For those who are part of the media world's newest power, this is a big week if you're working for Viacom and CBS. Today, after thirteen years as separate entities but who have had plenty of history going back decades, the two companies merge once again into one company as they close their transaction and certify their second marriage in the digital age. And it comes during a big week for the new ViacomCBS: tonight sees The Challenge: War of the Worlds 2 kick off its $1 million final in Thailand, while yesterday Jersey Shore marked its tenth anniversary, and next week will mark ten years since Teen Mom premiered. The CBS Evening News has just moved to its new Washington newsroom, and this weekend the Eye will air an AFC Championship rematch & the series finale of Madam Secretary. And then, there's this...
If you haven't noticed it by now, then it's hard to know why TV viewers on this side of the Atlantic have now realized how wild the MTV series Ex On The Beach is. It began in the spring of 2014 in the United Kingdom, loosely inspired by the twist given to Cory Wharton and the cast of his very first show, the San Francisco Ex-Plosion that rocked The Real World. EOTB has shocked viewers not only in America and Britain, but also in a bakers' dozen other countries outside of the two most prominent English-speaking nations in the world... one of the most unique formats in reality TV.
Given the launchpad of being co-launched in the U.S. by both The Challenge and Jersey Shore, the first three seasons of the American version of this global phenomenon has seen plenty go down in both Hawaii and in Malibu. Cory met Taylor Selfridge on Season 1 and they made news last month in her now being pregnant to his second child, while Angela Babicz deal with a basketball dunker ex and met a boyfriend that recently brought their dirty laundry to Dr. Phil. And just this summer & fall, Season 3 brought a Challengers, AYTO alumni, a Big Brother showmance, a girl group/reality star and a pair of twins under one roof.
Now for a worldwide franchise that always hosts its seasons in the summer and its many castmates basking in the sun, something different will be taking place this time around: while the drama will still be as white-hot, the setting will be in quite the polar opposite - quite literally. As those in America and Europe shiver and those in Australia mark the start of summer, the attention turns from the beach to a different locale of a ski resort as Ex On The Beach hosts its first-ever winter-themed season, Peak of Love. The conditions outside may have changed, but the temperatures inside will only heat up as the explosive drama we expect will unfold during the coldest of the four seasons.
Once again, an all-star cast of reality TV's finest will grace our screens as they find out if their ex is their next, as two past Challenge finalists & Real World alumni and a lady who lived through ultimate AYTO heartache with past EOTB alumni, will join two LGBT icons, a former Naked Brothers' girlfriend, a pop singer, a Canadian bachelor, a British Love Islander and an Ibiza party boy as they move for this first truly international season of this global sensation. And this doesn't account for those exes who will crash their party, with those who lived with them on exotic islands, in Challenge houses and beyond will offer the latest chapter in a show that's truly one of a kind.
So, grab a winter coat, some hot chocolate, put on some winter boots and welcome on in as, after the jump, DCBLOG takes our first look at Ex On The Beach: Peak of Love.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Ex On The Beach debuted on MTV UK and the global brand's non-US outlets in spring 2014, and will soon air its tenth series in 2020 across the pond. Eight of those who went through hell in paradise on the UK show - Ashley C., Bear, Kayleigh, Joss, Melissa, Nicole B., Rogan and Zahida - then flew
from that show into The Challenge starting with Vendettas, and their arrival coincided with EOTB's debut on American television shortly after that season - MTV's first internationally-conceived format to have a version customized for TV's biggest market. And thanks in no small part to airing on Thursdays along with Jersey Shore and its Floribama spinoff, it has finally become a true global phenomenon, for which thirteen other countries have a version of Ex airing in their homeland.
Once he spills the tea and the show's title to them, then the singles will realize that this will not be an ordinary trip to the slopes, as they will have to confront their past while they are enjoying the snow. With those always cringy & spectacular entrances, their ex-girlfriends and ex-boyfriends will come into this winter wonderland to confront their exes, bring plenty of dirty laundry, and will spur new love and romance, shocking hookups and some deceit too. In the end, the couples will have to pick if they want to rekindle things or move on to whoever is there in the house, with drama aplenty.
The standout moment everyone at home awaits and those who live in the house always cringe at comes every few days comes when the house gathers to see if their face pops up to be one of those small handful who get to go to to what's known in the summer version as the Beach of Doom and join Romeo to find out "Whose Ex Is Next?" Those exes will arrive in single and sometimes multiple amounts starting after the singles move in, and those who get to sit there will see blasts from their past emerge up the slopes - and it's the reactions on the faces of the house that will make for moments worthy of being on a meme that will set the table for all of what comes afterward.
A now-familiar contraptions, the Message in a Bottle and the Tablet of Terror, will send various clues to the house: sending singles down to the most juicy room in the house, additional dates, any twists that those from production might throw that pebble from behind the fourth wall, or the most intriguing part of having a mobile device. Having that technology will enable the house to see leaked visual evidence of anything that might be suspicious from the house, interviews or footage that can turned today's relationship into yesterday's news - and those who've seen past seasons of this show have seen budding romances get flushed down the drain.
Many a jaw-dropping moment of pictures, video and screenshots of past wrongdoing being brought out into the open from that tablet have taken place in the Shack of Secrets. This is where a former couple will have their relationship be put to the test and into greater scrutiny where, like what's gone down with Angela and her exes, with Diandra on season 2 and the Kaplans' mom last season, will be where the real truth of how and why a relationship got sunk will get uncovered. And like what happened with mama Kaplan, some special guests may pop up in there too... including what is the most dreaded spot of the past two seasons: the season-ending lie detector test.
And if the format stays true to what we had in season 3, the episodes will rotate between Crush and Cut weeks. In the case of the former, one person in the house will win themselves a getaway date out of the house with the person of their choice - a single or an ex. And when it comes to the ladder, the Singles (or in one time at halfway, the Exes) will have the voting control of sending home a member of the opposition home with a "X" to mark a Cut or spare them a Crush to negate a vote. And when the time comes to bring the winter to a close, necklaces will be handed out by the singles to their exes and can opt to accept or reject their request.
As for what this season has to offer, winter-themed MTV programming in a series or an occasional episode only comes around once in a blue moon - the last time we saw winter on our screens was Winter Break: Hunter Mountain last year. But the sights of snow on the ground are no different for those who have been in it in their lives, and two famous Challenge finals took place in the snow.
When those novices of geography think of Oceania and the countries that are located in the South Pacific, they think of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and such nations with a tropical or sunny feel. But while it is summer in America and Europe during June, July and August, it is the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere, and there are ski resorts where winter actually exists in certain parts of Australia and most especially in the land of the Kiwis.
And this winter season of Ex On The Beach will take place in the New Zealand resort town of Queenstown in the country's north island, which sees wintertime temperatures in June, July and August top out in the 40's Fahrenheit (7-9° Celsius), about 2-3 inches of monthly precipitation, and of course frequent snowfall despite no permanent annual snow cover. A number of mountains surround the town in a region that has over 40,000 permanent residents but whose population jumps up a bit during the winter months in this hub of year-round tourism.
MEET THE CAST
For what amounts to season 4 of Ex On The Beach USA, the all-star cast of singles who will be stuck in the snow and in the cabin with ultimately their exes will be a group that, as is always the case for its American iteration, offer something for everyone and every taste: familiar faces to MTV fans, new reality stars who'll be given their Team MTV card in New Zealand, and a strong representation from the LGBT community. If you follow MTV Reality like we do here regularly, you'll recognize three of the singles from the three shows this site refers to as the Trifecta, while those exes who'll be coming to town have strong Challenge backgrounds and who knows a bit about exes invading an MTV show. If you're a general reality TV fan, there is representation from other romantic reality TV, the biggest reality series of interest to the LGBT crowd, and a few from Britain to make this a true international season... and there's even a singer to bring some music to the house.
♥ NICOLE ZANATTA – The Challenge 🏳️🌈: Five years ago this month, Nicole's MTV journey began in Chicago on Season 30 of Real World, part of a group of feuding but loving Staten Island triplets. She then made her way to two Challenges and made it to the final on both Invasion of the Champions and Vendettas, but it was there that she met Laurel, and Nicole will have to endure that once she arrives down south almost straight off of her stunning elimination defeat on WOTW2. For this firefighter, she's been playing women a lot, but will she find her Next or go back to her Ex?
♥ MARLON WILLIAMS – The Real World 🏳️🌈: In 2013, Marlon made his way from Texas Tech football standout to The Real World Portland (up until last summer in Atlanta, the most recent RW season without a twist), where he clashed with Jordan, rapped with the girls and dropped a bombshell that he had sex with a guy. He and Jordan then went onto Rivals 2 and made it to a loaded final with CT, Wes, Bananas, Cara Maria, Paula, Camila and fellow Ex, Jemmye. He's now a personal trainer, but this charismatic & non-judgmental Texan reemerges on MTV, this time in the love game.
♥ TYRANNY TODD – Are You The One: Her season may be the only AYTO cast ever to not win the cash, but Tyranny is now the sixth member of the season 5 cast to go on Ex On The Beach, among notable consolation achievements. She was that girl who went after a popular member of that first EOTB cast, Alicia, on the reunion after that doomed last matchup that cost them $800k, and had a short-lived romance in the house with Chicagoan Osvaldo. The Augusta, GA native (sharing the same town as Britni of AYTO3) now has another chance at love, this time at the Peak.
♥ ADORE DELANO – RuPaul's Drag Race 🏳️🌈: For this winter's celeb headliner, Adore first made her mark on American Idol in 2008, but really came into her own on a couple years later on RuPaul's Drag Race in competing in both Season 6 in 2014 where she finished runner-up, and on its second All-Stars season two years later... all en route to being RPDR's first member of the 1 million Instagram club. Despite her success on the big show and before that on Idol, Adore has yet to find that one who she can share her throne with, and she seeks to change that this winter.
♥ ALLIE DIMECO – Naked Brothers Band: Just as it was for Aubrey this summer, EOTB marks a homecoming to the now expanded ViacomCBS family for Allie Dimeco, who made her TV debut as a girlfriend on Nickelodeon's Naked Brothers Band in the 2000's. After taking a sojourn to college, she reemerged on the revival earlier this year of Temptation Island but her efforts to find her man went unanswered in Hawaii. Allie now has a second chance at love in a different climate than it she had in paradise, and will this shot end in a different outcome? We'll find out...
♥ DANIEL MAGUIRE – The Bachelorette 🇨🇦 : The first two EOTB seasons saw three members of Bachelor Nation look for love again in a twisted way than what they're used to, and after Chase on Season 1 and "Bad" Chad on Season 2 it's now the turn of Daniel from their 2016 Bachelorette season to try his luck. He's found no luck on JoJo Fletcher's season, on his two trips to Paradise in Mexico and two more on Australian BIP, even WEtv's Million Dollar Matchmaker... but Daniel is intent on changing his luck this time and show that he's more than just abs, maple syrup & laughs.
♥ LA DEMI MARTINEZ – Glam Masters 🏳️⚧️: La Demi Martinez is someone who definitely knows how to make sure her face feels & looks good, with her competing on Lifetime's Glam Masters, sharing her story of transitioning from a man to a woman on Botched on E!, and teaching her fans on YouTube viewers some makeup tutorials. She's racking up an increasing number of followers in the social sphere, and now La Demi's next mission is to look for love in New Zealand.
♥ RYAN GALLAGHER – American Idol: Adore isn't the only one who has appeared on American Idol: Ryan Gallagher auditioned on a earlier season of that show, plus a Philippine musical talent TV contest. Now this Michigan boy next door is hitting the big time, this time looking for love in Queenstown, though he already has a perfect match in being very spiritual. But if the conditions are right, that angel side of Ryan may disappear as tries to look for his love any manner he can.
♥ GEORGIA STEEL – Love Island UK 🇬🇧 : As the first of the two Brits to come onto the American Ex On The Beach - as well as the first Love Island alum, Georgia has already racked up quite a following when she was seeking love in a bikini in that Spanish villa on the UK series, where the public crowned her queen of loyalty. But after several breakups in the public eye, she's come to the Peak for another chance to score her man, and can Georgia look for that one who can keep her warm during this winter?
♥ CALLUM IZZARD – Ibiza Weekender 🇬🇧 : The other Brit to make his way to EOTB USA is also used to the sunshine having partied in Ibiza, and Callum earned a reputation as a player in the European capital of summer... he even committed a no-no of having a girl's name tattooed after he met her. Callum now comes to the South Pacific looking to finally settle down, and will someone who's worth a tattoo be awaiting him or will that karma come back?
And below, the list of the exes who will make their way to the chalet to make the singles' winter break a nightmare, maybe regain love. You may know a few of them from their time on MTV, others are ordinary exes like you... and while we spilled the one notable single/ex combo of Nicole & Laurel above, for the sake of those not in the know we won't spoil the rest of the combinations. But it's likely those of you who follow the MTV beat like we do are already looking forward to the arrival of two of them more than the others, though romantic reality TV fans will also be served well in what should be a white-hot season.
♥ LAUREL STUCKY – The Challenge
♥ JEMMYE CARROLL – The Challenge
♥ ASHLEY CEASAR – The Real World
♥ CAMERON SIKES – Temptation Island
♥ CARLOS CHAVEZ – Temptation Island
♥ NIALL ASLAM – Love Island UK 🇬🇧
♥ SAM BIRD – Love Island UK 🇬🇧
♥ EMARI STEVENSON – Celeb Ex
♥ JAKK MADDOX – Celeb Ex
♥ MAGDELENA RUIZ – Celeb Ex
♥ MEGAN NASH – Celeb Ex
♥ PARIS DECARO – Celeb Ex
♥ SYDNEY LANGTON – Celeb Ex
♥ TODD MAUER – Celeb Ex
♥ TRENTON CLARK – Celeb Ex
♥ TYLER ASH – Celeb Ex
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Also to come at the weekend, an early season tradition of ours when we'll be offering our primer to the seven non-MTV reality stars joining this newly expanded Viacom/CBS family in this winter's edition of Who Are These Newbies?. Adore, Daniel, Allie, Georgia, La Demi, Ryan and Callum will be explored more in-depth as we'll offer more insight on them, look at some of their biggest moments and more as they get initiated into this community as only we can. Enjoy tomorrow's premiere, tonight's Challenge and the Shore as well, and see you soon...
- I AM DC
#DCBLOG
No comments:
Post a Comment
Got something on your mind? Let us know! But please be mindful and do not post spam or negative comments (due to that, all comments are subject to blogger approval... and we reserve the right to disable these sections if things get way out of hand).