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A DCBLOG Holiday Special
WITH DC CUEVA & ANDREW KIRK
> @DC408Dxtr / @CSUGradAKirkMerry Christmas to all of you out there, and welcome to part two of DC FORUM's Reality Debrief of 2015 with me, DC Cueva and fellow MTV insider & webcast host Andrew Kirk. This year for reality TV fans has been full of big moments and more, and doing only one post on it would not suffice...so, we've split this year's review into two parts. Earlier this month, Andrew & I previewed The Challenge: Battle of the Bloodlines with a look at the teams, the format and of course our predictions, as well as looked back at the last Challenge, Exes 2 from earlier this year.
On this Christmas night, part 2 will focus on the rest of the year in reality TV, including the crazy 3rd season of Are You The One?, season 31 of Survivor which wrapped up last week, the emotional rollercoaster in Chicago called Real World Skeletons and other shows this year which he follows more than me. Also like other sites do at this time with less than a week left in the year, we'll also hand out our year-end awards as well.
So after the jump, indulge yourself in gifts, family, eggnog and more and Join In as The Cueva/Kirk Report continues with Part 2 of DCBLOG's Reality Debrief of 2015.
ARE YOU THE ONE? SEASON 3
● Andrew: "Honestly based on how far off they were until they pulled off the miracle made it my least favorite of the three. The cast for the most part was fine but just little things like the no matches sticking together giving people like Devin and Kiki Chuck Mike and Amanda all the air time while the other cast mates barely got any made me feel annoyed in a way."
● DC: "Yeah I get you. I always got love for Season 1 like you, for Season 2 and this year too. What the first one had with a great cast and last year had the 11th girl, this season had more drama and those who are more or less not the most skilled people as far as gameplay goes than what we saw the first two times. But against all odds they were able to persevere, and there was a lot more intrigue about who the matches were than what was last year. It might not be my absolute favorite of the three though I got it a little bit closer than you do - the original is still tops and their predecessors aren't that far away, but still an interesting season 3."
● DC: "Yeah I get you. I always got love for Season 1 like you, for Season 2 and this year too. What the first one had with a great cast and last year had the 11th girl, this season had more drama and those who are more or less not the most skilled people as far as gameplay goes than what we saw the first two times. But against all odds they were able to persevere, and there was a lot more intrigue about who the matches were than what was last year. It might not be my absolute favorite of the three though I got it a little bit closer than you do - the original is still tops and their predecessors aren't that far away, but still an interesting season 3."
Like it was the past two seasons, there was drama with the numerous couples. But none like what we saw with Devin & Kiki, as they took a dating show relationship to a new level. Thoughts on Diki?
● Andrew: "First of all the couple names are so out of date lol. Like just because Brad Pitt and Angelina did it everyone makes celebrity couple or reality couple names sound cool. Thoughts on Devin and Kiki though. First couple episodes I didn't mind Devin. I thought he was an interesting character on the show and had a good relationship with Kiki so I didn't mind it. But agree with me on this DC aren't you tired of the editing throwing one couple down our throats. Season 1 it was Chris T and Shanley, last season it was Brandon and Christina, and this season we had these two. Them as individuals were fine I guess, but seeing them week after week and they're dysfunctional relationship got really old to no fault of their own but the editors."
● DC: "Yeah, we've seen relationships like this unfold: those first two as we know, so many others in the RW/Challenge world too many to mention. It was mesmerizing to see how this would unfold with Dev & Kiki throughout the season when they first hooked up and then everything taking place, especially late in the year when she got a hold of his ways and put him in his place. Rashida might be right that this storyline might've been played a little much to her & most everyone's liking, and I do agree with you on the editing in how they got more airtime. But nonetheless, it still made for some compelling TV in how he manipulated her, her going off on him and everything between them."
● DC: "Yeah, we've seen relationships like this unfold: those first two as we know, so many others in the RW/Challenge world too many to mention. It was mesmerizing to see how this would unfold with Dev & Kiki throughout the season when they first hooked up and then everything taking place, especially late in the year when she got a hold of his ways and put him in his place. Rashida might be right that this storyline might've been played a little much to her & most everyone's liking, and I do agree with you on the editing in how they got more airtime. But nonetheless, it still made for some compelling TV in how he manipulated her, her going off on him and everything between them."
Of everyone we had this year, no one cast a shadow on this season than Devin. He took on title of being the most disliked castmate but ultimately cracked the code for this group. Thoughts on Dev?
● Andrew: "You know how I felt about Devin during the season if you followed me on twitter. I thought he was very annoying and a d bag to put in plain terms. But now that I think of it Tyler said in my interview something that made perfect sense. Devin was casted to play the villain to which he played that role perfectly on this show. Would he be like this if he was on Real World or the Challenge as in a top villain not quite sure but the things he did were perfect in that role."
● DC: "Again being very objective, I won't say here that I dislike Devin, and you told me off-air that there was nobody who you disliked on a reality show until he came along. As you wrote & tweeted, they love people who crave TV time & those who get on your nerves instead of being genuine. There was him & Kiki but also with others in the house and him getting into words at MC's. As I wrote in my wrap, Dev did regain at least some respect for his gameplay and how he finally got to back his words in the end. And you're right...if he crosses into Challenge world, will we have to relive this cocky again this time with the veteran girls or will that competitive side emerge in utilizing that knowledge to master a new game? It's clear: Devin was the main character, was part of the big relationship, and as it turned out he was the man who came up with the plan that unlocked the treasure chest."
● DC: "Again being very objective, I won't say here that I dislike Devin, and you told me off-air that there was nobody who you disliked on a reality show until he came along. As you wrote & tweeted, they love people who crave TV time & those who get on your nerves instead of being genuine. There was him & Kiki but also with others in the house and him getting into words at MC's. As I wrote in my wrap, Dev did regain at least some respect for his gameplay and how he finally got to back his words in the end. And you're right...if he crosses into Challenge world, will we have to relive this cocky again this time with the veteran girls or will that competitive side emerge in utilizing that knowledge to master a new game? It's clear: Devin was the main character, was part of the big relationship, and as it turned out he was the man who came up with the plan that unlocked the treasure chest."
And no one laid claim to be the being leading lady this season than Kiki. She was sent to the TB 5 times, was in this relationship with Devin, and had her fair share of drama too. Thoughts on her?
● Andrew: "I was rooting for Kiki the whole time. She obviously a very beautiful girl who is really easy on the eyes. I felt sorry for her most of the season making connections with both Devin and Chuck and being confirmed no matches with both. She really wanted to find love and had to go through the entire cast to find it."
● DC: "Kiki grew on the both of us and everyone this year as time went on. You & I had that feeling this year that she was this season's Brandon in making the Truth Booth her 2nd home, having to see what happened to her & Devin and all else. She obviously did the smart thing to put him on alert for his behavior once everyone finally told her that it was bad that she had to be treated like poop by him and it was her defining moment there. And she went through all the guys before finally getting her match...didn't get lasting love afterwards. But I agree, she was to this season what Shanley was in Kauai & Christina last year: leading lady and getting the most airtime among the girls. There wasn't a EP we didn't have that she wasn't prominently featured in it."
● DC: "Kiki grew on the both of us and everyone this year as time went on. You & I had that feeling this year that she was this season's Brandon in making the Truth Booth her 2nd home, having to see what happened to her & Devin and all else. She obviously did the smart thing to put him on alert for his behavior once everyone finally told her that it was bad that she had to be treated like poop by him and it was her defining moment there. And she went through all the guys before finally getting her match...didn't get lasting love afterwards. But I agree, she was to this season what Shanley was in Kauai & Christina last year: leading lady and getting the most airtime among the girls. There wasn't a EP we didn't have that she wasn't prominently featured in it."
Besides Dev, there was a castmate you didn't like, which would be Chuck. We saw him with Hannah and with Britni and took on the role of house player. Thoughts on him?
● Andrew: "Chuck as much as I tweeted my distain for him seemed like he was somewhat there for the right reasons. He admitted in the matchup where Hannah told him to kick rocks that he was doing the wrong things in relationships. I hope we don't see him on again but he ultimately found something rare on the show and thats a relationship with Brittni so congrats to him on that I guess."
● DC: "There's an appeal about people with blonde hair that something interesting will happen, and obviously this wasn't the only case this year - more later. But with Chuck being the bad boy with the tattoos and the ways he has with the ladies, they got maybe more than we bargained for. Obviously, many got on him, including you, for having the same traits as Dev and going one better in playing Hannah & Britni, being sent to TB with Kiki and other things. But in the end, he had not only home field advantage but was indeed there for the right reasons. He's happy now with Britt as their own perfect match, but again you're right, there's something about blondes."
● DC: "There's an appeal about people with blonde hair that something interesting will happen, and obviously this wasn't the only case this year - more later. But with Chuck being the bad boy with the tattoos and the ways he has with the ladies, they got maybe more than we bargained for. Obviously, many got on him, including you, for having the same traits as Dev and going one better in playing Hannah & Britni, being sent to TB with Kiki and other things. But in the end, he had not only home field advantage but was indeed there for the right reasons. He's happy now with Britt as their own perfect match, but again you're right, there's something about blondes."
Aside from them, we saw a number of romances and perhaps the best one in your mind was Alec & Stacey for which they were back & forth, paired 6 times at MC and was a TB no match. It was entertaining TV, right?
● Andrew: "From hearing interviews on ABTV and my interview with Tyler they edited Stacy to be what she totally not. What made me like these two in the end was the way Alec felt after the ex came in."
● DC: "It was indeed entertaining. They thought they were a match for all that time and as this game wound around late it was a smart move to put them in finally when they got into the top 3. Obviously, Stacey wasn't happy that she was bring portrayed as someone who was clingy to him, and them going back & forth was a bit understated due of course to everything that went on. Plus, Alec began this thing with four girls in the premiere to set a single-night Trifecta record of sorts, but he grew on us over time - Brian & Ali were forced to eat their words from their preview - that he's that ladies man and becoming more likable as we got towards the end."
● DC: "It was indeed entertaining. They thought they were a match for all that time and as this game wound around late it was a smart move to put them in finally when they got into the top 3. Obviously, Stacey wasn't happy that she was bring portrayed as someone who was clingy to him, and them going back & forth was a bit understated due of course to everything that went on. Plus, Alec began this thing with four girls in the premiere to set a single-night Trifecta record of sorts, but he grew on us over time - Brian & Ali were forced to eat their words from their preview - that he's that ladies man and becoming more likable as we got towards the end."
It wasn't just Diki that stayed together after they weren't a match...Amanda & Mike were part of the week 2 blackout but did not break up until hour 1 of the finale, and she got into it with Ryan Devlin in at the next week's matchup. Thoughts?
● Andrew: "To put it in simple terms I loved Amanda. She was one person I didn't mind in the edit that we saw every week. Don't really wanna speak much on their relationship because it was a mess but I liked her as a cast member and would love to see her on my tv screens again."
● DC: "I found Amanda & Mike as a big storyline from the moment they first met and when they clicked during the season. Obviously, there was the blackout and them staying together while they weren't playing this game and the events of the finale. Amanda took on the role of perhaps being the supporting role among the girls in the house, and it was prevalent when she got into it with Ryan the week after which elevated her status. I did post on here the response she had to what happened with her & Mike we'll dissect below, and for Mike, you told me how annoyed they were sticking up to him during that ordeal."
● DC: "I found Amanda & Mike as a big storyline from the moment they first met and when they clicked during the season. Obviously, there was the blackout and them staying together while they weren't playing this game and the events of the finale. Amanda took on the role of perhaps being the supporting role among the girls in the house, and it was prevalent when she got into it with Ryan the week after which elevated her status. I did post on here the response she had to what happened with her & Mike we'll dissect below, and for Mike, you told me how annoyed they were sticking up to him during that ordeal."
Your (& BrAli's) favorite castmate this season was the only one you talked to on your shows - Tyler. He was close with Melanie and had a hand in the final outcome where the option of him & Cheyenne ultimately won them the cash. Thoughts on Tee Boogie?
● Andrew: "One of my favorites in Season 1 was Joey a guy who seemed liked a good guy but unfortunately just like Tee Boogie was absent in the edit. Tyler was great with the Avatar line on Stacy's photo in the first edit to the end I knew he'd be a hilarious character but it was unfortunate we didn't see him much in the edit. "
● DC: "Tyler was definitely a breath of fresh air in the house in his grin and great humor, and like what we saw with Joey there in Kauai one of the handful to stay out of big time drama; no wonder why Ty worked at an ice cream factory. We all wondered if he & Mel would be a match because they had great chemistry and paired many times at both phases. It didn't turn out that way as far as the game was concerned as it turned out, but it went down to him being persuaded by a coin to choose Cheyenne at the last matchup. He was a little uncertain, but went with strategy & Chey and here we are at the end. Ty, as you alluded to, kept it true to himself."
● DC: "Tyler was definitely a breath of fresh air in the house in his grin and great humor, and like what we saw with Joey there in Kauai one of the handful to stay out of big time drama; no wonder why Ty worked at an ice cream factory. We all wondered if he & Mel would be a match because they had great chemistry and paired many times at both phases. It didn't turn out that way as far as the game was concerned as it turned out, but it went down to him being persuaded by a coin to choose Cheyenne at the last matchup. He was a little uncertain, but went with strategy & Chey and here we are at the end. Ty, as you alluded to, kept it true to himself."
Then, there's the gameplay. We saw them all over the place all season, never had a consistent gameplan, had an unsuccessful attempt to throw the 9th challenge, had bad TB choices and didn't follow through on executing their best plans until the last MC. Thoughts on this gameplay?
● Andrew: "It was a roller coaster when it came to strategy to put it short and sweet. The fact that it came down to a coin flip was insane but they had nothing to lose and everything to gain."
● DC: "This was gonna be a big storyline of how the gameplay was gonna be impacted with the twist this time. As it turned out, it became a big story in how this was all over the place and it baffled me of how they didn't have a plan in place until that 10th round. Indeed they were at 0, 2 or 3 beams in rounds 1-9, and I wrote in my Strategy Room analysis that there was only 2 weeks where a confirmed match was in the week's challenges, and that were when they got those two truth booth matches; there were none in the four weeks before & between.
This was off the pace of what the past two casts had, where Season 1 made their trek to the cash in relatively easy fashion & got it in 9 tries. Then last season the group went into a new gameplan after the 2nd blackout, saw who could be matches, relied on the truth booth and essentially won the cash after that 5th TB match. We had six different matches at matchup throughout that if they decided to have a consistent gameplan, it would've gotten easier later. Again, this wasn't the best plan all along but they came together at the right time. And as you say...nothing to lose."
● DC: "This was gonna be a big storyline of how the gameplay was gonna be impacted with the twist this time. As it turned out, it became a big story in how this was all over the place and it baffled me of how they didn't have a plan in place until that 10th round. Indeed they were at 0, 2 or 3 beams in rounds 1-9, and I wrote in my Strategy Room analysis that there was only 2 weeks where a confirmed match was in the week's challenges, and that were when they got those two truth booth matches; there were none in the four weeks before & between.
This was off the pace of what the past two casts had, where Season 1 made their trek to the cash in relatively easy fashion & got it in 9 tries. Then last season the group went into a new gameplan after the 2nd blackout, saw who could be matches, relied on the truth booth and essentially won the cash after that 5th TB match. We had six different matches at matchup throughout that if they decided to have a consistent gameplan, it would've gotten easier later. Again, this wasn't the best plan all along but they came together at the right time. And as you say...nothing to lose."
Of course, the biggest moment in the season's first half was the WK 2 blackout. On your blog, you talked about how this twist didn't exactly turn out as expected firsthand due to the cast trying to play conservatively afterwards. Explain more.
● Andrew: "After week two their strategy was to not win but to not block out. They paired up Alec and Stacey, Hunter and Britt more times then they needed. It sounded like a good twist in the beginning before the season but with this cast the twist fell flat on its face and ruined the season for me in a way,"
● DC: "I agree with you, though I do feel there'll be twists like this going forward. Yes, it was in the trailer but I didn't expect that this would come earlier in the season and before any TB matches or MC's of 5 beams or more rather than in the middle. They were like golfers trying to just lay up on a par 5 late on Sunday with a 1-shot lead: they weren't going to go for the green in 2 & get room at the top of the leaderboard when they knew a player was charging down the stretch behind him. They were focused on doing whatever they can to not get an O, though I thought they might get another one after bad MC's particularly the 8th one. But they're lucky they didn't lose another $250,000...it could've gotten worse like what happened last year."
● DC: "I agree with you, though I do feel there'll be twists like this going forward. Yes, it was in the trailer but I didn't expect that this would come earlier in the season and before any TB matches or MC's of 5 beams or more rather than in the middle. They were like golfers trying to just lay up on a par 5 late on Sunday with a 1-shot lead: they weren't going to go for the green in 2 & get room at the top of the leaderboard when they knew a player was charging down the stretch behind him. They were focused on doing whatever they can to not get an O, though I thought they might get another one after bad MC's particularly the 8th one. But they're lucky they didn't lose another $250,000...it could've gotten worse like what happened last year."
Two of the biggest moments at the match-ups were the speeches by Rashida late in the season and the one in week 4 by another of your favorites, Cheyenne. How big a role do you think the speeches play in ultimately inspiring the group late in the season?
● Andrew: "I loved these two girls. Cheyenne would be great on a challenge due to how hilarious she is in confessionals. Rashedia was someone I liked because she wanted to find someone for her."
● DC: "I loved them too. I definitely feel that those speeches by both eventually became some motivation for the group, and it was after Rashida's speech that really woke the group up. Chey also had good one-liners as well as you alluded to, but she's gonna be most remembered for that rant she had there. For me, it's probably the biggest speech anyone's given to a reality cast or a castmate since what we saw on the finale of the first Survivor, and she kept it real too in how she spoke her mind which made her well respected by the fans. Aside from the events of the finale and the blackout, this was among my top moments from this RTV year and how this really gave them inspiration to play this game, and ultimately those words rung in their ears in that final homestretch."
● DC: "I loved them too. I definitely feel that those speeches by both eventually became some motivation for the group, and it was after Rashida's speech that really woke the group up. Chey also had good one-liners as well as you alluded to, but she's gonna be most remembered for that rant she had there. For me, it's probably the biggest speech anyone's given to a reality cast or a castmate since what we saw on the finale of the first Survivor, and she kept it real too in how she spoke her mind which made her well respected by the fans. Aside from the events of the finale and the blackout, this was among my top moments from this RTV year and how this really gave them inspiration to play this game, and ultimately those words rung in their ears in that final homestretch."
Then, after Zak & Kayla became PM #2 Devin led the house in coming up with the strategy of two scenarios of what could possibly win this game, which led to the famous coin flip that landed on Tyler's side that won them the $750K. Thoughts on this and how they came together for this last shot?
● Andrew: "First of all Zak and Kayla being a perfect match made perfect sense. Kayla has a lot of traits that Zak's prior interests Chey and Hannah had and thats a great sense of humor. The fact that Devin was the ring leader made it interesting."
● DC: "It's obviously one of the greatest things I've seen in my years following the MTV world going back to before tweeting & blogging. They looked to math, to memory and put their fate in Lady Luck's hand and they pulled it off. Dev put together that strategy of using two methods based on who got paired up, and made easy by TB match 2. I tweeted that they should award them at least a small portion of the cash just for making this effort to come together at this, and this goal of going 10 for 10 can't be achieved without all of the 20 castmates, or in this case 19 of the 20, playing their part in running the table."
● DC: "It's obviously one of the greatest things I've seen in my years following the MTV world going back to before tweeting & blogging. They looked to math, to memory and put their fate in Lady Luck's hand and they pulled it off. Dev put together that strategy of using two methods based on who got paired up, and made easy by TB match 2. I tweeted that they should award them at least a small portion of the cash just for making this effort to come together at this, and this goal of going 10 for 10 can't be achieved without all of the 20 castmates, or in this case 19 of the 20, playing their part in running the table."
And that gamble paid off in the house making the improbable comeback from 3 lights to 10 and the cash. Most of us thought they couldn't win, and they pulled off, as you called it, the #16 over #1 miracle, although many thought it was fixed which isn't. Thoughts on the Miracle in Hawaii?
● Andrew: "I wanted them to win and I'm glad they did."
● DC: "Yeah definitely, I had the same feeling you had there. As I wrote before the finale, in my head they had little chance of winning and it seemed they were out of it, but in my heart there was that side of me that was rooting for them to pull this one out. You told me after some of the episodes that you still had that feeling that they could win, and they earned it.
Obviously, this was something that surprised a lot of people & launched some conspiracy theories, but they earned the money fair & square. Obviously I backed it up with some good analysis: they looked back to who was paired up, allowed Devin to take the lead in the strategy, and he really made people rethink him after what he did to Kiki. There were six perfect matches paired up at some point from 1-9 at that 10th MC and the other four were paired for the 1st time at that last try; and other things too.
It was a team effort to get this one done with the right strategy and getting the equivalent of that late comeback KO, and they've got cash under their Christmas trees now. As I told you after this ended, this is a game of patience and they just waited & waited for the right time to pounce. And to use analogy as a boxing fan who's watched a lot of it this year, they had a puncher's chance of winning, and they landed that those punches that turned the tide from a certain defeat into a sudden victory. As I say, it's the equivalent to a 10-run HR, a 30-pt TD...it's the beauty of something like this that they have 10 chances and anything can happen. Here we are."
● DC: "Yeah definitely, I had the same feeling you had there. As I wrote before the finale, in my head they had little chance of winning and it seemed they were out of it, but in my heart there was that side of me that was rooting for them to pull this one out. You told me after some of the episodes that you still had that feeling that they could win, and they earned it.
Obviously, this was something that surprised a lot of people & launched some conspiracy theories, but they earned the money fair & square. Obviously I backed it up with some good analysis: they looked back to who was paired up, allowed Devin to take the lead in the strategy, and he really made people rethink him after what he did to Kiki. There were six perfect matches paired up at some point from 1-9 at that 10th MC and the other four were paired for the 1st time at that last try; and other things too.
It was a team effort to get this one done with the right strategy and getting the equivalent of that late comeback KO, and they've got cash under their Christmas trees now. As I told you after this ended, this is a game of patience and they just waited & waited for the right time to pounce. And to use analogy as a boxing fan who's watched a lot of it this year, they had a puncher's chance of winning, and they landed that those punches that turned the tide from a certain defeat into a sudden victory. As I say, it's the equivalent to a 10-run HR, a 30-pt TD...it's the beauty of something like this that they have 10 chances and anything can happen. Here we are."
As it was last year, we have no perfect matches staying together, but we do have a fan favorite couple in Hannah and another of your faves in Zak. Thoughts on Zannah?
● Andrew: "Zak and Hannah seem incredibly happy together and I hope it does last!"
● DC: "It's obviously blown up in this time after the finale. One of the sites saw Zak as a fan favorite before this season began and he's somebody who can make us laugh...him and the Christmas tree the other day on IG is proof. Hannah really grew as a person from what she had to endure with Chuck to where now she's happy with Zak and everyone loves them. They got the best chance to make it work."
● DC: "It's obviously blown up in this time after the finale. One of the sites saw Zak as a fan favorite before this season began and he's somebody who can make us laugh...him and the Christmas tree the other day on IG is proof. Hannah really grew as a person from what she had to endure with Chuck to where now she's happy with Zak and everyone loves them. They got the best chance to make it work."
ELSEWHERE...
Well, you've got a much-broader view of the Reality TV world than I do as you watch other shows on other networks. Thoughts on the two Survivor seasons this year?
● Andrew: "My first full year of Survivor was great. I really enjoyed Mike's win on World's Apart the guy deserved it more than anyone. As far as second chances goes its been a great season which I know people will put up in the top 5 or higher when its all said and done next week."
Elsewhere, I spent my summer doing sports blog posts, but of course you focused your attention on the latest season of Big Brother. Thoughts on Season 17?
● Andrew: "Big Brother was great. It was my first season being a live feed viewer and was able to enjoy it live on the spot. Had some great favorites in Johnny Mac Vanessa the twins Liz and Julia and the eventual winner Steve."
And there's The Voice and American Idol. The former is into its live playoffs right now while the ladder is prepping for its farewell season as well. Thoughts on them?
● Andrew: "The Voice is going into final next week with Adam having one artist in Jordan Smith who is the front runner in my mind. Blake who's been the winning coach in 4 out of the 8 seasons has two artists in Emily Ann Roberts and Barrett Baber. While I think Jordan will win if Gwen becomes the first female coach to have a winning artist I couldn't be mad at that at all.
Idol going into it's final season beginning in the first season in January will be bitersweet. I grew up in junior high, and high school loving this show. We've gotten some superstar winners in Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jordin Sparks, Scotty McCreery and Phillip Phillips. However; with that being said I think the show needs to end. It was moved to only one night a week in the finals which I honestly didn't watch a whole lot of last season because of that."
Idol going into it's final season beginning in the first season in January will be bitersweet. I grew up in junior high, and high school loving this show. We've gotten some superstar winners in Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jordin Sparks, Scotty McCreery and Phillip Phillips. However; with that being said I think the show needs to end. It was moved to only one night a week in the finals which I honestly didn't watch a whole lot of last season because of that."
YEAR-END AWARDS
Breakout Performer
● Andrew: "Leroy"
● DC: "I agree with you on Leroy. He really came into his own on Exes 2, and after that great rookie showing on Rivals, sub-par seasons on his next two, and promise on Free Agents RoyLee definitely made his name in South America. Winning four eliminations, taking down Bananas twice in those Domes and earning his respect, garnering 2nd in the final...no doubt RoyLee gets my vote for breakout performer. And on Bloodlines, he's been big brother to Candice and has allowed her to grab the spotlight more in the challenges. And though he was blindsided by what happened there, he's destined for big things ahead."
● DC: "I agree with you on Leroy. He really came into his own on Exes 2, and after that great rookie showing on Rivals, sub-par seasons on his next two, and promise on Free Agents RoyLee definitely made his name in South America. Winning four eliminations, taking down Bananas twice in those Domes and earning his respect, garnering 2nd in the final...no doubt RoyLee gets my vote for breakout performer. And on Bloodlines, he's been big brother to Candice and has allowed her to grab the spotlight more in the challenges. And though he was blindsided by what happened there, he's destined for big things ahead."
Top 3 Moments
● Andrew:
"1. Mike winning five out the final six immunities to win Survivor 30
2. Bananas and Nany being eliminated by Leroy and Nia in episode 5 earliest exit since Gauntlet three for Bananas
3. AYTO three pulling off a miracle to win 750K "
● DC: "Those three moments I chose, obviously from the Trifecta, defined 2015 in RTV for me. There were some other great moments this year and any of them would've made it had I expanded this to 5 or more. My picks are...
3 - TIE. Cheyenne & Rashida's AYTO Speeches and The Miracle in Hawaii
2. Tadison in Chicago
1. The Bananas Back-Stab on Exes 2."
● Andrew:
"1. Mike winning five out the final six immunities to win Survivor 30
2. Bananas and Nany being eliminated by Leroy and Nia in episode 5 earliest exit since Gauntlet three for Bananas
3. AYTO three pulling off a miracle to win 750K "
● DC: "Those three moments I chose, obviously from the Trifecta, defined 2015 in RTV for me. There were some other great moments this year and any of them would've made it had I expanded this to 5 or more. My picks are...
3 - TIE. Cheyenne & Rashida's AYTO Speeches and The Miracle in Hawaii
2. Tadison in Chicago
1. The Bananas Back-Stab on Exes 2."
● DC: "I also chose Sarah & Jordan as my MVP's as well. Sarah made the gutsy gamble of putting in Bananas and that turned her into a winner. Jordan did great as well, but allowed her to take the lead in this season and they're worthy of this honor."
▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
#DCExtraTime
REAL WORLD SKELETONS & MORE AWARDS
Now in ExtraTime, it's just me solo with some extra talk on Real World Skeletons and an additional item from AYTO 3. Then, more awards including one that deserves to be discussed on its own.
> REAL WORLD SKELETONS
Thoughts on Real World Skeletons...
Perhaps, I might've enjoyed Ex-Plosion slightly a bit more, but in this current generation of Real World's, Season 30 is the epitome of the show in its purest form as it was in its early generation. We had a beloved cast romance, a good cast, a great city as their home, and we got to learn more about each & every one of them a little more too. This is where the show's title really hit home.
Perhaps, I might've enjoyed Ex-Plosion slightly a bit more, but in this current generation of Real World's, Season 30 is the epitome of the show in its purest form as it was in its early generation. We had a beloved cast romance, a good cast, a great city as their home, and we got to learn more about each & every one of them a little more too. This is where the show's title really hit home.
Thoughts on the Skeletons twist...
This was different from the Exes twist in the City, but this did add both a greater sense of drama and also brought some perspective on the cast as well. Indeed, some made a huge impact on the house, while others didn't, and even one became as popular as the original roommates - take the only representative from this season on the current Challenge season.
I did like all the roommates and I enjoyed all the moments from Chicago. But a moment that stood out for me was definitely the most unexpected along with the Miracle. That would be seeing Bruno's Skeleton brother Briah and Tony's brother Shane getting to know one another and, as two who are openly comfortable of who they are, eventually hooking up. We can always expect the unexpected when it comes to watching MTV and that's a good example of the kinds of things we can never expect. And with Shane being on Bloodlines, and I assume this season was inspired by his cult following in Chicago and obviously the twins, they added to their resume in a big way, though their trip was obviously cut short.
I did like all the roommates and I enjoyed all the moments from Chicago. But a moment that stood out for me was definitely the most unexpected along with the Miracle. That would be seeing Bruno's Skeleton brother Briah and Tony's brother Shane getting to know one another and, as two who are openly comfortable of who they are, eventually hooking up. We can always expect the unexpected when it comes to watching MTV and that's a good example of the kinds of things we can never expect. And with Shane being on Bloodlines, and I assume this season was inspired by his cult following in Chicago and obviously the twins, they added to their resume in a big way, though their trip was obviously cut short.
On Tony & Madison...
Obviously we know what's happened in the past few months, but from the moment they met, you knew that they were gonna click, and it's become a very strong relationship between Tony and Madison. They share common traits in having a tough family background and so much else that I don't remember much now but they were meant for each other. And also, Madison has gone from hell & back with that addiction, and she has my respect for emerging out of that ordeal stronger. Like Tom/Jamie on Ex-Plosion, there's wasn't much in the way of a long distance thing, but it's always an advantage in having a small hop from one hometown to another in the same region.
And I'm glad that they we're still together as boyfriend and girlfriend even a year after doing this, and obviously the news of them becoming parents this early have really changed them as well, with obviously the strong support they received the day of that news . It's when she tweeted that picture of her kissing him while he was in his hospital bed after what we saw the previous weeks of his events that there's still some strong feelings for both. I'm sure that they will emerge from these rough seas that they're in now stronger than before, and they will be great parents to that baby as well.
Obviously we know what's happened in the past few months, but from the moment they met, you knew that they were gonna click, and it's become a very strong relationship between Tony and Madison. They share common traits in having a tough family background and so much else that I don't remember much now but they were meant for each other. And also, Madison has gone from hell & back with that addiction, and she has my respect for emerging out of that ordeal stronger. Like Tom/Jamie on Ex-Plosion, there's wasn't much in the way of a long distance thing, but it's always an advantage in having a small hop from one hometown to another in the same region.
And I'm glad that they we're still together as boyfriend and girlfriend even a year after doing this, and obviously the news of them becoming parents this early have really changed them as well, with obviously the strong support they received the day of that news . It's when she tweeted that picture of her kissing him while he was in his hospital bed after what we saw the previous weeks of his events that there's still some strong feelings for both. I'm sure that they will emerge from these rough seas that they're in now stronger than before, and they will be great parents to that baby as well.
On the other girls of Violetta & Sylvia (and Nicole too)
It's always good to see a BFF thing happen in the Real World house and we saw that with V and Syl. They share common similarities and persona, and ironically they had just about the same skeletons as well. For Nic, she really brought her own kind of Stat-itude to the house and more that'll be explained below.
on Bruno
We did see a lot from Bruno in Chicago. We saw his relationship with Carla, his behavior and him dissing the roommates throughout this experience. Yes, it was questionable. But above all, he also overcame the bad accident that nearly took his life that was perpetrated by the events he had with his brother Briah, which he had to endure in Chicago. He had to endure seeing him in the city, and that relationship changed afterwards.
on Jason
It wasn't until late in the season that we really got to know Jason and pretty thought that he was just casted with nothing much to offer. But it was when we got to see him get the news that he was becoming a dad that we really got to know him really well, and I'm sure there wasn't a dry eye in the house when he cradled that baby in his hands. And when he had to endure that last skeleton in his dad, it really opened our eyes in this first meeting with the man he never knew until that last episode, and just after that fight he had with Nicole.
AYTO3: Amanda & Mike's fight...
It was, as Brian & Ali alluded to on their wrap, a controversial moment. We've not seen a fight escalate to the levels of where producers had to step in, at least on this show or in some time; obviously the events in Portland comes back to mind and how BMP got scolded for not stepping in to break that Nia/Averey fight up. Producers did the right thing to take Mike out for the rest of the night after that scuffle. As I wrote afterwards and though I wished they had a reunion, I do applaud Mike & Amanda for taking the chance to address their sides after the fact. He fessed up to how you can't touch women like he did, and her acknowledging her behavior & the consequences.
> More Awards
- Rookie(s) of the Year: After what we saw this year, Adam & Brittany are my Rookies of the Year; though obviously they're really sophomores at this because of AYTO having challenges unlike RW. I know you talked about how uncertain you were last time here about this fantasy coming true and how it hasn't impacted this world yet, though I do feel in the long run it'll be crucial to this future once the vets step away. But when you win three Domes & nearly a 4th in your first go like they did, and three teams having finalists in them, it has to be a productive rookie season... not as great as what Portland had in Thailand but still a good showing.
- Underdog Award: Without much to say after what they been through, the Underdog Award goes to the Season 3 cast of Are You The One?. Them being given, as I wrote earlier, a small punchers chance of winning the cash and then relying on memory, math and luck to eek out the 2nd straight 10th round win on this show is the epitome of that underdog story those who love competition love so much. We always love comebacks and those who never give up. Hail to Team Ohana.
- Favorite Roommate: For Real World Skeletons, it's Nicole, and for AYTO 3 it's Kiki. My choice for her was simple: she told it like it is, she has a sense of humor, and above all she was the one who got the shaft as far as people from her past coming to Chicago...Her triplet sisters visiting her provided a breath of fresh air to the house drama. Kiki was able to become leading lady on the AYTO 3 cast and garnered a lot of great support for her in handing the Devin situation and all that came along with being a castmate who went through a lot this year.- #DiemStrong HEART OF A LION AWARD
Now, The Heart of a Lion Award - an additional award chosen by myself and which goes to the MTV castmate who didn't give up and being able to overcome adversity against all odds. When we first gave this honor after The Challenge Free Agents, it went to Devyn Simone for her overcoming the most demanding final in Challenge history to complete that ordeal, and despite finishing last & well behind the field gained greater respect than even the winners of the season itself.
In the year since, the person who personified MTV's definition of never giving up - Challenge legend & cancer survivor Diem Brown, lost her lifelong fight against ovarian cancer. It's in her memory that whenever this site gives out this award at the end of our either our Challenge coverage or at year's end, it will be named in her honor to carry on that message of not giving up and when you overcome enormous hurdles you become a stronger person as a result of it.
While most of my attention is on the MTV Trifecta, the DCBLOG Awards eligibility list is open to all reality TV shows. And while there was some good candidates in Bruno from RW Skeletons and Jordan of The Challenge - plus a retroactive honoree from 2014 who'll be honored in a future DC ExtraTime, the recipient of the 2015 #DiemStrong Heart of a Lion Award is not from the RW/Challenge franchise or AYTO, but someone from a show I began watching this year because of the many times I've become an uncle in the past seven years. It might come to many of you as a total surprise, but when you find out about the long journey this person has gone through to get to where she is now, you'll know and appreciate why she was my choice for this award.
MTV viewers first discovered Amber Portwood as one of the six subjects on the first season of 16 and Pregnant in 2009. Since she was first featured that summer, the native of Anderson, IN (40 miles NE of Indianapolis) has endured a tough transition into parenthood in raising her child Leah, life with her fiance-turned-husband & later ex Gary Shirley, and sacrificing her high school party girl lifestyle for the sake of becoming a mom this early in her life. When fans saw her become a Teen Mom, the pressures of being a parent got the best of Amber, as her dealings with Gary got violent in front of Leah and got her arrested for domestic violence. And four years ago this month, another arrest for drug possession and violating a probation led her to jail for a second time - this time on a 5-year sentence.With all of this being captured on TV & documented by the tabloids, this was the absolute nadir in Amber's life. But that prison term that began in summer 2012 gave her plenty of time to reflect and think about her mistakes and what she could do to make herself a better person to both family & everyone. But ultimately, good behavior while behind bars for 18 months led Amber to be released from prison several years ahead of schedule in November 2013. And when Teen Mom OG debuted in March, she's become a totally new Amber: she's become sober as an anti-drug advocate and has become a better mom in being able to work out joint custody of Leah. Plus, she's completely happy once again with a new fiance, Matt...not to mention joining with the rest of her castmates in penning a book - writing about her ordeal in an autobiography called Never Too Late.
It's one thing to see a cast of 20 girls & guys pull off a miracle and win money when no one thought they could make an epic comeback; or to see a guy come back from a bad car accident, or a disability at childhood to become a Challenge champ. But, becoming a parent while in high school and enduring a tough life of drugs, domestic violence and your life being in the public eye that saw you reach your low point, only to be able to overcome all that and become a totally stronger person is another. And it proves once again that even if many people can doubt you, you can come back from the depths to become a better person because of past experiences. It's no wonder why Teen Mom OG's Amber Portwood is my 2015 recipient of the #DiemStrong Heart of a Lion Award. Congratulations Amber, you deserve this honor and you have my respect.
> A Final Parting Shot on 2015 and Predictions for 2016
We started this prelude with obviously Diem & Knight's passings, then we had an eventful Challenge with one who's got burned so much get a much deserved win but not without controversy. We had another Real World game changer when we learned about the pasts of the cast, then I saw my first Survivor season in sometime to sort of kill some downtime after Exes 2, and some other things too outside the Trifecta. Of course it led up to AYTO 3 which more than provided a fair share of entertainment all the way.
In a whole, so much has happened in 2015, and I'm looking forward to what the new year has in store for us fans. I'm really anxious for 2016, with the new twist coming to Real World that will make the new season in Las Vegas feel so different and exciting that if it turns out well, it'ill hit the jackpot & reenergize the show again. We've looked over the season 28 Challenge group that looks to be a good one and with the theme being coed Rivals it should be just as good as the first two. And obviously, we got season 4 of Are You The One? that has me ready to see how our next set of singles can follow what they've got ahead of themselves.
I always look at MTV reality shows as TV's ultimate roller-coaster. They are the most personal, most dramatic and most emotional of all the reality TV shows that are out there. It doesn't just apply to the Trifecta that I'm used to and call home, but also to other shows airing on the channel as well that I also watch too. And it also enjoys the most intimate relationship between a channel and its audience thanks to the millions of social followers too. So, lots to look forward to in 2016.
And that is all she wrote. There's not much more to add to all that after this two-part discussion with these two online pen pals...other than, of course, to say a very big thank you to Andrew for joining me once again to debrief and discuss the year that was in reality TV. This is his 3rd time joining me here after doing this last year and the AYTO 3 preview to begin this cycle, and it certainly won't be the last... Again, I'll have Andrew on here often, including reviewing Bloodlines once we crown our champion, previewing Season 31 of Real World when it heads again to Las Vegas, and other things too. In fact, he has his thoughts on this Challenge a third of the way through, as well as the Survivor finale as well, and we'll have that on the mini DC Forum on the DC WRAP coming later here.
On an additional note, 2016 will be year five of our pen pal partnership of sorts though the both of us haven't met in person though we're both based here in NorCal - me in the Bay Area and he in the Central Valley. And I've matured to the point where, while I remain a great fan of these shows like I've always been, I'm focusing now on covering this world through writing about it here. I feel that DCBLOG serves as a complement to his & everyone else's coverage of these shows we're passionate about. After all, a piece of advice Andrew gave to me two years ago was to launch a blog for episode recaps during RW Portland. Combining this passion of what's become the MTV Trifecta and other things with the love of writing I've had for a long time has certainly a world of difference, and I can thank him for helping me to jump-start this site - now a must-read for those in the MTV world.
On an additional note, 2016 will be year five of our pen pal partnership of sorts though the both of us haven't met in person though we're both based here in NorCal - me in the Bay Area and he in the Central Valley. And I've matured to the point where, while I remain a great fan of these shows like I've always been, I'm focusing now on covering this world through writing about it here. I feel that DCBLOG serves as a complement to his & everyone else's coverage of these shows we're passionate about. After all, a piece of advice Andrew gave to me two years ago was to launch a blog for episode recaps during RW Portland. Combining this passion of what's become the MTV Trifecta and other things with the love of writing I've had for a long time has certainly a world of difference, and I can thank him for helping me to jump-start this site - now a must-read for those in the MTV world.
So, much thanks Andrew for doing this with me and looking forward again to covering this world in 2016. As always, follow him on Twitter @CSUGradAKirk and check out his three webcast platforms of Google+ on YouTube, BlogTalkRadio & SpreeCast with over must-listen 70 cast interviews, episode wraps and occasional sports talk, as well as opinions at his Big Time Reality TV blog too. Here's to another great year, buddy.
And with that, that will bring the curtain down on our Reality Debrief of 2015 on DCBLOG. Though it's not necessarily our last post of this year - more posts are ahead with the 'Pulse & Wrap of Week 4 of The Challenge Bloodlines, plus an ExtraTime post as well before we turn the calendar, it has been another great year as we've crossed both the 200 posts and 30,000 views milestones in covering not only the Trifecta but also our second season of sports posts over the summer.
To those who read this site either regularly or occasionally, who've left me positive feedback and who've helped in bringing people to this site, thanks to all of you for your continued support, loyalty and patronage. All the time & effort I put in to put these posts together have certainly been worth it, and your support is very gratifying. This drives me to bring the best & most-unique coverage and posts possible to you, the readers. You are always appreciated.
We have a big 2016 ahead here, headlined of course by covering, extensively, the MTV Trifecta as we follow this current Challenge Bloodlines season, plus Real World 31 in Vegas, AYTO Season 4 and Challenge 28. Plus, DCBLOG's sports coverage will pick up considerably with football posts January & February as Super Bowl 50 approaches here in the Bay Area, and posts surrounding the year's biggest event and my greatest sporting passion - the Rio Olympics.
This site aside, as always follow my live tweet hub DCNOW @DC408DxNow for live tweets of Bloodlines every Wednesday at #DCChallenge, plus NBA Christmas basketball taking place today with an NBA Finals rematch - Cavs/Warriors, headlining the 5-game slate among our slate of sports and entertainment tweets you can experience there. Follow my DC Instagram for holiday pics all weekend long and of course on Twitter - both at @DC408Dxtr, plus Tumblr.
Once again, thanks to Andrew for joining me here once again, and to you for reading. And don't forget about our Week 4 Bloodlines posts coming your way in a few days. Until then, thanks for reading, stay safe & warm (or cool), have fun, and of course, Merry Christmas to you and yours.
- I AM DC
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