DC SocialPulse: The Challenge All-Stars 3 - And Down the Stretch They Come...

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

 SPECIAL EXPANDED EDITION 

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

We are officially into the dog days of summer, and we have past the logical halfway point of this 104-day period from Friday night of the Memorial Day weekend to that Labor Day Monday. But right around Mother's Day a couple months ago, twenty-four competitors whose lineage of their MTV legacies stretch back to the mid-'90s and to as recently as a few years ago took to Panama with something in common: they all had experience competing in the final stage of a season of The Challenge. And we have reached the stretch drive of Season 3 of The Challenge: All-Stars on Paramount+ in Panama.

During all this time, we have had plenty take place: newbies coming in to try & translate their playbook of success from a few years ago into a game full of vets, a surprise entry of one of our favorites strike a nerve among one of the most revered female champs ever, and some epic battles in the elimination arena - not to mention, plenty of drama both on and off the field and, of course, a few Teej-bombs. And if you are one of those who happens to be a regular visitor to DCBLOG and have glanced over at these Pulse journals, then you probably know why a lot of fans like yourselves have gravitated to this version of the show more than the others.

Because of the long task of having to put together the past few weeks' worth of posts to preview and then introduce the casts of the CBS challenge and All-Star Shore, it has a while since we here have been able to say "last time on The Challenge," and last we were here it was back in Episode 7. And there, we had the one time most every season where TJ Lavin transforms from a former BMX rider into a quizmaster: that meant trivia was on order, and it was Veronica and Brad who were the last ones standing. But the juicy moment came there in Week 6: the men's elimination battle pitted The Godfather Mark against three-time champ Jordan, and the former's experience came away with the win.

Now that homestretch run has arrived for the dozen players still in the running... which means that those who are desperate are trying to do whatever they can to secure a spot in the final, while the pressures of this game are getting to a few of them. In another's case, he's looking to someone who -- the last time we saw him on the big show, was not even on good terms going into the Czech Republic bunker... and it's what happens with the last week of the regular season that might fuel the flames of some simmer rivalries -- not to mention a little bit of controversy mixed in. But over the horizon is a private island that awaits those who make it all the way to the end: a few twists, some standards of these last acts of eating and puzzles, and everything else serve as the hurdles to $500,000.

So join us after the break, as we follow Brad, Derrick, Jonna, Kailah, KellyAnne, Mark, Nia, Nehemiah, Veronica and Wes all the way to the finish line on this special expanded edition of the DCBLOG MTV SocialPulse as we follow the stretch run of Season 3 of The Challenge: All-Stars... and thank you all for joining us on this Sunday night.

DC SocialPulse: The Challenge All-Stars 3 - It's All-Star Trivia Night!

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

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

Happy Father's Day and Juneteenth to all of you... and on this Sunday where we all celebrate the most important man in our lives and mark the nation's newest holiday, we wrap up this holiday weekend (or if you got the observed Monday holiday off, a chance to stay up a little bit) with something to make up for not having a NBA Finals Game 7 after the Warriors' wrapped up the title back on Thursday: Season 3 of The Challenge All-Stars.

A Father's Day tradition has been the contesting of the 4th & last round of golf's U.S. Open, which today saw Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick survive the game's toughest test and win his first major at where he won the U.S. Amateur event nine years ago: Boston's Country Club. Anyone who is qualified can win America's national championship... it's also the same thing when you discuss one of the unique facets of an MTV Challenge: mental challenges give anyone a shot at winning in any given week. And last we were in Panama, solving puzzles like stacking things and trying to maneuver a ball through a mouse hole was the focus in the daily and elimination weeks... and we also saw Sylvia get blindsided as a seemingly safe Treehouse alliance has now found out how tough this game really is.

Now, if anyone can handle those tough tests of trying something as simple as those tasks above... then those are just ordinary weeks in Challenge Nation compared to what the Stars have to contend with this week. It's that one time of the year where TJ Lavin sort of hybrid of the doctor that creates Frankenstein and Alex Trebek... and that means, the week's daily challenge is all about trivia -- and that will delight those teachers in the audience looking for some comic relief after dealing with final exams and SAT tests at the end of the school year. Meanwhile, one's ways with politics might put the game of another fellow player in danger, and what happens at the quiz show might set up two more big elimination battles.

We know it's late night... but if you are still up on this Sunday night, we hope you'll indulge in the DCBLOG Challenge 'Pulse of Week 6 of The Challenge All-Stars 3, coming up next.

DC SocialPulse: The Challenge All-Stars 3 - Half #2 Begins, and CBS Joins the Fun

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

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

It's June's second weekend, which is a scorcher if you're out west where the temps have hit triple digits in the hometown of the one who's been on this ride for well over twenty seasons of what's called the fifth major pro sport (and this blogger's favorite vacation city). TJ Lavin's digs of Las Vegas are feeling the heat in the 100's, but down in Panama it's best for most to also just stay indoors: it's wet there. That's also where Season 3 of The Challenge: All-Stars is raging on into its second half... and we at DCBLOG bring you into our 'Challenge Pulse. 

The house was stung a bit by the arrival of an All-Star from our first go-around when Beth came in as a replacement, and last week she was on the loose when she went in on our defending champs MJ and Jonna... but stirring the pot in the house and opting to quit a sky-high daily and then again in a nighttime elimination just added to her legend. Between all that, a Teej-bomb was dropped in giving just those who win the weeklies the power to control the game however they want, and in what was the only arena battle last week the gingerman knocked out the Season 1 winner while also saving another star who was part of one of his biggest days ever.

Thanks to that twist, the second half of this season is now underway... and as we head into this week the Stars are feeling quite motivated to now starting those big moves to change up the balance thanks to Yes and Beth being gone. Pivotal to anyone's success when the money is on the line is solving puzzles, which are no doubt considered the ultimate equalizer when it comes to this game, and a game of trying to stack things and even try to put a ball in a little mouse hole will no doubt put the players on edge, while also giving some heat to some boiling rivalries. And to top it all off... no season of any of these competition shows would be complete without a blindside going into the arena.

But Week #5 of All-Stars Season 3 is hardly the only news in Challenge Nation in a week where BTS dropped a new album among other new music releases (which made my just promoted to high school niece who turned 14 yesterday feel so good), Britney Spears getting married, golf being turned on its head by the LIV Tour, and the events of what happened one Challenge Wednesday in D.C.  This week saw the launch of the new Challenge spinoff: The Challenge USA which begins the Wednesday after the 4th of July... and along with all the action, reaction & interaction to Episode 6, we'll also have all the hoopla surrounding the launch of the version of this show that everyone in this country can watch for free on the CBS Television Network. All of that is next... and thanks for joining us.

DC SocialPulse: The Challenge All-Stars 3 - "More Than Friends?"

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

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

It is now officially the month of June, which means reality shows are everywhere in the TV landscape - broadcast networks, cable and streaming. And if you're lucky enough to have a subscription to Paramount+ in addition to the MTV channel itself, get set for a bevy of goodies to come... and Season 3 of The Challenge: All-Stars rolls along in Panama. 

Last time out came one moment that happens just about every season that will sure get a triggering kind of moment for everyone: a replacement making their entrance. After both an injury and a family emergency put Tina and Jemmye on the same flight back home to America with Laterrian on Week 3, the queen of the first generation of The Challenge came in... and Beth wasted no time making her presence known -- well actually, she quit in that first daily she was in over heights. That saw her go into elimination where she beat out Kendal... but that was an undercard to the biggest All-Stars arena battle yet: Jordan beating Darrell in a battle of champions.

Thanks in part to Beth's entry into this game it has sure been turned on its head... but that is miniscule compared to what's going down next for both the Stars and the game itself. On a personal level, there's the question of whether interpersonal relationships may give way to $500-grand -- and we've seen plenty of that in our first two seasons... and even she might have a say in one of those budding things going on. But the one sign every season that the game is about to get a bit more eye-opening: a midseason twist may help draw the lines for what half #2 will be like... and again, it's what happens there one Star might put a friend's game over theirs.

Just ahead, DCBLOG brings you the 'Pulse of Week 4 of The Challenge All-Stars... and could the MTV King be making his way to yet another different show? See you after the break.

DC SocialPulse: The Challenge All-Stars 3 - The Queen Has Returned...

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

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

In a perfect world, we would've started this post with the words we've been waiting three years for: welcome to the first normal American summertime of this decade. But Tuesday's events in Uvalde have cast a dark cloud over this Memorial Day Weekend... and we at DCBLOG join with the rest of the nation to express our condolences to the families of the victims and everyone affected in some way by that tragedy, and also offer our support to those advocating for immediate action to prevent more of these atrocities - including the many protesters gathering down not far away in Houston. But as the grieving continues there in Texas this long weekend, we proceed here with the business in front of us covering the week that was in the world of MTV Reality.

The Challenge: All-Stars on Paramount+ began in earnest a few weeks ago with something it hasn't had in its short but glorious tenure: some fresh meat from recent seasons joining in on the fun, along with two of its most notorious champions making their debuts on this spin-off. And last week, the Stars quite literally got down and dirty -- in the mud, as they fought their way towards trying to avoid going into the arena. Along the way, we got to know our first alliance of this 2022 in Challenge Nation: the Treehouse was formed with the intent to make this game their very own, just as they did when the members competed on the big show for the first time. But at nights end, it wasn't just the Arena that sent home players... an injury and family reasons saw Laterrian, Tina and Jemmye all take that departing flight from Panama.

So, what's to do with all of this? It means one thing in this game, and for background as we enter this week: it's good to know that with this All-Stars format and the abundance of old-timers returning to this game, it will also bring back into focus those rivalries from back then, while also opening the door for new ones too. For this instance, the arrival of a replacement Challenger will not doubt shake the game once again, all in time for our first sky-high challenge of this year as the players try to identify some math above the water during this time of final exams taking over this time of year -- we know the teachers watching will be most interested. But once again, the house politics rule the day after the players come back into the house, setting the table for two big showdowns in the elimination chamber.

The last time we had someone come into the game late, Ed brought a youthful energy into Spies, Lies & Allies. Now, who could possibly be that queen who is making her return? Join us here after the break as we bring you the answer to that question and all else on the SocialPulse of Week 3 of The Challenge All-Stars straight ahead... and thanks for escaping with us here on this holiday Sunday.

DC SocialPulse: The Challenge All-Stars 3 - "Treehouse of Horror"

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

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

Today is Saturday, May 21st, and it's an important day in the history of something that the one behind this DCBLOG site has been following in some sort ever since it all began. It was on this date in 1992 that MTV aired the premiere episode of the very first season of The Real World when Eric Nies unlocked the door to that New York apartment, and it marked the beginning of the genre of reality TV as the majority of us take for granted. And it has been one whale of a ride ever since, as we progress into the next three decades of the most influential reality programming there is anywhere.

A show that was an offshoot of Real World was what would evolve into The Challenge, and last week saw the 2022 slate in the fifth major pro sport kick off with the third season of the All-Stars spinoff on Paramount+ with some fresh youthful energy getting initiated into this game, along with the master of politics in this world making his All-Stars debut as is the show's first two- and three-time female champs. And right from the get-go, the game was put on its head early when a twist from the past few years was unleashed on this show where those who win either a daily challenge or an elimination would get power in the game itself... it's something that would be a beneficiary to that KC ginger man named Wes.

The results of what happened in those first two dailies and eliminations (really, one & a half battles in the arena after Mel conceded her battle to Tina) are already radiating in the Panamanian jungle, and this week things are quite literally getting down and dirty: a challenge in the mud will see the Stars take off those clothes and gloves to try and avoid a night in the arena. A newly-formed alliance who knows real well what it's like to turn the game on its head try to bring what they got to pull off a few years ago in this game as they look to make some big power moves on those who they see as threats in this game... and on the topic of threats, not one but two surprises may turn things upside down.

Aren't we all feeling thirty on this Saturday? Join us here after the break as we mark the thirtieth anniversary of MTV Reality with the DCBLOG Pulse of Week 2 of The Challenge: All-Stars... and there's even a flashback of sorts for those who watched the show that gave us one of our two old-time rookies. And welcome to the weekend, folks...

DC SocialPulse: The Challenge All-Stars - A Season 4 Premiere Double Shot

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

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

Pic: ViacomCBS

We have had a stellar sporting weekend with SEVEN Game 7's in the NBA and NHL: the Suns blown out by the Mavs at home, the Bucks getting knocked out by the Celtics, the Rangers and Flames winning in overtime and Carolina joining them in advancing in the Stanley Cup. We've also had Albert Pujols on the mound after the Reds lost no-hitter, Chelsea winning the FA Cup, and Oliveira defending his UFC belt. So, what could cap off this amazing weekend of action? Well, the fifth major pro sport that is.

After giving us plenty to enjoy and plenty to talk about last year, the thought among those of you going into Season 3 of MTV's The Challenge All-Stars on Paramount+ was, how can they make this junior year campaign better? Well, how about giving the competitors who are chosen to be on here an extra prerequisite -- having competed in a final challenge for all the money. That's the theory behind what should be quite the season ahead, and thus the field is stacked with those that the old generation of fans knows a bit, and those who we have followed closely during the past decade in these Challenges.

Now, they've all come together in Panama for what promises to be a most explosive season, led by the debuts of Wes, Veronica and Kailah to this spinoff... and they are keen on making their mark on this game as it gets turned on its head once they compete in a tense first daily and first trip to the elimination arena. As always, there will be plenty of twists along the way in this game, as those who win in that first week will be in a power position -- something the man who loves politicking would like to be in, and it will turn just this simple little reunion into something much more as we get to do this all over again.

After the break, DCBLOG brings you all the action, reaction and interaction of the two-episode premiere of Season 3 of The Challenge All-Stars, all as it unfolded on Twitter in and around last Wednesday's premiere... and all specially curated for you to enjoy in its uncensored and raw nature, which includes adult language. Thanks for joining us Challenge Nation, and thanks for wrapping your Sunday with us...

DC SocialPulse Extra - Road to The Challenge All-Stars: Season 3

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

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

Nine years ago this past Wednesday, this blogger published his very first post here... and over this time, this site has evolved into becoming the blog site of record of TV's most-talked about reality shows. Now on this second full weekend of May 2022, we begin in earnest the tenth anniversary season of DCBLOG and our tenth year going Inside MTV Reality, as we put into full motion this big stretch ahead.

   We have been on top of covering the weekly drama on the return engagement on American screens of the global MTV love carnival Ex On The Beach, and we've also delved into the juicy drama of Siesta Key too. There's also Season 3 of The Real World Homecoming that, so far, has brought everyone back to Y2K fever thanks to the reunion of the 2000 New Orleans cast... and there's plenty of other things on the docket in the course of the rest of this spring, this summer and the rest of the year too. And ahead, we'll commence weekly coverage of the main series of our focus... which brings us to this.

Maybe you were likely directed to this page by my many promoted posts on social media, and perhaps you have a Twitter app on your phone. If you're one who watches episodes live as they air or catch up later on, you might stare greatly at all the social media reaction taking place on your feed... and that's what those of you who are part of Challenge Nation and the MTV Reality show fandom probably do.

   DCBLOG has proudly covered the MTV Reality world for the past decade and over most of the 1500 posts this site has offered to you the past nine years. And a good number of them has been of what we might like to call the internet's original reaction post -- years before YouTube and social media stories: its called SocialPulse... and it has been the unofficial but in a way, the classified record -- of all the social media reaction to The Challenge and other shows since in 2013 -- and a signature component of how we cover the MTV beat on this page.

A Pulse diary like this offers cable subscribers, cord-cutters, avid fans and casual viewers alike the other show taking place concurrent to when the episodes get beamed out: the social interaction among cast members, 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 often the leadup and aftermath too. We've done this for every regular and spinoff season in this franchise since CT's first Challenge title on Rivals 2, up until what we saw on All-Stars earlier this winter.

   These exclusive running diaries are specially designed, curated & pieced together in its uncensored entirety (yes, foul language is included to retain the heat of the moment, provided that it's not of an offense to some of you) to bring the competition, drama, hookups, jaw-dropping moments and more to you here as it took place in its original airings. Whether you're reliving it all over again on your DVR or on-demand, or if you don't have cable, satellite or streaming & have just caught up, you're covered... and staying true to that ladder audience, we abstain offering our episode coverage until this spot at the weekend. And we'll be every week to bring you how the cast, alumni and fans see each episode from their POV, and the buzz before and after the episodes.

   And along with those, we also offer our take on the traditional weekly episode recaps with opinions & analysis... and starting with this cycle, after the diary we will feature the Moment of the Night -- the top moment of each episode with an embedded video clip. And stay with this site as we also put a spotlight to the people and stories of this world as only seen through the scope of ExtraTime -- our storytelling franchise... all with the outstanding content you come to expect from this site. And if this is your first time visiting us, welcome and get comfortable... you'll probably will fall in love with us too.

But before we bring you the 'Pulse of the premiere of Season 3 of All-Stars which will be featured here in the day or so ahead, there's this: there's nothing like that day when the buzz officially starts to a new season of The Challenge (or to us, any new season or show that we feel is of interest). In this case, the ramp-up to this week's premiere took place back on that big day in the marijuana world -- April 20th when the cast of this season was revealed as was our first look at this season.

   After the break, we begin taking the Pulse of The Challenge All-Stars Season 3 with this special pre-diary covering the kickoff of the countdown to its opening act, including a few from this cast celebrating the latest power couple in this world. And welcome to the weekend, Challenge Nation...

Inside MTV Reality: Welcome Back Again to The Challenge All-Stars - Season 3

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

It's May, and when it comes to competition this is just as good as you can possibly want it to be: yesterday saw 99-1 longshot Rich Strike score a shocking upset in the Kentucky Derby, and we are now into both the Conference Semifinals in the NBA Playoffs and Round 1 of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. Last weekend saw football fans shut down part of the Las Vegas Strip for the NFL Draft, and the world's other football is into the last weeks of European league play after Real Madrid's crazy comeback over Manchester City to claim their Champions League finals berth. And with baseball, fights, auto racing, golf, tennis and more in store, our 2022 Summer of Sports is now underway.

Meanwhile as the two arena sports here and the action on the pitch overseas are into the business halves of their seasons that began back last year, the one thing dubbed by many of you as America's fifth major pro sport is about to begin its year this close to summertime. MTV's The Challenge is kicking off the first of a couple seasons in 2022 at least that will sure have us buzzing over the course of most of the rest of this year. Last year, we saw one of the greats in this game notch his fourth and fifth Challenge titles when CT went back-to-back on Double Agents and Spies, Lies and Allies, and Big Brother alumni joined him in the winner's circle in Amber B. and Kaycee.

However, there was that other show with The Challenge name that had so many of you buzzing last year -- maybe more than the show airing on MTV: an idea brought by a fan two years ago to the ultimate OG in Challenge Nation became a reality with the launch of Paramount+. Since then, All-Stars has been nothing short of a massive success in helping bring fans to ViacomCBS/Paramount's streaming service and to their array of entertainment and more on there with Star Trek, Halo, Nickelodeon and beyond... and it has also seen plenty of throwbacks for those of us who have watched the show over the past quarter-century just by seeing those familiar faces. It has also crowned some worthy champions as well -- but the true winner in all of this is us the fans, as well as one Mark Long too.

So, what could possibly be better than both Seasons 1 and 2 of The Challenge: All Stars? Well, how about a Season 3 of this show you love. But maybe more than that, it's of who is being invited to the big party this time: the twenty-four competitors chosen to suit up this time are those who have one thing in common: making it all the way to the very last act of any season of this show in competing for the money. If recent seasons of the regular show gave the competitors a dare to win an elimination, then this season makes the prerequisite of competing in a final just to make it to the starting line of this season... thus, the statement that this is the most anticipated Challenge season in years is no understatement.

This year, 2022 in The Challenge kicks off with Season 3 of All-Stars... and after the break, we at DCBLOG take our first look at all that awaits us come a few days from now in South America. Glad you have joined us, Challenge Nation...