It is the month of November in the ever-evolving universe that is American television... and it has always been a month of big things. To those in the industry, this is one of the four "sweeps" survey periods that see networks duke it out in the ultimate game of one-up-man-ship for our eyeballs with events ranging from the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade to the American Music Awards and more taking over our screens. As far as the MTV front goes, we're into half #2 of Season 37 of The Challenge as Spies, Lies & Allies has changed things up quite considerably, while Floribama Shore rages on with the second half of Season 4 and its residency in Athens, Georgia outside of Atlanta.
As part of the launch of Paramount+ earlier this year, MTV produced two series for this streaming upstart -- and giving a nod to its incredible reality legacy: first, when the service bowed on March 4th, Real World Homecoming brought back the cast of the first season in New York of 1992 to the same house in Soho where it all began. The following month came the main course: The Challenge All-Stars brought back into our screens and into our lives some of the franchise's most-notable names for one more shot at pride and glory and $500,000. Over twenty past alumni of the shows that began MTV's reality television history thirty years ago next spring -- Real World and Road Rules with a few Fresh Meat alums, went down to Argentina, and it certainly brought back all the memories and the feels.
Now comes the much-anticipated sequel, as the focus shifts closer to home to Mexico, as a handful who have not competed on here since the early stages of a franchise that just crossed the 500-episode mark, along with some familiar names to both those who've been watching it for a long time and those who we have followed during our run going Inside MTV Reality on here. And just ahead, we at DCBLOG take our first look at Season 2 of The Challenge All-Stars, and welcome back Challenge Nation...
FIRST THOUGHTS...
To those who are getting to watch this for the first time thanks to forking over a few bucks for a Paramount+ subscription, then it's simply the same show we've been watching over the course of the past decade. We have over-the-top missions and eliminations that many of them have never gotten to do before, which might give the ones who didn't compete last spring a bit of a scare and might give some sort of favoritism to those who competed on Season 1 and those who've competed on the regular show in the past decade.
There are also deep relationships among most of the competitors here -- three competed together on the first of the regular challenge season of the current wave that I followed nine years ago, for example, and there are seventeen titles among this fall/winter's class. Besides all those, All-Stars shouldn't differ much from today's formula -- daily, gameplay, drama and elimination... not to mention, that musical soundtrack that makes those in the music department MVP's of whatever MTV show they do there.
And since this blogger didn't really follow this show much for a time from about the early 2000's until Battle of the Seasons II in 2012, this will actually be the first time that I've seen a handful of these players on a Challenge, though I do have some familiarity with them from watching their original Real World or Road Rules season back in the day. And with that, to the next portion of this...
MEET THE ALL-STARS
We say this all the time when it comes to these shows -- but this doesn't get old saying this: the group who comprise this second set of All-Stars has something for everyone: those who the first generation of Challenge viewers grew up with, and those who are in my neck of the woods when it comes to being a latecomer to this show, will be represented on Season 2...
⭐ AYANNA MACKINS (RR Semester at Sea/'99) - 3 Apps.: Both the winner of All-Stars 1 and one of The Challenge's biggest icons come from the only Road Rules season to not take place in an RV, but Semester at Sea also gave us Ayanna. Those like me who watched that '99 season know that she got into it with Veronica one day on the SAS ship... and if what we've seen with Emy and Kayleigh recently then that epitomizes that explosive persona that Ayanna had there and on three challenges after. After two decades away, it may be a tough road to make connections for her here.
⭐ BRAD FIORENZA (RW San Diego/'04) - 10 Apps. & 1 Title: When you think of Brad, we all think of that moment in the cab, or when he was part of the original Pizza Gate on Vendettas... or even him dressing up as a Mario Brother in San Diego. There's no doubt he's one of The Challenge's greats -- taking down both Big Easy and Landon on the Duels, his triumph with ex Tori on Cutthroat, and that infamous moment with Darrell too. He's good athletically, but all over the place in many other aspects of this... how Brad fits in with familiar foes in this new environment will be a thing to watch here.
⭐ CASEY COOPER (Fresh Meat I/'06) - 4 Apps.: We all remember Wes' incredible rookie outing on Fresh Meat I, but it's also worth noting that it was also a pairs season -- and Casey also reaped the benefit of going 5-0 there after being drafted by the gingerman. She wasn't as athletic there and on her three ensuing seasons afterwards, but something that might make up for it could be the social aspect -- that is especially true when she and three others who are also on this cast were alternates for Season 1 of this show who didn't get the call-up... so has those who she competed on previously, too.
⭐ COHUTTA GRINDSTAFF (RW Sydney/'07) - 4 Apps.: There are a handful of good guys in Challenge Nation, and Cohutta no doubt is one of them. Him being used to the Georgian countryside when it comes to the outdoors and the heights one usually deals with in his neck of the woods should outweigh his size and weak political game. But we all remember him as the first one to outsmart Wes in an elimination on The Ruins... we'll perhaps remember him even more if Cohutta makes it to the end.
⭐ DARRELL TAYLOR (RR Campus Crawl/'02) RETURNEE - 9 Apps. & 4 Titles + CVP: For the first 4-time champ in this franchise's history, either you have Darrell in the top 3 of your power rankings or you're not up to date on our scouting report... and had it not been for Yes winning, then this champ would've made it six overall finals wins. With the respect everyone has for him, the fear that he will exude on those who go toe to toe with him in elimination, and all the facets a player needs to win this, there's no question Darrell should be top dog once again, and again, and again...
⭐ DEREK CHAVEZ (RW Cancun/'09) - 3 Apps.: Mexico marks a return to where it all began for Derek, twelve years after being on Real World. His Challenge career has been marked by the notion that if you're a newbie it's likely you'll be thrown in first -- Cutthroat and Rivals 2, and also a disadvantage of sorts gay male competitors have had on here too. He will have the advantage of having Jasmine and Jonna here as it was on BOTS2, where while everyone got on the San Diego men for their antics Derek proved his worth carrying Jasmine on his back.
⭐ DERRICK KOSINSKI (RR X-Treme/'04) RETURNEE - 10 Apps. & 3 Titles: Whether you watch this show passionately or casually, you pretty much can't talk Challenge without mentioning Derrick's name: his standing in this world, his podcast and his record pretty much speaks volumes. Last season, we saw him struggle with the eating and puzzle aspects and most especially the kayak which proved his undoing in the final. We know Derrick is the complete competitor in every sense of the world... we just want to ask if he will be one by the time finale night comes around?
⭐ JANELLE CASANAVE (RW Key West/'07) - 2 Apps. & 1 Title: To me, I know her for both RW Key West and being Will's crush in Hollywood... but to Challenge Nation, Janelle is the first from her cast to boast a title ring. She earned that as part of the Bad team on Inferno 3 where she was a key player in the dailies, benefited from a favorable elimination draw where while her team sent in rookie after rookie, she won a life shield. And when you have a 4-time champ that she's close with along with someone else on this group, then you'd think Janelle will prove her worth again.
⭐ JASMINE REYNAUD (RW Cancun/'09) - 5 Apps.: As one who's seen her entire MTV journey from Mexico to five Challenges and back here for All-Stars, we know Jasmine brings the fire to any show she's on. We remember the underdog run she & Jonna had on Rivals I, her going in on Tyrie on Exes, and doing the same on a mirror in Costa Rica... and remember her fling with a DJ on Spring Break? Her weaknesses are heights, water and physical eliminations... but having Jonna and Derek here should keep Jazzy in check in this return to Mexico.
⭐ JODI WEATHERTON (RR X-treme/'04) - 3 Apps. & 2 Titles: Perhaps, the one female Star who comes in being on the top of many fans' power rankings (including Allan Aguirre's) is Jodi: I remember her most on her original show, but a lot of you know her for what she did after. Two times had she reigned supreme, including being this show's first solo female champ when she won five of eight dailies when the women were up for elimination en route to the Duel crown. Before there was Jenny, Emily and others, there was Jodi... and no wonder she comes in as favorite on the women's side.
⭐ JONNA MANNION (RW Cancun/'09) RETURNEE - 5 Apps.: Last season here, Jonna flew under the radar on All-Stars en route to the final, and tied with KellyAnne as top finisher among the women. When you look at every component of her game, she has no weakness that can hold her back from winning, and in a place as intense as a Challenge house she proved you can let everyone else have all the buzz and just go about your business. Obviously having her Cancun support group is a plus, and we feel Jonna will do the same and possibly be a strong candidate to win here.
⭐ KATIE DOYLE (RR The Quest/'01) RETURNEE - 9 Apps.: On All-Stars 1, Katie was very much all over the place: she decided not to mess with some of the dailies and dodged going into the arena based on her social game. She will face a tougher task this time around not having many people on her side going on the boat to their destination, and it looks like she put some effort to train for this to try and make a deep run this time around... and you'd think Katie will be lucky to make the end here.
⭐ KENDAL DARNELL (RR Campus Crawl/'02) RETURNEE - 1 App. & Title: Of those who we saw on Season 1, it's clear that Kendal was the one who got robbed of a finals place when she should've deserved to be there for the dash to the cash. She found herself in a precarious spot of having done not just one season, but also having to fit in with that house... but having a good cardio, the necessary skills of puzzles and memorization she's garnered as a nurse, and the solid CV of two eliminations, winning the mini-final and lifesaver -- and Kendal can only go up from here.
⭐ LATERRIAN WALLACE (RR Max. Vel. Tour/'00) RETURNEE - 3 Apps.: Many didn't have hopes for Laterrian to make a decent run than most expected last spring, but taking down the first elimination in dominating fashion and winning the mini-final proved that he could hold his own in the modern game. The guy we saw in Argentina was direct and to the point, but if one wants to take the next step in the game we know now than T might have to look to what the others in this class have achieved... but we know he will be ready for a final, that's for sure.
⭐ LEAH GILLINGWATER (RW Paris/'03) - 1 App.: She comes to us from the same Real World season that gave us an all-time Hall of Famer... but it has almost been an eternity since the first season to take place in a non-English speaking country. Leah was on that Paris season of eighteen years ago, and then made her way to the succeeding Challenge of Inferno I afterwards... and she faced off with Kendal where she lost there in Mexico. We have no idea of what kind of competitor Leah will be here, but we have seen strange things happen before here.
⭐ MELINDA COLLINS (RW Austin/'05) - 4 Apps.: When we last saw her on BOTS2 nine years ago, Melinda had just separated from Danny, who despite being part of a beloved MTV romance was also limiting her Challenge game, even while doing Cutthroat. She's never won an elimination, has a poor record in dailies, but who has an upbeat personality to make up for those shortcomings. Obviously, there's also the dark cloud that hangs above her given what happened to her recently in miscarrying her second baby, and if there is one who we can root for here, then it's Mel.
⭐ MJ GARRETT (RW Philadelphia) - 3 Apps. & 1 Title: In being part of a Real World cast that gave The Challenge a 3-time champ and the world a Netflix icon, MJ also boasts being part of that Philly class. Most of us know him as that tall 6'3" gentle giant wide receiver who played at Vanderbilt before going to MTV. He was a strong competitor in a loaded Rookie team that won Gauntlet II... and who came as a replacement on his later two starts but got beaten on Gauntlet 3 and Duel 2. His size and physicality will show once again here, but what else will we see from MJ the All-Star?
⭐ NEHEMIAH CLARK (RW Austin/'05) RETURNEE - 4 Apps. & 1 Title: Nehemiah's All-Stars Season 1 campaign saw plenty go down: winning the trivia lifesaver, taking down Teck in the arena, standing out in swimming, but going down to Big Easy in the last elimination. After being overshadowed during his Challenge run, it feels that now he's getting that long overdue respect... just what he accomplished in Argentina has added much more cred than just being part of a Gauntlet III title that was given to him. But if the trailer is a sign, then Nehemiah will sure be a key figure in Mexico again.
⭐ RYAN KEHOE (Fresh Meat I/'06) - 5 Apps.: If this was a regular Challenge, then Ryan might have a good chance... with a decent elimination mark of 3-4, a finals trip to The Island, and a deep run to semifinal week on Fresh Meat II where he fell short of a second final, then those facts alone could back up a good career along with better social skills. But not boasting a good dailies record hampers that CV, and Ryan hopes that he can turn things around in that only weakness of his to make a good impression.
⭐ SOPHIA PASQUIS (RR The Quest/'01) - 1 App.: Two decades ago, she was part of Road Rules - The Quest in the Middle East, and in taking Jisela's place here is Sophia. She did only one Challenge on Battle of the Sexes 2 in 2004, where she went through Cameran, Ayanna, Rachel, Katie, Aneesa, Veronica, Tonya, Robin, Ruthie and Tina to the final and to the crown with Arissa and Coral. The show back then wasn't as sophisticated as it is now as it relied more on the puzzle side of things, which may make Sophia's return a bit of a question mark when it comes to the whole game as it is now.
⭐ STEVE MEINKE (RR The Quest/'01) - 1 App.: There are certainly a lot of questions TJ Lavin has in his trivia arsenal every time he unleashes his favorite daily... but something that might stump everyone is of who won the first elimination battle here? On the men's side, Steve of the Road Rules Quest season is the answer to that, taking down Tonya. It would perhaps be a total surprise if he can make it farther than he did on The Gauntlet and especially with those he's never competed with before.
⭐ TECK HOLMES (RW Hawaii/'99) RETURNEE - X Apps.: Last time out, Teck competed in his first elimination after being in an earlier incarnation that didn't have methods of voting those out in their plan (CHAL 2000) and he was on his way out of Argentina. But being the life of the party he is -- and if you check out him being the resident DJ at Mark Long's 50th b'day bash, then you know he will have a good time of however long he is this world... and we always love having people like Teck around us.
⭐ TINA BARTA (RR South Pacific/'03) - 5 Apps.: You all know the history that's followed Tina from the same Road Rules season that gave us Abe and then greater fame on these Challenges. She & Kenny fell to Darrell on Fresh Meat and won two eliminations, and she was with CT to that infamous Cutthroat battle, but not only did she get into it with Beth on Duel II, she also cost the Bad team the Inferno II crown. With favorable records in dailies and eliminations and a good political resume, we think the rust of a decade away won't hurt Tina.
⭐ TYLER DUCKWORTH (RW Key West) - 4 Apps. & 2 Titles: Last year here, we showcased how big an Olympic superfan Tyler is, and his rise to being an All-Star can parallel any athlete's rise to the top of the podium. He went from going home early in his first two seasons to ultimately be part of a small club of winning back-to-back titles: Cutthroat and Rivals I a decade ago. Bulking up a little to add to the cardio he gained from being a college swimmer and triathlete helped him back then, but could him being somewhat overweight and not having a strong social game could make Tyler an underdog.
And as we did to wrap the preview of the first one, through Instagram we shall let these players have the last word before they take off for All-Stars Season 2... and bring it on.
⭐ CASEY @Case_Coop: "you are not ready for the 2nd season of The Challenge: All Stars … but you’ve got a few weeks to GET READY!!!!! Mark your calendars because The Challenge: All Stars premieres Thurs, Nov. 11th on @paramountplus! @ChallengeMTV #TheChallengeAllStars2"
⭐ COHUTTA @cohuttalee: "Welp. Here we go again. The return of Tarzan. Thursday Nov. 11 on @paramountplus 💪🏼 @challengemtv"
⭐ DARRELL @darrell_taylor_lb4lb: "Man this season is all gas & no brakes! Call the police, call the paramedic, & the fireman 🔥 You don’t want to miss this season PERIODT! 🍿 #TheChallengeAllStars2 premieres Thurs, Nov. 11th on @paramountplus"
⭐ DEREK @d.e.r.e.k.c: "Well cats outta the bag. Im back on The Challenge All-Stars 2. Catch us on @paramountplus on November 11 #wewantogs #thechallengeallstars2 #paramountplus"
⭐ DERRICK @derrickmtv: "The rules more ruthless then ever. November 11th @paramountplus! I’m Back! We’re Back! Mark your calendars! @challengemtv #TheChallengeAllstars2 🪃💥"
⭐ JANELLE @therealjanellemtv: "I never imagined I would come back to this game… but I’m back!!!!!!!!! Make sure to tune in November 11th on @paramountplus #paramountplus #challengeallstars #wewantogs #mtvchallenge #sheback"
⭐ JASMINE @jazmtv: "I’m baaaaack! And I’m ready to take home the title of All stars Champion! 🏆 Don’t miss the premiere of #TheChallengeAllStars2 THURS, NOV. 11th on @paramountplus! @challengemtv"
⭐ JODI @jodi_mtv: "I’m back!!! Mark your calendars because The Challenge: All Stars premieres Thurs, Nov. 11th on @paramountplus! Root for me! @ChallengeMTV #TheChallengeAllStars2"
⭐ JONNA @jonnamannion: "I'm baaaaack! And I'm ready to win the title of The Challenge: All Stars CHAMPION! #TheChallengeAllStars2 premieres THURS, NOV. 11TH on @paramountplus! @ChallengeMTV"
⭐ KENDAL @kendalsheppard: "I left season 1 of All Stars fully devastated.. yet somehow fulfilled. I went to compete for the experience... and boy did I get the FULL experience!! Going into repeated eliminations is not exactly what I had in mind but it built my confidence and showed me I am far stronger than anyone gives me credit for- including myself! And although $500 would have been really great for our family, the lessons I learned are worth far more than any grand prize. Now,.. with a little experience and a little more confidence, I am ready to play the game.. for real this time. To watch my journey and find out if I have what it takes to be the first female winner of Allstars 2.. download the @Paramountplus app and start streaming!! 🥳🥳🙏🙏🙏 #TheChallengeAllStars"
⭐ LATERRIAN @iamlaterrian: "Aaaaaahhhh yeah!! I’m back back now! Season 2 of #thechallengeallstars drops Nov 11th on @paramountplus. Great cast of folks to root for!"
⭐ LEAH @leahgillingwater: "I'm back! Long flight from Paris! And I'm ready to win the title of The Challenge: All Stars CHAMPION! #TheChallengeAllStars2 premieres THURS, NOV. 11TH on @paramountplus! @ChallengeMTV"
⭐ MELINDA @melindastolpmtv: "I'm baaaaack! I can hardly believe it, but y’all are in for one hell of a season!! #TheChallengeAllStars2 premieres THURS, NOV. 11TH on @paramountplus @challengemtv"
⭐ MJ @mjgarrett24: "It’s GO time! And I'm ready to win the title of The Challenge: All Stars CHAMPION! #TheChallengeAllStars2 premieres THURS, NOV. 11TH on @paramountplus! @ChallengeMTV"
⭐ NEHEMIAH @nehemiahlclark: "🚨 I'm baaaaack! 🚨 Who’s ready to see me try and win the title of The Challenge: All Stars CHAMPION?! #TheChallengeAllStars2 premieres THURS, NOV. 11TH on @paramountplus! @ChallengeMTV"
⭐ RYAN @ryankehoe5: "See you back in the house after 11 year hiatus! #AllStars2 #November #CannedMeat"
⭐ SOPHIA @de_la_soph: "Mark your calendars because The Challenge: All Stars premieres Thurs, Nov. 11th on @paramountplus! Root for me! @ChallengeMTV #TheChallengeAllStars2"
⭐ TECK @teckholmes: "Who’s ready for season 2?!? #TheChallengeAllStars2 @challengemtv premieres Thursday Nov. 11th on @paramountplus #SaveThePalace"
⭐ TINA @tinabarta: "Dis Bitch is Back. Never say NEVER!!!!!! This Season was intense! Don’t miss a damn second and I am going to need all your support for my comeback. It wasn’t easy to get this 40 year old lady to take another stab at the big prize money!"
⭐ TYLER @themightyduckworth: "“Well, I GOT IT!” | America LOVES a COMEBACK... #TheChallengeAllStars2 premieres THURSDAY, NOV. 11th on @paramountplus - All Stars 2 is truly the WILDEST ride I’ve ever had on @challengemtv and I cannot WAIT for everyone to see this adventure unfold!!!"
⭐ ⭐ ⭐
As we got to do back in the spring, DCBLOG will be featuring extensive coverage of The Challenge All-Stars this fall & winter, with our trademark SocialPulse presentation of all the social media reaction, our take on the traditional episode recaps and much more... and that's on top of covering Spies, Lies & Allies as it rages on, and all the fun on Floribama Shore. Be sure to bookmark this site for all of that, like, share and comment on our posts, and spread the word of what we do around here by sharing our posts on the social media platforms of your choosing. That way, you can help to introduce our quality, high-caliber content to more & more fans and, in turn, will boost our site's exposure & presence.
One component to the way we cover MTV shows on here is the ExtraTime series, and in place of what we would usually follow up these Challenge preview articles with "Who Are These Newbies?", is that we have done supplementary stories featuring many of these All-Stars, and so many others in this world, throughout our eight years of coverage. Simply give me a Twitter follow to @DC408Dxtr, where in addition to getting to live watch episodes and tweeting out random thoughts and things, I post links to each & every one of my DCBLOG posts and often post links to stories that relate in some way to these personalities, and there will be plenty of those to come during this season.
Enjoy this week's premiere, for which I will be staying up after midnight to live tweet it on the other Twitter hub (#DCNOW @DC408DxNow) when it is posted on Paramount+, and join this site this weekend for our episode coverage which, this weekend, will be part of my birthday festivities and the lead-up to the return of DC Vegas coming up next week. See you then, Challenge Nation...
- I AM DC
#DCBLOG
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