The Challenge Historian

Poor performance mixed with isolation leads KellyAnne into a potential death spiral of paranoia! Plus: Jonna is the top draft pick, Bananas is the third draft pick, did I mention we had a Challenge draft? Hell yes we had a Challenge draft! Wes’ school of strategy is in session, Sarah remains a certified mob boss, Yes makes a rare political appearance, and Nelson and Jujuy are the most fun loving p...

You don’t fuck with the icon that is Kiki, you just don’t, certainly not on day 1! Plus: the legends get to sit back and watch, Sarah the villain is already delivering, UK and Australia get caught off guard, Wes somehow hits a new level of bravado, scouting reports are compiled, I was maybe wrong about Grant, and the show loses a potential MVP to a medical pull on day one why the fuck does this ha...

The Challenge World Championship begins next week! The culmination of this year long saga has come and we've got to preview every last bit of it! First we take a quick look back to discuss how we got to this point, which seasons worked or didn't, what factors and formats worked or didn't. Then we spend some time looking ahead and preview the format of the show, every cast member, possible alliance...

A one minute difference across six hours of competition, what an absolute nail biter! Plus: Mark Wright maybe wants TJ's job, AJ and Arabella bow out first, puzzles prove yet again to be the great equalizer, Nathan continues being pure entertainment, and always, ALWAYS put the car in neutral before pushing it, everyone knows that! It’s the Challenge UK episode 5 recap aka the final recap, plus a f...

Warning to all future Olympians to enter the Challenge house: avoid Balls In at all costs! Plus: we finally get some Kaz in our lives, AJ turns the tables on those who’ve thrown him in prior, Callum and Ella put a label on it… maybe, Tristan has come out of his shell, and in a virtuoso performance Nathan maybe freezes his penis off, holds a friendship hostage but not really, has his bromance come...

The arena has officially been dubbed the Pritchard House of Dominance! Plus: Nathan is friends with everyone, Tristan remains under the radar, Ella remains the best, no one seems to care that Kaz is dominating, Ashley gets himself a win and his mate a loss, and everyone get on the old scary truck, it's time for the spooky town challenge! It’s the Challenge UK Episode 3 recap, topics include: Cold...

Pato Brawl, brother vs brother, holy shit YES PLEASE! Plus: Callum may have won Ella (and me) over but make no mistake who wears the trousers in that relationship, an alliance is formed but it’s shaky at best, some prove good at memorizing while others prove good at cheating, and Nathan gets some power and boy does he love how it feels! It’s the Challenge UK Episode 2 recap, topics include: Cold O...

The combat sports veterans dominate at wrestling, who would have seen that coming?!? Plus: the host seems like he should be competing, the cast is small but horny, Knot So Fast is played very fast, and holy shit Batman it happened again already! Locky’s face post fall into the water can only be described as Olivia-esque and that is not a place you want to be! It’s the Challenge UK Episode 1 recap,...

The Challenge UK is here! (Maybe?) At least it has aired in the UK and is supposed to be here any hour now to binge on Paramount Plus. While there isn't a lot of info out there on this season there is still enough to scrape together a mini preview and get you set up to dive into this quick five episode run. Topics covered include: cast member bios, host bio, expectations of what it will look like,...

Ride or Dies came to a conclusion last week and two brand new champions were crowned! This Historian is back to talk all things season 38 one final time (unless the reunions are fire). Things that worked, missed opportunities, favorite storylines and cast members, and all the awards that could possibly be handed out - it's all covered here on this full season recap. Plus, stick around to the end t...

Hey Challenge lovers, full disclosure here, the audio quality is not up to standard on this one. Not sure what went down with the microphone while recording but it sounded like some trash afterwards and there is no time to re-record it. So, cleaned it up the best possible in post, and still want to put it out to you all since it's the season finale after all! Thanks for you (and your ears) underst...

You want to just spit that in my mouth and I’ll finish it? Plus: toxic swims for everyone, the cows get more screen time than some cast members ever did, Aneesa’s ankle is almost as swollen as her partner’s ego is bruised, puzzles puzzles everywhere, the always forgetful TJ forgot to buy engines for his cars, and Bananas and Nany put on an eating show for the ages culminating in both a lead and a...

The MVP of The Challenge Australia is here! Conor Curran sits down with this Historian to talk all things Challenge Australia: how he ended up on the show, expectations going in vs the reality of a Challenge house, what the food was like, how he came to not just join but take over the majority alliance and decimate the competition, what that final was like, his drive to represent his community in...

The final is here annnd it’s 100 hours long, ouch. Plus: Jordan’s off roading leads to Aneesa’s probably sprained ankle, Bananas puts making "good tv" above helping his partner Nany win her first final, Devin stays a wizard at the slingshot, Tori dares to mention her notebook but no one is around to hear it and get mad, and HOLY SHIT BATMAN THATS A LOT OF BLOOD! Olivia, I love you. Horacio, I love...

Fantasy Casting is all the rage and too much fun not to keep on doing, so today I present the best case scenario I see for The Challenge's 39th Flagship season. Yes, we've got the World Championships, All Stars 4, and an eventual Challenge USA to get through first, but the fact that it's at least a year away means it is prime time to get the ideas out into the world and help make them a reality! W...

Are you aware that Bananas has won 7 times? That’s 7, one number more than 6 and less than 8. You know that right? Plus: Devin and Tori have a spa day to get them prepared for a blowout victory when it matters most, Horacio doesn’t get his chance at history, Aneesa mentally prepares for drill sergeant Jordan, Nany makes an all time great catch, and Faysal and Moriah are just too damn big for this...

All Stars 4 officially has a cast as they've touched down in South Africa to begin filming what we can only hope will be a banger of a season! With that casting news comes plenty of reactions all over the interwebs and I thought I should get my own thoughts out into the mix. Some great work was done, some shabby work was done, a few people look set up to run the game, a few others should be happy...

FINE, Devin, I’ll freaking watch Are You The One if you agree to leave me alone about it! Plus: MTV is crushing the music game once again, Faysal of all people doesn’t understand polidicking, Nany loses one partner but wins with another, Tori throws up on herself, everyone continues to hate Amber and continues to not have a reason why, and Jordan and Aneesa get themselves some redemption - twice!...

One of the legends of the game loses back to back eliminations and maybe a third one coming? Plus: We are all Aneesa asking to get off this Tori Jordan ride, Devin stays the best at pulling daggers and dropping bars, TJ puts Bananas in his place, MTVs music choices are so on point I thought it might be 2004 all over again, Chauncey won’t jump, Horacio makes (or ties) history, the eliminated return...

It’s the first of four games why would you ever help the other team? Plus: someone finally puts some respect on Amber’s name, Nany celebrates her late mother’s bday, a daily challenge takes way too long but does at least feature an old school awesome elimination, Chauncey is torn up, even Aneesa has had enough of Jordan and Tori, and Moriah vs Nany goes down as an all time close and potential all...

All Stars 4 casting calls have gone out and some of the choices have the fandom up in arms! With everyone offering up their own casting preferences I though I'd get in on the action and offer up to any Challenge producers listening out there not one, not two, but THREE different fantasy casts for the next (or any) season of All Stars that I think would absolutely blow fans away. Take a listen and...

Terrorists? Terrorists? TERRORISTS? My guy, Jordan, SLOW DOWN! Plus: Bananas puts on a masterclass in polidicking, Amber and Chauncey for 2022 couple of the year, Devin for 2022 coach of the year, Jordan gets freaking wild with the word choice, Cory makes an appearance, Nelly T’s run ends (and yes I cried at this for the third time in four seasons) and my boy Faysal has himself an episode! That’s...

The Challenge Australia was good (even if it got cancelled in Australia, whoops). It was so good that after recapping every episode we had to hop on the mic one more time to give the full season it's proper due and hand out all the usual awards. If somehow you haven't watched yet then do yourself a favor this holiday season and binge this season asap then come back and listen to this podcast. Topi...

Pato Ball delivers in a BIG way for the second straight time! Plus: Faysal actually defends Nelson for once, the spite is starting to set in for Tori, Nany is out here double dealing, and TJ is laughing his ass off because it’s that time of the season ladies and gentlemen, TRIVIA TIME! It’s the Challenge Ride or Dies Episode 11 recap, topics include: Cold Open (00:00) Intro and Programming Notes (...

Bachy Boys are doing group chef’s kisses, the remaining eight are getting spun around in the newest version of Challenge trivia, Troy survives an all-time elimination beat down and borderline attempted murder by Konrad, and Kiki cuts that g-string right off because it’s final time baby. It’s The Challenge Australia episode 9 and 10 aka the finale recap, topics include: Cold Open (00:00) Intro and...