BY DC CUEVA
■ @DC408Dxtr @ TW / IG / YT
Coming up, an abbreviated WRAP where we'll look at that round, have some reaction from Melissa and Kam post-fight, and look at some strong women's elimination rounds. Afterwards, we'll say hello to a new group of newbies who took on Bananas and friends on Fear Factor and are now ready for their closeup in the New York snow. That's all coming up.
ENDGAME
A SHOW-STOPPING ELIMINATION
AND FEMALE BATTLES APLENTY
AND FEMALE BATTLES APLENTY
For the build-up to this battle, it begins with Sylvia having to deal with the after effects of having to volunteer herself into the eating challenge, and getting a 102-degree fever as a result... all after Joss and Brad threw her into elimination, Shane proceeding to stir things up, the alliance of Marie, Kam, Sylvia and Kailah wanting to throw Britni in, and Tony making moves with Brad and Sylvia. As expected, the Troika puts the Brits in as well as Britni much to the Georgian's shock
Then after a tense Inquisition and a club night out, everyone begins to get on Melissa for dancing with Nicole and Leroy, and Kam takes the lead in representing the house to get on Mel for being a bit too promiscuous on the dance floor. The fight that takes place becomes somewhat hard to watch as the two slut-shame each other, and Jemmye having to get in between Kam and Mel, and so does Kailah as Mel cries uncle for getting bullied. And more words spill over for Mel and Kam before the former gets voted in to no one's surprise.
Ask any avid Challenge fan what particular element do they like the most out of those we see in each episode, and chances are that they'll name the elimination battles as their favorite aspect of this show. It was, after all, an elimination round that turned me into watching this show on a permanent basis, and last year was a treat for those who love those elimination battles. We saw Darrell take down Zach, beat Bananas and extend CT to the limit; Bananas get beaten not only by Darrell but also Wes and Derrick K., and Hunter and Kailah gain their stripes winning twice on Dirty 30.
For this battle, it combines the Balls In elimination game we've come to love from watching this show over time, with the oil wrestling challenge that those who watched Battle of the Seasons II saw earlier on. Here, Melissa and Sylvia get lubed up to fight for and retrieve a ball dropped down into play like were watching Plinko on The Price is Right. And for a chamber called the Ring, it's in a square pit full of oil where the girls have to navigate their way to the ball while being on their knees, with the first to notch three goals earning safety.
And given how dirty last season was and how things are shaping up to be here on Vendettas, it's no surprise that things get dirty for this elimination matchup and Syl comes to the realization that this would be no easy battle and no fair one for that matter. Mel adopts a win at all costs strategy for Round 1 in biting Syl's hand and even knees her in the vagina area, en route to getting the breakthrough goal with everyone except Nicole rooting against her.
In Round 2, things get much more dirtier when Melissa speeds through into the pit and it's as if you saw a cat make their way into the room: once again Mel applies the pressure on Sylvia in continuing the onslaught she had in the first stanza, but this time Syl finds herself getting frustrated and won't let the damage continue. That ends in the stalemate and it's still 1-0 to Mel, but in the 3rd Round the game breezes by a bit quicker in Sylvia leveling things at 1-1.
It's in Round 4 that Sylvia's experience of having been through this elimination ringer before -- her winning the last spot into the Fortress on Invasion and taking out Kailah in the first girls elimination after the merge -- that experience starts to kick in and show through. The size of the KC native and the fatigue of letting it all go right at the outset begins to show as Sylvia takes the lead 2-1.
With her falling behind and in desperate need to avoid going home, Melissa makes one more effort to try and mount a comeback and stretch it to a winner take all. This effort is marked by her shorts almost coming off and epitomizes the kind of effort anyone who tries to come back makes in not giving up. But for someone who came in not at a full 100% - and for whom everyone except one was cheering for her to get the job done, Sylvia does exactly that.
For the winner, this eradicates at least some of the negative stigma Sylvia gained for her forced vote for Tony on Invasion and gives her many more fans because of not letting an illness get in the way of her pulling out a win that would've been more dominant had she been at 100%, but just getting by her opponent by a much closer margin than the final 3-1 result will indicate. Given the relative weak field of women on this season, she now has a better shot at going deeper into this game than it was in her first go, and this win will certainly help her causes this time around.
For the loser, Melissa certainly delighted American fans for the first time thanks to her offering, at least, a glimpse of what those across the pond have known for a few years in her being a pop-off queen on Ex on the Beach and now here on The Challenge. In the house as we saw last week, she brought the drama, and competitively she fared much better than what we've seen from most AYTO imports, and the effort she gave in this elimination will give her valid reason that she should become a regular, as her British contingent continue to make in-waves across the Atlantic.
And speaking of Mel, below are YouTube responses from her and from Kam on the fight that took place before that elimination.
Okay, so epic elimination battles among the women are hard to come by compared to the men, but given how still fairly new I am to this show, with the help of Andrew Kirk he gave me some good female elimination rounds that took place in past seasons, and in no particular order here are just a few...
● KATIE vs. JULIE (The Inferno)
● CAMILA & THERESA vs. LAUREL & CARA MARIA (Rivals I)
● CAMILA vs. LAUREL (Cutthroat, 2nd on Invasion)
● NIA vs. CARA MARIA (Free Agents)
● ANEESA vs. MICHELLE WATERSON (Champs vs. Stars)
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THE LOOK AHEAD
WELCOME TO WINTER BREAK
Last fall, I revealed one of the new shows which I would be adding to my slate of shows I will be live tweeting on DCNOW and, as it turns out, covering here on DCBLOG. This came around the time when four of their castmates made their MTV debuts having to face a daunting task of facing off against four Challenge all stars. Being added to the many MTV shows I've befriended over the years was some consolation and now it will have the spot of following The Challenge when we get deep into the juicy part of Vendettas, just after they faced off against Bananas, Leroy, Laurel and Aneesa. And it will also dovetail the ultimate winter festival that begins the day after tomorrow in Korea.
While Sylvia and Melissa were dominating last Tuesday's MTV buzz - which also saw it become Twitter's top trending TV show and welcome relief for those not wanting to watch a speech in our nation's capital, another MTV show saw it finally be revealed after some time of wondering when is it gonna air. That show would be Winter Break: Hunter Mountain, a series that's inspired by the just-concluded first season of Floribama Shore -- who shares the same executive producer as that and Jersey Shore in Sally Ann Salsano and her 495 Productions firm, but it stands out in its own way too.
The formula that has worked in the summertime of explosive drama and fun people will now make its way from the beach to the mountains, and from the boardwalk and the sun to the Catskills two hours north of New York City. Hunter Mountain was conceived in the '50s to take advantage of the increasing popularity of winter sports, and each winter hundreds of thousands visit this resort town to take in all the winter fun going snowboarding, skiing and tubing down the mountain. And it will be the venue and backdrop for Winter Break, as we swap bikinis and suntan for layers and snowboards.
As it was for Jersey Shore and Floribama Shore, eight roomies will take up residency in a cabin -- Fear Factor competitors Brewer, Alessandra, Marc and Carissa, and newbies TJ, Jillian, Sheen and Taylar. Like what we saw with Snooki, Aimee and the rest of their Shore mates as well as Kyle and all of his Geordie Shore colleagues, there will sure be a lot of the drama, fun, fights and partying we've come to expect from MTV reality TV, along with plenty of winter antics synonymous with the time of year where we all get to become kids again playing in the snow.
Below, a Pulse Extra of the cast, or at least those who didn't compete against Team Challenge, being welcomed into Team MTV prior to Tuesday's Vendettas.
►Winter Break: Cast Reveal
@WinterBreakHM: What happens when you put 8 strangers in a cabin? A #MTVWinterBreak like never before! Come join in on the party, love, fights and slopes starting Tuesday, February 27th at 10:30/9:30c.
- @sallyannsalsano: @WinterBreakHM Omg so much looooove for @mtv @FloribamaShore @JerseyShoreMTV and now #mtvwinterbreak Takes cabin fever to another level @495Prods
- @MarcToddd: @WinterBreakHM This winter just got a whole lot crazier 🤘❄️
@Jilly_ashley: It’s going to be an AMAZING day 🙌🏽 #positivity #letsdothis
@taylarshinn: Let’s goooo #mtvwinterbreak 🏂
@Jilly_ashley: 📣LIFE ANNOUNCEMENT📣: If you know me, you know that I have always wanted to be on TV. It has always been something I wanted to do with my life. WELL EVERYONE, last Winter I had the BIGGEST, MOST INSANELY AMAZING experience come my way! WATCH Feb 27th 10:30pm #mtvwinterbreak #mtv
@sheen_is_back: #mtvwinterbreak this right here is what family looks like ..Get ready for banter https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DUzm-9uUQAArpuY.jpg
@sallyannsalsano SallyAnn Salsano/Executive Producer: Love this cast .. this is a crazy party on ice #winterbreak @495Prods @MTV @FloribamaShore Deadline http://deadline.com/2018/01/mtv-winter-break-hunter-mountain-reality-series-sallyann-salsano-floribama-shore-jersey-shore-1202273538/#utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=social_bar&utm_content=bottom_amp&utm_id=12022735 … Love you #mtvwinterbreak
- @alessandratbh: @sallyannsalsano Ain’t that the truth! #MTVWinterBreak ❄️❄️❄️ cabin fever has never been so real 🙌
@MarcToddd: I’m sooooooooooooooo fucking EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!! So pumped for #mtvwinterbreak !! A winter party like no other @WinterBreakHM
@MarcToddd: This winter find out what it’s like to watch 8 STRANGERS share a house on a mountain, and snowboard, party, blackout, wake up and do it all over again!!! Season premiere of the best winter party begins Tuesday, February 27th at 10:30/9:30c on MTV #MTVWinterBreak https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DUzrnQ0XkAAWPHV.jpg
- @alessandratbh: @MarcToddd We’re taking winter break to a WHOLE 👏 NEW 👏 LEVEL 👏. Don't miss the series premiere of #MTVWinterBreak! ❄️❄️❄️
@sheen_is_back: Mind is totally blown right now. Can't wait for our dysfunctional family to hit the airwaves #banterfamily #mtvwinterbreak #later
@sheen_is_back: Tuesday, February 27th at 10:30/9:30c on MTV. What happens when you put 8 strangers alone in an isolated cabin? Just you wait and see. #MTVWinterBreak premieres Tuesday, February 27th at 10:30/9:30c!
- @alessandratbh: @sheen_is_back YAAAAS #mtvwinterbreak it’s going down ❄️❄️❄️
@sallyannsalsano: Meet one of the most opinionated women I have EVER met. In the best way possible see her on #mtvwinterbreak https://twitter.com/alessandratbh/status/958410402525675521 …
- @alessandratbh: @sallyannsalsano 😂😂 I'm flattered 😘😘 @sallyannsalsano you know me so well. Who's ready to see it all on #MTVWinterBreak?!? ❄️❄️ @WinterBreakHM
@carissamiche11e: Last winter was one hell of a crazy ride and now we get to share it with you 🎉🎉 We're taking winter break to a WHOLE 👏 NEW 👏 LEVEL 👏. Don't miss the series premiere of #MTVWinterBreak on Tuesday, February 27th at 10:30/9:30c on MTV. https://www.instagram.com/p/BelbMfAnpHB/
@Jilly_ashley: I CAN NOT STOP SMILING😁‼️@sheen_is_back @alessandratbh @carissamiche11e @ItsJBreww @MarcToddd @sallyannsalsano @495Prods @MTV is the world ready for @WinterBreakHM #shitshow ?! #sopumped #letsdothis !!!
@aimeehall1001: From the shore to the slopes this is def gonna be a wild ride! Catch the premiere of #MTVWinterBreak on Tuesday Feb 27th at 1030/930c.
- @alessandratbh: @aimeehall1001 Thanks babe! ❄️🎿🎉 Cannot WAIT for you to see #MTVWinterBreak! 🙌
@alessandratbh: @WinterBreakHM Hell to the yes. 🎿🔥❄️ The hottest winter there ever was! #MTVWinterBreak
@sheen_is_back: @WinterBreakHM Love all these homies #mtvwinterbreak
@K0nigi: Welcome to the @MTV fam, @MTVWinterBreak! Hold on tight…things are about to get wild. #MTVWinterBreak begins Tuesday, February 27th at 10:30/9:30c.
@Jilly_ashley: When you and your roommates find out your life is about to get EVEN MORE OUTRAGIOUS!! #mtvwinterbreak #mtv @alessandratbh @carissamiche11e #whoseready #shitstorm #blizzard #theworldisntreadyforus #dysfunctionalfamily #letsgo
@WinterBreakHM: 1 MONTH until our winter party begins! ❄️ #MTVWinterBreak
Well, not only have I been looking forward to watching the show after they gave it their best shot against Team Challenge, seeing the trailer for what should be a fun season ahead, and just as we did with Floribama Shore, DCBLOG will give Winter Break our full treatment of wall-to-wall coverage. It'll have its own post with a combined diary and recap as part of our weekly Trifecta wave when it premieres in late February, and it'll be the appetizer to our Challenge coverage each weekend. And as is custom for shows outside the Trifecta system, we'll also have a Look at the show as well coming up in a couple weeks before it premieres on February 27th, the Tuesday after the Winter Olympics.
As they like to say, winter is fun, and now it has its own MTV show too.
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As for us here, that'll just about do it. As we go, a few reminders...
● Last week, Challenge Mania with Derrick (@DerrickMTV) and Scott Yager (@AShotAtYager) was joined by two people from opposite TV spectrums: first, Natalie joined the duo to discuss her historic crossover from 6th on Big Brother 18 to The Challenge, how different the two shows are, her vendetta with Victor, and into a relationship with Johnny Bananas. Then, Shane called in to discuss his return on Invasion, relationships with the newbies and veterans and his whole Challenge history. Listen to those interviews on Podbean and iTunes, with more guests forthcoming.
● Check out Rob Has A Podcast with hosts Brian Cohen (@CohenBrian_) and Ali Lasher (@LashTweets) as they discussed episodes 4 and 5 on RHAP, plus check out the latest Challenge recap from Ace Nichols (@AceNichols33) as she covered weeks 3 and 4.
● And after last week's episode, Medium blogger Allan Aguirre (@TheAllanAguirre) spoke to Cara Maria as she discussed her Challenge career, her rise from being first to go on her rookie season to eventually become a powerhouse on this show. Check out that interview here, along with weekly episode recaps and more on his Medium site.
Speaking of that last item - and with the usual reminder to bookmark this site and that you help by spreading the word of this site, may we suggest for recaps of the next few episodes to check them out on Allan's site which, as was mentioned last week I'll scale back a little on DCBLOG in not offering full recap posts and just offering both a scaled down version of that and the Pulse diaries these next few weeks, along with hopefully our Debrief to be posted sometime this month.
The reason for all of this: I'll be busy watching and following the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, which begins late Wednesday night (U.S. time) with mixed curling, figure skating the next night, and full blown next weekend following Friday's Opening Ceremony. DCNOW will offer live tweeting of the Games each night at @DC408DxNow, while DCBLOG will plan to have Olympics posts during the winter fortnight.
For now, that is how we see it Inside the MTV Trifecta. Thanks for checking us out and see you then... and good luck to Team USA.
- I AM DC
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