> @DC408dxtr / @DC408dxnow
The time is almost at hand for the two-hour finale of Are You The One? Season 3 coming your way tomorrow night. And considering everything we saw this autumn on the Big Island, we are headed towards a most-interesting finale to what's been an eventful run that began in the dog days of summer and about to conclude a week before Thanksgiving.
The time is almost at hand for the two-hour finale of Are You The One? Season 3 coming your way tomorrow night. And considering everything we saw this autumn on the Big Island, we are headed towards a most-interesting finale to what's been an eventful run that began in the dog days of summer and about to conclude a week before Thanksgiving.
On Episode 8 last week, we saw Kiki finally taking a stand against Devin, the girls' exes spilling dirt on them to the guys, and the girls putting the guys on high alert for making bad decisions at the Matchup which could ultimately decide their fate even before we get to the last two tries at the cash. We'll review that episode for you here.
Plus, in the aftermath of Ronda Rousey's upset loss to Holly Holm over the weekend, after our Wrap on ExtraTime, we'll look at how a Challenge underdog spent his summer vacation and how that eye-opening experience might change your opinions of him. That's coming up after the jump.
Plus, in the aftermath of Ronda Rousey's upset loss to Holly Holm over the weekend, after our Wrap on ExtraTime, we'll look at how a Challenge underdog spent his summer vacation and how that eye-opening experience might change your opinions of him. That's coming up after the jump.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
> It's Happening Again...
We begin our 5-T-2-K this week, as it has been each week all season, with Team Ohana in nothing but a down mood after another Matchup gone wrong and another chance for them to get on Devin. Yes, it has caused a lot of stress for them in this game, but even with booze aplenty it's something they can't fix unless they find the right way to solve it. The group enjoys dinner and time together, particularly Kiki and Big D who once again get it on in Pound Town, whether the house likes it or not. This time though, Devin doesn't enjoy his time with her as Kiki is not impressed with what he's doing to her, and she shares that with the house. He becomes upset and once again he's thinking about getting final revenge.
> Extra Dirty Laundry
On season 1, it was the guys' ex-girlfriends, while last year it was the group's parents. This time around, the first trifecta of house visitors was complete with the girls' ex-boyfriends showing up in Hawaii for this blast from the past called "Extra Dirty Laundry." This week's Getaway Challenge saw the exes reveal facts about their former flames to the guys, and it was up to them to guess which ex dated which girl by way of throwing a life preserver onto a hook. Britni, Stacey, Cheyenne & Amanda have the unfortunate honor of doing This is Your Life and when the dust settled (including a WTH moment of Devin shooting an airball in one of those attempts), in the end it was Hunter, Nelson and Austin that win the GC. And their date choices were Amanda, Kiki and Kayla as they go open water spear fishing...once again Hunter feels right at home.
> Preach Kiki!
Last week, we had to endure the drama reaching the breaking point for many for Devin as he manipulated Kiki and lost many fans' respect for him. If there was a time for her to put him on blast, this was the week. And when the couples were back at the house to bring on that drama, Big D had plans to tear Kiki apart after what happened earlier. He would talk trash about her and calling her "that girl" when he, Alec and Kiki were outside. But Gonzo won't let this stand and he calls him out right in front of Kiki to show her that Devin is what everyone and us fans suspected of him: a bad guy. And while Devin tries to manipulate this scenario, Kiki feels that enough is enough...she's done with him for abandoning her again. It won so much respect for her for standing up for herself.
> Another Kiki Truth Booth, and More Couples
A recurring storyline this year has been of Kiki's quest to find the one, and after many a trip to the Truth Booth the quest has not reached its definitive answer...so much so that one Twitter follower suggested to her that she could sleep there since she's been there so frequently. This week, Kiki was voted in yet again, but this time with Nelson as the majority vote would seem them eliminate another of her potential matches. Both her and Kayla are sure that Nelson is not Kiki's match, and the lasers agreed with her and knocked the choices down to Mike, Alec and Tyler. For Alec himself, his current impression of Stacey has changed, and after the GC he feels Stacey is his match after all and not the clingy Stace we've seen, and they reconnect again after all that drama. And Cheyenne and Tyler see a spark. But it didn't prepare us for what would happen next...
> Worst Matchup Ever
Of everything we've seen in the three seasons of Are You The One?, for someone who's usually even-keeled and objective I would have to say that this is the dumbest moment ever. The guys had the dibs to choose in the Week 8 Matchup, and the girls have not been satisfied with their choices during this season. As it turns out, this would only continue, and if you thought the sketchy gameplay and the bad choices the guys made on EP 6 was something then you don't know how to play this game. A series of events that would leave us all saying WTH at night's end sees none of Kiki's potential matches - Mike, Alec or Tyler - choose her, and she's left with Austin, who's a confirmed non-match.
The girls, not surprisingly, get irate at the guys for this throw-away MC because none of them wanted to choose her and also them not realizing this whole strategy. Britni lets out her anger, but that's tame compared to Rashida pulling off a Cheyenne and delivering a stellar speech in urging everyone to come up with new options in choosing new people instead of going with the same ones, which would net them the same number of lights every week. And once again, they are stuck at three beams and while they're lucky they didn't get a blackout and losing $250K, at worst they've wasted a Matchup which is a no-no this late in the game. Something will have to change or they will do what neither of the first two casts have done: leave broke as a joke.
The girls, not surprisingly, get irate at the guys for this throw-away MC because none of them wanted to choose her and also them not realizing this whole strategy. Britni lets out her anger, but that's tame compared to Rashida pulling off a Cheyenne and delivering a stellar speech in urging everyone to come up with new options in choosing new people instead of going with the same ones, which would net them the same number of lights every week. And once again, they are stuck at three beams and while they're lucky they didn't get a blackout and losing $250K, at worst they've wasted a Matchup which is a no-no this late in the game. Something will have to change or they will do what neither of the first two casts have done: leave broke as a joke.
WINNERS OF THE NIGHT
With nothing more to say after all that, both Kiki and Rashida come away with my two Winners of the Night designations for Episode 8. Both of them knew what to do in putting people on blast, and after both Devin's manipulative ways and the house's bad gameplay they more than earned this honor.
#DCExtraTime
PRESTON THE TRAVELER
Now, as we post this shy of tomorrow's AYTO 3 finale and ahead of Bloodlines in 2 weeks, we're still recovering from the ultimate underdog story in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship: former boxing titleholder Holly Holm pulling off a stunning upset of women's bantamweight champion and previously-undefeated Ronda Rousey this past weekend in Melbourne, Australia. As was mentioned by me after the Warriors game Saturday night on DCNOW, it was only when I was in the parking lot after that thriller that the news got to me of that fight and its shocking outcome. And as a longtime boxing fan, it provided shades of Mike Tyson's KO loss to Buster Douglas 25 years ago in just about the same exact parallel that the UFC's biggest star endured on Saturday night.
While Holm's victory undoubtedly broke the internet, reaffirmed fight sports' unpredictable nature and together with a New Mexico upset win earlier became the biggest day in New Mexico sports history, it added to the allure that when a underdog overcomes the odds and shocks the world, it becomes an indelible sports memory. USA hockey in Lake Placid, Villanova hoops, the Miracle Mets, Giants/Patriots in SB XLII and recently Vinci over Serena all come to mind. And in the case of the fifth major pro sport, we've had moments in recent Challenges where those underestimated on paper make a deep run in the season when it all matters on the field: Jay & Jenna last season, Johnny & Jessica last year and their Portland roommates Jordan & Marlon on Rivals II.
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| Pic Credit: MTV |
The experience of flying down to the Gulf Coast five years ago and later with Team MTV to Asia, South America and where Bloodlines will be in Bodrum, Turkey inspired Preston to pursue a new passion of his: traveling. And last week on the new social blog site Medium, he shared his experience of his most recent endeavor: spending his entire summer in Southeast Asia. There, far away from the American lifestyle of dreaming big and living large back home in Brooklyn, Preston's travels across the continent was a totally different reality: third-world countries deeply religious, where poverty is prevalent and where everything is not what we're used to here at home.
His first-person accounts documented his adventures back to the same Thailand he went to for Rivals II as well as Vietnam and Cambodia, and in his words he "connected with the spirituality of the land and the people." When he was in Thailand, he even briefly considered about staying permanently there and joining a Buddhist Monastery before deciding otherwise to keep on traveling. When he set foot in Saigon, he gained an deeper understanding as someone from the U.S. of a city and country at the heart of controversy back home years before he was even born. It was no surprise that he also felt for those who had to endure the horrific scenes caused by Americans on their nation.
After that life-altering experience, Preston traveled next door to Cambodia and visited beautiful cities catered to tourists and towns whose residents don't exactly have the rich life as those who travel to the city. And before leaving Asia, he visited the Best Way for Children Foundation's orphanage, met the poor kids and people in the neighborhood where he was treated as if he was a distinguished dignitary. And using the last $120 he had on the trip, Preston purchased all sorts of food for the needy that more than made them the most luckiest people in the entire country.
This is a totally different Preston than what we saw on MTV being that back gay man whose mom had dealt drugs while he was young and being both confrontational and outlandish. We all remember his battles with the other Ryan in the RW NOLA house, him becoming romantic with Marty Party and idolizing Lady Gaga in house parties around Big Easy, and yes those three Challenges and producing an MTV doc in between too. This summer in Asia more than changed his outlook on life, and considering how he was an underdog on his three Challenges and given the timing after Ronda Rousey's loss, this was worthy of telling this story here on the blog.
Finally, DCBLOG extends our congrats to Challenge veteran and two-time champion Paula Beckert and husband Jack on the birth last Tuesday night of their second child Athena Rose, who will join baby brother Atlas in the now family of four. Mrs. Walnuts already has a great life outside of Challenge world after her swan song following teaming with Emily to win Rivals II, and now with life changers a plenty the two years the future is bright for all of them, and no one is more deserving of it than Paula, Jack, Athena and Atlas.
And that will bring this twin-bill covering Episode 8 of Are You The One?. To whet your appetite for both tomorrow's finale and Bloodlines in two weeks from now, here's the following webcasts...
- AfterBuzz TV (@AfterBuzzTV) and the AYTO panel of Lem Gonsalves, Desiree Murphy & Nino llanera have had a breakout season and last week added to the great guest list they had this year when Zak joined them to talk Hannah and all things season 3. Check out that chat plus other shows including their chats with Hannah, Cheyenne, Chelsey, Mel, Kiki and Kayla at afterbuzztv.com. And of course, Jesse, Roxy, Nic & co. will be back for Bloodlines as well, check out past shows there too.
Again, be sure to follow DCBLOG and all my social platforms for full MTV Trifecta coverage: Pulse diaries, Wraps and all. For now, Are You The One? is our focus but next week our coverage of The Challenge: Battle of the Bloodlines kicks off with a preview post and our the 2-part Reality Debrief 2015 with Andrew Kirk and me. Also along with our Pulse & Wrap of this week's superisized AYTO finale over the weekend and in time for the beginning of the holiday season, ExtraTime will focus on Austin and some inspiring words for those who want to follow the lead of him and Wes of The Challenge and go into the entrepreneurial world.
After my DC Big Game live tweets of Warriors/Nets Saturday night on DCBDAY Weekend, as well as Follow The Rules last night, we've got a busy time of live tweets ahead on DCNOW on Twitter @DC408DxNow. Tomorrow is the AYTO Season 3 finale and of course, we'll have that covered. Then on the weekend, a big event doubleheader, starting Saturday night as Miguel Cotto and Saul Canelo Alverez face off for the lineal Middleweight Championship of the World in a boxing event billed as "The Fight of the Year." Then on Sunday, it's one of the year's biggest events - the American Music Awards hosted by Jennifer Lopez. DCNOW will bring you front and center to both those events, and of course follow me on Twitter and Instagram @DC408Dxtr and Tumblr.
Thanks again for reading and until we talk to you on DCNOW tomorrow night, talk to you then.
- I AM DC
And that will bring this twin-bill covering Episode 8 of Are You The One?. To whet your appetite for both tomorrow's finale and Bloodlines in two weeks from now, here's the following webcasts...
- AfterBuzz TV (@AfterBuzzTV) and the AYTO panel of Lem Gonsalves, Desiree Murphy & Nino llanera have had a breakout season and last week added to the great guest list they had this year when Zak joined them to talk Hannah and all things season 3. Check out that chat plus other shows including their chats with Hannah, Cheyenne, Chelsey, Mel, Kiki and Kayla at afterbuzztv.com. And of course, Jesse, Roxy, Nic & co. will be back for Bloodlines as well, check out past shows there too.
- Of course, there's Brian Cohen (@BusDriversRoute) and Ali Lasher (@LashsTweets) with their must-listen AYTO RHAP on Rob Has A Podcast. In the Week 8 recap, the duo discussed Diki, Alec & Stacey and everything we saw last week. Plus, just posted today is a chat Ali had with Tyler as he discussed everything going into this week, including of course him screwing up the Matchup. Check out those two podcasts along with their chat with Zak and past MTV podcasts at robhasawebsite.com, Brian's interviews from past seasons at his YouTube channel and the Bus Drivers Route blog.
- Of course, check out Andrew Kirk (@CSUGradAKirk) and all of his interviews on his YouTube channel and his SpreeCast & BlogTalkRadio sites. Along with his interview with Tyler, Thursday at 8PM ET AK will preview Challenge Bloodlines with soon-to-be-mom Jasmine and video blogger Ace Nichols (@AceNichols33) on Google+. Also check out Ace's Bloodlines preview and previous recap videos on her YT channel.
- And for those who want a head-start on Bloodlines from a fantasy point of view and a fresh POV as well, check out the following two podcasts: Fantasizr & its preview show on Rookerville on Soundcloud, and Battle of the Challenges on YouTube.Again, be sure to follow DCBLOG and all my social platforms for full MTV Trifecta coverage: Pulse diaries, Wraps and all. For now, Are You The One? is our focus but next week our coverage of The Challenge: Battle of the Bloodlines kicks off with a preview post and our the 2-part Reality Debrief 2015 with Andrew Kirk and me. Also along with our Pulse & Wrap of this week's superisized AYTO finale over the weekend and in time for the beginning of the holiday season, ExtraTime will focus on Austin and some inspiring words for those who want to follow the lead of him and Wes of The Challenge and go into the entrepreneurial world.
After my DC Big Game live tweets of Warriors/Nets Saturday night on DCBDAY Weekend, as well as Follow The Rules last night, we've got a busy time of live tweets ahead on DCNOW on Twitter @DC408DxNow. Tomorrow is the AYTO Season 3 finale and of course, we'll have that covered. Then on the weekend, a big event doubleheader, starting Saturday night as Miguel Cotto and Saul Canelo Alverez face off for the lineal Middleweight Championship of the World in a boxing event billed as "The Fight of the Year." Then on Sunday, it's one of the year's biggest events - the American Music Awards hosted by Jennifer Lopez. DCNOW will bring you front and center to both those events, and of course follow me on Twitter and Instagram @DC408Dxtr and Tumblr.
Thanks again for reading and until we talk to you on DCNOW tomorrow night, talk to you then.
- I AM DC
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