The Challenge Megathread - Flagship, USA, All-Stars & More?

**Vil** · 2024-12-06 01:13

I was shocked that actually worked out for them. Usually when they make it that certain that one or two people are going, they're absolutely going to be safe one way or another. But, when you concoct an elaborate thing like that, having it fall apart would have made sense too. Letting Andy be on the high side of a split vote when he's acting sketchy ooh boy.

Challenge was back this week. The momentum of this part of the season is struggling. These two mismatch eliminations with a week off between them, zzzzz. Extremely long daily where they're going individually like that is not good tv. Nobody wants to watch that whole thing a dozen times. That truck thing from a couple weeks ago was pretty good though, and that elimination might have been interesting if not such a laughable matchup. Cory probably smokes just about anybody in that challenge.

**Byrd** · 2024-12-06 12:14

Most Challenge seasons seems to have this lull somewhat near the end, when they have a handful of people left who are not really contenders but are still in the game, and the process of weeding them out prior to the final seems like a foregone conclusion. We're also past the point where hookups are likely to happen, and the drama seems to have worked itself out by now, one way or another. Would be nice if they would do more episodes where they got rid of one man and one woman in the same week during this 'dryer' period.

I gave up on Survivor mid-way through the premiere episode of Season 45. I was about 45 minutes in, realized they were nowhere near a tribal council yet, then remembered that was a 90 minute episode and that the entire season was going to be 90 minute episodes. I realized that I couldn't wait for the episode to be done so I could do something else, and in that minute, I remembered that just because I had watched the first 44 seasons didn't mean I actually still had to watch it. I turned it off, deleted it off my DVR, and haven't really looked back. I miss the interaction a little bit, but I don't miss watching the episodes at all. If they do a returnee season again (50, maybe?) I might get pulled back in if they cast enough people I am interested in watching again, but we'll see.

I see watch The Amazing Race religiously, though.

**Vil** · 2024-12-06 15:38

Every season I tell myself I'll get back into TAR, maybe even set up a series recording, but then it just kind of ends up with episodes piling up and I just say "maybe next time". I watched the covid season and maybe one other recent one, but really this show peaked with the Survivor/BB/TAR season about 5 years back. That sort of long-term return/redemption is the stuff that producers from these other shows would clamor for.

I thought these recent seasons of Survivor have been in general trending better, but I can understand kind of having enough after the start to this "new era" and it wasn't that strong of a run leading into 40. 50 is presumably a big returnee season, though I don't know if there's indication if it'll just be ppl from s41 or if it'll be anybody.

**Byrd** · 2024-12-06 18:38

Originally Posted by Vil

I thought these recent seasons of Survivor have been in general trending better, but I can understand kind of having enough after the start to this "new era" and it wasn't that strong of a run leading into 40. 50 is presumably a big returnee season, though I don't know if there's indication if it'll just be ppl from s41 or if it'll be anybody.

I got tired of the ridiculous twists, particularly the hourglass twist (although they nixed that pretty quick). The shot in the dark, the Beware advantages, etc. It felt like Jeff Probst was bored of basic Survivor, and he had to keep adding weird twists to keep himself entertained, and dragged us along with him. Survivor just wasn't the game/show I enjoyed watching anymore, and 90 minutes of it a week was too much for me, although it probably did allow them to focus more on the characters and less on the advantages, now that I think about it.

I did the same thing with Survivor that I did with Walking Dead. Finally realized - probably way too late - that I was watching it out of habit and obligation rather than because I enjoyed it, and turned it off mid-episode and deleted it off my VCR, immediately feeling a weight of obligation lift off my shoulders.

**Xno Kappa** · 2024-12-12 22:23

LMAO

**Vil** · 2024-12-12 23:49

There's a meme from Australian Survivor about "Sue's big move". This Sue has just been biding her time and now has the other 3 right where she wants 'em. Two hours and two full rounds? "That's how you do it on Survivor", Probst!

As for the challenge, is this the first location change in a while? That one season that Jenny/Johnny won was in the mountains, but that may have been local-ish, idk. Cory probably could have brute forced that challenge against half the cast this season, but it would have had to be the half that is certifiably terrible at thinking/puzzle-related tasks.

**Byrd** · 2024-12-18 14:10

Full Cast:

Spoiler: show

January 29, looks like.

**Xno Kappa** · 2024-12-18 16:38

Oh wow. Maybe my memory was fooling me but for some reason I thought Turbo had been shadowbanned. Could’ve sworn I read that somewhere.

**Xno Kappa** · 2024-12-18 21:38

FUCK YEAH RACHEL!!!

**Vil** · 2025-01-09 20:53

So, the season ended. I don't know why they couldn't just start this season 2 wks earlier and also show an episode the day before Thanksgiving. They just love to kill the momentum of this show with things like that, as well as dragging out the game in the second half. Where is this even online? I went to mtv's site and it tried to redirect to Paramount, but The Challenge listings on there only go up to S39, so idk?

There were like two "this setting will look good" moments amid a pretty lame overall final. Most of the checkpoints were fine, but it was just all swimming segments and it felt like that was all that mattered and it was just back and forth. The entire location change thing was odd. Cool location, I guess, but couldn't they find something like that in Vietnam? On one hand so much of the final is forgettable, but the whole thing will absolutely be remembered as the swim meet.

Karma vote stuff, lmao. I didn't like the way they did things in the AS4 final, but at least with that, the advantages were right in front of them and they had an idea what they were up against. Maybe I'm happy with *who* benefited (if anybody was going to), but it made that final seem a bit "Whose Line is it Anyway?"

**Byrd** · 2025-01-29 16:13

I just got back from 3 1/2 weeks abroad, and watched the final episodes last night. actually kind of liked the final's general format, but the swimming portion pretty much guaranteed Jordan the win and Kyland last based on how omnipresent it was. From the moment the final was explained, I felt that was going to the case, and after about two sections, I knew it would be. I understand that one's skill at swimming is almost entirely self-determined, but it's still frustrating to have one specific skill be involved so crucially in so much of the final.

The women's competition was much closer, and more interesting. 3 competitors separated by one point is absurd. I'm curious how close Michelle was to the next person in the Karma vote, because it might have been even closer than we know.

I am very glad they showed the point breakdown of the total at the end, that adds some transparency.

Looking forward to All Stars 5 here ... next week, I think?

**Xno Kappa** · 2025-02-05 20:34

If fantasy was still a thing Veronica would be winning cleavage points every week lmao

**Byrd** · 2025-07-01 15:54

Season 41 starting Wednesday July 30.

**Byrd** · 2025-07-30 12:44

Season 41 Episode 1 tonight.

For some reason, Episode 0 was last week, but they still call this the start of the season. I don't know why, it certainly has enough content to be a full episode, even without an elimination (it does have what amounts to a daily challenge).

**Xno Kappa** · 2025-07-30 13:19

I’m looking forward to see how Dee does. Her social game on Survivor was fantastic.

**Xno Kappa** · 2025-12-11 07:53

Olivia wins a final while pregnant. Like her personality or not that is insane. Season was great imo. Refreshing to see rookies giving zero fucks and fears to the vets. Yeremi, Sydney, Cedric, and some of the others need to be the new mainstays.

Meanwhile, last night on Survivor had to be one of the dumbest tribal councils I’ve seen since the black widow brigade convinced Erik to give up his idol. Just mind-boggling stupid play from Sophi, Sage, and Kristina.

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