The Challenge Historian

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 and Programming Notes (00:40)

Amanda vs Everyone (02:56)

CBS Women Alliance (13:40)

Eliminations and Daily Challenge (20:52)

Who Will Switch, Who Will Hookup (29:48)

Awards Best Quote, Moment, Episode MVP (33:30)

Power Rankings & Predictions (39:40)

#TheChallenge #TheChallengeHistorian #TheChallengeUSA #TheChallengeUSA2 #TheChallengePodcast #RealityTV #RealityTVPodcast #JacobHollabaugh 

The Challenge USA is back! At the tail end of a nearly 20 hour road trip this Challenge Historian pulls out the computer to give his thoughts (better late than never, right) on this premiere episode!

Michele and Josh take center stage, Bananas doesn't give the toast, Desi is the best, the Hopper is actually kind of cool, romances brewing, rivalries renewed, teams in shambles off the jump, and a whole bunch more worth talking about!

Cold Open (00:00)

Intro and Programming Notes (00:55)

Michele and Josh Take Center Stage (04:45)

Draft Day Notes (13:05)

The Hopper and the Format (18:47)

Likes and Dislike List (21:48)

Awards Best Quote, Moment, Episode MVP (31:15)

Power Rankings and Predictions (34:55)

#TheChallenge #TheChallengeUSA #TheChallengeUSA2 #TheChallengePodcast #TheChallengeHistorian #RealityTV #RealityTVPodcast

It took us 38 seasons of the Challenge to introduce the third best partner concept in Challenge History, Ride or Dies, but what if we would have done it sooner? What if the OGs got a chance to compete with their besties to win that life changing sum of money?

That is what we are here to debate. On the final of our three part series of OG fantasy casting the best partner themes in Challenge history, we take a look at the hypothetical of what if they did Ride or Dies as the theme of season 14. Who would be partnered, and how would things shake out?

Along the way we realize that they maybe did Ride or Dies a really long time ago but just called it something different, before breaking down two versions of how the show could have gone (male/female partners, then same sex partners). Thanks as always for being here!

Cold Open (00:00)

Intro & Programming Notes (01:00)

The Set Up (05:32)

Ride or Dies OG Edition: Male/Female Teams (13:50)

Ride or Dies OG Edition: Same Sex Teams (28:10)

Closing Thoughts (42:27)

#TheChallenge #TheChallengeHistorian #TheChallengePodcast #RideorDies #WeWantOGs #RealityTV #RealityTVPodcast

We are one week away from the premiere of Challenge USA 2 which means we've got some previewing and some predicting to do! This brand new seasons sees MTV legends finally get to crossover to those sweet airwaves of CBS to bring some of the "Varsity" players into the "Junior Varsity" world (as someone like Bananas might say).

Join the Challenge Historian as he breaks down the cast, the trailer, the potential format, the possible love interests, who will align with who, who will make the final, and of course, who will win?!?

Don't forget to mark your calendars, as USA 2 airs BOTH Thursdays AND Sundays the first three weeks. You'll have episode recaps coming on this podcast feed the morning after every episode, all season long!

Cold Open (00:00)

Intro & Programming Reminders (01:00)

Cast Breakdown (04:30)

Alliance Predictions (19:40)

Tori vs Amanda (24:25)

Paulie is the Key (27:29)

Who Could Grab Control or Build an Alliance (30:35)

Format Possibilities and Thoughts (34:10)

Trailer Breakdown (38:22)

Predictions Including Winner Picks (41:25)

Closing Thoughts (51:40)

#TheChallenge #TheChallengeUSA #TheChallengePodcast #TheChallengeHistorian #Survivor #BigBrother #AmazingRace #WeWantOGs #RealityTV #RealityTVPodcast

Rivals is the greatest theme in Challenge history (or in any reality competition shows history for that matter). It's a perfect blend of everything that makes The Challenge and Reality TV great, and it gave us five exceptional seasons (Vendettas and Final Reckoning count y'all).

But what if they would have pulled this epic theme out a little bit earlier in the timeline? What if some of the messiest OGs got a chance to partner up with their worst enemy? Would it have worked to do this theme earlier in the run of the show? Let's find out!

On this episode I am fantasy casting an OG edition of a Rivals season, eight female teams and eight male teams, then thinking through what the likely outcome of said season would be. Listen to the whole thing or end up my personal rival on a future fantasy cast.

Cold Open (00:00)

Intro and Programming Reminders (02:20)

The Setup (07:45)

The Women's Teams (13:45)

The Men's Teams (27:24)

The Hypothetical Results (40:35)

#TheChallenge #WeWantOGs #TheChallengeHistorian #TheChallengePodcast #TheChallengeRivals #RealityTV #RealityTVPodcast

Battle of the Exes is one of the all time best themes for a Challenge season. But what if we didn't have to wait until season 22 for them to debut it?

This Challenge Historian decided to put on his time traveling producer hat and put together a fantasy cast for what a Battle of the Exes OGs Edition would have looked like.

This will be the first in a three part series looking at OG editions of the best Challenge season themes that those OGs never got to do. Shout out to listener Scott for this brilliant idea! If you've got reactions to this pod or an idea of your own for a great "what if" or "debate" style podcast I could do, send those things my way by DMing me on Instagram, @ChallengeHistorian.

If you'd prefer to watch this episode to get the full experience, head on over to my YouTube channel.

Episode Intro (00:12)

What If... (03:25)

Battle of the Exes OG Edition (04:03)

The Twelve Teams of Exes (05:44)

What Definitely Would Have Happened (14:50)

How Good Would It Have Been and What About Rivals (17:15)

#TheChallenge #TheChallengePodcast #TheChallengeHistorian #WeWantOGs #BattleoftheExes #RealityTV #RealityTVPodcast

The Flagship show lives! Filming is under way for The Challenge Season 39 and the cast has been made official which means WE'VE GOT REACTIONS! It's a polarizing group to say the least, as the casting department has gone young, inexperienced, and international.

What's this Historian think about this potential new direction? Who do I love seeing back? I cover those thoughts and so much more in this instant (ok, two weeks later) reactions podcast!

Topics include:

Intro and Programming Reminders (00:00)

The Full Cast List and Where We've Seen Them (05:25)

The Cast By Numbers: Seasons Done, International/US, Former Finalists / Non Finalists (09:48)

Youth Movement and I Love It (14:00)

Is it Invasion 2 Though? (18:52)

Female Cast Member by Cast Member Thoughts (23:30)

Male Cast Member by Cast Member Thoughts (30:18)

Who Isn't There I Would Have Liked To See (40:32)

Final Thoughts (45:27)

#TheChallenge #TheChallenge39 #TheChallengeCasting #TheChallengePodcast #TheChallengeHistorian #RealityTV #RealityTVPodcast #CastingReactions

Have you ever debated your Challenge "Mount Rushmore?" Or any pop culture "Mount Rushmore" for that matter? Well I'm guessing that A) you have, and B) you did it wrong. Why? Because we as a society get the "Mount Rushmore" analogy all wrong. Tune into this episode to hear how we get it wrong, a history lesson on what the actual Mount Rushmore is, the criteria for a true Challenge Mount Rushmore, and what cast members make my official Challenge Historian Challenge Mount Rushmore!

Intro and 25th Anniversary Celebration (00:00)

We Get the Mount Rushmore Analogy Wrong (06:15)

History Lesson on the Real Mount Rushmore (09:33)

Criteria for The Challenge Mount Rushmore (13:54)

Spot 1: Mark Long (16:45)

Spot 2: Veronica (20:42)

Spot 3: Mike The Miz (23:57)

Spot 4: Coral (28:10)

Next Four Members and Honorable Mention (33:27)

Outro and Plans for Offseason (47:22)

#TheChallenge #TheChallengeHistorian #TheChallengePodcast #TheChallengeMountRushmore #MountRushmore #RealityTV #RealityTVPodcast

The first ever (and last ever?) World Champions were crowned last week and this Challenge Historian is back one more time to talk the entire season as a whole and hand out some awards! Full season recap and awards, topics include:

Intro, Programming Notes, Rewatch Series Updates (00:00)

Did It Work and Ranking the Six Seasons (07:38)

What I liked, Disliked, and Wish I Could Have Changed (17:37)

Is Jordan the GOAT Now? And Where Does Kaz 2 for 2 Stand? (33:35)

Awards for Best Quote, Dan Renzi Award, and Moment (43:03)

Awards for Best Daily and Best Elimination (51:13)

Season MVP Winner (55:23)

#TheChallenge #TheChallengeWorldChampionship #TheChallengeWorldChamps #TheChallnegePodcast #TheChallengeHistorian #RealityTV #RealityTVPodcast

A Final where we don’t see large portions of it? No, never! Plus: Theo continues the unfortunate rolled ankles in a final streak, Troy puts a Champion on his back - literally, Tori and Danny seem to get exactly the position Tori wanted all along, Kaz and Jordan dominate, and the wardrobe department finally does TJ dirty with that oversized but still awesome conductor outfit! It’s The Challenge World Championships, Episode 12 aka The Final, recap! Topics include:

Cold Open (00:00)

Intro and Programming Notes (00:45)

High Level Things I Liked / Disliked About the Final (04:50)

Section by Section Breakdown of the Final (18:53)

Awards for Best Quote, Moment, and Episode MVP (39:04)

#TheChallenge #TheChallengeWorldChampionship #TheChallengeWorldChamps #TheChallengeHistorian #TheChallengePodcast #RealityTV #RealityTVPodcast