CT is the first to cry, even before me! Plus: an awesome opening challenge, Cara vs Laurel is the rivalry that’ll never end, CT Pro Tips, a simple puzzle stumps a lot of people, Cory on the verge of wasting his power, Era 1 realizes their all best friends and this sucks, and Era 4 sets the stage for a Paulie Theo showdown. It’s The Challenge, Battl…

The Battle of the Eras Launch Special was AWESOME! And well worth a recap, so I did one. Covering some high level thoughts about the launch special, a handful of specific moments and what they mean for the season, ideas for season promo in the future, and then finally a break down of the super trailer and my final (I swear these are the them) predi…

Battle of the Eras kicks off with the Launch Special tonight (8/7) and then for real next week on Wednesday (8/14). To get prepared your Challenge Historian breaks down the trailer, what we know about the opening Eras Invitational, and gives out 40 wishes or predictions for this monumental 40th season! Intro & Agenda (00:00) Trailer Breakdown (06:0…

While in Vegas last weekend, I had the absolute pleasure of meeting up with the legend himself, TJ Lavin, for some coffee and a quick conversation about his Challenge career. It was so much fun getting to speak with TJ, and I hope you enjoy listening to the conversation as much as I enjoyed having it. Introduction (00:00) Battle of the Eras Podcast…

I've been recapping every season of The Challenge one by one over on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, and today I bundle and bring you my recaps of seasons 14 - 25! They started to get a tad bit longer, so this podcast is therefore a little longer. There will be one or two more batches of these released in podcast form during the lead up to Battle o…

The Challenge 39 Seasons in 39 Days Franchise Recap has been humming along over on Instagram and YouTube, and today, for you audio only listeners delight, I'm bundling up the first 13 seasons worth of recaps into one podcast episode. Each season has been getting a 60 second or less recap on IG, and a 3 to 5 minute recap on YouTube. What you will he…

All Stars 4 may have ended last week but the record books still need to be finalized! Your Challenge Historian is back one final time covering this season in all it's mess and glory. The biggest storylines, did the change in direction for the franchise work, who do I want back, who won all the awards, and what grade do I give the season overall? Al…

The All Stars 4 Carnival - er, excuse me, final - comes to a close! Major advantages are given, the group is whittled down, TJ goes full Ron Burgundy, Steve makes an all time mental mistake, and Laurel vs Cara is decided once and for all! It’s The Challenge All Stars 4 Episode 12 aka the finale recap coming up right now! Cold Open (00:00) Intro & A…

I finally got a prediction right... sort of! Plus: one last challenge means one last chance for a star, the RV makes a major comeback, TJ is putting together his Emmy reel, maybe the most fun looking checkpoint in challenge finals history followed by one of the more unpleasant ones in finals history, and a cliffhanger with two contenders lives in t…

One ocelot plays scared while the other goes for the throat! Plus: Ace is having the best worst time, Veronica and Flora are beginning to really waste space, Leroy is feeling some deja vu brewing, the levels of schtick continue to increase, Adam gets super heated, and Starmaster Steve continues his winning ways! It’s the Challenge All Stars 4 Episo…

They've officially begun filming All Stars 5 which means we've got the final* cast list and this Historian is here to break it all down. The return of Ashley Millionaire Mitchell (praise the lord). The return of Frank freaking Sweeney (I could cry). And a healthy mix of vets and (double checks the list) borderline newbies to the franchise? There's …

Only one week later and Cara Maria is back on top! Plus: a genuine pool party, TJ clearly loves Kam, part 2 of Laurel’s master plan is enacted, and then she doesn’t go through with it and leaves Kam out to dry! It’s The Challenge All Stars 4 Episode 9 recap! Disclaimer & Apology: I forgot to plug in my mic (lol) so sorry that the audio isn't as pri…

Jacob and Tony are back one final time to wrap up Survivor 46! Full finale recap, followed by our full season awards. Thanks for tuning in all season long! Intro, PSA, Agenda (00:00) Finale Recap (10:24) Confessional King or Queen of the Season (01:21:20) Moment of the Season (01:26:58) Best Strategic Move of the Season (01:33:22) Worst Strategic M…

What did she do? I know y’all are scared of her in a final, but this is next level! Plus: the zoom monitor is still tiny, boat day happens I guess, a master plan unfolds with a helpful daily to make it work, and some fun things maybe happen in the house but we see none of it because Laurel and Nicole are too busy yelling at Cara Maria every chance …

Tony and Jacob are back with two amazing episodes (and sad exits) to cover as they dive into episodes 11 and 12 on this week's recap! Maria's villain turn and Venus' ultimate downfall are covered from episode 11, then all things Charlie vs Maria, Ben's accidental vote, Q's downfall, Liz's poop, and more covered from episode 12. Intro, US vs AUS, Ag…

Trivia time baby! Plus: can’t they just fling them into water normal style, Ryan’s journey to sobriety, Cara continues playing defense, way too many people are not concerned about needing a star, Leroy gets his mojo back, and Ace may be Adam’s Knight in shining armor, but to Brad he is whatever the opposite of that is! It’s The Challenge All Stars …

Pour one out for Confessional Queen Jasmine because she just got robbed! Plus: Nicole and Laurel is so back on, Brad walks around naked, Steve is building workout equipment because the gym they are given isn’t good enough, Ace sleeps in weird places, we play an insane game of musical chairs, Cara strong arms, Kam offers herself up, and a double eli…

Liz proves her marketing genius by providing Applebees with the greatest sponsored content moment of all time! Plus: Q is still playing, Maria reaches master levels of strategy, Charlie wins another showdown, Tiff leaves with an idol, and did we mention Liz didn't get to eat Applebees?!?! It's the Survivor 46 Episode 10 recap with Tony and Jacob, t…

Revenge comes quick when Cara Maria is dishing it out! Plus: haircuts, life chats, oversized bobbleheads, Brad going too fast, Brandon’s Wakandan work trip, the Nicole Laurel rollercoaster goes up and down, and TJ’s two "my guys" of the house face off in elimination! It’s the Challenge All Stars 4 Episode 5 recap, topics include: Cold Open (00:00) …

Jacob and Tony are back to break down episode 9 of Survivor 46. How bad was Hunter's gameplay, what did we think of Tiff going off on Q, why will no one recognize our queen Liz, a whole bunch more topics, plus awards and a game of "Can they win (and how)?" Intro & Agenda (00:00) Q Fallout, Liz Overshadowed (04:32) Picking Teams, Twitter Troll Jeff,…

Well, we can finally say for certain that THEY DO NOT RIG THE ELIMINATIONS! Plus: group jumping photos, daily challenge call backs, Jasmine the quote machine, Brandon semi backstabs, Kam has one mission, Laurel flirts, and we get an all time matchup and they are made to throw star thingies! It’s The Challenge All Stars 4, Episode 4 recap, topics in…

Well THAT was something, huh? Venus continues to get her name slandered (leave my queen alone now please and thanks), everyone wants credit for everything, the group plays a very revealing game of hide and seek, Hunter wins with a dash of showboating, "the six" never gets off the ground, Q tries to quit, and Liz masterminds her way through it all t…

Lord Father God let the truth come out, cause this house has no idea who or what to believe! Plus: Kam and Leroy have a cell phone, everyone picks a partner, Tony sadly leaves the game, Laurel and Nicole talk, Rachel rides for Ayanna, Cara rides for Rachel, Kam just wants the truth, and Jasmine goes full bride of chuckie in a true throwback moment!…

Jacob and Tony are back to cover not one, but two episodes of Survivor 46! Episodes 6 and 7 have seen the merge limbo play out and there is a lot to discuss. Tribe lines holding firm, Venus making waves and moves, Q mostly just making waves, Charlie breaking the fourth wall, Hunter skating through, Mo, Tim, and Soda all sent packing, and a whole bu…

The idle pot always gets stirred! Plus: Ayanna is out for Janelle (for no reason?!?), the Mean Girls are fully back, Brad begins to separate himself, Leroy learned math, some others did not learn math, a winnebago sighting, Nicole and Laurel finally speak, everyone goes to the club, and Leroy walks out on Ayanna’s possibly hour long nominations spe…

It actually happened! At long last, a year and a half later, we finally get to watch All Stars 4! Cara Maria’s true return, Rachel’s back and better than ever, so many people who’ve been sorely missed back in a Challenge house and competing for a not nearly big enough sum of money! Everyone gets their 60 second where are they now, everyone gets to …

It’s finally here! We’ve waited damn near a year and a half to watch it and finally on Wednesday April 10th it will be here, All Stars 4! Cara Maria is back, Laurel is back, Leroy and Kam are back together, Jay - yes that Jay - is back, the mean girls trio of Veronica, Rachel and Tina are back together, for god’s sake Tony Time is back! SO MANY PEO…

Jacob and Tony are back after a one week break to discuss all things Survivor 46 Episode 5 (plus some retroactive episode 4 discussion). Jem's big prank and acting skills, Hunter and Venus getting cagey, Tim's dream brochachos alliance coming to fruition, Moriah the narrator, Maria the decision maker, Vanu finally doesn't get last, and more! Intro …

Nami goes four for four winning, Yanu goes four for four losing, Hunter makes a bed, Bhanu hits rock bottom, Jem finds an advantage (four days ago), Jeff is not your guru, and Randen gets all time unlucky and is medically removed from the game. It’s the Survivor 46 Episode 3 recap with Tony and Jacob, topics include: Intro & Agenda (00:00) Yanu Nig…

The 40th season of MTVs The Challenge has officially commenced filming which means our good spoiler friends have provided the official cast list of all FORTY players, plus alternates, who will be gracing our screens later this year for this monumental season. It’s stacked, that is for sure, but how stacked exactly? Who did they get right, who did t…

Episode 2 of Survivor 46 had A LOT going on. We've got the most dominant tribe having the most divisions, one tribe so chill and bored they are doing Taylor Swift vs Metallica Versuz battles, and for the third season in a row one tribe that can't stop losing and completely falling to shambles. Tony and Jacob are back to cover every bit of the actio…

Survivor is back and so are Jacob and Tony to break down all the action! An eventful two hour premiere episode kicked off Survivor 46 on Wednesday and we are covering it all on today’s episode. Tevin’s incredible opening narration, Maria’s early expert gameplay, Liz self appointing herself pretty great, differing opinions of camp songs, the 500lb g…

20 weeks later we head back to Croatia one more time to discuss all things BFANC! The moments, the quotes, the betrayals and triumphs, from villain arcs to heroes journeys, this incredibly long season had a bit of it all and we are going to break it down one final time and put a nice tidy little bow on it! It’s The Challenge Battle for a New Champi…

Nurys knocks out a 5th, TJ ain’t letting anyone quit, champs are referred to but not seen, the full Berna experience is had, a balance beam potentially ruined Corey’s chances to be a champion, and in the end only one vampire can stand above the rest as a new champ is crowned! It’s The Challenge Battle for a New Champion, Episode 19 aka the finale r…

Words matter people, he didn’t say the hardest final ever, he said the hardest final they’ve ever seen and they are all there for the first time so it checks out! Plus: we’re redoing the entire game (which is a choice), Corey drops a $16k rope, Berna is breaking down, Chef TJ has been cooking, Emanuel builds major momentum, and Jay - the seasons bi…

Back to back betrayals lead to back to back wins for the new face of the franchise! Plus: Berna grabs the final power position, Corey makes some history, Olivia does her best to make right, James’ epic polidicking run comes to an end, and for the second week in a row this Historian will do his best not to get emotional over who was purged but damni…

Two episodes of Conquest later and the top 5 competitors are all gone from the game? What the hell is happening?!?! Plus: Kyland for Best Actor, the Berna question that never ends, is James kind of sneakily the best polidicker of all time, Jay maybe added Super to his Villain status, Michele makes anxiety look great, I might cry talking about Ed be…

The Duel, Fresh Meat, AND Island format references? OLD SCHOOL CHALLENGE IS SO BACK! Well, kinda a little bit at least. Plus: conquest has begun, purges are here for good, some friends make up while others break up, Ed wins big but plays soft, James becomes Moriah’s fourth chihuahua, and Nurys gets put in a horrible spot all thanks to Jay who is of…

CT is back and ready for season 40?!?! Plus: mini final, lots of math, Jay celebrates too soon, Ed’s brilliant, a stalemate vote, and the final week of chaos finally lives up to it’s name! It’s the Challenge Battle for a New Champion, Episode 14 recap, topics include: Cold Open (00:00) Intro & Agenda (00:35) Michele & Jay Feeling the Pressure (03:0…

Back to back wins over Challenge legends AND it’s your birthday? Kyland having himself a DAY! Plus: Horacio breaks his silence, the majority does some sabotaging, smart moves are made, Brad’s beard looks good as ever, and Jay goes on a cackling confidence trip as he continues to hold the reins to this game! It’s The Challenge Battle for a New Champ…

The break up we’ve been expecting is finally here! Plus: Nurys getting that insider scoop, everyone is wearing eye patches, a fun daily that I would have liked more of, new alliances may be forming but the same folks names are being said, and after long LONG last, the true FACE OF THE FRANCHISE is Back! … and losing to the maybe new face of the fra…

The season concluded a few weeks back and Tony and Jacob are finally ready to talk all about it! In this final installment of Survivor Historian for the season, Tony and Jacob break down the key moments of the finale and Dee's win before then turning their attention to the season as a whole to hand out full season awards for best quote, moment, str…

No one is having sex in Berna’s room, no one is having sex in Berna’s house, no one is having sex on Berna’s watch PERIOD, you got it?! Plus: a nighttime challenge with all the elements, the word flippy floppy gets used a bunch, an anything but clothes party proves to be a great idea for a Challenge house, Zara volunteers - kinda, and Michele’s nig…

You only get one friend Michele and her name is Berna! Plus: Kyland holds a funeral, Ed teaches martial arts, Horacio starts to assert himself, and Moriah goes on the campaign trail for James because lord knows he ain’t going to do it himself. It’s The Challenge Battle for a New Champion Episode 10 recap, topics include: Cold Open (00:00) Intro & R…

Dee is the killer that Austin couldn't be, Drew grows too confident, Jake strips to his undies to find an idol, Katurah third wheels, and the Reba Four is finally no more! It's the Survivor 45 Episode 12 Recap, topics include: Intro & Reminders (00:25) Drew Lost Last Week Not This One (04:14) Jake Lost This Week (06:55) Dee and Austin Swap Position…

One person in this house is cheating on their significant other and y’all need to calm the f down because it ain’t Moriah! Plus: the core alliance finally comes into question, a team of three seems preferable to a team of two but maybe I’m crazy, back to back girls days, fboy Emanuel has entered the chat, and Melissa plays the parent card for every…

Hands are held, alliances are broken, guys night 2.0 takes place, a solo journey, backstories are learned, buffs are read, acting class is in session, and in the end Queen Emily is dethroned and her torch snuffed! It’s the Survivor 45 Episode 11 recap with Tony and Jacob, topics include: Cold Open (00:00) Intro & Reminders (00:32) Emily Takes Credi…

The moment where Chaos is most needed and we instead get the most bland, boring, but dominant competitor of her era, Kaycee! Plus: a Kyle sighting, everyone’s playing scared, Kyland gets smacked with a chain, Ed receives a bribe, Moriah is confusing me, and Melissa gets pushed over the edge with Ravyn unfortunately being on the receiving end of tha…

Jacob and Tony are back! After a one week hiatus (totally Jacob's fault, sorry everyone) we are back to break down episode 10 of Survivor 45 (plus a brief 10 min recap of episode 9 since we missed it). Emily's big move against Bruce, Austins complete power over the game, Bruce's practice lie with Katurah, Jake being accused of being a mobster, lett…

Moriah has heard James’ horror story one too many times to play this daily challenge, TJ. Plus: Horacio searches for his voice, Emanuel certainly has his voice, a first date proves to be a horrible omen for Callum, and another nomination, another person digging their own grave, yet thankfully for us Corey fans he gets saved by the chaos that is Dev…