Wednesday, February 27, 2019

DC SocialPulse: The Challenge War of the Worlds - "Casualties of War"

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BY DC CUEVA                        
 @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

For a lot of people like you, the past three seasons of The Challenge have felt like they were long movies that, though it can be exciting at times, the trilogy of the last year & a half can also be as frustrating as certain aspects, too. But after what we went through with that triple play of Dirty 30, Vendettas and Final Reckoning, all of us looked to this new season of War of the Worlds hoping for a fresh start... well, we have through the first two episodes of Season 33.

After a relatively calm first week in Namibia, Week 2 saw the sixteen teams of veterans partnered up with aspiring prospects compete in their first challenge as pairs mixing a night at Monster Jam with a tug of war. The top three teams would gain immunity and control over who gets put into elimination - just as it was last year... and whoever gets voted in will have a chance to choose their opponent in the Killing Ground chamber on the spot. And a few short months after the most devastating moment of his now five-season Challenge career, Hunter gained instant revenge over the person who stole his share of $1 million in last season's final, Ashley, when him & Georgia of Love Island UK sent home Ashley and Bachelor & Ex On The Beach original Chase in the season's first elimination, almost as if those producers and script writers in Hollywood had written this any better.

After the shock of that stunning result, Hunter & Georgia gained a Relic that gives them a chance to lay off a little for the coming week -- that is, they get a pass from elimination for Week 3. And for the rest of the group, they get to do what we all want to do this time of year to escape the cold & snow, for some fun in the sun and time to go mudding. A challenge mixing football, searching for balls in a maze, and mud for everyone sees teams seek to "Search and Destroy"... but it's the man who had his biggest moment of his Challenge career in the country of Namibia that finds himself in the hot seat over party loyalty. And while a team his embattled partner from last season is finding herself at odds with her partner - albeit with a better one she can deal with, the latest chapter of a longstanding blood rivalry gets rekindled again... but will it have the same ending as the last time they butted heads?

We'll find out together as after the jump, it's the Pulse of Episode 3 of The Challenge: War of the Worlds... a MEGA edition before tonight's episode. Thanks for joining us, fanatics...

Sunday, February 24, 2019

DC SocialPulse Extra: Lohan Beach Club EP7, and Before WOTW EP3 & EOTB2 EP10

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BY DC CUEVA                        
 @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

Well, we've just had an eventful Oscars night that satisfied everyone in Lady Gaga, Spike Lee, Black Panther and Queen headline a host-less ceremony that turned out to be better than everyone expected, perhaps like what we usually see at the MTV Movie & TV Awards. That event helped introduce the world to Halsey, for whom a newbie VIP to Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club got to fangirl that night in 2016 in Kailah. Well, ever since her arrival things have ramped up a bit in Greece.

When we left Mykonos previously, the VIP hosts had a night to themselves to go out on the town to promote the Lohan Beach House at the resort town's clubs. But Lindsay decided to take a cue by surprising the group at dinner... and when she finds that they were partying instead of spreading the word, she decided to send someone packing. But as we rejoin our friends there, there is a plot twist to the choice of the first VIP to be fired... and not only will there be as much confusion as when LaLa Land got robbed of Best Picture, everyone will be feeling the heat to not be the next one to get the flight home. Plus, an intense yacht ride for the newbies to handle, and could the least-liked man in the VIP villa be cracking under the pressure?

After the jump, Pulse Extra brings you Episode 7 of the Lohan Beach Club, plus the lead-up to this past week's episodes of The Challenge and Ex On The Beach. Thanks for staying up, folks.

The Look Ahead: The Real World's Next Host City is...

Disclaimer: Contains Potential Spoilers Below

BY DC CUEVA                        
 @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

As you enjoy this Sunday Funday, for a moment let's take a detour from what's happening now -- and what's to come with the Pulse of this week's episodes straight ahead -- to what's happening next. As we do on occasion here, DCBLOG will take a break from our usual weekly coverage of the episodes to offer a peek into the crystal ball at coming attractions in the MTV Reality world.

When this fan signed onto social media and eventually into a hobby of blogging on the shows he loves, there was one show right at the outset back in summer 2012: The Real World. While I have branched out into many other shows since then including the show that supplanted that as the one of most interest in The Challenge, the show that started it all still takes on being my first love in reality television: the show that recognizes my passion for storytelling, MTV's commitment to social activism, and launched a genre along the way.

For the past couple years, The Real World has taken a back seat to all of what's gone down during The Challenge's trilogy... but now with all the rage in TV land being shows that are being rebooted and revived, the show that started the journey of MTV mastering a genre is about to not only return, but land at a whole new place: Facebook, and its FB Watch platform. And before it begins filming a season that will see the show return to its roots, we now have an idea of where it will go down. After the jump, we'll tell you where it will all go down. Gather around...

Saturday, February 23, 2019

DC SocialPulse: Ex On The Beach Season 2 - "Un-Bear-Able"

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BACKTRACKED EDITION 
BY DC CUEVA                        
 @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

Welcome back... as we come to grips with the one who took all the money getting ousted on War of the Worlds and a girl from NOLA seeing her theory come to light on two Challengers, there's already been a lot going down on Ex On The Beach as it is about two-third's of a way through its second season... and there's still a lot left to go down.

Previously in Malibu, something that's a familiar sight on the original UK version that started this global MTV franchise happened for the first time in America. Season 1 original single Angela became the first two-time castmate of Ex On The Beach U.S. when she came in like a scene out of Baywatch as the newest single in the house, just after Farrah was given her pink slip by the exes when they had control over the latest Cut or Crush elimination proceedings. And there was also a rather unusual sight on MTV: a scene out of Animal House taking over the EOTB crib as the house hosted a animal costume party, including Malcolm being dressed up as a penguin.

But at the end of Episode 8, the party vibes disappeared when Angela got into it with this season's Bad Girls Club rep in the EOTB house, Janelle... and as someone who's used to violent drama and getting into fights earlier on this season, she will learn that rules are rules, and she may face some big consequences. For the strongest couple in the house who also happens to double as its strangest, they'll confront their first Ex hurdle... which may lead to another premature exit. And after rumors circulated earlier this winter about the shady past of one of the exes who has grown close to one of the singles, the truth finally comes out... literally in the most oddest of places.

After the jump, it's the Pulse of Episode 9 of Ex On The Beach 2... all taking place on Valentine's Day night, plus more reaction to Hunter's revenge on Ashley M. on The Challenge. Dive in...

DC ExtraTime: The Greek Freak - An MTV Reality Fan?

BY DC CUEVA                      
 @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

In the six years DCBLOG has covered MTV Reality, we've often gone beyond the borders of the shows you love by putting them and the people who star in them in context with this world and pop culture at large outside the realms of our screens. The ExtraTime bits that appear around our episode coverage has introduced you to people that might not guest-star on the episodes each week, but are linked in some way to reality TV's most-talked about shows. This one is no exception, though we have plenty of people for us to meet here during this winter cycle, and it has to do with the favorite sport of both my family and this blogger (outside of the fifth major pro sport, of course).

Last week, the National Basketball Association held the 68th annual renewal of its mid-winter night's classic, the NBA All-Star Game in Charlotte, NC. As in past years, players were voted on by the fans and their peers for who would represent the Eastern and Western Conferences in front of a worldwide audience. Plus, in recognition of their service to the game, retiring Miami Heat star Dwayne Wade and 20-year Dallas Mavericks vet Dirk Nowitzki were given special exemptions to this year's game.
   But there was a catch: those who were the top votegetters in their respective conferences would be the captains of teams that bear their name... a departure from the traditional East vs. West matchup. And while LeBron James was far and away the biggest draw in the West after his internet-breaking move to the Lakers during a most-eventful offseason last summer, the race to see who would be top dog in the East became more like a free-for-all among the big names there than anything else.

In the end, it was Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks who netted the most votes of a conference that has to play second fiddle to their western counterparts, and who's on a team that boasts the best record in the Association... all in spite of the Lakers, Warriors, Rockets and the like garnering the biggest buzz by far of NBA fans everywhere. The "Greek Freak" - named for him being born in Greece and having Nigerian roots, stands nearly 7 feet tall and has become the face of the Bucks franchise since coming to America from a stint in the lower tiers of Greek ball.
   Giannis has enjoyed a steady rise since his 2013-14 rookie season, including becoming the first player in NBA history to notch top-20 rankings in total points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks in a regular season in 2017 - earning him Most Improved Player honors. Thanks to LeBron's second departure from Cleveland (this time having given his city that historic 2016 title in an epic comeback), he became captain of his own All-Star team - his third selection, and in mirroring what has happened in the NFL and NHL in recent years, he and LeBron had the chance to pick their own teams in a draft that was aired as part of a TNT Thursday doubleheader last month.

Besides the two headliners and the two legends, the players that were up for being drafted included a Murderer's Row of Western All-Stars: Stephen Curry, James Harden, Paul George, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Klay Thompson and Anthony Davis. And the East offered Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard, Joel Embiid, hometown representative Kemba Walker, Blake Griffin, Ben Simmons, and Kyle Lowry. Them and others were placed in a draft pool, as LeBron and Giannis selected backyard style their picks for their mixed East/West All-Star teams.
   Team LeBron saw Durant, Kawhi, Harden and Kyrie join him as starters and having Wade on the same team one more time in igniting past memories of that 2016 title with Irving, Olympic gold with JD, and those first two titles of his career with Flash while playing on South Beach. Team Giannis saw him partner with Embiid, PG13 on the same starting lineup and became the local favorite of the Charlotte crowd in having Hornets player Walker (a carryover from when the Charlotte franchise was called the Bobcats before the Hornets name and its related heritage returned from a brief sojourn in New Orleans) and Carolina native Steph on the same starting lineup.

In the last game before the week-long's All-Star winter break, Antetokounmpo and his Bucks faced the Indiana Pacers, in the hometown of one of the most passionate basketball fans this blogger knows, Hayden Weaver from Are You The One? Season 5. The Bucks star netted a triple-double of 33 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists in a 106-97 win on the road, before he led his All-Star team to what would be a close game for most of the way but ended in a 178-164 Team LeBron win. Of course as is always the case in All-Star Games like this, offense would dominate the night, where Durant was the MVP and Giannis was the top scorer with 38 points.
   In the postgame presser with the media in Indy, Giannis shared with everyone his plans for the day before traveling down from the Midwest to the Queen City. There, he told the press of just having the usual day off of getting to sleep in, the typical morning routine and to get his hair all fixed before the Association's biggest event. And it's not just the big game on Sunday and the preparations of playing in that showcase: there's all of obligations that come with being an all-star, such as meeting the media, appearing at events around Charlotte (where a friend of this blogger, Jawad Ahmed @SJMedd went to the All-Star Jam Session and watched Inside the NBA live), and everything else.

But absolutely no one, not even those who avidly follow basketball like Hayden and his fellow Season 5 castmate Derrick Henry (who himself is a college hoops veteran who's now become an in-demand MTV star himself post-AYTO), could expect that something else would be part of the several days' All-Star pregaming for Giannis that they are very familiar with.
"So, this is what I am going to do: I'm gonna go back home tonight. I'm gonna sleep all day tomorrow, wake up, get some breakfast, get a show and watch some MTV. I like some drama shows -- Kardashians, Ex On The Beach, Are You The One, The Challenge. Stuff like that... I like drama."
              - GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO




That quote of him giving a shoutout to The Challenge, AYTO and Ex On The Beach, as well as a stablemate in the Bunim-Murray family in The Kardasihians franchise (weeks before the cheating scandal that's just erupted involving family friend Jordyn Woods) was also shown on ESPN's SportsCenter as well as on the Bucks' regional TV home Fox Sports Net Wisconsin. It instantly caught the attention of Team MTV on social media... none more so than Mr. Hayden himself:




The 'Pulse diaries that showcase the social media interaction to every episode of The Challenge, Are You The One?, Ex On The Beach and others, often features posts from those who are not everyday fanatics but well-knowns who somehow get themselves interested. Generally, those featured are journalists who work on the entertainment beat and sports reporters who watch the fifth major pro sport while also fixed on other athletic interests before doing the sports segment on the late news... But there are those celebs and athletes who even become as obsessed as we are to MTV Reality... Giannis is the latest to call himself an MTV fan. That's pretty rad, thank you.

- I AM DC
#DCBLOG

DC SocialPulse: The Challenge War of the Worlds - "Hellraiser" (Backtracked)

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BACKTRACKED MEGA EDITION 
BY DC CUEVA                        
 @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

Welcome to Oscars Weekend, and as you go about seeing those movies that may contend for next year's Academy Awards, we have for you the juicy stuff of The Challenge: War of the Worlds. And if what we had with Dirty 30, Vendettas and Final Reckoning gave a lot you who watch this show reason to go for the heads for everyone involved with the show since what went down last November, then those who produce this show have certainly heard your voices over the short offseason and are giving you a season that, through one week, has already offered the goods.

The premiere saw, of course, everything that comes with the first act of any new Challenge: getting to know the newbies, catch up on old times with the veterans including the returns of Wes and Nany to the fray, a little drama in Chase and Theo getting involved with the vets, and a grueling first challenge that doubled as a purge. Going for balls and puzzles in the sand tested everyone, but Da'Vonne and Paulie picked up where they left off, while Liz and Alan felt the pain of finishing last. And at night's end, a draft was held where teams of veterans and prospects were paired up... but this time, it was the rookies who held the key to their chances at $1 million.

For those sixteen teams, Episode 2 will see them tackle their first challenge competing together as pairs, which sees them battle head to head in a game that mixes tug of war and empty cars... and it means one thing when all the seats are taken out: a monster truck will roll by. As it was on Vendettas, the top three finishers will win immunity and control over the elimination process which will see them nominate one team. The team who gets chosen will do what we saw brilliantly last season: choose their opponent at large for a brutal elimination that may offer one player a chance at instant revenge and give Hollywood producers ideas of what to write for a possible made for TV movie. And another challenger decides to perform an exorcism on one of his enemies, while that enemy has her sights set on stirring the pot with this show's very own Barbie & Ken.

Ahead, it's Week 2 of War of the Worlds on this Backtracked edition of The Challenge SocialPulse as we go Inside MTV Reality @ DCBLOG. And thanks for staying up with us this late tonight, and welcome to the weekend everyone...

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

DC SocialPulse Extra: Lohan Beach Club EP6, and Before WOTW EP2 & EOTB2 EP9

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BACKTRACKED EDITION 
BY DC CUEVA                      
 @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

As the weather outside continues to be cool as anything else -- including snow falling twice in the course of one week in Las Vegas, it's good to know that things are getting white hot in MTV Reality land this winter: things getting underway for real on The Challenge and another trip to the zoo in the Ex On The Beach house is ahead. But before that - and with in-between interaction of those below, we begin our look at last week's activities from Greece.

Ever since Real World and Challenge alum Kailah made her grand entrance, the season as far as many viewers are concerned truly began at Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club... though there's been plenty of drama going down even before she and New York bartender Kyle joined the crew. But we nearly saw the number of occupants in the VIP villa go down two spots in the wake of Gabi and Jonitta's fight, plus there was the drama surrounding Brent and Sara, which once again saw clothes being thrown in the floor just as it was when Kailah was last in a full Challenge season on Vendettas.
   For what goes down in Episode 6, the VIP hosts will find themselves in a spot where they feel they are safe: going out on the town in Mykonos to promote the newest & hottest vacation destination in this resort town. But the group will find themselves in an episode of Undercover Boss than an MTV Reality show when the boss lady decides to eavesdrop on matters, and it may lead to someone being the first VIP of the summer to get the ax. Plus, there's a visit from a different mermaid than what we had in Panama City Beach, and we'll help to understand one of the three newbies a bit better when we join him for a visit with his family who live in Greece.

After the jump, Pulse Extra documents Episode 6 of the Lohan Beach Club... have fun, friends.

Monday, February 18, 2019

The Look: MTV's Game of Clones

BY DC CUEVA                      
 @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

A quarter-century ago, MTV entered the world of romantic reality television when Chris Hardwick, Jenny McCarthy and Carmen Electra brought together 100 girls and guys, a bachelor and a bachelorette for Singled Out. In 2006, the channel, Sally-Ann Salsano and her 495 Productions got together for the first time when they produced several seasons of A Shot At Love. Eight years later, Are You The One? debuted at the same time the first of four twisted Real World seasons saw the exes of the seven strangers cause an Ex-Plosion in the Bay Area. And also debuting in 2014 was MTV's global franchise based on the idea of what happened in San Francisco, Ex On The Beach, which last year debuted in America after four alums of its original UK version competed on The Challenge Vendettas.

Of late, romantic reality TV has become a hot commodity in the TV business in every network pitching in to join MTV and ABC's longstanding Bachelor Nation franchise... shows like Temptation Island, 90 Day FianceMarried at First Sight and beyond have everyone glued to their sets the same way musical talent showcases and competition shows have done for an entire reality genre in general. The newly-premiered season of The Challenge is also helping introduce to America the global reality sensation Love Island, where two alums of its original British version are on War of the Worlds prior to it coming to America. And just when you think we've run out of ideas in this buzzworthy subgenre, in comes a most unique concept that -- just as EOTB has done in America, Britain and thirteen other countries overseas -- promises to again turn romantic reality TV upside down.

This time, the idea is fresh yet twisted, wild and unpredictable, best suiting MTV's way of offering the most talked about programming in the genre. The first peeks at the show has been turning heads in making exactly no sense at what the series could possibly be. But there is always a sense of magic when attractive people and some of MTV's most familiar faces come together in one room, especially when the suitors look just exactly alike some of your favorite celebrities and not one of those everyday joes who come onto these shows in the first place. It may as well as be the wildest romantic reality experiment of all... say hello to Game of Clones.

Sunday, February 17, 2019

DC SocialPulse: Floribama Shore - The Season 2 Finale

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BACKTRACKED EDITION 
BY DC CUEVA                      
 @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

For the many of you MTV fans who access this DCBLOG site on your phones, glance over at the calendar app and you'll be hard-pressed to find out this fact: Season 2 of Floribama Shore debuted back on Monday, July 9th -- the night before what would be the ultra-long Season 32 of The Challenge began. Now, after a season that actually lasted a month longer in length than the most-recent season of the ladder show took place - with an autumn break included in it, here we are at the end of Season 2, which takes place nearly eight months later on Thursday, February 7th, and a day after one of their own will continue his endless summer. But at least, we have gotten more than our money's worth with Gus and the rest of his Floribama bunch in Panama City Beach.

When we last left him and the crew the Florida panhandle, the reality that a summer to remember was about to end came when one of their own had to cut short their summer earlier than the rest of the house. The priorities of family and her brother in Memphis about to walk the graduation stage to receive his high school diploma saw Candace be the first housemate to go, and it left Codi with not one, but two opportunities to get that last kiss before she headed home. Meanwhile, the lingering afterglow of a night that saw her get arrested led Aimee to do whatever she can to hide herself from the public in town, just as news of her arrest made headlines in and outside of town.

A memorable moment from Season 1 was of Nilsa getting attracted to Jeremiah's near identical looking brother, Josh, and them both kissing in the club and under covers. And as the house begins their last few days in the Shore house, the Squid will find herself in a dicey and precarious position of having to deal with two exes living in the house and having to relive the memories of last summer and decide what to do next. As for the Mermaid, Aimee seeks to get help with try and resolve her arrest issues before she leaves town, both from a public defender and even from inside the Floribama inner circle. And as the house says goodbye to each other following an epic summer, one of them ponders if this is the last go-around.

After the jump, it's one last wave as we offer the 'Pulse of the Season 2 finale of Floribama Shore... and it also happens to be our 900th DCBLOG post.

Saturday, February 16, 2019

DC SocialPulse: Ex On The Beach S2 - The Return of the Bad Girl

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BACKTRACKED EDITION 
BY DC CUEVA                      
 @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

For a first full week of February, those who follow MTV Reality had the week and each of its four main days of shows circled on their calendar once they found out that The Challenge was debuting its newest season a few days after an uneventful Super Bowl. Add to that a Real World/Challenge alum coming into the domain of a childhood star and a finale of a show that's brought Southern style to the Shore franchise, and the busiest time for those who have reason to watch the channel on a regular basis had begun... that includes a show that debuted a few days before Christmas.
   Season 2 of the American adaptation of MTV's global franchise Ex On The Beach has seen plenty go down in the course of the first seven episodes, and when we here last left Malibu the house had seen two fights go down with Janelle going after her ex Darian after he kissed Diandra in the Shack of Secrets, and Nurys and Farrah having it out on the patio. Plus, Morgan had to endure seeing yet another ex come to the house and add to the list of those who she has to live with when her Big Brother ex Monte joined her and it led to one of her other exes, Jay, to lose his mind. But those three events didn't prepare the house for what came next at the season's halfway point: elimination power reverting from the originals to the exes, just as it was last year when Tor'i was cut from Hawaii.

For some context going into Episode 8: a common sight on any of the 15 global iterations of Ex On The Beach is of someone reappearing on a later season. Singles/Exes turned Challengers Ashley C., Bear, Kayleigh, Joss, Melissa and Rogan have appeared on a subsequent series of the UK version, plus dozens of others including fellow MTV'ers from Geordie Shore and other EOTB seasons. Chad and Season 1 original Jasmine also are in this same predicament having debuted on an original Bachelor/Bachelorette season and then returning on its summer spinoff Bachelor in Paradise. Nelson's AYTO3 castmate, Mike, was cast on the last MTV Real World season in Seattle and cheated on his girlfriend Tori... and there's her ex in fellow challenger/lover Derrick H. who is about to appear on his sixth MTV show, joining their buddy Cory who's had as much MTV experience as Bear.
   Now, days after another MTV fan fave - Challenge and Real World alum Kailah making a dramatic entrance to Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club, Ex On The Beach in America is about to welcome back its first two-time castmate to the fold. Angela first appeared on Season 1 last year and was in a love triangle with fellow single Tor'i and the aforementioned Mr. Chocolate who is also her ex. And after a brief fling with a six-time Challenge champ who also uses food as his moniker, the Bad Girls Club alum returns to the beach to stir the pot yet again in also making a relationship as rocky as the rocks on the beach. Angela will replace whoever is officially sent home in an elimination week that sees the exes seize control of who gets Cut or Crushed, and there's also a sight unfamiliar to MTV fans: a house party that almost looks like a scene straight out of an issue of National Geographic.

After the jump, it's the Pulse of the Return of the Bad Girl to Ex On The Beach, plus more reaction to the premiere of The Challenge: War of the Worlds. Nice to have you with us...

DC SocialPulse: The Challenge: War of the Worlds - The Premiere (Backtracked)

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BACKTRACKED MEGA EDITION 
BY DC CUEVA                      
 @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

Well hey there friends, the extended holiday weekend has arrived, and we are now into the first big stretch of the MTV Reality year of 2019. We're well into the sequel of the U.S. version of Ex On The Beach, while earlier here (as this post goes out on Friday night, February 15th) we showed everyone going bonkers for Kailah invading Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club, and there's also the matter of eight Southerners spending a few more days in Florida... and now we're into the main course of this winter. And for the first time since the beginning of DCBLOG's MTV Reality coverage, a season of the show dubbed "the fifth major pro sport" will take place at the middle of the week, rather than on Tuesdays.
   Back on November 20th, fans of The Challenge were ready to finally put to an end a three seasons' long trilogy and an even longer season of Final Reckoning just prior to Thanksgiving. But if it can only get more crazy, along comes a final described by many as the weakest ever but one that saw mother nature soften things up like rain making things easy at Augusta National at the Masters. A decision that left everyone with their jaws dropped saw Ashley M. take all of the $1 million purse and stole $500,000 away from her partner Hunter when they won that season. That, along with many other things & many controversies that took place in those 20 episodes, was a most fitting end to a saga that began in South America, continued across the pond in Europe and concluded in Africa.

That continent is also the venue for the newest chapter in The Challenge's two-decade long history, and one that fans are hoping will be a fresh start to a new era following the saga stretching back to summer of two years ago. It is War of the Worlds: some of the show's biggest veteran names and those who we've gotten to know in the past couple years as the show has gone beyond its boundaries, are about to collide with a plethora of reality television talent from both the United States and around the world. For the first time, an American original that first recognized the potential of big time reality competition series will feel like an Olympics of a World Cup: an international Challenge season with thirty-four competitors from seven countries competing for their share of $1 million.
   From a field of vets with 16 Challenge crowns to their credit to a bunch of prospects representing some of the reality community's most well-known franchises in and outside the MTV system, they've all come to the country of Namibia to join host TJ Lavin and see if they have what it takes to make it to the end, with plenty of twists and turns to come their way along with a lot of grueling competition to go along with it. And in the opening act of this show's 33rd season, the competitors will once again be tested right out of the gate, and the rookies will have to endure an opening Purge - as those who finish last will be on the first plane ride home. But once the main field is determined, the season's first twist will sure leave everyone shook.

As we begin, if you are new to this site -- and we know there's plenty of you out there, welcome, get cozy and indulge yourself in DCBLOG's unique, insightful and distinctive look at some of your favorite reality shows, including The Challenge. That includes SocialPulse, which we have been doing for every episode of this show since summer 2013, plus other series of particular interest & with ties to this series. This signature component of our MTV coverage showcases the other show taking place concurrent to when the episodes air each week: the social interaction among castmates, fellow MTV & reality alumni and fans as viewed by them in the Twitter sphere, part of the communal experience watching the show as it airs on TV, and the leadup and aftermath too.
   These exclusive running diaries are specially designed, curated & pieced together in its uncensored entirety to bring the drama, hookups, jaw-dropping moments, the big competition and more to you here as it took place in its original airings on Wednesday nights as a service to all fans each weekend. Whether you're reliving it all over again on your DVR or on-demand, or if you don't have cable, satellite or streaming & are just catching up for the first time, you are covered here. In addition to those, we also offer our spin on the traditional weekly episode recaps with opinions & analysis, and through our site's other key element of ExtraTime we also spotlight the people and stories of MTV Reality, both on- and off-camera, and in and outside the bubble.

Now, the following is the action, reaction and interaction, and the actual posts of the cast of War of the Worlds, fellow reality alumni and fans like you as they watched the premiere on Wednesday, February 6th, along with the day-before buildup and the aftermath to that first episode.
• As we begin, please note there is explicit language in many of the tweets below, but they are kept uncensored in order to retain the heat of the moment. So if you are mature enough, please read with discretion. :-)
• Plus, if you haven't watched the episode yet, then do not proceed with reading this post. But need not worry...DCBLOG will compile all of these tweets into these posts after every episode so you won't be in the dark of how your favorites saw this all unfold.

Twelve veterans and fourteen prospects on a collision course for $1 million. Welcome to the premiere Pulse of Season 33 of The Challenge: War of the Worlds. Thanks for joining us... enjoy.

Thursday, February 14, 2019

DC SocialPulse Extra: Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club - Kailah's Invasion

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BACKTRACKED EDITION 
BY DC CUEVA                      
 @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

Something we at this site do sometimes is to take a Look Ahead at what's to come in the crystal ball of MTV Reality and see what might be of interest to those of us who follow what we call the Trifecta but is known to a lot of you as the shows that revolve around, or have at least a connection to, The Challenge and its related ecosystem. If you were with us back in late August, we took a break from covering Final Reckoning and the first few weeks of Are You The One? Season 7 to delve into a new project from the producers of The Challenge and Real World as reality pioneers Bunim-Murray Productions teamed with Lindsay Lohan on a docu-series on her new beachside resort in Mykonos. From when the buzz started to trickle in from Europe about the show and who is on the cast, a lot of you out there had this show circled on your calendar as one of those to look forward to in the new year along with finally getting over the past year or so's Challenge trilogy, the sequel to Ex On The Beach and everything else... well, here we are.

This whole 2019 in the overall MTV scheme began on January 2nd with cable's first big new series of the new year: Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club. So much has occurred so far in the Greek island of Mykonos with the group struggling to mix work with pleasure and temptation, the behavior of a well-known club promoter, and as of Episode 4 - a fight that went down with two of the VIP girls over a guy they saw on a night off. But for a lot of fans in this large fandom, the season as they see it is about to begin, and things are about to launch into overdrive by the arrival of not one, but two VIP's joining Aristotle, Jules, Billy, Gabi, Brent, May, Mike, Sara, Gabi and Alex in paradise. And one of them is as familiar to you as she is to us, as three years ago next month she came to the third Real World season to take place in Las Vegas and has gone on to become part of the next wave of female competitors to come onto The Challenge. But aside from what we've seen from her four & a quarter Challenges and her Go Big or Go Home original season, it's the experience she has working the almost nightly nightlife scene there in Sin City -- as well as getting to meet some famous faces while there -- that's seen Kailah be chosen by LiLo to make the flight across to Greece, along with fellow newbie Kyle from New York... and it doesn't take long for her to make her mark in Mykonos.

After the jump, Kailah invades Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club... make that, Kailah's Beach Club, on this backtracked edition of the SocialPulse. Thanks for joining us here.


DC SocialPulse Extra: Countdown to War of the Worlds & Ex On The Beach EP7

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language and objectionable content. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BACKTRACKED EDITION
BY DC CUEVA                      
 @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

If 2018 was the busiest year ever for DCBLOG in covering the all-encompassing spectrum of MTV Reality, then this very moment is the pickup joint to the busiest time yet to be a viewer... perhaps as busy as it was last fall when, for the first time, this MTV fan had something of interest to watch from Monday to Thursday. And as it was then when we had Cheyenne & Cory join Teen Mom to go along with Final Reckoning, Are You The One and Jersey Shore last October, we now have something to look forward to during those four days of the week in a new season of The Challenge, the ongoing drama of Ex On The Beach and the season finale of Floribama Shore -- all of which we'll be covering here ahead along with Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club to follow shortly here. Plus, there are familiar names in and outside these shows coming to a new series which we'll delve into shortly, and Siesta Key for those fond of Laguna Beach and The Hills.

After the jump, the final countdown to Challenge 33: War of the Worlds, and to Week 7 of Ex On The Beach Season 2 and the return of the Bad Girl to town.

Tuesday, February 12, 2019

DC ExtraTime: An American Comedian in London


BY DC CUEVA                      
 @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

So far, we have seen the British Invasion make quite an impact in their U.S. debuts, and for Jemmye she has been added to her queen status in her second season back after taking time off after Exes 2. Obviously, most of that was tending to the untimely Thanksgiving Day 2014 death of her ex-boyfriend Ryan Knight, whom they fell in love on Real World Back to New Orleans. And on the topic of that and the jolly people in Britain, it offers the segue way to the whereabouts of one of her former roommates.

Someone who also lived with Knight and Jemmye in that house in the Big Easy was someone who brought some comic relief to the group: those who watched that season eight years ago also met Eric Patrick from Arlington, VA. During a brief period where there was an eight roommate in the Real World house, he didn't have as much screen time as his other roommates, though he did have a memorable kiss with fellow roommate Sahar early on. His MTV bio wrote:
"It's not often that you meet a Real World roommate who's a stand-up comic AND holds a job at the State Department, traveling the globe briefing foreign service personnel on American policy. Far from Mr. Serious, Eric's true passion is comedy, and he's already made significant progress in his career, performing regularly and winning several competitions. Eric, known for his dreamy eyes is a handsome ladies' man and has perfected the art of juggling various girls at one time. We're pretty sure Eric will be getting into a bit more than just Hurricane Katrina relief."

While Knight, Jemmye and Preston would do multiple Challenges as did the only one of their cast to now have a wedding ring in McKenzie who joined them for their debuts on Battle of the Seasons II, Eric has already been to more countries than any of his former castmates, and it doesn't have to do with competing with TJ and friends. Before he went onto Real World and after he left NOLA, Eric's passport has seen him travel all over the world, often for much longer periods of time and very little time back home in the District.

It's fitting that his Instagram name is @EpatTheExPat, and a glance at those photos he's posted there gives you an idea that he's seen this world more often than even that guy who's done 18 of these Challenges and the one who's been hosting these for the past baker's dozen years. Besides his former NOLA castmates, he's even fortunate to have two very notable Instagram followers in Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris of the U.S. Women's National Team.

Besides Washington, West Virginia (where he went to college) and other places in the U.S., Eric has been to the following countries - and this will be a mouthful: Dominican Republic, Canada, South Africa, Swaziland, Panama, Colombia, Spain, Italy, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bulgaria, Romania, Japan and South Korea. Yes: 16 foreign countries Eric has posted pictures from in places as diverse as the 2,700-ft high Burj Khalifa building in Dubai, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and a picture of the President holding a waffle in his hand in Brussels.

Those countries don't include the 17th where he calls his home -- at least right now: it's been exactly a full year since Eric settled into new digs in London, England, the capital city of the United Kingdom, which where Joss, Kyle, Melissa, Kayleigh and Rogan of this Challenge Vendettas season come to us from. And last week, Eric released a video on YouTube documenting his full year living in the United Kingdom, and doing his stand-up comedy across the country. When that video dropped he tweeted @TheEricPatrick, "I'm proud of it. It's a cool 33min break from whatever you're doing... I don't know what you're doing but you could use a break. Check it out!"




- I AM DC
#DCBLOG

A DCBLOG Update: 2/12/19 - Why Things Are Not In Sync...

A Word From The Editor
BY DC CUEVA                      
 @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

Hey there folks, hope your week is going fine... mine is too. You might have been noticing that things around here have been somewhat off sync in the course of the past couple weeks... below, an explanation of why.

Putting together every post that DCBLOG offers in covering MTV Reality and everything else of interest is an extraneous and time-consuming process. Like any good journalist -- those who work in newsrooms spanning print, broadcast and online every day, as well as freelancers and those who do this as a hobby on the side like I do, there are many hours spent every day to put together content that takes anywhere from a few minutes for short stories posts on this site to an hour for a documentary program such as PBS' Frontline or an ESPN 30 for 30. Plus, for someone who treats this as important as anything I have every day, there's also time for everything else, such as a second job that goes concurrent with what I have outside this world, family and other matters... trying to balance these things is a tedious process.
   It's with this in mind that, for the past few weeks, our DCBLOG schedule has not been running in sync with the MTV schedule, as we usually do around here. Those of you who have been anticipating all the upcoming 'Pulse posts for what is now last week's packed week of episodes in the MTV world have not been posted as of yet. There, last week saw Kailah come to Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club, Angela's return to Ex On The Beach, the season 2 finale of Floribama Shore and the premiere of The Challenge: War of the Worlds. We sincerely apologize to all of you for having to keep you hanging for most of the last month, but before you go off on us... there are a few factors relating to this.

In the two to three weeks proceeding The Challenge 33 premiere, I devoted much of my blogging time to my preview post on War of the Worlds, as well as researching on sixteen newcomers to the new season (sans Chase and Morgan), which contributed to two extended "Who Are These Newbies" posts. Plus, there was me traveling to my relatives' house for a night which set back my schedule by a day, but it feels almost like an eternity because things which have been scheduled to be posted may not get posted in time, or sometimes being put on the backburner.
   Second, there's the time factor: because I now have more time to my actual work in working three days instead of two, I don't have as much max time as I have to try and get everything all up in a speedy manner than it was to begin with. Plus, there's covering four shows in this coming week's blog wave, which has slowed down the process of getting things up as soon as possible, especially when it comes to compiling the Pulse diaries, which takes hours for it to be put together in chronological form as it happened on Twitter. Sometimes, the ExtraTime stories take days to put together, too.
   And to add on to this, my desktop computer crashed not once, but twice this past month... but luckily, everything that I download and those files that contain the precious data for these posts are always stored on one of a many flash drives & portable drives as a precaution. Ask our friends at Relevant.TV what this has been like of having to endure this process the past month with their portable hard drive and footage of their New Year's Eve soiree crashing and it being saved by technicians for episodes to finally be posted this week.
   So, those are the reasons why things have not been in sync in the course of the two to three weeks on this site. But luckily, I have been taking advantage of any spare time I have to work on this site, and doing whatever I can to get everything up for all of you up on here. So, here's what's to come...

With some exceptions, all of DCBLOG's episode Pulse posts are posted chronologically in order as they aired on TV... and are posted at least 2 to 3 days after they are air with respect to the streaming and catch-up audiences. Though we would be able to do stand-alone recaps and power rankings like every other site does, this site tends to be a supplement: one that offers complementary content to what you get from your favorite website or podcast with social media buzz, storytelling and more. Us being able to have as much time as possible to compile, research and compose the high level content we offer is partially the reason for our high standing in this business in covering these shows.
   With that in mind, we plan to begin this week's Pulse posts with a series of four backtracked posts, first covering Kailah's arrival to the Beach Club as part of a Pulse Extra at the earliest tomorrow night after this week's Challenge episode airs out west. We'll then cover the season premiere of Challenge 33 from last week, Angela's return to Ex On The Beach and the Floribama finale... and we'll then shift to covering this week's episodes as usual with Pulse posts for the three remaining shows to come after. And although it is not a guarantee, should things go on schedule it is our hope that by the end of this coming extended holiday weekend - or before next week's Challenge episode airs, we will finally be up to date on the Pulse of all the episodes. But as always, things may change a bit with the ever-evolving news cycle and anything that might come up out of nowhere.

So to all of you, thank you for staying patient & your continued loyalty. And we'll see you here then... and enjoy this week's episodes.

- I AM DC
#DCBLOG

Sunday, February 10, 2019

DC SocialPulse: Floribama Shore S2 - The First to Go (Backtracked)

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BY DC CUEVA                      
 @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

Glance over at the calendar and you'll spot that it's February, and it's summer down under in Australia and in the Southern Hemisphere. And in MTV land, summer is nearing its end for our friends down by the Floribama Shore, with not that much time left to soak in the sun for our group to enjoy, though for one of them the endless summer will go on for at least a little bit thanks to him being on the new season of The Challenge.

Last time out as this post goes on air here -- Tuesday in DCBLOG time, Codi's parents made a visit to the house and encouraged to once again ask Candace on a date after he didn't follow through during the first half of Season 2... and they got to enjoy each other's company along with a classical musical number. Outside their world though, the rest of the group had to endure a rough night on the town as Aimee's swipe at a bystander led to her being arrested, which then led to her being put on local news for the wrong reasons when word of her arrest became public.

As we join our friends there in Panama City Beach, the summer is nearing its end, but it is at its end for one of the roommates, as a member of Candace's family is preparing for the biggest day ever in graduating high school in her hometown of Memphis. But once she leaves town before the rest of the house say their parting shots to each other for the summer, another person is about to invade the house for the final few days in the panhandle... and that will also bring back memories of what happened last summer for one of them.

After the jump, the Pulse of the penultimate episode of Season 2 of Floribama Shore.

DC ExtraTime: Catching Up with... Jacinda Barrett

From during Real World Bad Blood; updated to include new media not included in original post

BY DC CUEVA                      
 @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

Me and fellow insider & webcast host Ali Lasher seem to agree on one thing: unlike many of you the both of us actually like Real World Bad Blood (more on the Debrief). But from seeing the tweets of some others, including one from Jemmye from RW Back to NOLA last week, there's those of you who feel fond of when this MTV icon was just a pure & simple docu-soap that predated everything in reality TV. Well, this 'Pulse ExtraTime is just for you old school fans... and for this, you gotta go all the way back some 20 years to find our subject when this current cast were still in their diapers.
   In the aftermath of the single most significant season in the history of the Trifecta, those who would be on the season after The Real World San Francisco no doubt would find themselves with the uneasy task of following up that monumental season in the City by the Bay. Of course, we all remember the poignant story of Pedro Zamora and his valiant fight against AIDS, the house drama ignited by that ultimate Real World rebel Puck, the love story of a cartoonist and nurse in Judd & Pam Winick, and the flirtation Puck had with Rachel Campos, now wife of Congressman, RW Boston alum and one-time lumberjack, Rep. Sean Duffy.

In 1995, this reality TV original made its way for the first time outside of the United States and to that most vibrant city and yet one with such old-school values and landmarks as London. Inspired by MTV's wide international reach as a worldwide network with a presence on all six continents, Season 4 of Real World boasted its only hybrid cast of international and U.S.-born roommates. Young adults from Australia, Germany and England joined Americans from the Pacific Northwest and the Midwest in what the Brits refer to as a "flat" -- their term for what we stateside refer to as an apartment.
   There wasn't as much drama on that season as the first three as the Americans didn't have work permits to get employed there and just spent overnights watching TV's back when there were those in the house. But like several other seasons, cameras documented the roommates' personal passions: Mike and Kat pursued their loves for motor sports and that Olympic sport of fencing, while Jay pursued one of the Brits' great pastimes of playwriting, and DJ Lars played at the clubs much like Robbie of this season. But no doubt, the most memorable moment of RW London was when he was performing for his band, Englishman Neil got too close to one of his fans, and that fan who supposedly was a hater of his pulled a Mike Tyson: he bit off a portion of Neil's tongue, which sent him to the hospital and would have impaired speech after surgery was done to repair his tongue.

One of the international four who made their way to jolly old England was Jacinda Barrett, who flew all the way to London from Brisbane, Queensland -- Australia's third largest city -- and she came to the right place to pursue her career aspiration. There, she built up her resume of modeling in one of the world's capitals of her profession and host to one of the year's annual Fashion Weeks. She had a passion for posing for the camera and strutting down the runway since winning a cover girl contest in her teenage years and began to model across Europe afterwards.
   Just as we've seen with several other aspiring models over the years on Real World and before there was America's Next Top Model, cameras captured her many moves in London as she made her way through the cutthroat world of fashion. It would eventually catch the attention of People Magazine with her being named to their list of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World that year, and later brought her into the pages of Maxim Magazine. And for some time, she was engaged to Singled Out alum and Walking Dead after show host Chris Hardwick before becoming wife to Suits star Gabriel Macht.
   After Real World, the attention of this firefighter's daughter turned from posing for the cameras to acting in front of them. In her acting debut in 1997, Jacinda joined a young James Marsden for the horror flick Campfire Tales, and appeared in several other films with the likes of Nicole Kidman, Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Anthony Hopkins. In 2004, she landed her first major lead role in Ladder 49, playing the wife of key character Joaquin Phoenix and joining the many who have starred alongside that enduring icon John Travolta.
   Two years later, Jacinda played a supporting role in Poseidon with Kurt Russell, Josh Lucas, Richard Dreyfuss and Emmy Rossum; and later in 2006 she was female lead alongside Zach Braff, Casey Affleck and Rachel Bilson in The Last Kiss. Then came School for Scoundrels with Billy Bob Thronton, Jon Heder, Michael Clarke Duncan, Sarah Silverman and Ben Stiller; and another movie with Luke Wilson. And this doesn't even include TV roles on the likes of Hercules, Millennium, main roles on D.C. and Citizen Baines, and a recurring spot along her husband on Suits.
   The past few years have seen her on the drama Zero Hour and The Following before landing her latest gig: Last year, Jacinda added lead role plant nursery worker Diana Rayburn, wife of policeman John - played by Friday Night Lights star Kyle Chandler, on the Netflix series Bloodline, which debuted last year and will have its 3rd and final season coming up in the new year for those like you who love to binge watch. She has another movie coming next year with more TV roles headed her way too, just as many saw her RW season for the first time recently when it aired on MTV Classic.

Yes, it's one thing to be on The Challenge with some of the biggest names in this ecosystem of the MTV reality TV world. But, it's certainly another to have a deep acting resume and to share the set with some of the silver screen's biggest names. Jacinda Barrett has certainly carved her name as one of Real World's most successful alums, and while her season is largely forgotten it helped her get on the path to make her mark both as a model and now as a leading actress. She's proven that you don't have to do other reality shows for the sake of face time like most people in the Trifecta today: she has those beautiful looks and has developed a strong following with the showbiz world that now she's one of the best in her field. Maybe an Oscar, Emmy or Golden Globe next? It might come sooner.






- I AM DC
#DCBLOG