December 29, 2023 by jsm1125

[AntFTW]

Jay was on the very first season of Survivor that I ever watched. I liked him on Survivor.

This is Jay's fourth season, and he has not grown on me at all on The Challenge.

In Total Madness and Double Agents, he was involved in some of the good watchable mess. The love triangle between him, Rogan and Dee was funny to watch. Theresa was so messy on Double Agents that she made it hard for Jay.

Then, Jay turned out to be a dud.

Separately, I still want to see what happened after Rogan gave Johnny Bananas "permission" to throw Dee into elimination on Total Madness. I still think about that trailer for that next episode that they edited out.

[peachmangosteen]

On 12/28/2023 at 11:43 AM, LaurelleJ said:

Laurel is saying that this is how you know the show isn't rigged, she told production exactly what and who she wanted, and she didn't get it. 

Just because they didn't rig it in Laurel's favor doesn't mean the show isn't rigged. It just means they didn't care enough about Laurel to give her what she wanted.

On 12/29/2023 at 4:39 AM, jsm1125 said:

I’ll gladly take this “boring” crew of contestants over the vacation alliance (who make the politics just as, if not more, predictable) and over Bananas, who I find about as charismatic as a toadstool.

Yea, this. I was initially excited for this season because watching the same 30 or so people play over and over and over again doesn't excite me at all anymore. But honestly this season is boring as hell, too. I think the show is honestly just played out.

[luckyroll3]

On 12/28/2023 at 7:09 PM, AntFTW said:

It just seems this season is a complete fresh start, which may work for Survivor or other shows, but that’s not The Challenge.

This. The existing relationships (friends, enemies, exes, etc) and friend of a friend connections (You had a threesome with the girl who bullied me, etc.) are what made the drama on the show interesting. Not this "you voted for me last season (even though everyone voted for me), so that's why I'm voting for you now (because everyone else is too, and I don't want to piss them off."

I also agree that I was so tired of some of the vets (Johnny). But there are a number of vets who have never been champions.

On 12/28/2023 at 6:25 PM, AntFTW said:

The funny thing is that I've been shitting on people like Josh, Nelson, Amanda, Fessy and Cory (and several others) for being bad at the game after so many seasons... this season probably would have been a good time to gather the long time Challengers that haven't won rather than a complete group of newbies (except Big T and Melissa).

Exactly. I would have been interesting to see how some of these folks would have navigated the game without the default vet "leaders" in play. A couple would still be shit, like Nelson and Amanda, or crybabies (Josh), or dicks (Faysal), but someone like Cory who's only kinda dumb and not really a bad person, and gets along well enough with most folks might have had a shot. 

[AntFTW]

9 hours ago, luckyroll3 said:

This. The existing relationships (friends, enemies, exes, etc) and friend of a friend connections (You had a threesome with the girl who bullied me, etc.) are what made the drama on the show interesting. Not this "you voted for me last season (even though everyone voted for me), so that's why I'm voting for you now (because everyone else is too, and I don't want to piss them off."

And they bring their off-season drama into the show. A perfect example is Tori and Fessy's fling off the show, and then Jordan, Tori and Fessy being stuck in a house together in the show... and then Jordan starts snuggling with Nurys, who then gets voted into elimination by Tori... and in return Jordan votes in Fessy.

Nurys' introduction season to The Challenge includes her own juicy drama with vets. She was the final chapter of a story we spent years watching. It's about the stories they created with the players we spent years watching. Paulie's intro to The Challenge starts in a similar with Cara, someone we spent years watching.

Obviously, they'll always need to bring in new people, which is fine. However, they've always mixed new people with the old people. I think that was always the winning formula for introducing new players.

9 hours ago, luckyroll3 said:

Exactly. I would have been interesting to see how some of these folks would have navigated the game without the default vet "leaders" in play. A couple would still be shit, like Nelson and Amanda, or crybabies (Josh), or dicks (Faysal), but someone like Cory who's only kinda dumb and not really a bad person, and gets along well enough with most folks might have had a shot. 

Right! And Kyle could actually win a final if he's not having to run against CT or Johnny. Kyle ran three finals, and lost them all to long-time vets (Cara Maria; Johnny; CT).

Edited January 1 by AntFTW

[bunnyface]

I understand the need for new blood.  The vets are getting geriatric at this point.  (They are, every one of them, in better shape than I have ever been in or will ever be in.)  But they are getting up there in terms of this game.  I even understand the need for all new blood, although that is not what we got here, because anytime they mix new people in with vets, the vets eat them alive and all we are left with is vets.  

But I agree that this cast, this group, this dynamic, is just not interesting.  I could never see Michelle and/or Jay again and be perfectly happy.  Same with Melissa.  The rest are just...blah...to me.  There has got to be a way to get a new, interesting cast to start re-building the franchise with.  I don't know what it is, but there has got to be one.

[millennium]

4 hours ago, bunnyface said:

There has got to be a way to get a new, interesting cast to start re-building the franchise with.  I don't know what it is, but there has got to be one.

1.  Don't bring on people just because they're pretty.   Pretty people are usually the least interesting people once they start talking.

2. Cut it out with the international cast.   I know BMP is trying to globalize The Challenge but they're killing it in the process.  Other cultures are more reserved and language concerns tend to suppress drama.   This show was built on loud-mouthed, entitled Americans, and we need them now more than ever.

3. Since Ru Paul's Drag Race is on MTV now, start recruiting Challengers from there.  I have a feeling there wouldn't be a lack of drama.

Edited January 2 by millennium

[AntFTW]

7 hours ago, bunnyface said:

I understand the need for new blood.  The vets are getting geriatric at this point.  (They are, every one of them, in better shape than I have ever been in or will ever be in.)  But they are getting up there in terms of this game.  I even understand the need for all new blood, although that is not what we got here, because anytime they mix new people in with vets, the vets eat them alive and all we are left with is vets.  

Yes, but it gives newbies a story. It gives them a chip on their shoulder. It gives a reason to make you love them or hate them. Then, they come on their next season with existing history and an existing story for their next season. Then, they become a part of the same group of vets that trample all over the newbies (with some exceptions, like Nelson and Amanda).

Of course, they've always brought in new people. We expect new people. However, those new people were always given proper "seasoning." They got to build a reputation and build stories on The Challenge before they became the "main attraction." The vets were the main attraction while we had some "up-and coming" rookies. Eventually, those rookies become the big swinging vets.

With this group, there isn't any of that. With this group, attitudes are neutral. Don't love them, don't hate them. No one to root for, no one to root against. They don't have stories that we're invested in. MTV and/or B&M haven't taken the time to give these players some "seasoning" to get us invested. It's... meh.

[AntFTW]

I think we have three more vets, IIRC... CT; Cara Maria; and Brad.

Edited January 2 by AntFTW