S27.E07: Blood Brothers

[AngryCarrot86]

You guys don't think this entire story as just invented for the show? The idea of the girlfriend hooking up with another guy while the boyfriend was scheduled to come in if need to save a boring season is production manipulation gold.

 

Me thinks in normal Realty-TV land, you'd be absolutely correct.  However, after watching the shit show that was the after show, I'm convinced most, if not all of this really happened.  It would take great acting ability to portray the emotions that Abe and Cara Maria showed, and if these kids were that great at acting, I doubt they'd be wasting their time on this show.  I'm more inclined to believe production did their best to ruffle the very true feathers of what was happening at the time.  I would bet Abram wasn't even in the works to join half-way through, until production noticed what CM was doing, and decided to invite Abe to amp the drama.  It's a sick and sad Realty TV world out there.

[Lantern7]

I think this is the first time I have ever cowered in fear at someone who was on my television.  Did anyone else think Abram was going to suddenly materialize and start screaming himself bloody in front of your living room couch?  No?  Just me?  Yikes.

 

I think what's so terrifying about Abram is he goes from raging maniac to subservient and calm, saying "Yes sir" on repeat, in about 0.4 seconds.  I mean, holy crap - I'd be afraid that he'd go off on a rampage if I poured my coffee too loud.

 

Now I have this image in my head of Abram as a Weeping Angel, staying on the screen even after you change the channel and shut off the TV. And Abram as subservient? It would explain his relationship with Coral. . . and wasn't Cara Maria presented as an aspiring dominatrix in Fresh Meat II?

 

ETA: Here's a screenshot from StopBeingPolite's Twitter feed, showing Mike being as intense as Abram.

[rose711]

I saw Abram amp himself up to the point of a bloody nose at his brother doing a competition. He probably lives in a perpetual state of rage and was just egged on by the producers.<br />I would be surprised if the producers flew him to Turkey with half the season gone with no plans in advance.<br />My guess was the whole cheating thing with Cara was scripted (or seriously encouraged by production ) from the beginning.

[luckyroll3]

While I typically enjoy a good TJ expressing his disappointment routine, I loved Aneesa's no fucks to give "go ahead and call me a quitter," exchange with him.  (But, yeah, Aneesa, how many of these have you done?  This heights shit can no longer be a surprise.)  

I"ll give Aneesa a pass on this one.  She did do all the previous height challenges this season, but she mentioned something about not wanting to fall wrong and hurt herself during this one.  I think she was a bit scared after what happened to dude who turned green, rightly so.  But I also love seeing Teej's disgusted to reactions to quitters.  It's almost as great as his glee at making them fall during trivia.

 

In all the sadness and madness, I forgot to bring up the highlight of the episode for me--

 

While Abram was going insane in the pit with his brother and giving himself a bloody nose via telekinesis, wtf was up with Jenna and Brianna twirling around each other in the background? Between that and Abram eating and smearing his blood on his face, it felt like a Manson family moment.

Lol!  I somehow missed the background twirling in all the testerone insanity happening on screen.  Must go back and rewatch!!

 

I don't think CT and Diem's sister are going the show as a team to keep continuing.  They came on with grey shirts....I think they are just there for that one episode.  If they are there for the long hail, I can guarantee that they are playing for Diem's charity.  

Hmmm....I was wondering about this as well.  But, when I think back on it, they never did replace Leroy and his cousin.  They lost 3 teams in one night: The losers of the elimination, green guy and his brother, and Leroy and his cousin; but they only brought on one new team, Abram and Mike.  They are definitely short, especially if they've planned for a certain number of episodes based on losing a single team each week.

[atlanticslide]

Such a weird episode. On the one hand, I also am having trouble believing this was all 100% real - it all just felt a bit too easy, too convenient, to perfect for TV. CM would know that Abe would see all of this eventually, so why be so blatant about the flirtation? Johnny was so, so ridiculously obvious about his machinations, so why would the rest of these guys - especially Abe, who hates Johnny and immediate cottoned on to what Vince was doing - play right into what Johnny wants? On the other hand, whatever, I was entertained. I have no idea if it was real or if CM and Abe went in there with a plan, I have no idea if their relationship is abusive or if Abe is abusive or if CM is plays the victim or whatever else. That one conversation, though was definitely creepy. Abe was handling it pretty well, especially when he calmly asked "why would you do something that you know would upset me?" but then immediately following that up with "so now what you're going to do is vote Thomas in tomorrow" was creepy and uncomfortable as hell.

 

All of that said, I enjoyed the hell out of the Pit and Abe going nuts throughout, as well as the group of them all laughing afterwards about the ridiculous stuff he shouted. There are times that I want to like him, when it seems like he's pretty self aware and knows what he's doing and like this is all an act that he can turn on and off. But then there are times when he's just too bizarre, too crazy, too creepy in his behavior towards other people. But the Pit was so entertaining, and I loved how expert Mike was at it - I love how bizarrely mismatched Mike and Abe are as brothers, how completely calm and normal and mild-mannered Mike seems - as well as Thomas's (I think? I can't remember which twin is which) resigned commentary on his brother's poor performance, and Jenna's "see? Noodle arms."

 

As for the CT comparisons, CT was definitely pretty nuts in a scary way his first few years on TRW and the Challenge, but I think he really has calmed down a lot over the last few years. The Adam fight was years ago, punching Davis was years ago, and those were certainly inexcusable events, but at judging at least from what we've seen on TV (because who knows what any of these people are actually like in their non-TV lives), it seems like he's come a long way from the mindlessly violent guy he was earlier on.

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

 

The Wrecking Ball And The Sledgehammer Come Down On The Challenge
This episode is all about destruction, and Bananas is the one wreaking it.

[Tatum]

Where or when was it confirmed that CM gave Thomas a back of the bus HJ? Was the rest of the cast just watching and like, offering applause? Are these people serious?

[Decider]

Where or when was it confirmed that CM gave Thomas a back of the bus HJ? Was the rest of the cast just watching and like, offering applause? Are these people serious?

I don't think it was ever really confirmed.  There was a talking head interview that I recall where someone mentioned a handjob but Cara Maria has said that while they were fooling around, nothing like that happened.

Edited January 11, 2016 by Decider

[Jenkins]

I think that was editing personally.

 

These kids can be pretty damn gross, but a handjob in broad daylight in the back of the bus with cameras and people around....nah.

 

Even Nany had the sense to get under covers when she did what she did with Boston Johnny.

[Tatum]

Yeah, that seems pretty far fetched, especially for Cara Maria.

 

I didn't see the TH- who was it that said it happened?

[Decider]

Had to go back to the episode -- it was Bananas who was filming them on a GoPro and said that Cara Maria had her hand over the front of Thomas' shorts and that Thomas had "pitched a trouser tent".  Thomas said something about playing rock paper scissors to determine where people sit on the bus and the motion that you do with your hands before throwing either rock, paper or scissors.

Cara Maria's tweets after the episode aired: 

 

1.  https://twitter.com/CaraMariaMTV/status/674837313441038336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

 

2.  https://twitter.com/CaraMariaMTV/status/674837710746468352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

[Tatum]

Well,

 

Had to go back to the episode -- it was Bananas who was filming them on a GoPro and said that Cara Maria had her hand over the front of Thomas' shorts and that Thomas had "pitched a trouser tent".  Thomas said something about playing rock paper scissors to determine where people sit on the bus and the motion that you do with your hands before throwing either rock, paper or scissors.

Cara Maria's tweets after the episode aired: 

 

1.  https://twitter.com/CaraMariaMTV/status/674837313441038336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

 

2.  https://twitter.com/CaraMariaMTV/status/674837710746468352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

 

Oh, thanks. Well, I happen to believe Cara Maria, but I will point out with regards to her first tweet that you can give a handjob without the guy removing his shorts. Just saying, you could use that line even if she had done it. But I believe her that she didn't.

[lilabennet]

I think that was editing personally.

 

These kids can be pretty damn gross, but a handjob in broad daylight in the back of the bus with cameras and people around....nah.

 

Even Nany had the sense to get under covers when she did what she did with Boston Johnny.

Cara Maria and Abram used to have sex in full view of everyone, because whenever the cast goes into the bathroom to have sex it ends up on the show, but production can't air actual porn.  Cara Maria is a damn liar.  In the Challenge world there is only one reason for 2 people to go into the bathroom together and lock the door.  It was definitely more than just kissing and back rubs.  Why else would Abram be so hurt?

[Tatum]

I got the impression Abe was more hurt by the footage of Cara Maria saying she'd been planning on leaving Abe prior to the show and didn't want to be with him than whatever cheating actually happened. Also, ew to having sex in front of everyone. What is wrong with these people.

[Jenkins]

Cara Maria and Abram used to have sex in full view of everyone, because whenever the cast goes into the bathroom to have sex it ends up on the show, but production can't air actual porn.  Cara Maria is a damn liar.  In the Challenge world there is only one reason for 2 people to go into the bathroom together and lock the door.  It was definitely more than just kissing and back rubs.  Why else would Abram be so hurt?

 

I was referring to the bus incident, not the bathroom.

 

Who knows what they did in the bathroom.

[Decider]

Yeah, this was specifically about what happened on the bus.  There was also talk of CM and Thomas in a bathroom but I don't believe anything about that was shown on air, at least not that I recall.

I also got the impression that Abram was more upset about watching CM's conversation with Jamie about how she was going to leave him after she got back from Turkey.  He mentioned that she had left him a note when she left for filming about how she was going to win so they could have money to buy a house together.

Edited January 11, 2016 by Decider

[lilabennet]

I was referring to the bus incident, not the bathroom.

 

Who knows what they did in the bathroom.

I was responding to your disbelief that Cara would give a hand job in public.  She would.  The last part of my post wasn't in response to yours, just to the lies that Cara has told in general.  Decider, they showed Cara inviting Thomas to follow her into the bathroom and then a locked door.

[Decider]

Thank you, lilabennet, for that clarification.

Either way, CM had to know that Abram was going to see or hear about all of this, even if he hadn't ended up coming onto the show, so I wonder if this was her way of lighting the fuse that would blow everything up.  As unhinged as Abram can seem to be at times, I kind of felt for the dude. I can't imagine what it has to be like to find all of that out on national TV.  I am all for foolery and nonsense on my reality TV but this was just something I could have lived without watching.

I think it was dark sided for BMP to broadcast this whole situation but I can't say I am surprised.  

CT will be back on my TV next week and I am looking forward to that.

Edited January 12, 2016 by Decider

[KerleyQ]

I think it was dark sided for BMP to broadcast this whole situation but I can't say I am surprised.

 

 

So dark that I'd be so relieved to hear that it was all fake - either scripted by BMP or cooked up by CM and Abe.  For a show that relies on repeat cast members returning for future seasons, they really sold one of their frequent cast members down the river (and emotionally screwed over an old favorite).  

 

And, for the love of God, if you're going to put a cast member on blast for this shit like that, then do it to Johnny.  It's ridiculous that he keeps getting a pass for that stuff while he gets to run around calling out others for it. Honestly, it seems like they make much more of an effort to hide the guys' cheating around in general than they do the girls.  

[Tatum]

Thank you, lilabennet, for that clarification.

Either way, CM had to know that Abram was going to see all of this, even if he hadn't ended up coming onto the show, so I wonder if this was her way of lighting the fuse that would blow everything up. As unhinged as Abram can seem to be at times, I kind of felt for the dude. I can't imagine what it has to be like to find all of that out on national TV. I am all for foolery and nonsense on my reality TV but this was just something I could have lived without watching.

I think it was dark sided for BMP to broadcast this whole situation but I can't say I am surprised.

CT will be back on my TV next week and I am looking forward to that.

Oh I think Cara knew it would come out, I think she just figured she would be already out the door when it happened. So, by the time the episode aired, they'd have broken up and she may have already admitted to cheating. Her behavior was nothing short of cowardly. Abe is hardly my dream guy but she still should have been upfront. I also think her complaints that she feels their relationship is toxic came as complete news to him. CM seems the type to tell everyone else why she thinks her relationship is failing without having the nerve to tell her partner. Kind of surprised she didn't just mail him a Dear John letter once she left Montana.

[Nena]

Oh I think Cara knew it would come out, I think she just figured she would be already out the door when it happened. So, by the time the episode aired, they'd have broken up and she may have already admitted to cheating. Her behavior was nothing short of cowardly. Abe is hardly my dream guy but she still should have been upfront. I also think her complaints that she feels their relationship is toxic came as complete news to him. CM seems the type to tell everyone else why she thinks her relationship is failing without having the nerve to tell her partner. Kind of surprised she didn't just mail him a Dear John letter once she left Montana.

 

It shouldn't.  They had multiple conversations about it on Battle of the Exes.  They never should've gotten back together again the first time, let alone multiple times.  Abe strikes me as someone with a kind of childlike view, when he has what he wants, he's happy, and when he doesn't have what he wants, he'll use any means at his disposal to try and change it, regardless of the consequences.  Paired up with someone like CM, who is terrified of ever disappointing anyone, that's a horrible combination.

[Tatum]

It shouldn't.  They had multiple conversations about it on Battle of the Exes.  They never should've gotten back together again the first time, let alone multiple times.  Abe strikes me as someone with a kind of childlike view, when he has what he wants, he's happy, and when he doesn't have what he wants, he'll use any means at his disposal to try and change it, regardless of the consequences.  Paired up with someone like CM, who is terrified of ever disappointing anyone, that's a horrible combination.

 

Well I can't argue with your last sentence. I know a few people like Abe (well, not with skull tattoos and the cheering until your nose bleeds) and while I would not classify them as abusive, they are loud, overbearing, very opinionated, and oblivious to the nuances of other people's moods. Cara Maria, is, by contrast, both very non confrontational, and not very confident in her decisions and feelings. If Abe had not dated Coral, who prides herself on her assertiveness, for a number of years, I might think that Abe purposely sought out women with CM's personality type as a way to steamroll over them.

 

But I don't think Abe is entirely selfish about Cara Maria, as in, he wants what he wants and doesn't care what CM has to sacrifice so he gets it. I think when he's loudly and aggressively telling her what she should do (excluding the scene where he told her she WAS going to vote in Thomas, I was more thinking when he was giving her a hard time about aligning herself with John), he doesn't see that as controlling her- he thinks he's helping her. I would bet 99% of the time CM takes Abe's advice whether she asked for it or not, because 1. she's not very sure of her own feelings and doesn't have the confidence to carry them out when someone close to her thinks it's a mistake, and 2. even when someone's advice is completely unsolicited, if she goes against it she feels like she's being confrontational.

 

So, Abe thinks he's this great boyfriend by setting her straight and saving her from any bad consequences he thinks her original plan of action would have caused (for example, aligning herself with John only to get hosed by him at some point rather than orchestrating his removal from the game from the beginning), while CM quietly resents him for not respecting her original plan of action- or thinking he knows better than she does about what will make her happy.

 

At any rate, I agree with you that these are two personality types that should not be in a relationship together. I hope CM understands that now and is able to make a clean break, and keeps this in mind during her next relationship.