More of the Same for 'The Challenge All Stars: Rivals'| "Tri-Rival Pursuit"

Use this episode of The Challenge All Stars: Rivals, “Tri-Rival Pursuit,” and Frank’s claim from an earlier episode proves true. He does mastermind the game, and in the process, manages to take out another well known manipulator. Devin and Leroy head home this week, Adam and Steve cannot be beaten in eliminations, and this season finds more drama in the form of one of the most boring players with Dario. 

One of Frank’s first moves is to get Sam on a stationary bike. He gives her a bit of side eye, but she tries. After a lot of family and relationship calls – as many as the show’s had in one episode – T.J. gets the players settled for trivia time. 

The Challenge’s trivia games always have a twist, and this season’s turns into All Stars’ version of The Newlywed Game: players separate, answer the same question about their rival partner, and share their responses. Correct answers keep the vanilla milkshake bland in the best way. Incorrect responses add ketchup, mayonnaise, or even durian, a fruit that reeks of vomit or heated garbage. 

The extra turn with the questions occurs when T.J. puts more stakes on the political line by asking the pairs to take stances on who are the weakest players or variations on inquiries that allow for other pairs to talk shit. Most don’t take the bait and instead reply “Us.” Frank and Sam do get an overwhelming vote for weakest pair for the season though, responses some may regret. 

Once trivia is done and the milkshakes become less enticing, the pairs must drink. The fastest wins. It comes down to the tape and then the weight of the glass. Devin and Leroy almost win and wish they did as Frank and Sam take the victory for the weekly challenge. 

Most of these players should know not to trust Corey or to talk game around him, much less talk shit about other pairs in his presence. Dario, Leroy’s bestie and sagacious mind that he has, fails at this realization. He has designs to vote for Devin and Leroy. Corey’s a snake. He bites at anything that moves. With a twinkle in his eye, he tattles on Dario to Leroy and Devin, and the sparks this season desperately needed begin. 

Dario never denies his plan;instead resorts to yelling inches from Devin’s face, “You’re not a tough guy,” “You got a pot belly,” and “I’ll break your jaw.” Oh, Dario both bores and toxifies his environment? It’s no wonder he and Ashley K. are no longer together. A chill guy, that one. 

The house vote takes place, but does it need to be said that it’s Adam and Steve who are thrown into elimination again? Because it’s Adam and Steve who are thrown into elimination again. 

While I enjoy Adam and Steve bonding with their good cop/quiet cop personas and I love that they’re taking out the other pairs one by one, production needs to put a stop to this. There should be a new rule that a pair can’t go into The Jungle two weeks in a row. That’s the sort of drama fans want! Plus, the season needs some twists already, and no, the lingering and obvious question of the extra stars isn’t the answer to the peccadillo they’ve painted themselves into here. We all know that the stars will go to next week’s challenge winner. Here’s hoping that a pair of star holders will get the victory there so as to add another kink in the patent plans. 

While Devin seems to work out a deal with Frank and Sam, Frank knows better. To eliminate a strong team, throw them into elimination. Steve and Adam make short work of Devin and Leroy in a decent battle of rolling barrels with their feet while clinging to a rope. Adam and Steve get to the math of the barrels well before Leroy and Devin, and it’s goodbye to both the strong pair and Leroy’s dreams of ever winning a season of The Challenge. 

It really did seem like Devin and Leroy’s to win this season. Now? Well, assuming Steve and Adam keep rolling through competitors every week in elimination, they’ll be in great shape to manage a final run. Yet the odds don’t favor them. No one survives every elimination, and that’s the route this season is taking for the two. What bullshit. 

Confessionals

• It’s the first week where no females were involved in the elimination; online fans’ consternation was growing over the ladies continually being sent in and sent home. 

• Don’t let my argument be confused: drama is great! Dario’s douchey bullshit isn’t the sort of drama needed. 

• Kaycee makes an appearance early in the episode with the face call, but she and Nany have since split. 

• It’s too bad there wasn’t more to the Frank versus Devin mind games.