Double Shot Tuesdays: Countdown to Real World Skeletons & Exes 2

DCBLOG's coverage of Real World Skeletons and Battle of the Exes II
are dedicated in the memories of Ryan Knight and Diem Brown.

By DC Cueva
@DC408Dxtr

Hi, hello, what's up and welcome to DCBLOG's coverage of both Real World Skeletons and The Challenge: Battle of the Exes 2. This will represent the sixth and seventh seasons of an MTV series that we've covered extensively on here, shows which I love so much and something that represent sort of a religion to me as a longtime MTV fan. And now the best time of year is coming up.
   With only 2 days until we head to Chicago this Tuesday for a new season of TV's longest-running reality franchise, I was thrown a curveball last week and now there's something to look forward to Tuesdays, times two. And perhaps, my schedule of working, babysitting the kids and spending spare time covering this show on this blog and following it on my social platforms will have to be adjusted accordingly for what's about to be announced on here. Here comes Double Shot Tuesdays.
   Yes, things are about to get a bit complicated as two of the shows I follow the most in the television world will not only be on at the same time, but also on the same night. For the first time in several years, seasons of MTV shows produced by reality TV pioneers Bunim-Murray Productions will air simultaneously, as its magnum opus, The Real World, will have its landmark 30th season in the Windy City, premiering this Tuesday, Dec. 16 at 10PM. Aside from everything we expect from this great show, RW Skeletons will see the roommates tackle people from their pasts head-on.
   Just after we usher in the new year, on January 6th at 11PM, the 26th season of the show that Bill Simmons' Grantland site calls, "the 5th major pro sport," will start up as The Challenge: Battle of the Exes 2 takes shape from Panama. In addition to all of what we can expect in great competition, all the drama, a cast full of names familiar & fresh and lots of twists, there will be a sense of poignancy to this season as Diem Brown and Ryan Knight take part in what will turn out to be their last Challenge as their untimely passings last month will make this season an emotion-packed one.

Coming up here, we'll have a preview of the seasons of both shows coming your way here, including a look at all of the roommates in Chicago and all the teams competing in Panama, as well as their back stories. Join us after the jump as we preview Real World Skeletons and Battle of the Exes 2.

REAL WORLD SKELETONS

Last season, The Real World took an unprecedented step in changing the formula and format that had been in use since its first season in New York. For season 29 that took place here in my Bay Area backyard in San Francisco earlier this year, the exes of the seven strangers took up residency in that house in the Polk Gulch neighborhood alongside the cast. The result: renewed interest, increased viewership and lots of drama & broken hearts as Arielle, Ashley, Cory, Jamie, Jay, Jenny and Thomas went through a wild cable car ride with their exes Ashley C., Brian, Hailey, Jenna and Lauren. From drama, jealousy and fighting to heartbreak, scandal and fun, we had it all.
   This time as the show reaches that cherished milestone of its 30th season, the focus turns again to a previous host city, as Chicago will welcome the 30th set of seven strangers, more than a decade after its first visit to the Windy City. In 2002, this was where we first saw Challenge stalwart Aneesa, and where we saw one of the show's most poignant moments when, on her 20th birthday, she and the group dealt with the events of 9/11. And it also lead into Ozzy & friends, along with a slew of well-publicized, off-camera protests by area neighbors as well.
   It's Real World Skeletons, and this season's format will once again be altered from the original 1992 playbook as the group will again have to deal with something a bit different than what they're used to. Our latest class of seven strangers will begin, just as it was both last season and in all the seasons that preceded it, with all the fanfare and anticipation of them leaving behind their hometowns for the time of their lives in Chi-Town. They'll be moving into Chicago's West Loop where an old nightclub has been turned into a fabulous urban loft, and of course it features all the standard amenities of any RW house: pool table, hot tub, fish tank, confessional and taking a cue from Are You The One?, a boom boom room. And there's walls paying homage to the show's history with the names of every Real World roommate.

   However, behind the pretty faces and personalities of the roommates are skeletons from their past - stories full of shattered lives, broken relationships, estranged family members and dark secrets that they have endured that many of us can directly relate to. For each of them, they'll ultimately find out that they can't run away and hide from their past mistakes as unresolved issues and distasteful behavior will emerge out of nowhere as the people they did not want to see again knock on that door. Obviously, when those skeletons come a'calling, our roommates will have to get used to them in the same loft. Other than that, it's just your typical Real World with them livin' it up with their six new roommates, looking for love, having fun and enjoying what the City of Broad Shoulders has to offer.

Here now, our look at the new pledges...

- Bruno: Bruno is a ladies man from East Providence, RI, who prides himself on old-school values and proud traditions of his native Portugal. He's also stylish and sensitive, so much so that not only does he love to dress to impress, he spends a half-hour every day to perfect his hair. He also had his own pet cow of all things while living on that Portuguese island of Pico. With a close relationship with his dad, he was then sent to a Catholic school, where due to the lack of verbal discipline he developed a bad temper. When he moved to the U.S., he was bullied because of not speaking English well, and that helped to develop his tough exterior where he isn't intimidated by anyone. The day that changed his life was when, after he stormed out of his house following an argument with his then girlfriend, he was hit by a car going at 50 MPH in the snow, which led to him having to reteach himself to walk and talk again. Despite going through that accident, Bruno can take pride in wearing those scars like a tattoo as he feels that life-altering experience gave him reason to let his anger go. All that aside, Bruno is looking anxiously forward to leave New England and bring his unique combination of attitude, culture and style to Chicago.

- Jason: Two years after Princess Jessica first graced our presence in Portland, Jason will be leaving behind his Raleigh, NC hometown for The Real World. A smooth-talking Southern charmer, he easily captures the hearts of the girls in Tobacco Road, which has him set his sights on being a model with that money being saved up from being a former car salesman. Jason's a true Mama's boy who was raised by his young mom, who gave birth to him while he was 18, but grew up without a dad in his life. For the both of them, money was always tight and their economic shortcomings was always at the top of their concerns and at times during his youth, Jason and his mom had to live with just that light from a lantern. When he went to school, he was that poor nerdy kid with those glasses, but when switched them for contacts, he started attracting the girls. As he heads to Chicago, Jason also has on his mind another thing: he wants to, one day, meet the man who decided to live a life without the presence of his one son. And Jason has also learned a valuable dad's lesson: never walk away from his own child.

- Madison: A flirty, gorgeous and naive blonde coming to Chicago by way of Austin, TX, Madison has a reputation for stealing the hearts of guys in the Lone Star State with her bubbly personality and persona echoing Marilyn Monroe. When she was 3, she and her mom moved out to California to pursue showbiz. When not being homeschooled, Madison's childhood was very much SoCal: either she was at the pool or she was acting in movies, TV shows or commercials. And she often flew back to Texas to be part of her competitive cheerleading team as a flyer. But in high school, things would change dramatically and unexpected when she started dating a guy who introduced her to recreational prescription drugs, which then led to her using heroin. Yes, it was a dark six year battle with drug addiction for her, but in spite of all that, Madison is feeling very positive now. And as she describes herself as a "newborn", Madison is focused on a new beginning, building close friendships with her girls and rediscovering herself.

- Nicole: Two years ago, we met Marie as she left Staten Island for St. Thomas and then brought her "Statitude" to Turkey. Now following in her footsteps is another blonde from that New York City borough with, of course, that thick accent, and her name is Nicole. By day, she's an EMT who saves lives and on weekends has a knack for being ultra-competitive, so much so that she became the first female on her high scoop football team. And she spends much of her free time in the gym training to be a fire fighter...she's ready for that Challenge call. Ironically, Nicole shares a trait with the one RiRi pushed during that BOTS2 house fight: like Sam from Back to SD, Nicole is lesbian and she hooks up with girls. Larger than life, Nicole is used to conflict thanks to her being a triplet, and she and her sisters still live in the same house and they argue a lot. Believe it or not, she still doesn't know how to do those house chores. As part of a traditional Italian family and as the only one of her triplets who's not engaged, Nicole is starting to feel that pressure to eventually settle down but can't get away from her ways of being a player. Nonetheless, she's ready to bring her own style of Statitude to Chicago.

- Sylvia: Kansas City has had it good lately in Wes & Devyn impressing on Challenges, Jenny on RW Ex-Plosion, the Chiefs being a contender again and the Royals pushing the Giants to the limit...now the momentum continues in Sylvia joining Season 30. She's a sassy and gorgeous Mexican-American bartender and aspiring actress who finds herself very comfortable in the spotlight. Raised down in Texas, she became familiar with tequila drink-offs and other cultural traditions. While Sylvia likes being a serial dater and having a roster of guys in KC, she's also longing for long-term love, for which she has doubts about it and it always, for the most part, leads to dysfunctional relationships in the dating pool. Romance aside, Sylvia will always be ready to tell a joke and make everyone laugh. And she likes to dance to her own beat and won't let anyone control her or put her in her place. You can laugh, prank and dance with her, but watch out if you cross her the wrong way: that hot fiery temper will get you.

- Tony: The last time a Real World'er came to us from Louisiana, it was Dustin who fell in love and was caught in a scandal that put him on the cover of US Weekly. Now, it's Tony's turn to head from the Bayou, or in this case from Folsom outside of Baton Rouge, to The Real World. This nice Southern charmer has his ambitions on eventually finding love, but as of now he hasn't been able to stay loyal to one girl, leading to lots of broken hearts and exes. With that smile of his, girls want to be with him and they flock to him, and like James Bond guys want to be him. Tony is used to hard work as a chemical plant worker, but he's been on leave due to a knee injury after a fight with a crazy ex. It hasn't always been this way: his youth was all about being self-conscious, awkward and being overweight. Also during that time, Tony was raised by a single mom after she & her husband divorced, and Mr. Raines passed away when he was 12, which still haunts Tony. He's also not fond of when guys disrespect women and won't hesitate to save someone from despair. That's being a Southern gentleman.

- Violetta: A lot of us might not know about the country of Moldova off the top of our heads, but that where we find our 7th roommate, Violetta. She is the epitome of what we love about some of our favorite reality stars: you either love or hate her: has an extremely outgoing and brash personality that gets everyone's attention; and never holds back when she speaks, regardless of who her comments are directed to. Violetta and her mom immigrated to the U.S. while she was young over a decade ago to escape the tough living conditions in that European country, eventually settling in Sarasota, FL where her hard-partying ways have made her well-known. In high school, she was bullied for being fat, and became, admittedly, a hard-edged bully herself that got caught up in the wrong crowd. Violetta eventually found a temporary refuge in Colorado where she feels she grew into a better person and apologized to those who got on her nerves in the past. Now back in Florida with mom & her dad, she continues to party it up, and she refers to her party alter-ego persona as "Claryse!". Currently going to college with an eye on a marketing & entertainment communications degree in sight, those who know knows, there's never a dull moment when Violetta is in the room.

And then, there's the stories that they will bring out their demons once their skeletons make the trip into Chicagoland and come walking in. For Bruno, he'll have to deal with his estranged NYC model brother Briah -- whom you met in one of our AYTO posts where he hung out with Deena & Angelina from Jersey Shore -- after a petty argument made a reference to Bruno's accident and led to a angry fight & falling out. For Jason, if he is able to meet his dad for the first time, then we should have those tissue boxes ready to wipe away those tears. Madison will have to revisit those people she hurt during her addiction, while Tony may have some exes living with him at the same time. For Violetta, there's those bullies she faced in high school who she turned the tables on a bully herself. And for Nicole and Sylvia, they might have to face a boss from hell and, perhaps, a baby mama as well.

   Yes, there's been some people who have been a bit uneasy with The Real World changing up its formula starting with last season. But for me who's been a fan of this franchise almost since it's beginning, not only am I supportive of the change, RW Skeletons will be tailor-made for me. The catch for me in watching documentary-style reality TV like this show (competition ones like The Challenge, AYTO and The Voice not included) is compelling storytelling with great stories and genuine people who we can relate to. The Real World has done that and done it well for 22 years and this season promises to have some great stories. The skeletons who'll be visiting the house will bring with them surprising details about each of the roommates as they'll be exposing their secrets, their loves and the desire to overcome their past mistakes.

   And, of course, there's all that we expect to see from this show: the spirit of being young and free, the connections between the roommates, a spectacular locale of one of America's greatest cities and much more. There will be tears, there will be laughs, there will be conflict, there will be romance, there will be stories, and there will be plenty of everything. That's pretty much the way I would want it to be, and it's why that, even with me being into The Challenge and AYTO more, The Real World remains that one show I feel most comfortable in. And it will all begin for Bruno, Jason, Madison, Nicole, Sylvia, Tony and Violetta in a matter of days. Get plenty of rest this weekend and Monday you all, hope you're all ready for Tuesday and the beginning of the rest of your lives.

BATTLE OF THE EXES 2

And then, there's The Challenge. Since I rejoined this world of watching The Real World's hard-edged, more competitive young brother two years ago, I've easily embraced the so-called 5th major pro sport to where it's now a must-watch. Seeing great competition and huge drama with people who I got to renew acquaintances again and those newbies who I got to know since I joined twitter has definitely made me a new enthusiast in this show. And now after watching Battle of the Seasons II, Rivals II and Free Agents, the stage is set for me for what promises to be a roller coaster of a season that's already had a sense of poignance before we get our first look at any visuals for this season.
   Two years ago, the 22nd season of The Challenge saw a fresh new format that, just as it was for Rivals a year earlier, paired up unusual partners in the quest for glory. It was Battle of the Exes where 13 former couples got together, were forced to overcome their past and their breakups to win the cash. In the end, it was Johnny Bananas & Camila that won, but the stars of the season were Diem and CT, who renewed their love affair that first started on The Duel in 2006, and eventually became part of the most-famous story in the series' history. We didn't know it at the time, but she would eventually go into a second battle with ovarian cancer and eventually overcome it a second time.

   Battle of the Exes II will bring together twenty-six of the most infamous former flames and recent splits from recent MTV history to Panama for this Challenge. Of course once they're paired up, these 13 teams of exes will have to overcome their rocky past in to face the present in order for them to get their slice of the prize pool of $350,000. Perhaps there will be romances rekindled, and unresolved issues may take a toll on these pairs. Between the rivalries, love, jealousy and of course all the competition, the couple who emerges victorious will have withstood all these pressures. And to top it all off, there's a spankin' new mid-season twist that will surely change the game as well, which will definitely up the stakes so much greater for the exes to work together to claim the jackpot.

Before we preview the cast, here's a brief SocialPulse Extra when the season & its cast were revealed back on December 5th, featuring the Real World & Fresh Meat incumbents (the AYTO cast are located in our Road to the AYTO2 Finale post)...

> SocialPulse Extra: Exes 2
@BunimMurray: It's official!! The Challenge: Battle of the Exes II premieres January 6! Read more here -- http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/12/04/the-challenge-battle-of-the-exes-premiere-diem-brown-special/ … #TheChallenge
@EW: .@MTV sets date for new @ChallengeMTV dedicated to Diem Brown, Ryan Knight: http://ow.ly/FmDEG
@HuffingtonPost: MTV dedicates new season of "The Challenge" to Diem Brown and Ryan Knight http://huff.to/1vRolJl
@JustJem24: I took half of knights closet with me when I left today. And I know that's what he would have wanted.....
@JustJem24: This picture is surreal.. But we had such a fun time doing this shoot..
@TyrieBMTV: Excited to see the fam on the new challenge.... Confused on adding different shows for anything other then ratings tho
@SarahRiceMTV: Professional eye roller... But @jordanwiseley gives me good reason...but I love him!! #partnersforever http://instagram.com/p/wMaw4JxqYn/
@MTVCoryWharton: I can't lie I'm salty I'm not on this season of the challenge 😑💰
@AshleyMarieMTV: Just saw the new challenge page. Is it weird of me to kind of feel disappointed that MTV didn't write a single thing about D's death, her life, nothing. It's all show. And what about knight. . .#confused http://tl.gd/nhms3p
@haileychivers: Best partner I could've asked for @ThomasBuellMTV doin' work in Panama 💪 #BOTS2 #TheChallenge
@heathermarter: Dang, ladies. Your cast photos are going to make me go out & buy a long skirt after work. 😍 @NanyMTV @therealniamoore @ave_tress
- @ave_tress: @heathermarter I'm sure you'll rock it. 😀
@MTVBananas: Getcha Popcorn Ready!!! @MTV @TheChallengeMTV #TheChallenge #BattleOfTheExes2 @NanyMTV
@ave_tress: In case you didnt know http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/12/04/the-challenge-battle-of-the-exes-premiere-diem-brown-special/ … via @EW
@MTVBananas: Team Ba-Nany! You heard it here first... #Banany @MTV #BattleOfTheExes2 @ChallengeMTV @NanyMTV
@MtvJess: “@MaybachDiamonds: "Are you the one on the challenge?" Yea both.”b😂😂😂😂👌
@JordanW_usa: Ryan M@therf#cking Knight. #RIPbrother
@SarahRiceMTV: Check out the best team out there!! http://www.mtv.com/celebrity/exes-2-jordan-sarah/#cast=challenge-battle-of-the-exes-2 …
@JayGMTV: @JayGMTV and @JennaCompono partners on "Battle of the Exes ll"
@SarahRiceMTV: It's almost heeeeere!! Thanks mtv for the good shot!! mtv_thechallenge mtvbote2 @mtvchallenge_ http://instagram.com/p/wMouWUxqdk/
@SarahRiceMTV: RT "Will Jordan check his ego & hand over the reigns to this #QueenofEnthusiasm? ” If he knows what's good for him ;)
@haileychivers: Get ready y'all! Battle of the Exes 2 @mtv January 6th 💪 see @thomasbuellmtv and I on our rookie season #thechallenge #panama #ripdiem #ripknight http://instagram.com/p/wMtEKUHMKO/
@WestonBergmann: Tuesday, January 6th: The Premier Of Battle Of The Exes II http://www.mtv.com/shows/challenge-battle-of-the-exes-2/ …
@MTVtrey: Not gonna lie and say I'm not a little bitter about being passed over by some who aren't even a part of our 'fam'. I guess times are changin
@MtvJess:  Challenge BOTE 2 coming to you on @mtv January 6th! Get ready for a totally twisted EXcellent season! #exes #bote2 #mtv http://instagram.com/p/wMv3LLAyjQ/
@NanyMTV: I get my iphone tomorrow, thank GOD! I haven't used my laptop this much in years #GoingCrazy
@dustinzito: Who is going to watch The Challenge Battle of the Exesll ?????? (premiering Jan. 6, 2015, at 11 p.m. ET) http://instagram.com/p/wM3qShNSLa/
@ZachMTV: The man, the myth, the legend. http://instagram.com/p/wM_RMhiJic/
@RobinMTV14: In the gas station & the clerk ask me if I knew @DiemBrownMTV and I just burst out crying. I loved you D and miss you.
@WestonBergmann: It's kind of fun to do the impossible - Walt Disney (1901-1966)
@CamilaMTV: Time to go home. ✈️🙏 http://instagram.com/p/wND0ClTEXX/
@CaraMariaMTV: #tbt to that one time we almost got trampled by a moose. @laurelstucky #montanaproblems Ps there… http://instagram.com/p/wNJFW7niiN/
- @laurelstucky: @CaraMariaMTV no fun-o. Thank God for @AbramBoise otherwise I mighta got stomped out
@itsJennyDelich: I declined the Battle of the Exes Challenge out of respect for my relationship with @BrianTWillJr. Love over fame ❤️✌️
@JamieChinaMTV: Oh yes, and to all the ppl thinking I faked my break up with my ex to be on the challenge, I hope yall feel sooooo stupid. 😂
@NanyMTV: Reading all these tweets in my mentions has me SO amped for the premiere of #BattleOfTheExes2
@NanyMTV: Thanking all my tweeters for the constant love & support you've shown me since 2011... #ISeeYou :)

Now to the cast, and obviously, there will be a great sense of poignancy in this season as it will include two couples who became very popular to all of us. As mentioned earlier, this Challenge will be dedicated in memory of both Diem and Knight, who in the span of 13 days after my birthday last month (which was celebrated with the rest of Team MTV), were taken from us just after taping of this season took place over the summer. And unlike what happened with the passing of Shain which led to Buckwild ending abruptly, Exes 2 will continue to air as planned as a tribute to both.

- CT & Diem: This has obviously become the signature story in Challenge history: an ovarian cancer survivor taming the beast of the show. Of course, they first got together on Duel I where he helped her regain confidence after her cancer battle. When they competed on Exes 1, she put on a great performance worthy enough of winning the top prize, but he struggled to keep up with him and that led to them not flying out of Iceland with the jackpot. They appeared to have put their past behind them there, and then on Rivals II, they renewed their love affair and though they have seen each other since Thailand after some trust issues over his political game, their romance would continue.

- Jemmye & Knight: This relationship started during RW Back to New Orleans where they fell in love with one another and moved in together in the Big Easy after filming ended. But their constant bickering and infidelities would rock that romance and led to their breakup. Of course, they're known for their party antics than for athleticism, but on Rivals II Knight did make it to the last jungle elimination and Jem made it to the final with Camila. This time with feelings still a bit uneasy, they have to find a way to work together if they want to win, and while she's focused in on winning, he's interested in pushing her buttons, and that may cause a bit of friction.

Besides them, there is also a mix of Challenge veterans on this cast and those who I've become familiar with since rejoining Challenge world two years ago who are now become more of a regular presence on this show.
- Johnny "Bananas" & Nany: The last time we saw them on the same Challenge, they teamed to win the last regular mission on Free Agents, he won the top prize for his 5th finals win to solidify himself as the greatest Challenger ever, and she came very close to upsetting Laurel in the final. Just as it was when he was paired with Frank on Rivals II, Bananas has, in many's minds, a questionable partner once again as there's rumors of him and Nany hooking up outside the Challenge world even though he's still with snowboarder Hannah Teter and she had become close with Cohutta in Uruguay. That quick fling was temporary, but will this power pair make it to the end? It may be a sure bet.

- Wes & Theresa: Unlike the pair above, the makeout between Wes & Theresa was caught on camera, and that smooch on the pool table was during her first Challenge, Fresh Meat II in 2010 in Vancouver. After they left Canada, Ginger didn't pursue T.Time, and on Rivals II, he took note of her hook up with Leroy. When we last saw her, she lost the last elimination and missed out on her first final. The last time he was on a Challenge and not doing his thing as a KC entrepreneur, he & CT were worthy winners. Now Wes & Theresa meet again and as a top group must overcome their tension to get to the end.

- Jordan & Sarah: Another hook-up caught on camera was perhaps the steamiest we've seen: Sarah and Jordan making out in the closet on Rivals II just after they really clicked early on. Though her Challenge curse continued when Trishelle quit on her and he decided to go in on Jonna, they've been described as "an adrenaline-junkie Challenge pair made in heaven," and rightfully so. Sarah's optimistic outlook will now have to be tested thanks to Jordan's competitive, cocky attitude. She knows that he is egotistical but he is also the hottest guy too, and if he keeps calm they might have a good chance of giving her that first win.

- Leroy & Nia: On Free Agents, Mrs. Hurricane was immediately drawn to Mr. Lean Body and Nia began to shadow RoyLee wherever he went in the house. As we saw on the After Show where she went in on Jasmine, they were spotted leaving a bathroom together with all of that privacy and although they claim there wasn't anything that happened there, no one believes them. It's opposites attract for this duo: he's cool & collected, and we all know the last time we saw her alter ego. He's not had much success since Rivals, and she's prone to her weak political game. Something will have to gel for them to contend.
- Zach & Jonna: Before she went to Turkey for BOTS2, Jonna broke up with her boyfriend and she instantly connected with Thor. When he fell hard & fast for her, it became an instant item in the mansion. After that season, both of them moved to LA until, suddenly, Zach would break up with her after realizing they weren't a match. To this day, he can't stand her though she still admits to having feelings for her, and thus, they've not spoken to one another much since. With trust being such a huge part of the Exes format, she will be looking for closure while the two-time finalist must find a way to work with her in spite of their past.
- Dustin & Jessica: Last season, Dustin came to Uruguay off his 2nd breakup with Vegas roommate Heather and after engaging in some flirting, he immediately won over Jessica's Southern charm. However, that budding romance came to an end when his lack of politicking led to the BOTS2 finalist being the 2nd guy sent packing. But attempts for that to be rekindled after didn't come true, and when Dustin found a new girlfriend that girl got in a Twitter beef with the Princess. Will those old feelings from months ago finally be rekindled, or will her broken heart cause them to go home?

- Johnny & Averey: They were the couple on Real World Portland, and after her & Johnny fell in love, Averey & her dog Daisy moved cross-country from Arizona to Boston. But when word got out that she was cheating on him, that romance had turned from red-hot to ice cold, and though she denied any wrongdoing, he called time on that relationship just before flying to Uruguay. The tables would then turn when she and us got to see that season where JR kissed Nany, and Averey hasn't heard from him about it, leading to some disrespect. Will they patch up things or will it not work?

And then, there's this season's newcomers, and aside from Averey making her debut, the rookies come to us by way of two shows that warmed my interest during the winter of 2014. First, when we saw the most-recent Real World here in the Bay Area, most of us pretty much expected the succeeding Challenge to be Battle of the Exes 2. That will be the case as two pairs from Ex-Plosion will celebrate their 1-year MTV anniversary with a return to our airwaves for their Challenge debut.

- Thomas & Hailey: Thomas & Hailey were high school sweethearts who found themselves meeting up once again in San Francisco when he was seeing Jamie and leading to a triangle. Many aggressive attempts by him to send her back to the DFW Metroplex led to him getting his wish but not before emotions erupting between both of them and leaving their relationship in ruins. Tom is a twin tennis instructor who's used to having that competitive fire; while Hailey has compared by some fans to Road Rules' Katie in the kind of drama she can potentially bring, take her going after him in EP9.

- Jay & Jenna: We first saw Jay & Jenna together when he left to go to California, and were in a long-term on/off again relationship. In the City, the nice guy was exposed as a cheater, and since then he's been thinking about her and what might've been. Jay's become engaged in Crossfit with the hopes that he can become a Challenge big name; while Jenna's also become very fit too. He's established strong friendships with many of the cast through his Spring Break work, and that may help him along with way. Don't be surprised if Jay & Jenna cause plenty of drama in Panama.

And finally, there's perhaps one of the biggest things to come to the Challenge in a long time. For the first time in series history, cast members from an MTV show not produced by the producers of The Challenge, Bunim-Murray Productions, will be invited to compete on what was originally a Real World/Road Rules competition. And what better show to make this fantasy a reality than a show that combines RW & Challenge elements with a dating theme and greatly captured my attention this year.

   Are You The One? will join The Challenge this season as four members of the Season 1 cast who, like everyone else, also had their fair share of exes drama in Hawaii, will all make their MTV returns in Panama; this coming on the heels of their Season 2 predecessors joining them as $1 million winners last week in comeback fashion. They've come off making history themselves as part of a team of Originals who shared the largest prize in MTV history when they went 10 for 10, and will enter the house with not only $200,000 in hand, but also some unfinished business as well.

- Adam & Brittany: We've seen a number of love/hate relationships but the one we saw Adam & Brittany go through on AYTO Season 1 might be one of the best. In Hawaii, she couldn't get her eyes off of his abs, but it was Adam's biceps that pushed Brittany away. They got it on many times in the Boom Boom Room and got in many arguments, both inside and outside the house. Between it all, Adam decided he had enough when he became fed up with her obsessive behavior. Judging from the getaway challenges, Adam is a fitness freak who can hang with the big boys, and Britt can rely on that proud New England MTV tradition to help her fit in.

- John/"JJ" & Simone: Of everyone we saw in Kauai, we were surprised by the shock hookup between that spunky diva and the wisecracking comedian. He decided to put a stop to it when the truth booth proved them be a no match, and she continued to pursue him after he went on to Jacy, leading to drinks thrown, windows shattered and tears. Simone is to AYTO what Nia is to RW/C: someone who can be very fiery and can spark a fight in a snap of a finger. JJ will sure to add a bit of laughter to the pressure-packed house. If they can balance their attitudes out, watch out.

In the past several Challenges, we've seen a number of huge twists that have changed the game and have made the thing so unpredictable, you didn't have a certain idea of who was gonna win or who was gonna go home. Take for example, Johnny's luck of the draw sending him to the final without an elimination visit, along with Devyn cashing in as well. But this season, there will be another one of those which will come your way at mid-season called "Battle of the Ex-iled," which will sure to shock the cast in a whole new way and make things even more interesting to say the least.
   An MTV.com-only affair, "Battle of the Ex-iled" will give, for the first time on The Challenge, eliminated teams a chance to re-enter the competition, similar to Redemption Island on Survivor. Each week, the newly eliminated pair from the Exile elimination will face the previous week's Ex-iled winners to battle it out for a spot back in the game and a 2nd chance at the cash. Eager to gain a slice of redemption, those who lose for the first time will be more determined than ever before to send their opponents home for good and stun the remaining competitors with their return.

In the three years that I've been following The Challenge, I've never been more anticipatory of a new season of this show than for Exes II, considering both my strong rapport with the MTV family and the fact that they have come together in memory of two of the people whose lives will be greatly remembered as we watch this season. BOTS2 was the one that got me in the door, Rivals provided me a welcome to the show's big names, and I've matured with Rivals II and Free Agents. Now Exes 2 will make me more of a Challenge expert than ever. Now, we are into the countdown to what promises to be a Challenge season unlike any other in memory.

FANS OF THE WEEK

Now, as we here at DCBLOG kick off our double coverage of both Real World Skeletons and Battle of the Exes 2, we'd like to again send a shout-out to three outstanding webcast hosts who, once again, will be covering the new seasons of these shows on their webcasts in the same way that I do in words right here: covering it in-depth with great insight and perspective. No other entertainment programming lends itself more perfectly to those principles like MTV shows, and no channel has a deeper, more intimate relationship with & impact on both those its cast members and its viewers.

- First, there's the guy who's become sort of my twitter best friend on here, and definitely the man when it comes to webcasts and talking to Team MTV. Of course, it's fellow MTV fan, twitter colleague, webcast extraordinaire and fellow NorCal'er Andrew Kirk. As I wrote in one of my Fan of the Week posts during Free Agents, we've been great social media friends since that summer of 2012 when I joined Twitter and he started doing regular webcasts, including interviewing more than 50 members of the casts of Real World, The Challenge and Are You The One?. Both of us will be entering the 9th & 10th MTV seasons that we have watched & followed together, but though it's been two & a half years and so much has happened, it sure feels like we've done this for a very long time like any other great team in the media business.

   If there's any one fan I know who, like me, has grown a greater rapport with the communities of the Trifecta, it's Andrew. And when this RWC cycle begins on Tuesday, he will have had the pleasure of speaking to, either as host or caller, more than half of the Exes 2 cast - 16 of them in all. During the first Challenge I got to follow intently and he got to fully cover on his webcasts, he talked to Dustin, Sarah & Zach during BOTS II, then Leroy & Theresa during Rivals II and Free Agents. During RW Portland, all the cast joined him including Jordan, Jessica, Nia, Johnny & Averey. For RW Ex-Plosion, Andrew talked to most of the cast including Jay, Jenna, Thomas & Hailey. And during Are You The One? Hawaii, as an on-camera guest he talked to Adam and Brittany.
   Every time he talks to a cast member from these shows or just simply recaps them on Google+, BlogTalkRadio.com or anywhere, it's definitely a must-watch/must-listen. From Andrew himself, here's him plugging this very site and yours truly on one of his webcasts during Free Agents:

"Definitely check out this guy's blog. He has a lot of great fan interaction stuff. I don't know how you do it bud. So many tweets...he gets everybody's tweets from MTV, from The Challenge, from the fans. Check out his blog guys, it's definitely a good blog. He does the whole Twitter recap...he gets so many tweets, saves them, puts them on a link and does fan things. He plugs my interviews, he plugs Brian's interviews, he plugs Reality Radio's interviews. Definitely a great supporter of all Challenge stuff."

And also all MTV stuff as well. And on the day after RW Skeletons premieres, Violetta will be the first castmate from Skeletons to join him this season on what will sure be a very busy next few months. That's this Wednesday at 8:30PM ET at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt1Pi4FbuwI

- And second, there's a great podcast that's become a must-listen for any fan of The Real World, The Challenge and Are You The One?. For three years, the Ultimate Challenge Radio podcast with Challenge legend Derrick Kosinski covered the RW/Challenge franchise brilliantly with depth, insight and more with him and those from the MTV family. Since Derrick ended those shows after BOTS2, Brian Cohen has taken that torch in great stride in carrying on the tradition of insight and humor, and like Derrick has also brought castmates from those shows onto his webcasts.

   Dating back to RW Portland, Brian has spoken to many of the roommates from the past two Real World's and has even one-upped AK in talking to Challenge big names including two times to both Bananas & Kenny, and even TJ. Thirteen of his previous podcast guests, again half of the Exes 2 cast, will be at it once again in Panama. And during Free Agents, he expanded his webcast duties to join Ali Lasher on Rob Has A Website to recap episodes from there and from AYTO. And of course, he's also a blogger with his own power rankings & fantasy game at BusDriversRoute.com.

Be sure to follow them all on Twitter: Andrew at @CSUAKirk, Brian at @BusDriversRoute and Ali at @LashTweets, Or as always, follow me @DC408Dxtr for alerts to all of the interviews they and the rest of the MTV Show fanamily will do during the coming months, which also includes among others Murtz Jaffer (@MurtzJaffer), Ashley Weitzel (@AshleyWeitzel), Reality Radio (@RealityRadioPod) and AfterBuzz TV (@AfterBuzzTV) with hosts DJ Jesse Janedy, Roxy Striar and friends. As always, thanks to you all for your great friendship and continued support, and after an amazing year, I look forward to hearing your great insight and interviews in the months ahead.

And that's that for our preview of Real World: Skeletons and The Challenge: Battle of the Exes 2, aka Double Shot Tuesdays. Expect DCBLOG to be on top of both shows as we provide extensive, wall-to-wall coverage like never before, continuing our great tradition of covering All Things MTV.

   With both shows airing on the same night back-to-back, for the first time in our coverage, our signature DC SocialPulse diaries will be featuring our exclusive Twitter diaries of episodes from two shows in the same post on a weekly basis. Of course, we'll have all the interaction and play-by-play from cast and fans before, during and after the episodes as they see it. So, if you're a fan who wants to relive the big moments as we all saw it or want to get caught up on the tweets you missed if you watched it later, we'll have it all covered for you...real-time and uncensored.
   Obviously, it'll be double the fun and time for me in doing & compiling those posts, but without these shows and Are You The One?, I wouldn't have the kind of massive traffic from fans of those show coming into this site, and I'm sure to cross the 20K mark at sometime during the winter. So, I'm prepping to not only burn the midnight oil but also spend some Wednesdays off the next few months (I'm babysitting & helping my mom too) compiling all the tweets and bring them all to you, the fans.

   Plus as we get closer to January 6th, we'll have a deeper look at this season's nine Challenge newcomers in the third edition of Who Are These Newbies?, so you can get to know Teams Ex-Plosion & AYTO and Averey before the season begins. And we'll have a bunch of complimentary posts on these shows supplementing the recaps and rankings, including two historical posts offering a look at the cast members' first appearances and thoughts from co-creator Jon Murray.
   For the current season of Are You The One? in Puerto Rico that wrapped up last week with Team 21 winning the $1 million in the very last matchup, our last AYTO Season 2 SocialPulse post will cover this week's Season After-Match Reunion. And after its premiere airing on Monday, there's a special 90-minute extended version of it airing on Tuesday to lead into the RW Skeletons premiere.
   And our last AYTO post of 2014 is an exclusive, inside look at that Reunion with some fans who will be watching it both in the audience and at home. They'll be offering the Fan's View of it with insight from the live taping, what's not shown on TV and their thoughts on the season you'll find only on DCBLOG. Expect The AYTO2 Reunion Revealed to come your way just in time for Christmas.

To follow the live tweets of all three of these shows plus the reality comedy Slednecks, be sure to follow my live twitter home, DCNOW at @DC408DxNow. It's the place where I live tweet the episodes and where, for west coast fans, will feature live and real-time tweets from me and the casts. It's also the home to my live tweets of the biggest events in sports & entertainment, as well as instant reaction to breaking news. As I like to say, "If It's Happening Now, It Happens Here on DCNOW."
   And of course, you can always find me on my primary twitter handle at @DC408Dxtr and my Instagram home, also at @DC408Dxtr, with tweets, chats and alerts, and pictures as well. And also, DCBLOG has a number of non-MTV related posts in the pipe ready to be posted here in the coming weeks as we cover the entertainment and sports you love and beyond.

So, the casts are set. The fans are set. The locales of Chicago and Panama are set. We are ready and hopefully you are too, for what promises to be two great seasons of two great shows on one great night. Thanks for reading and until then, stay warm, have fun, see you then and Happy Holidays.

- I AM DC