When we last left MTV’s reality competition show The Challenge, a team made up of CT, Dee, Jordan and Rogan claimed victory after a wild season.
This time? It’s every competitor for his and herself in Total Madness, as 28 of the best vets and some very talented rookies compete for a million dollar prize while living in an underground bunker.
As always, we task our resident Challenge expert Charles Curtis to power rank each of the competitors after each week.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
This week: For a second straight episode, a former champion goes home after a surprise loss in elimination.
1. Jenny
I have no reason to move her — she’s got a Red Skull, she’s clearly one of the strongest players there and I don’t see anyone wanting to put her into elimination anytime soon, if at all.
2. Johnny Bananas
A seasonal reminder that Johnny has so much power. He figured out the right strategy in the frightening Cold War challenge — in which competitors jumped into icy water to retrieve puzzle pieces — and saw Ashley go home after she and he got into a tiff.
3. Wes
Last week, he helped out Johnny Bananas — his new alliance pal — and this week, he was nearly on a winning team and helped Dee with putting the seasons of The Challenge in the right order so she could beat Ashley in Purgatory. As long as there are no cracks in his and Johnny’s alliance, he’s positioned really well.
4. Fessy
Still convinced he’ll dominate in an elimination at some point and earn a Red Skull.
5. Dee
Back up she goes two weeks after a rough episode. She has her Red Skull after taking down Ashley now even though it feels like there are a lot of people who don’t trust her.
6. Jordan
7. Tori
Man, the two of them keep trying so hard to help each other get into the Purgatory ring, but they can’t catch a break. At some point, Tori is going to have to win something involving a puzzle — and there are a lot more puzzles than there used to be — to get to a final.
8. Rogan
I think he might deserve to be higher? Let’s see what happens in a men’s elimination week coming up and decide.
Gotta stay cool, calm, and collected. #TheChallenge35 pic.twitter.com/o1Bu9VfTDm
— challengemtv (@ChallengeMTV) April 23, 2020
9. Mattie
I would not want to have a confrontation with her if I was in that house … er, bunker.
10. Jay
Give this rookie some respect. He’s won twice in elimination — including an all-time shocking result with a win over CT — so he has his Red Skull. And he looked really good in this week’s challenge.
11. Bear
Why move him UP after he sprayed a fire extinguisher and continues to hound Kailah? Because this is Bear’s game. He annoys, he stirs up trouble and he flirts. And you know what? He’s gotten far that way.
Weigh-in here: Bad boy or fireman? #TheChallenge35 pic.twitter.com/JTitaeqNiy
— challengemtv (@ChallengeMTV) April 23, 2020
12. Cory
I’m moving him down because he quit after seeing what happened to Nelson, and we know how TJ feels about quitters (even ones who leave pools that can give you hypothermia).
13. Nelson
I still think he’s good despite needing a hospital visit after freezing himself in Cold War.
14. Jenna
Always reliable and good, but will need to make a move at some point to nab a Red Skull.
Sipping from Wes' goblet of power I see. 😎 #TheChallenge35 pic.twitter.com/h1DlyegzMV
— challengemtv (@ChallengeMTV) April 23, 2020
15. Big T
You’ve got to respect her making some political moves after making it into the Tribunal this week.
16. Swaggy C
17. Bayleigh
Being in a couple helps in this game. But I laughed like Aneesa did at the fact that they have a blanket with each other’s photos on it.
18. Kailah
Eventually getting involved with Bear could end up helping in some way from a political POV.
19. Aneesa
Good win this week, but, in hindsight, was this a missed opportunity to throw herself into elimination?
20. Kaycee
Still waiting to see what this rookie can do.
21. Kyle
It was really nice of him to go up to Ashley and give her a hug after he cut off the elimination vote so she could be spared of hearing more negative comments.
22. Josh
Not a noteworthy ep for the big man.
23. Nany
She nearly came to blows with Mattie. Yikes.
24. Melissa
Still haven’t seen much from her yet.
25. Ashley
A rough season for her ends with an early exit. It seemed like it was more than Johnny who wasn’t happy with the way she was playing the social game, and when that happens, the target on your back only gets bigger.
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