BY DC CUEVA
The last time we all got together to watch the guiltiest of all guilty pleasures in this MTV universe, it was in New Orleans eight months ago last winter where, when given almost no hope in making the impossible come true, a group of 22 girls and guys dug deep, came together and pulled out the largest comeback in the series' six-season history and the biggest MTV Cinderella story in years. A ten-light last matchup ceremony by the cast of Season 6 to go 11 for 11 and win $1 Million capped off an unforgettable 2017 in this genre, one that also included the first time that an AYTO cast did not win the money when their Season 5 predecessors fell short of that goal in stunning fashion.
Now - with two of those who lost getting ready to welcome a new baby, the next chapter of big time drama, incredible people, high stakes and romance is about to be written in a familiar setting. AYTO Season 7 will take place in the same Hawaiian islands that hosted three previous seasons of the show, along with the first season of Ex On The Beach starring seven series alumni and three other reality alums who are holding their own as Challenge rookies. And after stepping in last year, the multi-talented Terrence J. will once again emcee the proceedings in paradise, where he had his first taste of romantic reality TV hosting FOX's Coupled a few years ago.
Another quest for love and money waits with a new group of 22 castmates from across the country and with ties to many other countries worldwide. Among the questions we have are: Who in this group will have an epic hookup in the Boom Boom Room? Who will have their heart broken inside the Truth Booth? Will this cast follow what last autumn's cast did and go through this season unscathed by no lights en route the money? And who will fly out of the islands with something as rare as a flash in the pan: true love and a Perfect Match? We'll be finding out the answers in the course of the next few months.
DCBLOG boasts great pride in having followed Are You The One from when it began in Hawaii four years ago and all of what we have seen since then. And once again, we'll be along here each week to offer weekly coverage here starting with this preseason preview and running to finale night where hopes and dreams may again lead to the always nerve-wracking the final matchup ceremony. And ahead of us here, a preview of what this season is all about, a look at the big twist that will make the quest to land that perfect match an even tougher one, and an introduction to what they're calling the Saucy Season 7 cast: the eleven girls and eleven guys chosen for this year's quest.
So once again, put on your swimsuit, stick that name tag on, have those matchup charts and sharpie ready, and Join In with us after the jump as DCBLOG counts down to Are You The One? Season 7 - the Season of Fate from our 50th state. Welcome back, lovers...
STRATEGY ROOM
WHAT TO EXPECT...
If you come to this site on a regular basis, you've become familiar with the Strategy Room -- the place where we get to analyze where the game stands at moments throughout The Challenge and most especially during AYTO. Each week, we'll be along to offer weekly sessions of Match Math in displaying those always important Matchup Charts to show who's sitting next to who when the lights go up in the night sky, along with handicapping the statistical chances any couple might have of being a Perfect Match and other things for those who love analytics. And as we told you here last year, it is 1 in 39.9 million that casts of either last year or this season will go 11 for 11.
For those who are new to AYTO from having seen many of its alum make their way to Challenge land, the premise is simple: once the cast is chosen, they go through a rigorous matchmaking process with interviews, questionnaires & compatibility tests to help find their significant other with matchmakers. The series offers chances for contestants to win luxurious dates with their person of their choosing, while the rest of the house decides who to put into the Truth Booth -- where if they are a Perfect Match they move out to the Honeymoon Suites. And the Matchup Ceremony is where the cast chooses their pairs and then watch beams light up with the hope that by the end of their ten tries or less that all of them light up... and that means $1 million.
Since Season 2, there have been numerous twists being thrown at the group to make the journey to the money more and more harder. If the cast blacks records a blackout at a matchup, they lose money from their jackpot: Seasons 2, 3, 4, & 5 had to endure this punishing feeling of not recording a single beam when they're all dressed up. Season 2 also brought the 11th girl (Christina) into the picture, and last year that was the basis for the number of beams needed to win going up to 11 with the addition of an additional guy and girl from the original group of 20 (and 10 pairs) to make the goal of having confetti reign down as harder as it can possibly get at 11 for 11. And there are also other twists along the way that have & will be revealed as we go along.
For this year's twist, the attention turns to an important element of the series that can determine the fate of the house just by a simple choice. In the past, contestants got to go on dates with the person of their choosing in winning challenges (which is the reason why they're on The Challenge) -- and often it has come with strategy in mind... what we saw with Clinton & Uche last year is a recent example. For a season nicknamed the "Season of Fate," the object of interest here is the Fate Button: it will have a say in determining which couples will get to enjoy the surroundings of the islands and will play a major role in who enters the chamber of lasers. The pairs won't just surrender to the process of matchmaking, they will now look to putting their trust in fate to see if they are a Match.
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MEET THE SINGLES
Given that a worldwide audience will eventually watch all of this drama all over the planet, this year's cast boasts a diverse cast with family ties stretching to seven countries and the Caribbean, in addition to east to west representation. From a Miss USA pageant queen and an island guy from the Virgin Islands, to an aspiring lawyer with unusual political traits and a Jersey girl born in a former Soviet republic, these twenty-two individuals have something in common... and as former host Ryan Devlin loves to say, that they "suck at relationships". They'll look to change that here.
As we introduce you to the singles, we'll be going through the entire roster alphabetically and with both their full names as well to make it easier for you to search and follow them on their social media accounts, linked to their Twitter handles where available, so you can follow them on there (or for their cast feed, follow me @DC408Dxtr).
♥ ASIA Woodley: Earlier here, we showed her talking to Fergie, Meghan Trainor and the Season 2 finalists from FOX's The Four... that's part of the dedication Asia has to her dreams on becoming a Hollywood reporter. Along with that and school, she's driven to achieve her goals -- it even makes way to her love life where some guys are intimidated by... and she wears that intimidation factor as a way of protection. Asia comes here in need of a man who'll be confident enough to not get scared way, but the question is will she let her guard down and let him in.
♥ BRETT Ferri: New York'er Brett is a smooth-talking personal trainer who is buddies with the guys and who also charms the girls. But he's more than just that "gift of gab": he listens and likes to get deep into relationship talk. When his ex broke his heart, Brett decided to reverse course from seriously investing in relationships with girls to seeing love as a game, and where it's best to be a player than being on the other end of the game. The challenge for him is to let go of being a player and let the romantic instincts help him find a girl he can invest the time in.
♥ BRIA Hamilton: Bay Area native Bria is described as "an overachiever" by those on her debate team, and can user those skills when she finds out that things aren't just going her way. With having a strongly demanding nature, it has been the root for many of her relationships going down the drain. But Bria understands that her wanting to control things all comes from immense jealousy and not having an ability to trust someone. Now comes the big task of having to push this jealousy aside to find a guy who she can share the control with.
♥ CALI Trepp: Cali from Chicago works two different jobs: by day she works as a pediatric nurse manager, by night and weekend she's a singer & a dancer, and with some modeling work on the side - yes, she's a quadruple threat. It's safe to say that she wears her heart on her sleeve, and when it comes to love she falls hard and fast... and when a relationship with a guy goes awry, she gets emotional so much it can become too much to handle. Given past AYTO meltdowns, will Cali be able to chill and be able to slow her emotional roll before her next relationship doesn't go down again?
♥ CAM Viney: It's not often these days to run into someone who's black but leans politically to the right... that's what we have with Cam, who was born into a West Virginian political family and is interning in D.C. with aspirations on a law degree and perhaps more. All's going well for this former track athlete... except in romance, where his passion for politics isn't mixing well with his attraction to girls who tend to go left rather than right. Now will Cam be able to find the right balance and not have his views have a say in what his love life will be like?
♥ DANIEL Vilk: Coney Island beach lifeguard Daniel may call Brooklyn home, but he takes great pride in his family's Ukrainian heritage... and it's something the women greatly appreciate. He's one who can say that his love for hot-tempered, jealous girls is why his relationships have not worked out. But Daniel conveniently leaves out that it's his ways of being unfaithful which have been the cause... and he often cites his partying lifestyle as an excuse for his behavior. With AYTO often being a venue for drunken debauchery, will he find self-control to score his dream girl in Hawaii?
♥ JASMINE Rodriguez: Jasmine is someone who knows how to hustle, and for this bartender who serves it up on the Jersey Shore on summers like these, it will help to foot the bill for her school studies when it summer comes to an end. But when it comes to romance, it's Jasmine herself that is being hustled... and she doesn't like it any bit. And after getting cheated on, she decided that it would be best to mess with the guys instead of letting the ladder happen. If she has to find love, she must be willing to let that grudge go and accept that man who would be worthy of her attention.
♥ KAYLA Umagat: As a former Seahawks cheerleader, Kayla is a girl with lots of energy in the tank and is that motormouth that just keeps on going like the Energizer bunny. She has that personality reality fans love of being the one you love or hate so much she would annoy the living hell of you. But it's not the reason for Kayla being single: her being hurt by past relationships has led her to being vulnerable to inner sabotage when pursuing love, and is finding things hard taking a guy at face value. Will this Seattle girl find that good guy that she's been searching for all along?
♥ KENYA Scott: From Queens, NY, Kenya was raised by blind parents, but she doesn't believe in letting limitations or circumstances have a say in what dreams you go for. She also has a fearless personality where getting what she goes for is a way of life: whether it's being a makeup artist or getting high-status men... but when it comes to the ladder, her lack of relationship success boils down to success, and she assumes all guys are shady when it's actually her who is usually shady. Now will she turn in the status of player for both a man and that trust is two ways instead of one?
♥ KWASI Opoku: On Real World 31, we met Dean - an L.A. guy of Ghana heritage... now a hardworking immigrant's son heads to AYTO in Kwasi, a book-smart overachiever with two college degrees. This family-oriented man is a catch, but when his alter ego "Kwasi Beast" arrives he becomes a flirtatious guy who's the life of the party... and that's gotten in the way of him establishing a successful relationship. His ideal woman is someone who he can build an empire with and allow his sweet-natured side bring home to mom... will he find it here?
♥ LAUREN Roush: Last year, Lauren was Miss West Virginia at Miss USA... now with being pageant queen behind her, she's focusing on law and education degrees as well as still having those vibes for a good time in that party life. All's going well for Lauren, except in romance where she says that she has a bad taste in guys. A recurring habit has been going for the partying bad boys, and in return she gets dumb relationships. As she heads to Hawaii, will Lauren finally get to ditch the bad boys and land the good guy who appreciates everything about her?
♥ LEWIS Belt: On Season 1, it was JJ... now Season 7 has a resident comedian in Oakland guy Lewis, who's known not only for his sense of humor but also his good looks and smile. You can't say the same when it comes to his romantic life, even though he has seen what true life is like thanks to his parents but has yet to experience what it's like himself. Because he fronts with his comedy, he doesn't open up that much, but his female friends say to not take him seriously. Lewis' goal here: bust out of that shell and gamble being vulnerable to find true love.
♥ MARIA Elizondo: Maria is a self-sufficient Jersey college student with eyes on a communications degree, and who has a sharp wit and a take-no-prisoners persona. It's not the case when it comes to love, where she falls in love at a finger's snap... and when you mix in emotionally unavailable guys she's often attracted to, it's a recipe for a relationship from hell. And because of that, Maria fears letting men get close to her and trusts her instincts to break it off before he gets a true shot. Now, will she move from hurt feelings and find that man who'll finally open up to her?
♥ MOE Elkhalil: Moe is a Middle Eastern guy who calls Houston his home, but growing up he had to put up with getting stereotyped, but it hasn't dampened his positive outlook. A year after Harvey, he's dedicated to giving back to giving back to the community and always leads with warmth and a welcoming spirit... but in a moment's notice that loving personality can all change into him being a complete jerk. Moe's fortunes in love often is determined by whether it's that angel or devil who's in charge... will the former prevail in him building towards love in the long term?
♥ MORGAN Fletcher: D.C. area native Morgan is a former competitive dancer who's a boss and used to making the rules and saying what's on her mind. She prefers to be in control of every part of her life, including the romantic part of it, but it's her being no-filter and her domineering personality that usually drives away guys. Morgan's need to control things come from being afraid of being vulnerable and getting her feelings hurt... and that has led her to develop a persona of being a player to protect herself. So, will she let her guard down and risk it all to find love in Hawaii?
♥ NUTSA Sikharulidze: Born in the nation of Georgia, Nutsa is 100% high energy and has a IDAF attitude... but she stayed true to her homeland's conservative dating values in staying in a long-term relationship that didn't turn out well in the end. Once she was free, she chose to pursue something new and found a man who she would find worthwhile. However, her expectations may have diverted in that other direction a little bit more as she comes to Hawaii looking for someone that's more than a perfect match: personality and even down to style. Will Nutsa find her Prince here?
♥ SAMANTHA McKinnon: If you can describe Samantha, she's ambitious, relentless and driven as a manager of three of the hottest clubs in Chicago. It's no surprise that her ideal mate is someone who can match the ambitions she has, but so far no guy has matched that. And to add to that, Sam's blunt, down to business way of finding love leaves little room for it, and her dates almost feel like a job interview than a restaurant night out. Will this babe find her heart that will lead her in romance and look for the opportunity to show the men who she really is?
♥ SHAMOY Persad: Having this AYTO season in paradise is a more than ideal setting for Shamoy, who as a U.S. Virgin Islands guy loves living in the islands and hopes these positive vibes will turn into a successful clothing line. Though his brother is helping him out to pursue this new venture, when he was growing up the Persad family was spread out. Due to this that lack of family time, it has made Shamoy very clingy love-wise - his preference is to be with her all the time, which is often too much to handle. Will he learn to give every relationships time to gel before it really blossoms?
♥ TEVIN Grant: A Minnesota native now calling Phoenix home, Tevin enjoys the luxury of having a job that lets him party up as a professional party host/organizer. He surrounds himself by nice girls who like to his attention... and it's not a surprise that he often is called a player which it would be easy to say about him. But at heart, Tevin is one who - like so many others here - falls in love hard and fast: when he gets into a relationship, he can fall out of favor and instantly bails out. With his loving vibe and player ways intersecting, will the former get the upper hand to make it work here?
♥ TOMAS Buenos: Tomas was born in Argentina, but when he was a teen he & his family moved to Miami.... and he's been charming the women since he came to South Beach. He will be the first to say that he's a player, but one who just can't seem to focus in on one girl... but he adds that it's alright since he always tells the truth, but he doesn't give them the whole truth. Tomas' cites Miami's dating scene as the reason for his lack of dating success, but it's his lack of commitment as the real reason for it. Will he own up to his behavior and lock down he's been wanting for so long?
♥ ZAK Jones: On Season 3, we met Canadian funny man Zak who scored blonde beauty Hannah... this year's Zak comes to us from Dallas, who spent high school as a sweetheart and got burned many times. He learned that nice guys finish last and he didn't want to be that way... so he decided to become a super villain of romance, but as much as he likes to mess with people, his behavior is a big concern. But now that he's focusing on digital marketing, Zak is aiming for the long-term and wants a relationship that fits right in. Now will be go from bad boy to good guy and win that new girl?
To our new cast: as this is our first time getting to know one another, "Welcome to Team MTV," and buckle up for the ride you're about to embark yourselves on. You all got to film this season with Terrence this spring, and after some R&R the real show is now just starting. As I've got to say to past casts before, I'm sure you all feel like kids awaiting Christmas and those presents underneath that tree with all the anticipation you've been having this past month, and the casts that proceeded you know what this this immense anticipation is all about culminates with the first episode. This will now doubt be a journey you will never forget, although pitfalls such as social media hate will come along too.
I have rolled with Are You The One? from the very beginning, am proud to be one of this show's biggest fans, and have been good social friends with some of this series' great alumni during its entire run. Me and the rest of the fandom who loves this show look forward to talking and interacting with all of you on here, and also covering this season for this very DCBLOG site - for which I have covered every step of this journey. And of course to everyone in Saucy Season 7: good luck to all of you...you've all got my support. I'll be rooting all on, and look forward to enjoying Wednesday nights with you all this fall. Let's have some fun, and hope you all score both love and money.
As for what awaits us: Season 1 brought us the ultimate Relationship Goals in Amber & Ethan, while Season 3 has gone on to become the series' most accomplished class, while another alum in Tori has become an established Challenge star. Last year brought both the agony of defeat and the elation of an impossible comeback. What do Andrew, Asia, Brett, Bria, Cali, Cam, Daniel, Jasmine, Kayla, Kenya, Kwasi, Lauren, Lewis, Maria, Moe, Morgan, Nutsa, Samantha, Shamoy, Tevin, Tomas and Zak have awaiting us for this year's Are You The One? We'll find out come Tuesday.
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DCBLOG has been covering AYTO from Day 1, and this year is no exception. In addition to offering our usual recaps, analysis and opinions, our SocialPulse diaries will bring you all the action, reaction and interaction from AYTO Wednesday and the build-up and aftermath of every episode weekly all season long, covering all the moments and even any and all Twitter beefs that may arise during this season. And ExtraTime will allow us to add to your enjoyment of this season with the "up close and personal" stories behind the stories of Team AYTO and the MTV Reality world.
All of our posts will usually come your way here each weekend rather than hours after the episodes to allow all fans -- both cable & streaming viewers -- to get caught up on watching the episodes then head on over here for our specially-curated look at this guilty pleasure, along with The Challenge: Final Reckoning with Tori, Kam, Nelson, Amanda and co. and Floribama Shore as well. And if you like what you get to see on here, tweet to @DC408Dxtr, and share these links to allow more of your fellow fans to "See For Themselves" the outstanding coverage of MTV Reality we offer here.
And in the case of premiere week, all of next week's posts will be posted earlier than normal so that this blogger can have not only ample time to work on them but also prepare for "Summer's Biggest Blockbuster" which occurs two nights after this AYTO premiere. #DCVegas '18 will go down in Las Vegas next weekend and I'll be sharing my adventures in Sin City on #DCNOW @DC408DxNow, Instagram, SnapChat and all other major social media platforms. Yes, it'll be a busy week for sure.
That is our look ahead at The Challenge Final Reckoning... hope you all are ready. We're back Friday with our look at Floribama Shore... talk to you then lovebirds.
- I AM DC
#DCBLOG
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