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...

DC FORUM: DCBLOG at Ten Years, 1500 Posts & Counting

A Note from the Editor

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

On this the premiere day of Season 3 of The Challenge All-Stars, today --Wednesday, May 11th -- marks the start of the tenth year of DCBLOG... and this is also our site's 1500th overall posts. In truth, this is actually the ninth anniversary of my very first blog post on the site back on this very same date back in 2013, which was just a simple little post that was titled "I'm here." But for the sake of both the record keeping and for the factor of celebration whenever the last number ends in a "0" or "5," for all intents and purposes this is the beginning of what will be an 18-month long celebration on here.

Whatever the case may be, I am proud of the work that I have been able on here to offer over the course of the past decade... all of which began with just a simple suggestion by a longtime Twitter fan to bring my obsessed episode content from Twitter to this Google Blogger platform. That recommendation by one who's been a friend of mine ever since my first summer on Twitter ten year ago in Andrew Kirk -- who pioneered the world of getting to podcast on this thing most of us who watch the show call "the fifth major pro sport" -- has more than served me well, and the rest has been history.

Since the beginning of this site, I have evolved both as a person and as a blogger in turning this simple hobby on the side into something that feels like a profession to me, in addition to the great thing that I get to do every day. Even now in these past few years where we have been stuck at home in this pandemic -- and even as this blogger is going through an unprecedented time in his life as yours truly has been dealing with serious family matters (which if you saw my Instagram post or the finale of the DC Vegas XI vlog series on YouTube, you have an idea about it), I have seen this blog as a much-needed place of escape... like so much of what we've had to endure these past twenty-seven months -- and for which our "Escape You Deserve" slogan has really rung true.

Over the past decade, DCBLOG has evolved in the way we get to tell the stories of this fascinating world of MTV Reality, offer the unique weekly episode coverage via the weekly Pulse and traditional recaps, and also have time to delve into my three other biggest passions of sports, music and Las Vegas. The manner of storytelling, reliving the big moments and so much more give this site its unique personality in this increasingly complex world of ours, and yet give us this distinctive place in this coverage beat. And thanks to the increasing exposure, acclaim and readership we have been getting, then we know that you enjoy this exceptional work, and this blogger is most appreciative of it... the result of countless numbers of hours the past nine years of perfecting the very best content there is. 

But a lot has changed over this time, some things just don't change or evolve much: I have done most of this work on the same home desktop computer -- and now I get to do an increasingly amount of these on a laptop that my mom gave me for Christmas back two years ago. And another thing that hasn't changed a bit has been this site's unwavering commitment to quality and excellence we do... and if you thought that this past decade has been quite the ride, then we look forward to what the next ten years and beyond await us on this site. And from this blogger, thank you... and welcome to DCBLOG Year 10.

- I AM DC

#DCBLOG

The Look: A Summer with the Seven Mutual Friends

*** CAUTION: Videos Embedded Below Contain Adult Language and Content Intended for a Mature Audience. Viewer Discretion is Advised. ***

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

Instagram @Seven.MF

Over what will soon be the nine full years that DCBLOG has been at this beat of covering MTV Reality shows, one thing has been covered more often on here than any other regular topic that this ExtraTime storytelling franchise has featured, and it doesn't have anything to do with an actual MTV show -- but from one who is a fan of this world like yours truly is.

Just a few weeks back, we featured for the first time this year the unique talent that is Andres Rodriguez from Secaucus, New Jersey. If you don't know the story by now, we first featured him back in 2017 when he and his high school friends got to work out with those from The Challenge on the occasion of the show's 30th season, and where we were drawn to him for the fact that he was a YouTuber who had done several homemade versions of the fifth major pro sport.

Ever since, we have covered step of this Dre.Media journey -- one that has seen him produce, edit, host and sometimes compete on The Caucus Challenge, which has spanned twelve seasons. And Dre has also been the protagonist character on its Real World-like spinoff, The Life We Live, which has gone to seven different cities even during this pandemic. And in both cases, we have seen action, drama and plenty of juicy stuff among his now-larger group of friends than he had to begin with.

If you grew up during those glory days of going to school from being young kids in elementary time to being teenagers in high school, it's likely that you had a group of best friends that you hung out with more than any other. And it's no different with Andres: he has a group of people that he considers his "ride or die" -- and last year as things got back to normal for a change, the group that calls themselves the "Seven Mutual Friends" documented their summer 2021.

DC SocialPulse: Ex On The Beach 5 - "Seeing is Believing"

*** 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 a late Tuesday night around here... and if you're an MTV fan you're probably waiting for the big show to arrive in just a few hours -- that is, if you will be like me and waiting for it to be posted on Paramount+ at midnight Pacific time. But we at DCBLOG have something nice for you to get you prepped for that as we now bring you the Pulse of Ex On The Beach from the Canary Islands.

Things have been quite wild in the villa during the first month or so in this return engagement with the "Ultimate Relations*** Show," and last we were in this paradise two exes came by: Ranin's ex-husband Elias and Ray's ex Nicole -- the ladder now getting his rather twisted world. They came down just in time for the latest night of awkwardness at the Table of Truth, which instead of food around the dinner table was turned into a talk show set, as the singles and their exes were forced to air things out through a listening exercise... and it was more than enough for the two representatives from our neighbors to the north to finally head home in Da'Vonne's ex Jamar and his Big Brother Canada mate Ming-Ly.

Every iteration of EOTB around the world has some interesting gadgets that let the housemates know that bad news is on the way: the Shack of Secrets, the Tablet of Terror, the Beach of Doom, and an item you'd probably see in the liquor store. And as we come back to the island, one item that has made people cringe in the villa is the star of the show: not one, but a few Messages in a Bottle may help to settle the big love triangle remaining in this paradise among a Hotel guest, an Islander and a 5th Grader, plus even sending one who loves riding boats on a ride himself. Plus, another well-known ex to those who love summertime feed-watching will have her eyes on breaking up that romance made in Vegas, as the ways of the man at the heart of it get tested.

Why not join us after the break as we bring the 'Pulse of Week 6 of Ex On The Beach 5, as we have reached the halfway point of this springtime summer of love... dive in.

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...

DC SocialPulse: Ex On The Beach 5 - Time to Go Face to Face...

*** 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

If you are one of those in our readership who loves this MTV world so much, then this is the calm before the storm of what goes down next week. But for now, there is a storm of a different kind that has been hitting just as much as those twisters some of you in the country have been feeling: it's the storm of exes coming onto MTV's Ex On The Beach, and season 5 rages on over in the Canary Islands.

Last we were there, not one but two people came ashore... but luckily it was not a pair of exes but rather two new singles to replace the first person to leave the house (ex Caro): Love Islander and America's Got Talent alum Kyra and the third alum from a Netflix show coming onto this ad-supported cable channel in Bryce from Too Hot to Handle. But the big show of Week 4 in the EOTB villa came in the latest visit to the Shack of Secrets: after going on the latest getaway date out of he house Mike and Arisce were invited to that dungeon that was turned into a home movie theater as they saw what he was doing behind his back including that first night smooch with David.

When it comes to any version of EOTB around this planet of ours, there is sure to be fireworks... and as we arrive back in the villa someone who hasn't been in the spotlight much in our first month in paradise finds herself back under the glare: this time with an ex not as well known as her most well-known one. Another ex also joins him there, which may cause the latest issues in the ongoing saga of the Player of this pad just as his fellow Islander may find herself in love with a Hotel guest. And a place like this forces people to try and perhaps work things out, and the latest visit to the Table of Truth will give them a chance to hone their listening skills... and what happens there may send some people packing.

We'll join you here after the break for the DCBLOG 'Pulse of Week 5 of Ex On The Beach 5... and after the buzz we'll catch up on the one girl who found herself trending on TikTok for having her nose broken on an MTV show. Find out who that is just ahead, and Happy Cinco De Mayo...

DC ExtraTime: The Challenge Takes Over a Super Bowl Commercial

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

   ESTIMATED READING TIME: 18 MINS.

In over a week from now, the focus for many fans of the MTV Reality world will be fixated on the first offering in 2022 of the fifth major pro sport of The Challenge. But once matters settled on Season 2 of All-Stars back in January, this blogger who loves his MTV shows took a break from covering them on here to follow another of his biggest passions: sports - and the two biggest events of them all... and it's one of the reasons why I've not been posting as much on this DCBLOG site in these first five months.

February gave me reason to join everyone else in the sports world and be both a fan and a viewer in enjoying the nineteen days of the Winter Olympics... and if you saw my Twitter feed during that eventful fortnight in Beijing, then you know how much of an Olympic super fanatic I am as I do any MTV show. But along with seeing Champs vs. Pros competitors Lindsay Jacobellis, Gus Kenworthy and Louie Vito, as well as Chloe Kim, Shaun White and Team USA, one other thing took place in the sports universe in the middle of the Games in a past and future host city an ocean away.

A year ago, the National Football League chose to take advantage of the massive popularity of America's favorite sport by adding a seventeenth regular season game to its schedule. As a result, the 2021 NFL campaign was expanded by one week to eighteen weeks of regular season play, a three-week preseason beforehand, and a thirteen-act play in January & February that was perhaps the most dramatic series of playoff games in league history. It also pushed back the season's last game, Super Bowl LVI, by a week to Sunday. February 13th -- the middle Sunday of the XXIV Winter Olympiad... and it made for what the network of both those events, NBC, to call it a "Once in a Lifetime" Super Gold Sunday.

And while we were caught up in the Los Angeles Rams' dramatic championship win as they nipped the Cincinnati Bengals by a late touchdown in their spectacular home of SoFi Stadium — plus hip-hop's finest hour in its biggest stars headlining a legendary halftime show and before the postgame bombshell of the ladies figure skating fiasco, there was an appearance by one who once appeared on a few seasons of The Challenge and got her start as part of a renowned Real World class. That person also just so happens to most notably be the ex-girlfriend of one of the All-Star competitors competing next month, as she took part in of the most unique aspects to every Super Sunday.