The Challenge All Stars 5: Rivals Episode 5 Recap: 10 Biggest Takeaways
The 5th episode of The Challenge All Stars 5 is in the books. You probably have some thoughts, so let’s compare. Instead of giving a simple summary, I decided to focus on the 10 Biggest moments/takeaways from Episode 5.
If you prefer audio/video, my podcast recap can be found above/below:
10 Family Reunions
Kiss Me Thru The Phone is Soulja Boy’s best song, and it was a great way to open the episode. All Stars is a season with an older cast, so seeing the players getting to call their all loved ones at the beginning of the episode was sweet. Could they have edited out the call between Nany & Kaycee? Absolutely. Why didn’t they? Because they knew it was going to get a reaction from people online.
The timeline of The Challenge universe is a bit crazy. Adam & Averey were on All-Stars 4 together, and they didn’t even have a showmance going on during the season. Fast forward a year, and now Averey is already in full stepmom duty, looking after Adam’s kids while he is out there competing in elimination after elimination. It’s kinda crazy to think about. Also, Averey looks better than most of the Stepmoms from all those popular online videos. You had Michele & Devin start a showmance on Season 40, and he went to film this show while Season 40 was airing. During press for 40, Michele revealed to the world that they’re a couple, and she had to tell him about the hard launch. It was fantastic to see Devin embrace their relationship, and from everything I’ve seen, they’re super cute together. Looking back, that phone call from Michele should have given me a better hint that Devin would be going into elimination this episode.
9 An Actually Fun Challenge
The daily challenge was good entertainment because we got to watch teams get messy with their answers, show off some strategy, and display their communication skills, all while doing very little. Considering there’s no punishment for last place, I prefer daily challenges that are a bit more silly & fun. If the daily challenge is going to take up 25–40% of the episode, they should be engaging & entertaining. Watching mini marathons and heights challenges where more than half the teams don’t have a shot at winning doesn’t make for the best television. Daily challenges like this also have the potential for an outsider to win and potentially shake up the game.
There were a couple of flaws in the daily challenge, though. One of the flaws is that the gross drink the players had to consume was way too much milkshake. Yes, they had to throw in some gross substances; however, most of it was sitting at the top and not even thoroughly mixed in. They were drinking about 80% vanilla milkshake, and by the end of the daily challenge, the milkshake wasn’t even thick enough for Kelis to sing about it.
In theory, the daily challenge might’ve been better if there were multiple eating portions where teams got eliminated one by one. It all ended in an instant, very rapidly, and we had no clue who won till after they “weighed” all the cups. It wasn’t a perfect challenge. Nonetheless, I was more entertained this week than the last couple combined.
8 Trauma Bonded
There were some big head-scratching during the daily challenge. One of which was Fessy wrote down that Devin & Leroy are the least trustworthy pair in the house, yet when given the opportunity to throw them in against Adam & Steve last week, they threw in Aneesa & Ashley. Turbo also called Devin & Leroy the least trustworthy which was a bold move considering that Leroy is her #1 and she’s part of the Vacation Alliance with Devin.
When it came to the questionnaire, Frank & Sam crushed this daily challenge. They knew so much about each other, and they’re on the same page when it comes to the political & strategic aspect of this game. Among all these rival pairs, these two know each other the best, which is saying something considering we have a former couple who lived together in this game. Frank has said some foul mean shit to Sam in the past — except to cut that deep, you have to know the person. After cutting deep so many times, Frank has also had to apologize and have many heart-to-heart conversations with Sam that have brought them closer together. These two have history, both good & bad, and it came in handy here. We did see some lack of awareness from Sam when she said their biggest weakness as a pair was her big mouth. Regardless, they got every other question right and then trucked through the smoothie for the win.
Frank & Sam got called the weakest pair by more than half the house, yet they’re one of their first pairs to win a daily challenge this season.
7 Braggadocious Sam
A lot of people, including her partner, have been talking shit about Sam McGinn. Well, you know what? After 13 years, Sam returned to this show, and she already had a bunkbed hookup and won a daily challenge! Additionally, Sam is a Challenge Champion with a 2–0 elimination record and was part of the team that won the most daily challenges during her lone season prior. People online were asking: why is Sam here? Well, fuck those people; I’m here to ask, is Sam a Top 10 Challenge competitor all-time?
I’m mostly joking. In all seriousness, though, Sam has already achieved so much on this show and even this season. Leroy & Nany have been on this show for nearly 30 seasons combined, and even with some help from production, they can’t even win. Meanwhile, Sam comes on this show and just cannot stop fucking winning. Sam is a winner, plain and simple. I can’t explain why or how — Sam is simply addicted to winning.
6 Nicole Is Dumb
Compared to some of the rumors I’ve heard about Melissa & Nicole coming out of this season, it’s shocking how little we’ve seen of them. When we do see them, it’s typically just Melissa complaining about how stupid & annoying of a partner Nicole is. This week, we saw Nicole venture into the political game as she pitched Frank on the idea of throwing Turbo & Nany into elimination to guarantee that a Star holder would get taken out.
I was trying to figure out the rationale for the move. At first, I believed it was a pitch that Nicole was making because she’s allied with Steve & Adam and Devin & Leroy, so she was trying to save one of them. Except as we saw later, Leroy & Devin then voted for her & Melissa to go into elimination, so really, all Nicole did was make some enemies in Turbo & Nany. I don’t want to call Nicole a moron. Actually, wait, I do. I love calling Nicole a moron. Nicole, you’re a moron!
5 Dario Is Also Dumb
Dario openly mentioning Leroy & Devin as the potential elimination opponents to face Adam & Steve was such an idiotic thing to do. It’s not idiotic because it’s the wrong move; it’s dumb to say because it’s the obvious move. Everyone in the house knew that pitting Devin & Leroy against Adam & Steve in elimination would be the best possible move in the game moving forward because they are the two guy-guy teams and are massive threats in the Final. Since everyone knows it, Dario does not have to say it out in the open — specifically when Leroy is his #1 ally/best friend in the house. Openly cosigning your #1 ally getting voted into elimination is not a trustworthy look. If you think your ally getting voted into elimination is good for your game, say it in confessional, don’t say it at the bar, and allow people to play telephone. Corey Lay took that info from Dario and brought it to Devin & Leroy, and we got a great scene.
Devin & Dario really got into it, and it was great to watch because these two had a beef/forgotten rivalry on Rivals 3. Dario betrayed their alliance, and from then on, Devin kept calling him Dario the Cowardly Lion throughout the season. These two have never liked or respected one another. The best part about their fight was the grade school level jabs; Dario called Devin not an athlete, not a tough guy, and called him ugly. Meanwhile, Devin called himself a Champion, then followed it up by insulting Dario’s breath and saying he’s not in Devin’s tax bracket.
It was an interesting scene to watch because Dario was talking to Devin the same way people used to back when he first came on this show. In the years since, Devin’s gone to multiple Finals, won a Championship, and has run the house politically before. Dario wasn’t there for all that; in his mind, he’s the former college athlete between them. Dario vastly underrates Devin and his abilities, and at the same time, it was nice to see someone who isn’t a Johnny Bananas-level figure go at Devin.
4 Lost Potential House Vote
When the House Vote opened, Leroy addressed the rumor that Nicole was trying to get Nany & Turbo voted in, so he then voted for Nicole & Melissa to start off. Part of me believes this was Leroy being a good ally & friend to Nany, but it also was his & Devin’s way of making a statement to Dario. Their vote in the name of Nany was their way of showing what an ally is supposed to do when they hear their #1’s name get thrown out.
Nicole & Melissa’s names getting thrown was a potential golden opportunity for Adam & Steve to toss a vote on them, and once two votes are on someone, it’s really easy for others to dogpile on. Although the two pairs are allies, Nicole & Melissa have said Adam & Steve’s names multiple times, including this week! It was a big misstep by Adam & Steve. Instead, they voted for Corey & Big T. Corey & Adam then went at it, and they were both overdramatic — which is excellent for Reality TV.
3 Chess vs. Checkers
Two weeks ago, Devin not only gave Frank & Sam safety after Adam & Steve asked to face them in elimination, he tossed in who Frank & Sam wanted in elimination (KellyAnne & Sylvia). In return, Frank threw Devin into elimination against Adam & Steve the first chance he got. Frank is here to play the game from all angles and do whatever it takes. It is refreshing to see someone making moves without worrying about what’s gonna happen three seasons from now.
Likewise, it was awesome to see Devin get completely outplayed. On a season like Spies, Lies & Allies, Devin was able to manipulate dumb & weak international rookies. On Ride or Dies, he was able to play the middle and coast by being part of the Vacation Alliance. The difference now is that Devin isn’t playing against gullible rookies and people who care more about being friends than winning. Frank took advantage of Devin’s ego two weeks ago, and this week, he took advantage of temporary power.
I will say Sam has been a major asset and is partially the reason why Frank has been able to play such an all-out game. Sam lowers their threat level so much that Frank can take free shots at whoever, knowing that if anyone tries to retaliate, it probably won’t be a smart move for their game because Frank & Sam are not a threat in the Final. Does a team want to waste a temporary power to vote Frank & Sam into elimination? Going after Frank & Sam is not a winning move, yet at the same time, Frank is dangerous and can upend so many people’s games.
2 Roll Out
Call me old-fashioned, but it was refreshing to watch an elimination where I didn’t have to worry about whether the design of the elimination was fair or not. Now, part of me wishes these two guy-guy teams could have competed in something a little more physical — however, on the off-chance that Frank & Sam had picked a dual-female or co-ed pair, they had to have a more neutral elimination ready.
This elimination was physical & mental. Of which, Adam & Steve kicked Leroy & Devin’s butts on both ends. They completed the barrel portion quicker, and Adam was getting it done blisteringly fast. Meanwhile, Steve solved the math puzzle super quick and got both his & Adam’s done before Devin or Leroy got one finished. Considering that Devin is in his prime and recently won the flagship show and that he & Leroy had a combined 16–9 elimination record, this was a massive win for Adam & Steve. As a pair, Adam & Steve have now won 4 eliminations in a row. They join Casey & Wes as the only pairs in Challenge history to win the first four eliminations. If Adam & Steve win another elimination, they’ll tie the single-season elimination win record. As of right now, I feel like they have a good chance of breaking a record that has lasted since Sarah Greyson on The Gauntlet 1. Coincidentally, Steve & Adam were actually both on that season over 20 years ago.
On the one hand, Devin & Leroy were the preseason favorites to win this season and had a golden opportunity to win. On the other hand, these two got put in a tough situation where if they won, nobody would’ve been impressed, and if they lost, it would be an all-time disappointment. Being one of the two guy-guy teams gave Devin & Leroy a great chance of winning, yet it also put a big target on them. Ultimately, they got beat, and I’m happy to see them leave. If the result of this season was the two men in their 30’s winning based on a physicality, then this season would’ve felt meaningless. Now, All Stars 5 feels much more open to everyone in the game. I enjoy Devin on the show, but watching him lose is very satisfying because of the way he carries himself. Devin is such a fascinating creature as he has grown from a lay-up to a Challenge Champion. He is an underdog competitor who earned Champion status through hard work, and yet, rather than play into that storyline, Devin instead chooses to act like he’s God’s gift to The Challenge. I wonder how fans would react and treat Devin if he dropped some of his shtick. Not all of the shtick because I want him to be himself, just some of it.
1 An Open Star
The last three weeks, I’ve continually complained about the fact that Adam & Steve have not been given the ability to steal & move around other people’s Stars after their elimination. So, when they finally eliminated another team with a Star, I don’t think it’s crazy to assume that they would have been able to do it this time around. Well, they still weren’t able to. Instead, TJ informed the house that they’ll find out about the Star at the next daily challenge, and based on the trailer for next week, I assume whoever wins the daily will likely get the Star.
If that’s the case, it’s hard to imagine how some of these teams will ever get to the Final. Obviously, a team should have to earn their way to the Final — except with how unbalanced the cast is from a format perspective; I believe there should be multiple avenues to getting to the end.
