
The show started out with everyone making their way to the set in Punta del Este, Uruguay. Once they arrived at the gauntlet (aka the location where all of the elimination challenges are performed), Tj announced that this season, instead of assigning players to designated teams, they would be all on their own. Granted, they still perform certain challenges in teams, but they are selected by captains and the teams will not be the same from game to game.
After receiving the news, the challengers made their way to their house, which is a massive mansion in the middle of nowhere. Debauchery and rowdiness were the themes of the night, as everyone partied in anticipation of the upcoming battles. Not really any hookups or fights this week, but if the trailer is telling us anything, its that there certainly will be a good amount of hookups and fighting down the road.
In the main challenge, LaToya, formerly of Real World Saint Thomas, had to receive medical assistance after completing her portion of the challenge. Originally, I thought it was a concussion after receiving a swift blow to the head by Swift, but it turned out to be a dehydration issue. It was pretty hot out that day, and a simple quote from Ron Burgundy would have helped LaToya out a bit. You gotta realize that milk would be a bad choice in those conditions. Anyway, LaToya returned from the hospital, only to have her peers vote her into the elimination chamber, and Chet was voted in for the guys. Jemmye and Frank would join them in elimination after drawing the losing card in a random card drawing game.
In the elimination challenge, the game was to get a ball through a garbage can in the center of the circle. Seems easy until you realize that the other contestant is on defense and can stop you by any means necessary. For the boys, Chet and Frank both got stopped on the first possession, but Chet had to forfeit after suffering a nasty cut on his chin which would require stitches. For the girls, it was a high scoring affair which saw LaToya defeat Jemmye. If you had Jemmye of Chet on your Challenge fantasy teams, sorry but your teams shrunk by one person this week.
It was a decent episode, but it was only the first and should only get much more exciting from here.
By: Dan Goggin