The Challenge Historian

Where can I get one of those Chef T steaks cause damn they look good! Plus: Ed third wheels nearly as well as he does math, the group finally gets some money, Berna and Melissa debate the merits of bullying, Ravyn pays for her sins, Jujuy proves yet again to be a gem of a human, and hot tubs, night clubs, romance, arguments, and overall mess? Is it 2023 or 2013? It’s The Challenge, Battle for a Ne...

We've got ourselves a merge! Well, almost. Plus: Bruce finds an idol, Kendra gets excited, reunions take place, information is shared, half the group is left in limbo, and the most popular kid on the beach makes history at Tribal Council! It's the Survivor 45 Episode 6 recap with Tony and Jacob, topics include: Intro and Reminders (00:15) Bruce Finds an Idol, Merge First Impressions (04:25) In Lim...

So much for the US / Season 38 alliance! Plus: Callum and Michele going steady, Kyland wants to chat while Melissa wants to make out, these group daily challenges are not getting any easier, Hughie is keeping the house sane, Ciarran rides for his UK roots, Ravyn can’t just go along with the group, and move over Jessica’s highly edited but still horrible deliberation speech, there’s a new king of s...

Jacob and Tony are back to cover all things Survivor 45 Episode 5! Detective Sifu, incredible camera work, Kaleb and Kellie linking up, Drew shutting down the nerd alliance, Bruce doing Bruce things, Dee lying like a champ, Austin not lying like a champ, a journey, a fun challenge, and Brando getting the boot - it's all covered in this edition of Survivor Historian! Intro & Programming Notes (...

The Battle for a New Champion has officially (because last week wasn’t official) begun! Plus: Berna really wants to room with Michele, Michele really wants to believe Callum doesn’t have a girlfriend, Ciarran takes the lead and avoids the fall, Big T doesn’t have a master plan but also she most certainly does, Horacio ain’t nobody's sheep, the S38 girls are trying to run this shit, Jessica gives t...

The Challenge on CBS, take two! This time around, no dating shows allowed, and damn near no Amazing Race allowed, in their place, it was an all out battle of Big Brother, Survivor, and MTV Vets vying to take home the title of USA 2 Champ and the properly explained $250,000 that came with it. Iconic seasons were played, redemption was had, Devin wasn’t there but his age old adage of Big Brother suc...

Jacob and Tony are back to break down the latest episode that gave us brand new tribes! Plus: Katurah vs Bruce continues, Kaleb is great at basketball (and basketball references), everybody likes Jake, Emily has new friends, Reba women are split, and for the second time this season we have someone quit mid-tribal council. It's the Survivor 45, episode 4 recap, topics include: Intro & Programmi...

Legends are born, champions are crowned, redemption is had, endings are abrupt, Survivor is four for four, woulda coulda shoulda for a couple of vets, and add ax throwing to the list of pre-requisites for a Challenge final because the Faysal Fan Club is reeling tonight... but pod through the pain we must! It’s The Challenge USA 2 episode 14 aka the Finale recap, topics include: Cold Open (00:00) I...

We are one week out from The Challenge 39 aka Battle for a New Champion premiering, which means it's time to do a full season preview. This Historian is hyped for the new season and here to get you feeling the same. Was this theme/cast a good idea? Can Olivia and Horacio live up to their budding face of the franchise status? How will Michele, Jay, Big T, and Mel fare as the "vets" of the house? Wh...

Jacob and Tony are back to break down the third episode of Survivor 45, otherwise known as the final episode of the three part series, "Survivor: Lulu's Demise." Every bit of the episode is covered: Sabiyah's opening blunder, Kaleb's dominance in the reward challenge, the raid of Reba, Drew and Austin being horrible look outs, the devastation of the immunity challenge, Lulu's trust issues, that th...

How about Chris and Michaela? No really, how about Chris and Michaela my goodness! Plus: more old school Challenge references, more secret deals that don’t totally make sense, more finals appearances for a lot of folks with a lot of finals appearances, and more Josh promises made, not kept, and ultimately a heartbreaking loss in an elimination for the ages… almost. It’s The Challenge USA 2 Episode...

Remind me, who are the rookies and who are the vets again? Plus: complete fealty towards Tori from all the Survivor women, Josh wants to take out Chris himself, one of the coolest forts ever used for a Challenge, Michaela running the house so easy, and my number one favorite heads home at the hands of another Survivor Elimination Master! It’s the Challenge USA 2 Episode 12 Recap, topics include: C...

Our villain breaks good after only one episode, Bruce is doing A LOT, journeys are taken, advantages are gained, Drew is building feudal alliances, Jeff is maybe secretly not loving Lulu, and Brandon is down bad for the second episode in a row but remains hilarious and graceful in the face of adversity. It's the Survivor 45 Episode 2 recap with Tony and Jacob, topics include: Intro & Programmi...

PROTECT EMILY AT ALL COSTS! My goodness, what a premiere it was for Survivor 45! We had injury concerns, we had someone quit, we had players calling each other out before Jeff could even ask them their names, we had witches and alliances and also non-alliance alliances, we had it ALL! An incredible first episode requires an incredible recap, which is exactly what we have in store for you. Jacob an...

They actually showed the cast having fun! Plus: oil wrestling always works, Michaela is too logical and correct for everyone else, no one wants to get the vets out except for the one logical and correct person, and perpetually targeted Chris is targeted again and now has Four elimination wins in one season! Look out Sarah Greyson, Wes & Casey, and Horacio you may soon be joined in the record b...

Down goes a legend and this Historian just officially cried over a Challenge elimination… Plus: Michaela overcomes, Faysal keeps jumping to victory, Josh wants to be a threat so bad, Tyler and Alyssa are the cutest, Cassidy is spitting fire, and Chris stays true to his word and comes back yet again! It’s The Challenge USA 2 Episode 10 recap, topics include: Cold Open (00:00) Intro & Programmin...

A new season of Survivor is upon us and with it comes a new version of this podcast! We are officially taking on a new show here at Challenge Historian, and will be transforming into Survivor Historian every week throughout Survivor 45s run. And for the first time in the history of this podcast Jacob will be joined by a permanent co-host, the one and only Tony Lantz! You may recognize Tony from Th...

My boy is a Slamball stand out for a reason! Plus: Michaela out here playing chess while other Survivor folks are clearly playing checkers, Sebastian is so woo’d by Tori that he’ll claim Cory is the big dog of the house and not her bestie Bananas, speaking of Tori, Sebastian better be giving you one hell of a back rub after that fall, and Chris unravels - kind of, I guess, but did he really - the...

TJ how long are you going to let them go? Plus: Michaela finds a friend, trust is tested at the daily challenge, two love birds stay behind to bang, while the other two love birds fight for their lives in the game, and in the end Tyler and Monte go three hours long on the elimination from hell. It’s the Challenge USA 2 Episode 8 recap, topics include: Cold Open (00:00) Intro & Programming Note...

Michaela shoots and scores! Plus: Wes and Bananas play producer in the field, a fantastic daily challenge, Tyler and Alyssa finally make out, the secret garden is losing trust, and TJ once again is here to turn the whole game on it’s head! It’s The Challenge USA 2 Episode 7 Recap, topics include: Cold Open (00:00) Programming Notes and Challenge Mania Review (00:34) Wes’ Speech and Michaela’s Spot...

One of the greatest to ever play looks to be down and out… until he’s not! Plus: Dusty blows up on all the wrong people, Tiffany makes her play for confessional queen, Cassidy is out for revenge, the CBS folks regain the power, and we get a fantastic version of the best game known to The Challenge: TRIVIA BABY! It’s The Challenge USA 2 episode 6 recap, topics include: Cold Open (00:00) Intro and P...

The Challenge cast went to a bar AND WE GOT TO SEE IT!?!?! HALLELUJAH! Plus: Chris talks shit… slowly, Wes harkens back to his Fresh Meat roots to lead green to a win, Big Brother and Survivor decide to leave the vets alone for a bit, the vets reciprocate with a wild and maybe pointless plan, some people get flirty, some people get mad, a great elimination is played, and Cassidy’s confessional cou...

What is Josh even doing but also how in the world is it so effective? Plus: Bananas leaves red then finally helps them get a win, no one wants to talk to anyone so Josh fills the silence, the Secret Garden may already be in shambles, Dusty has moved beyond a stan to a new level of fandom never before known, Wes is left in the dark, and Desi is feeling down on herself but gets the ultimate pick me...

The heavyweight elimination matchups continue! Plus: Alyssa bodies Tori, The Secret Garden continues running the game, boats are capsized, allegiances are questioned, vets yell at vets who yell at other vets, and Bananas gets the CBS spotlight he’s always wanted but maybe not in the way he always thought! It’s The Challenge USA 2 Episode 3 Recap, topics include: Cold Open (00:00) Intro and Program...

Down goes the back to back number 1 draft pick! Plus: Michele and Ameerah get dunked, Desi shows out, Amanda is riding high, Sebastian picked the worst bed possible to hook up, and Wes is silenced and out argued beautifully by Michaela in one of many pieces of evidence that the CBS women are here to run this game! It’s The Challenge USA 2 Episode 2 recap, topics include: Cold Open (00:00) Intro an...