The Look: The Caucus Challenge - Heir to the Throne

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BY DC CUEVA 

■ linktr.ee/dc408dxtr

Pics Courtesy: IG @dmp.series

Tonight, the forty-first season of MTV's The Challenge - Vets & New Threats got officially underway in the world's southernmost nation of Chile and its capital city of Santiago. And amidst what has been a merry time for those who avidly follow the world of reality television wherever platform you may choose -- love, a house show or whatever that's out there... there is another tradition of sorts that has lasted almost an entire decade. And it's something that doesn't even have to do anything to do with that show that kicked off anew tonight... but it's most definitely one that was inspired by it.

At this time in the dog days of summer of 2017, the first million-dollar season of the MTV series took place... and before that high-stakes battle began the cast got together in New York City for a launch party and a gym session. There, it came to the attention of this blogger that one of the attendees at the ladder and his fellow friends who got to work out with the cat had done something else on the side that wasn't quite so sketchy... but something just as fun as the MTV show itself. It was several seasons of The Caucus Challenge -- a scaled down, homemade version of reality competition shows that took place in the surrounding Secaucus, NJ neighborhood of Andres Rodriguez and co.

What started as a fun weekend activity in Dre's house backyard has grown quite a bit over the eight years that have followed afterwards... and this DCBLOG site was the first media outlet anywhere to feast our eyes on The Caucus Challenge. We have followed every step of the Dre.Media Productions YouTube empire ever since... and after you got to enjoy Act 1 down in South America and are in the mood for something over than binge-watching the live feeds, here's something more action-packed: a battle to become the Heir to the Throne.

Caucus is the epitome of, and a pioneer in, the made-for-YouTube reality subgenre of "live reality games," which began when Dre was a high school junior in a New York City suburb that sports fans best know as the home to the Meadowlands and the media headquarters & replay command centers for both the NBA and Major League Baseball. And while this franchise has usually taken place in the spring and summer owing to better weather in the Northeast, last we featured TCC was the first-ever season to be filmed in the winter in Leader of the Pack in the Pocono Mountains.

For those of us lucky to still have a TV bundle to watch the opening act down in Chile, they are having their first season to have new competitors in two years... and the last time rookies took their first shot there, they didn't have to worry about veteran winners getting in their way. Battle for a New Champion provides a backdrop to Season 18 of Caucus this time around: Heir to the Throne has brought together twenty-four players -- some longtime competitors and personalities from the DMP universe, others are being initiated for the very first time from outside of the bubble. And they all have one thing in common: a new generation of players and a stacked field of veterans are in search of their very first crown.

With a return to nicer conditions, this latest set of contestants who have their eyes on the prize are stacked... eager to make that next step to the top step of the victory podium. And best of all, the titular figure in this community is reemerging from behind the camera to serve as host once again.

Veterans Bradi, Clay, Jerrica, Kam, Steven and Zae have been through this ringer before, and are anxious to finally add a champion's star to their uniforms. Dejuan, Imere, Jada, Jocelynn, Jordon, Kehlani, Lani and Sivo learned the hard way of playing the Caucus game in their first appearances, and are motivated by their rookie shortcomings to make that upgrade to next level status. Also back again is Jason who made history in being the first husband to compete, and this time he's brought his ride or die Rhea to the game -- another Caucus first.

This season full of non-champions marks the Caucus debut of Choice, Devonte, Emily, Nadia, Theresa and Xavier... all first-timers in addition to Rhea, looking to make a first impression -- even crash the bash. There's even global representation: Billy made the 18-hours' plane ride from Melbourne to become the first Aussie to compete here. And there's even an old-timer of sorts in 37-year-old Matt from New Jersey... and he, too, also hopes to leave town with a title ring on his finger alongside a wedding band like the married couple here who are also his age.

These thirty-two competitors have had the chance to get to know each other upon moving into their mansion... and what awaits them when they wake up will be a game like no other in Caucus history. Like it was on MTV Challenge 39, they will be working as one team to lock in as much money for their bank -- and whatever's left in that vault come season's end, to the victor goes those spoils. Along the way, there will be plenty of alliances, deals, twists, turns and a whole lot of drama going down as they go along the way to the final where only a third of this field will go for the loot. Enjoy it all below.

   EPISODE 1   

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  EPISODE 10  

  EPISODE 11  

  EPISODE 12  

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Owing to new responsibilities in my life (it's now three years since I inherited being "man of the house" after the passing of our family patriarch), DCBLOG is scaling back on our coverage of Season 41 of The Challenge. We are proud of the amazing legacy we've forged of going Inside MTV Reality and all else since 2013.. but when the opportunity comes around to tell those stories behind the story from the ExtraTime file or other things of interest, then we'll pop back up here on the site once again.

   But things are just getting back to normal from the content creator side of me: besides this site, the DC Vegas XIII vlog series will soon resume on DC YouTube. There are other things to come from this year's NBA All-Star Weekend in San Francisco, and maybe a first glimpse of music's next generation: I plan to go to an event featuring emerging new talents this weekend... and if it comes to fruition, you'll see those performances over the Labor Day weekend. For those out west, see you soon on DC Twitter.

- I AM DC

@DC408DXTR