Thankfully, this season of MTV's The Challenge is finally underway. It will be over before we know it, so we have to bask in its glory while we still have the chance. Episode 3 aired last week, and we didn't think it would be able to top the two-hour premiere episode. Although we had to deal with the absence of our beloved Marie (who we patiently awaited the return of for 5 years), I was pleasantly satisfied with episode 3.
After being introduced to a new possible showmance between Real World's Smashley and AYTO's Hunter, we dove right into the next challenge. Only those who have not earned their way into the Oasis would compete, meaning Officer Zanetta, Dario and/or Raphy, self-proclaimed Dumb College Grad Kailah, and Tony "We were on Real World: Skeletons, not Real World: Snakes" Raines, would not be competing.
The remaining underdogs were left to divide themselves into teams of two. The teams were as follows: Smashley and Hunter, Anthony and Sylvia, former roommates Jenna and Cory, Bad Blood's Anika and Theo, rivals Amanda and Nelson, and TeaTimeWithToya and Shane, who is still trying to tell these people what Road Rules is. The teams had to get into an unstable boat and navigate themselves around a lake. While the challenge was underway, we got a sneak peek of what the Champions and Ashley Kelsey were up to back in the U.S. CT and Darrel were saying goodbye to their adorable children, and Johnny Bananas was hanging at the beach with his GoPro, which Sarah may or may not have purchased for him.
Back in Thailand, when all is said and done, Smashley and Hunter end up reigning victorious and "punch their ticket" (?) to the Oasis. Hunter then chooses to send in Explosion's Jenna into the elimination, while Smashley opts for Theo to go in and earn his stripes. The rest of the underdogs are then left with the task of voting for two more people to go into the elimination and they decide on Anika the Millenial Oprah to go against Jenna, and Cory to go against Theo.
After the vote, we are then given yet another glance at what the champions and Ashley Kelsey are up to in the U.S. Johnny is using Sarah's GoPro to capture the group getting on their flight, and departing for Thailand.
The four underdogs are then seen hiking up a trail to their elimination, where it is soon revealed that producers have officially ran out of ideas for elimination rounds.
With that being said, Cory automatically won the elimination as he had nobody to compete against, and Jenna beat out Oprah. Cory and Jenna "punched their ticket" (?) to the Oasis, while we said goodbye to Theo and Oprah.
Next week, the champions invade the game. Will CT knock someone out before the first challenge? Will anyone besides Shane know who Darrel is? Will Camila go Camilanator? Will Laurel be smitten with Officer Zanetta right off the bat? Will Cara Maria's arms get their own intro? But most importantly, what other goodies did Sarah purchase Johnny Bananas? We will find out in due course!
