Who Are These Newbies? - Ex On The Beach Season 5: The Singles

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BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

Tonight, reality dating television's most uniquely different series makes its return to our screens when the U.S. version of MTV's Ex On The Beach premieres its fifth season -- the first time that we've been to the infamous beach in exactly two years. The show first debuted back in 2018 and has seen familiar faces to fans to both MTV and the reality world at large get a dose of karma of having their exes invade their season of love. And after a quiet twenty-four months, the beach is alive once again with the drama we come to love from the MTV brand, combined with plenty of romance and lots of fireworks to come our way from the Canary Islands across the Atlantic.

With this blogger now settled back in his writing chair after taking a break to edit YouTube Vegas vlogs and to watch the Winter Olympics, something DCBLOG has in common with the networks that aired the Games is a tradition of ours of getting to know the people who may not be well-known to most viewers, but who are worthy of getting the proper recognition and respect they deserve before they become big. "Who Are These Newbies?" gives us the chance to introduce those who are joining the MTV Reality family for the first time -- whether it's a new Challenge season or in this case, Ex U.S.  And it has been a staple of every season of our coverage of both shows and more since this site began in 2013, giving background, insight and visuals to nearly two-hundred personalities, with many more to be added to that list over the course of the coming months with new shows waiting in the wings.

While our take on MTV's global entry into the red-hot romantic reality genre has seen a veteran of at least one show on the channel be present in every season (The Challenge, Real World, Are You The One, even Teen Mom), a show like this is one that brings different fandoms from across the reality landscape together, just as it has been in recent seasons of the fifth major pro sport -- for which UK alums from this show coming onto Vendettas helped set the table for our version.  From when it began, Ex U.S. has had alums from Big Brother, Bachelor Nation and other reality franchises converge on a villa for a moment they would rather forget: getting to see their ex invade their vacation to paradise. While it is not fun for those who are in the house, it has made for some compelling television... only part of the MTV franchise which has been customized for dozens of countries -- its most widely seen format.

This year's cast has three familiar faces to the MTV audience: Da'Vonne Rogers made a memorable mark on two Challenges after her first two visits to the Big Brother house, while Mike Mulderrig returns to the channel after being one of the many VIP's to Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club back in 2019... and Derynn Paige is getting a third chance at romance after being on the first two seasons of Jersey Shore's entry to the field, A Double Shot at Love. And if you count other MTV-produced offerings, last spring Kyra Green from Love Island was cast into a special Pepsi-sponsored series for its YouTube channel, Match Me If You Can, also featuring an all-star reality cast similar to this show.

Those four faces aside, the saying that "there's something for everyone" is again ringing true for EOTB USA, as we get to put some leis around the necks of a stellar group of reality alumni who are about to come to grips with a rather rude awakening once they head onto the beach -- from three guys who have been in the ringer of a romantic reality show before (and in one's case, having been well rested from being on another reality show on his original CBS network), to trendsetters in both the world of fashion and dancing. Plus in taking a cue from the first EOTB cast of four years ago, there's also people who have no reality experience being cast for Season 5 -- and one of them has the most intriguing backstory of anyone coming into the villa.

After the break, we begin our deep dive at the newbies of Season 5 of Ex On The Beach, as the "Beach of Doom" finally reopens as we profile the ones who come here single and ready to mingle -- and a couple of their exes.

Inside MTV Reality: Welcome Back to Ex On The Beach, Season Cinco

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

Right now, spring 2022 is officially in the air as we've transitioned from the snow to that annual season of renewal that, this year not only heralds in nicer weather to come but also a year that promises to be just about normal. And that includes the most-talked about shows in the world of reality television, which this year marks thirty years since it all began when a then music video channel set sail on this journey of pioneering an entire genre. And it's only fitting that this thirtieth anniversary year of MTV Reality TV promises to be one to remember, a result of the global pandemic wrecking havoc on the production calendar of the past couple years for what is now Paramount Global and its platforms.

We've just begun a new year in Siesta Key, as Juliette Porter tries to pick up the pieces of another failed romance, while Cheyenne Floyd spent a winter vacation in the Caribbean with her Teen Mom sorority just as the dad of her first kid is ready to welcome number #2. Ahead of us, the year in The Challenge will begin with Season 3 of All-Stars on what's now become a must-have for MTV fans in Paramount+, which will also host the third edition of The Real World Homecoming as the cast of the original New Orleans season will reunite down in the Big Easy.  P+ will also be the venue for a third War of the Worlds Challenge later this year, as will another star-studded mega-project in All-Star Shore... and we will have all of these shows covered on here between now and then, as will two others.

Something that's been scarce in our MTV coverage here in this time has been the network's twisted take on love, which has become the buzz word of the reality community the past few years. But there's good news coming: earlier this month, Paramount+ announced the pending fall return of a show that we've followed ever since its 2014 debut, Are You The One?, as American and international singles will face the truth booth in a global-themed season 9. Last year, Vinny Guadagnino tried yet again to find his match on A Double Shot at Love... and one of those suitors who were looking for win the heart of the Jersey Shore bachelor the first time around is taking her talents to another of MTV's entry into reality love... and it too is back from a prolonged summer vacation.

Also eight years back, MTV introduced to the world -- albeit the non-U.S. international audience -- what might be the most twisted of all the romantic reality shows out there. Ex On The Beach became a huge hit in the United Kingdom and many other countries before it made its way to our American shores four years ago this spring... and it too has also made its mark on this side of the pond with some of reality TV's biggest stars having to go through hell on the sand watching their past come back into their lives. The last time we got to enjoy the pleasure of finding out "Whose Ex Is Next?" was just before the world turned upside down: Season 4 saw the global franchise's first winter-themed season which hosted its first ever proposal, plus some drama involving those who represent America's fifth pro sport.

Now some two years after we left New Zealand, we have made our way for the first time on our U.S. version of the show to the continent of the European Union: Gran Canaria. the Spanish colony of the Canary Islands, will be our hosts for the return of Ex On The Beach USA. And just as it was when it first made waves on this side of the Atlantic, a few familiar faces to us from having covered the MTV beat here for ten years will be part of the fun... and they'll be joined by those from all around the wide world of reality TV. And after the break, we take our first look at all the drama to come from the beach.

MTV Reality WRAP: Siesta Key - The Season 4 Midseason Premiere

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

As DCBLOG begins year #10 Inside MTV Reality, there's been things going on outside of my beat which are affecting this blogger right now. And if you somehow notice that our upcoming articles might be published later than they should have been posted in the coming weeks, then you will understand why -- but for now the matters will remain those of a personal matter. However, in the spirit of serving you, the fans, with a much-needed escape from what you -- and me -- are going through right now and in this world, we shall proceed with the business at hand as we always do on here.

In the space of the past month, there's been a flood of show and cast reveals, yet another baby to come for the king of this kingdom, rumors abounding over a new spinoff and a few other things. And if all of them are any indication, then 2022 will be quite the year in reality TV as MTV sees it -- and not just because this is the thirtieth anniversary year of when the channel first pioneered the genre. We will have plenty of cover over the course of the next many months to come... but we begin on this mid-March weekend with a rather juicy opening act in what is referred to as Season 4-B of Siesta Key kicking off down in Sarasota, Florida.

On Saturday, we brought you how the first half of this season played out back last August -- an episode recap that was actually delayed by quite a bit due to many things. But for the gist of what happened the last time MTV made a visit to this paradise: things were so much different: Juliette had just launched her entry into the clothing world when the Florida queen unveiled her swimsuit line... not to mention being in a romance that she felt was finally a perfect one in finding a ginger billionaire. There was also the secret life of a boyfriend that cost him having his relationship with his girlfriend, and a bunch of other things that makes life in this clique not feel like a breeze.

Now as we return to Florida for our sixth straight year to this paradise, things have changed a bit like night and day. And after the break, we wrap the Season 4 midseason premiere of Siesta Key.

MTV Reality WRAP: Siesta Key - The Season 4 Summer Finale

 BACKTRACKED EDITION  

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

We welcome you all back to DCBLOG's look Inside MTV Reality... and to our tenth year of this site's coverage of the reality shows you love. We took a break following Season 2 of The Challenge All-Stars to let the blogger in residence follow his favorite sporting events in the Winter Olympics and a Super Bowl in the middle of all that. But now we're glad to be back to the beat we cover the most, and we are in for quite a 2022 with Season 3 of All-Stars, an All-Star version of the Shore franchise, the return of Are You The One? and other things. But before all that, we have a rather juicy opening act: sultry drama down in the state of Florida -- site of some of MTV's biggest moments the past few years.

As we're now into mid-March and also getting to spring forward by an hour tomorrow, Spring 2022 has swung into full gear as some of you college students are just underway with your first Spring Break vacation in a few years. Perhaps, some of you will be taking a trip down to the Tampa Bay area and to nearby Sarasota... and a few might just fit in a visit to a neighborhood in the area that is the home to MTV's Siesta Key, which has seen its fair share of fireworks and fun since we first flew down there five years ago this summer. The show has witnessed plenty of on-and-off romances, gossip and intrigue, and just about everything else that that those who've become addicted to reality soaps love.

When we returned once again to the Sunshine State a year ago last May, we found the cool kids of this beach community in different places than they were at the end of 2020: Juliette appeared to have finally found love in rich man Sam, but just couldn't get over what happened to her other big relationship: the one with her former roommate. There, the tensions that had been simmering with Kelsey blew up while the crew was on vacation in the Caribbean, and that trip is only part of a most memorable summer that saw plenty of parties, drama, romance and even talk of one's private life posting NSFW imagery on OnlyFans has highlighted this time in paradise.

Last we were in Siesta Key on this site, the past history of MTV going down to Florida where things wouldn't end quietly once again reared its head with the cool kids. There's one taking a stand, another pondering what's next in his journey in parenthood, and the launch of some swimwear... and there's those other happenings with the group -- babies included as well as a postseason reunion hosted by Ghosted's Rachel Lindsay. And after the break, we offer the Season 4 Summer Finale installment of the DCBLOG Key WRAP, before we turn our attention to what goes down this coming Thursday.

DC FORUM: Farewell, River Zain...

A Word from The Editor

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

This week, DCBLOG returns from a few weeks' hiatus from this hobby where this blogger got to follow both the Winter Olympics and Super Bowl LVI during the just-completed month of February, and being able to create plenty of escapable content in the latest series of Vegas YouTube vlogs from my trip last fall. But before we begin this spring cycle of going Inside MTV Reality and our tenth year of covering TV's most-talked about reality fare with a new season of Siesta Key that debuts this coming Thursday night, we would like to take this brief moment here to remember a friend of this site.

It's obviously been a rough couple years for all of us -- the two-year anniversary of the pandemic declaration is this week... and that is on top of politics, Black Lives Matter, plenty of panic, and now the war in Ukraine with Russia & its leader in the middle. But above all, it's likely that you have had to deal with the death of a loved one or an idol in the twenty-six months of this lost decade: over the winter holidays, my extended family got to say farewell to one who welcomed us into her home for many a family gathering for so many years -- our beloved nanny who we all called "Inong." And it was just last month that I found out about someone who I featured on this site back eight years ago, and one who I discovered from watching the shows I love.

Occasionally on here, the DC FORUM segment gives this blogger a chance to bring on someone from the MTV fandom or those podcasters who cover The Challenge and other shows every week to do what those in the ladder profession do best: talk about the fifth major pro sport or whatever is going on in the wide world of reality television. In one of those instances -- and in this case, two in fact -- we featured one who got to become a loyal fan of the shows you love to watch.

DC SocialPulse: The Challenge All-Stars 2 - The $500,000 Finale

*** 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 was back during one particular lost summer that a fan made a bold suggestion that would once again move the needle for the one reality competition show you love. Well, here we are two years later and fans of MTV's The Challenge have much more to talk about as -- right after we've gotten to witness history in the making in Los Angeles and before we head to Beijing -- we are about to wrap up another cycle of covering the fifth major pro sport with Season 2 of The Challenge: All-Stars on Paramount+.

When we left the action in Cancun, Mexico a few days ago on here, it was the final week of the regular season with the last regular challenge and elimination -- which at this site we refer to alternatively as "semifinal week." Having won in the arena the previous week, Melinda & Nehemiah really had nothing to compete for and had already claimed their spot in the final... but in a daily game where the teams had to solve a puzzle while aboard a moving truck they came away with the win, which set the stage for who was arguably the strongest pair of this season, Brad & Jodi, to go voted in. In the end, the Cutthroat champ and Duel I winner lost in that last arena... setting the stage for a final where anyone can win.

For the players who did make it to the end, they are all worthy of being finalists: Darrell has the unique status of winning those four titles in his first four seasons and won Season 1 of the Champs vs. Stars trilogy, while Janelle beat the rest of her Key West mates to victory lane on Inferno III. Jonna has the experience of having ascended to the top on Discovery's Endurance many years ago but this is her first trip to a final, while MJ has come here to win. Teck & Ayanna might be considered the bettor's choice to be eliminated first, but we have seen stranger things before on this show. And Nehemiah knows that feeling well considering what happened the last time he contested a Challenge in Mexico, and he would love nothing more than take the W... though his partner is the sentimental favorite for many after what happened to Melinda before coming here.

One final test awaits the final eight as they will take on the jungle in Yucatan as they battle each other and the stifling heat, as they will be pushed to their limits on a physical, mental and emotional level as they race all the way to the end. And after the break, it's the finale of Season 2 of All-Stars on the 2021 season finale of the DCBLOG MTV Reality SocialPulse... and thanks for joining us this Super Sunday...

Summer of Sports Winter Edition: My Olympic Obsession

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

Last year -- just as it was in 2015, DCBLOG devoted a series of posts to covering the world of sports to coincide with last summer's pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympic Games. In addition to covering the finale of Season 2 of MTV's The Challenge All-Stars this weekend -- during this month of February and continuing into the month of March as well, we're offering a special Winter Edition of "Summer of Sports" to cover not only the ongoing Beijing Winter Olympics, but also Super Bowl LVI which takes place this weekend in Los Angeles following the expanded 17-game NFL regular season and historic conference playoffs, as well as the traditional slate of big sports events of the year's first quarter.

If you know me from the social sphere, then it's likely that you know that I have four principal passions of mine: MTV reality TV shows, music, Las Vegas and sports. And on the topic of the ladder, the consequences of the past couple years has been able to produce a packed schedule of sporting events: more overlap among the four major sports leagues, international soccer, golf and so much more.

But if you've been following me on @DC408Dxtr in the past seven months or so, then you know that the main event is ongoing... and it's the one event than I look forward to more than any other: the Olympic Games. What we're seeing right now is taking place in a shorter turnaround than it has been in three decades: two Olympics being held within the space of a calendar year -- once the norm when both the Summer and Winter Games were held in the same year until a '90s scheduling change separated them and have made the Olympics a more frequent happening taking place every two years.

For this sports fan who loves so many of the kinds of sports that don't get the mainstream exposure, Olympics time means that I get to become a super-fan whenever the calendar hits summer or winter in an even-numbered year -- or in this case, last July 20th followed by February 2nd over a week ago. Whatever the case -- and aside from few exceptions like working on this blog and getting sleep, over the past decade or so I have altered my schedule for the one and only thing that I consider getting to binge watch when I go into full Olympic mode. Both Tokyo and Beijing represent the latest installment of this obsession I have with the world's greatest sporting spectacle.

DC SocialPulse: The Challenge All-Stars 2 - Semifinal Week

*** 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

Hello again everyone... we've now into the month of February, which as we described on here is a dream month for those who love competition. But before this blogger gets consumed by Olympic fever for the second time in six months as well as a Super Bowl matchup nobody expected over a month ago, DCBLOG has this business to take care of: covering the homestretch of Season 2 of The Challenge All-Stars -- and in turn a Challenge cycle that began when the flame in Tokyo went out back in August.

Last we brought you to Cancun on here a week ago last week (and after returning from a detour to edit my 2021 Vegas vlogs), the game had become to get a little bit serious in the teams being set in stone before Nehemiah's Palace alliance and Brad & the rest of the house took off for a challenge on monster trucks. But weeks after what we saw with Ayanna and Leah in that first elimination, there was a heartbreaking moment in the arena that didn't involve players competing against one another: a talk back home with her fiancé revealed that Casey had been competing while pregnant and had to withdraw, similar to what we saw with Michelle and Natalie last year and Melissa the year before that.

For all intents and purposes on this page, this site refers to the last week of the regular season on any Challenge season as "semifinal week," regardless of whether it's the normal show or a spinoff such as this. As we return to Mexico, it is no different as this game is reaching the starting line of the final, as the Stars take to the tarmac once again to undo complicated puzzles aboard a moving semi-wheeler. One team is already into the final by way of winning the last arena, but could they give a full 110% to put a leg up on the rest of the competition? And could what happens in the house and another having a sore back dent their hopes on making it to the end?

After the break, it's the 'Pulse of Semifinal Week on The Challenge All-Stars, and thanks for joining us...