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Past Real Worlders and Road Rulers come back to take each on in a battle of rookies vs. veterans in the ultimate of competitions in MTV's reality franchises. Recaps by
Brian Moore GSNN |
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Hello,
Puerto Vallarta/The Piņata Pit The Real World/Road Rules Challenge is now back for its 15th season under the title, Gauntlet III. Here is the starting lineup... Frank (Real World: Las
Vegas) They all end up in beautiful Puerto Vallarta, Mexico which is the site for all the action in the G3. And once again the host TJ Lavin and he welcomes the cast to the Gauntlet. However, Beth isn't really excited to see anyone, while Coral's already got money on her mind. Tori is overwhelmed by the thought of being on her first challenge. Brad then announces that he's excited to be single after just getting out of a three-year relationship. Johanna tells us that she and her boyfriend Wes (of Real World: Austin) have recently moved in together. She has been working out and is ready to win this time. TJ then announces that the cast will be broken into two teams of 16: the Veterans and the Rookies. This Gauntlet will involve a team of challenge veterans who had been on at least two prior season. They'll compete against a team of rookies who have been on fewer than two seasons prior to G3. Here are the lists for both teams...
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|VETERANS (Red Team) |ROOKIES (Blue Team) | +----------------------------+----------------------------+ |Coral (RW: Back to New York)|Johanna (RW: Austin) | |Beth (RW: Los Angeles) |Brooke (RW: Denver) | |Katie (RR: The Quest) |Melinda (RW: Austin) | |Robin (RW: San Diego) |Janelle (RW: Key West) | |Paula (RW: Key West) |Rachel (RW: Austin) | |Ev (Fresh Meat) |Jillian (RR: Extreme) | |Casey (Fresh Meat) |Angel (RR: Viewer's Revenge)| |Diem (Fresh Meat) |Tori (RR: Viewer's Revenge) | |CT (RW: Paris) |Tyrie (RR: Denver) | |Brad (RW: San Diego |Alex (RW: Denver) | |Danny (RW: Austin) |Tyler (RW: Key West) | |Eric (Fresh Meat) |Nehemiah (RW: Austin) | |Evan (Fresh Meat) |Zach (RW: Key West) | |Kenny (Fresh Meat) |Derek (RR: Viewer's Revenge)| |Johnny (RW: Key West) |Frank (RW: Las Vegas) | |Adam (RW: Paris) |Ryan (Fresh Meat) | +----------------------------+----------------------------+ Diem's delighted to be on the same team as her boyfriend CT. Janelle is of the opinion that her team is "fresh," but she's also intimidated by some of the old-school Veteran girls. Danny then openly declares an alliance with his fiance Melinda even though she's on the other team. Kenny thinks his Veterans are stacked and that the Rookies don't stand a chance. Host Lavin takes then explains the rules for the series. The competition will be broken down into 16 challenges with 16 elimination rounds known as "Gauntlets." Gauntlets will alternate between male and female eliminations. On any given competition day, both the Vets and the Rookes will compete in a challenge. The winning team will not only be safe from the Gauntlet, they'll also choose one player (male or female, depending on the Gauntlet day) from the losing team to go into the Gauntlet. In addition, they'll also choose one player from the losing team to be safe from the Gauntlet. The losing team must then vote in one of their own teammates of the same sex to face the player selected by the winners in the Gauntlet. The two players involved will battle it out with the winner will staying and the loser eliminated from further play and sent home. But unlike the previous seasons, the teams will no longer have their team bank accounts as that concept has been canned. The remaining players on the winning team of the final challenge will split $300,000. Prizes and other things will still be awarded along the way, bringing this season's prize money total to about $400,000. So basically the only way to earn money is to make it to the final challenge and be on the winning team. As the cast cheers for the big money, Angel thinks the rules will work to her advantage since the other team perceives her as a weakling. And after her experience on the Fresh Meat season, Johanna says she will be willing to play every dirty trick in the book to make it to the end. Frank says he'll definitely be willing to stab a friend in the back to win that money. And with money on her mind Coral says that "$300,000" was the best thing she has heard all day. However, before the actual Challenge starts, the teams will compete in a good old-fashioned tug-of-war between the two teams. The team who wins the tug-of-war will have first pick at sleeping arrangements back at their homebase. After the Veterans and the Rookies take their positions on the opposite ends of the rope, TJ signals them to begin. Neither team really has the advantage at first, but the Veterans slowly pull the Rookies forward until Derek tumbles into the water. The Veterans win, and they are happy to know they'll be sleeping somewhere comfortable. Next we see the house that the teams will be staying in. The Veterans swarm the place, choosing their spots to sleep in. Coral is unhappy upon learning that she'll be rooming with Beth, and doesn't like the idea of waking up to "Hatchet face" every morning. Beth hopes that she and Coral can become friends, although this recapper is very doubtful of that ever happening. The Rookies troop down to where they'll be sleeping...which is a bug-infested hut with bunk beds and one bathroom. However, the disgruntled Rookies decide to make the best of it. Both teams then mesh together and throw their traditional first-night party. Alex notices that the people are twice as crazy in real life as they look on TV. CT talks about his premature departure on the Inferno 3 when he was kicked out for punching Davis (from Real World: Denver) and plans to lay low this time. While Zach's intimidated by some of the Challenge pros, he does love the family atmosphere that exists at least for now. Meanwhile, Brooke discusses emotional issues with Tyler, saying that she has felt a change in her sexuality because she's been hurt by men so many times. Although, she says that she isn't innately attracted to women. She says she wants someone with a "happy place", but does not want to deal with the person attached to it. Brooke admits that it sounds wiers, but she would just like a peaceful resolution to her issues. Tyler's shocked upon hearing that Brooke's now bisexual. Brooke says that she's intrigued by Ev (who's a lesbian) after having seen her on previous challenges. Ev calls Brooke over to sit in the hot tub with her. Ev says that she had Brooke marked as a cute straight girl and didn't have any idea she had this side to her sexuality. The two start kissing passionately while Ryan and Tyler begin making out as well. Then a whole mess of hook-ups are happening: Paula kisses Derek, then hops in a bed with Adam! Tori and Brad, John and Casey, and Frank and Jillian also have their hook-ups. Evan and Kenny envy the others, leaving them wondering why they can't get a bit of love. And Coral says that the break-ups will be way more interesting than the kissing. The next morning comes and people instantly start worrying about the game. Brad and CT feel that all of the strong players are on the chopping block. They then theorize that all the girls will immediately go after Coral because she is "the Queen Bee of the Challenges." However, Coral says that a win on the first Challenge is essential. The teams show up at the site of their first official challenge: a giant mudpit with a huge Mexican pinata hanging at the far end. The first challenge of the series is called "Pinata Pit" and it's similar to musical chairs. The teams will stand on the shore of the mud pit. When TJ hits the button, the giant pinata will open and spill a bunch of balls. Men will grab the orange balls while the women will grab the green balls. Any player who leaves the mudpit without a ball will be eliminated from the next round of play. The rounds will continue with decreasing amounts of balls until only a single man and woman are left standing. In the event the man and the woman left standing are both from the same team, they'll win the challenge. But if players from two different teams win, then each team will choose their best male to play a tiebreaker round. Whichever team's male wins that round will win the challenge. Today is a Male Gauntlet Day, so while the men on the winning team will be safe from the Gauntlet, women on that same team will win a Zune media player. After the cast lines up on the shore, TJ opens that piņata and challenge begins! People are tackling one another while trying to get at the balls. At the end of round 1, Rookies Angel, Brooke, Frank, and Tyler and Vets Casey and Kenny get eliminated. The 14 Veterans and 12 Rookies remaining play in round 2. John says that there is a lot of cheap shots going on beneath the surface as another furious struggle for balls occurs. Zach manages to tackle Danny and grab his ball. Before he can take it back, Zach tosses it to Alex so that Danny will have no chance of grabbing it back. Ev then viciously attacks Johanna, stealing her ball. Coral takes down Janelle and tries to take her ball, but Janelle manages to drag herself back to shore despite having Coral on her back. At the end of round 2 Rookies Jillian, Johanna, and Zach, and Vets Coral and Danny are eliminated. 12 Veterans and 9 Rookies remain in the running. Outside of the mud pit Ev says to the team that she's mad at Coral because she refused to go after Johanna and then went after Janelle when Ev tried to offer her the ball she got from Johanna. Coral overhears Ev and yells for her to come confront her herself instead of complaining to the team. Coral claims that if she had not protected Ev from the people going after her, then she certainly would not have gotten a ball. Coral says she does not care how well Evelyn performs and even insinuating that she has a "happy place", she doesn't tolerate trash-talking. Round 3 starts and Alex says he really doesn't have a plan. And we can tell by the footage of him when he just wanders around confusedly when he picks up a ball. Adam rushes up to Alex, and the Rookies on the sidelines yell for him to run, but he keeps walking. Adam manages to take the ball and run back to the starting line. At the end of round 3, Rookies Rachel, Alex, Derek, and Tyrie and Vet Paula are eliminated. This leaves 11 Veterans and 5 Rookies in contention. Round 4 begins and Janelle and Tori decide to doubleteam Ev, saying it would be very bad if Ev was the last Veteran girl standing. They manage to yank the ball away from Ev and Tori runs to the starting line with it. At the end of round 4, Rookies Janelle and Ryan and Vets Evelyn, Katie, Adam, and John are eliminated. And at this point 7 Veterans and 3 Rookies remain. Evelyn says that the lack of teamwork is starting to hurt the Veterans, while Angel is proud of how well the girls are doing and thinks that the Rookies girls may be able to win. At this point, Nehemiah's the last male Rookie standing. Round 5 sees Nehemiah dashing for a ball, but once he has one he's piled on by the remaining male Vets. Tori and Beth get to the female balls first, but she's blocked by Melinda, so Beth tosses the ball over Melinda to Robin, deciding to sacrifice herself so that Melinda has no chance of getting a ball. Nehemiah continues to be pounded by the Veteran assault, and in the end CT takes the ball from him, securing victory for the male Vets. After round 5, Rookies Melinda and Nehemiah and Vets Beth, Diem, and Eric are out. The Vets win the male competition, so CT, Brad, and Evan no longer need to compete. The challenge comes down to the final round with Robin against Tori. Both girls feel the pressure and Robin must win to secure victory for her team. However, Tori must win if she wants to push the game into a tiebreaker. Robin and Tori stand at the starting line, then TJ drops the one ball into the pit. They race for the ball, Tori grabs it, and, with some very fancy footwork, manages to outmaneuver Robin and arrive at the finish line. The Rookie females have won their part of the Challenge, and the game will end in a tiebreaker. The Rookies elect Derek to play for them and the Veterans decide to use CT. Coral is absolutely confident in CT not only because of his athletic prowess, but because he's "out of his f***ing mind." TJ gives the signal for the two men to start and they rush for the ball. Derek gets to it first and flops down on the ground on top of it. Then CT gets on top of him and tries to steal the ball. Derek manages to break away, but CT tackles him and pins him up against the walls of the pit while groping for the ball. Then Derek breaks away again, but CT tackles him again, and this time Derek drops the ball. CT swoops away, grabs the ball, and crosses the line. The Vets win the this challenge and are ahead early 1-0. The Vets must now choose a male Rookie to go into the Gauntlet and a male Rookie to be safe from the Gauntlet. They believe that Ryan is their weakest competitor and also believe that the Rookies will vote him in if he isn't saved, so they decide to give him exemption. As far as choosing someone to go into the Gauntlet, they think it should either be Derek or Nehemiah, their two strongest male competitors. The Vets come to a conclusion, though, that Derek would most likely beat any guy on their team, so they decide to vote Nehemiah in. The teams gather Coral announces to TJ and the others that Ryan is safe and that Nehemiah will be going to the Gauntlet. Ryan's glad to be exempt, not caring that the Veterans consider him weak. The Rookies must now deliberate on who to send to the Gauntlet to oppose Nehemiah. Nehemiah is hoping to go against Alex because his head really doesn't seem to be in the game. The Rookies decide that whoever is voted into the Gauntlet should choose the person to go in with them. The team agrees to this, but Rachel doesn't foresee this system working for many more rounds, but thinks it will be okay for now. Johanna announces that Nehemiah would like to go in against Alex. Alex accepts their challenge, and the Rookies officially vote him in. After they announce to TJ that Alex will be going in, he spins the Gauntlet wheel to determine which game will be played. It lands on "Force Field" and Alex is hoping that it's not a competition that has to do with weight. Nehemiah is determined not to be the first cast member sent home. The rules of "Force Field" go like this: the competitors involved will stand at opposite ends of the Gauntlet wearing a harness with a rope on it that goes behind and over them all the way across the Gauntlet to their opponent's back. They're each standing in a "box" made in the sand. When given the signal, they'll run towards each other and try to enter their opponent's box. As one moves forward, the other will get pulled back. The first contestant to make it across the border of the other contestant's box will win the Gauntlet and remain in contention while the loser will go home. Alex hopes that Nehemiah will screw up really badly or trounce him really quickly. TJ signals the competitors to start and they sprint towards each other's lines, but the sudden pull of their weight brings them both down to the ground. However, they both try to crawl forward and gain the advantage. Nehemiah figures that it will be harder for Alex to pull him if he digs himself into the sand and waits for Alex to drain his physical energy, so he does just that. The Rookies and Beth are all hoping Nehemiah will pull through, but the rest of the Vets would like to see him go home. Nehemiah curls up in the sand while Alex fruitlessly makes attempts to push forward. Tired of the Gauntlet, Alex gets up and walks backwards, allowing Nehemiah to run to the finish line. Nehemiah wins the first Gauntlet of this season and remains in contention. Kenny says that Alex basically gave up and wishes he could be here the whole time to give up on challenges. TJ congratulates Nehemiah and then rejoins his team. Nehemiah is hoping that this will be the last Gauntlet his team has to face. Alex ends up being the victim of the Gauntlet and TJ and the rest of the cast bid him goodbye as he's sent home. Robin and Katie are talking strategy. Robin says now that there's no bank accounts that the male Vets have no incentive to keep the girls with them at the end. They vow that if they do that to them, they'll do it right back. Robin declares that she trusts no one except Katie and Brad on this Challenge. Katie promises that anyone who messes with her will be sorry for they did. The cast is seen partying later, and CT (who is visibly drunk) starts saying things about "throwing missions and cutting the fat." Diem is praying that CT calms down, not wanting him to look like the bad guy. But CT continues to rant about throwing missions making John think that he's a scum bag and a loose cannon. Then Coral confronts CT about his abrasive behavior towards his teammates. CT belittles Coral by waving dismissively and telling her he doesn't trust her. Coral gets infuriated by the waving gesture and shouts at him. But despite Coral saying she respects CT and that he should stop acting like that, CT continues to insult her. As Coral finally walks away, CT calls after her that she will definitely go to the Gauntlet if they lose. Coral doesn't care and that being sent home would definitely not be the end of her life. Diem attempts to get CT to calm down and come to bed, but he's not having it. This makes Diem scared that the game will hurt their relationship as CT berates Diem, who also walks away. An angry Coral talks to the rest of her team about CT's behavior. They all agree that CT is too drunk to rationalize anything, but Coral feels that is not an excuse. When Diem walks in the room, Coral asks her what she sees in CT. Diem offers up the excuse that he's drunk. Coral says that Diem will never be able to make CT calm down in a state like that, accusing him of being a "crackhead." Ryan says that the Veteran team is basically a ticking time bomb. We're at the end of the premiere episode, and I may fear CT's behavior could only get worse. We'll see how that turns out next time. |
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