Recapping The Challenge: Camila Crashes, Trivia!!, Elimination Cheering

Adam Hatlak, one of our writers here is as big of a Challenge fans as I am. We want to expand our coverage a bit so we are doing a recap blog post on Friday. He will basically have three to five takeaways each week talking about things that happened on The Challenge.

Camila: Rough episode this week for Camila, and you could see her elimination coming from a mile away. Something just wasn't right this week, as she was more nervous for the trivia challenge than she seems for most challenges. She teared up just by getting questions wrong. It was a tough episode to watch, as she is generally one of the more competitive players. It had to be a tough week for Charlie, as she is his favorite (Yeah I felt really uncomfortable - CT) . With so many castmates making it seem like they aren't going to do too many more of these, I really hope we get to see Camila at least one more time, her legacy can't end like that.

Trivia Challenges: Best episode of every season, and this year had an extra special addition of TJ really making fun of the challengers when they got questions wrong. I wonder if TJ goes hard at them like that in physical challenges as well. I've got my fingers crossed that in next week's Power Rankings, Charlie does a mini Power Rankings for Top 5 answers in the trivia challenge.

Cheering in an Elimination: If I ever ended up on this show, my cheering style would be way different than what current cast members do. Important background info, at any sporting event, I'm a fairly quiet observer, and I would be no different here. I would make sure the people that I wanted to win, knew I wanted them to win, and from there, I'd stay silent. Once the competition was over I'd congratulate both sides. The only thing you can really do as an observer for one of these is make someone mad. If you're cheering for the person that leaves, the person that comes back is going to be mad. Gotta be smart.


Elimination Flashbacks: BIG opportunity missed here this week. Why doesn't the challenge flashback when two competitors have met in a previous elimination round. Here's how I would have done this, as soon as Camila draws the "kill card," cut to a shot of Theresa saying: "I've got Laurel and Devyn against me, I'm feeling like an outsider in this house, just like Rivals 2." Cut to a flashback of how she got thrown in last season, transition to Camila eliminating her. Go back to the Theresa voiceover "this season, it's an individual game, and I've got to worry most about myself. I've got to beat Camila if I have any chance in this game." Then show the elimination and hype it up as much as they did, and you've not only got Theresa eliminating a big threat, but you've got her overcoming a previous demon. In a season that seems to be lacking a true threat to Laurel, they missed a chance to elevate Theresa. 

Adam