More This, Less That on 'The Challenge All Stars: Rivals' | "Star-Crossed Rivals"

Is it a surprise that this week’s episode of The Challenge All Stars: Rivals, “Star-Crossed Rivals,” opens with supposed rivals and teammates Melissa and Nicole drunkenly flirting and kissing? Nothing good can come of it. 

Sometime recently, the producers made the decision that the All Stars version of The Challenge needed to be easier, perhaps due to most contestants’ ages. Whatever the reason, it’s obvious many of the challenges and eliminations are less difficult. Like a lot in life, it is overcorrected. No argument here that it’s catered specifically to Veronica, but she almost made another final via lies alone. It’s not that it is a bad decision, it’s that there were younger players and the intensity falls off. Again, the show needs stipulations. 

As for Veronica, Da’Vonne ain’t having it, even at partner Shane’s behest. Da’Vonne has her wits. No one should trust Veronica. Hang on to that idea. 

The daily challenge arrives, and come on. If a kid or grandmother stands a chance at winning the daily, it’s time to rethink it. They tried to make it visually appealing with the soapy bubbles, yet the large point board, the players in pool floats on wheels, and the ease of it made for a weak challenge. Veronica makes the point here for me: the last time there was a bullseye involved and she won it, she was jumping from a plane. Do the comparison yourself. At this rate, the final will involve a hammock and who can rock their partner to sleep the fastest. 

This week’s winners, Da’Vonne and Shane, get that extra star floating about since Ashley K. and Dario got sent home by Nany and Turbo last week. As soon as competition ends, Frank begins. He schemes, like good players should, but once again, Da’Vonne ain’t having it. She confronts him. This is what we need. Not soap and pool floats. Well, at least not soap and pool floats in the competition. 

The big reveal after the daily – if you can call it big – is when T.J. lets them all know that Shane and Da’Vonne are secure. They’re in. It leads to Nany’s odd line of reasoning on how the cast is out to get her star, which seems to make the cast out to get her star. Her argument is that Adam and Steve are the best of the bunch this season and anyone in the final would want to have an easier path if Adam and Steve go home. The logic is buried by her increasingly dramatic attitude. When Turbo is the cool one, you need to check yourself. I can’t complain too much as it gives Turbo a chance to deliver what could be the line of the season. He hopes whoever takes their star is “gonna sit that star…with their butt.” I apologize for ever denigrating him. He needs to be on every season. His beat between the two phrases is much better than Da’Vonne’s fake-out later when she pretends to disagree with Shane’s choice for elimination. Makes you wonder if the director didn’t pull her to the side with the idea. 

Before votes are cast, Veronica slips in the rain, maybe sprains her ankle, is fine by morning, and no one listens to Frank, a professional in physical therapy. People you disagree with can be right about some things, folks. Frank would be the first person I’d turn to if I rolled my ankle. 

The house votes, in a way, for Nicole and Melissa. That’s primarily because they butt their way into the vote. Everyone agrees. I’m not for everyone getting their way and having the path already paved. Give us drama. Someone needs to disagree, to take a stand. I thought that Adam may, but alas.  

Da’Vonne and Shane give Veronica and Katie what they want, which is elimination. The elimination lacked a strong physical component, but it had some built-in tension. Melissa and Nicole and Veronica and Katie were separated by a rope. As they stood on large blocks, they tried to maneuver the rope so that the pin on it would fall exactly in the middle of a small hole to bust several balloons. It’s a lot like those childhood games where precision is key and stress is maxed. It’s a close one, and Melissa and Nicole only win by one with Veronica and Katie close behind. 

It’s a shame that we won’t get Veronica in the final. I’d be curious to see how she did when politics won’t help. Instead, the winners get to steal a star. Of course, as predicted, Melissa and Nicole take Nany and Turbo’s stars. Nany pitches a fit, and it’s Turbo – Turbo! – who calms her. This is great TV! 

And it certainly felt like whoever’s star got stolen wouldn’t be sent directly home. Even T.J. wouldn’t do such. Instead, we wait a week. With a lack of big twists, something big needs to happen. 

Confessionals

• Melissa, Nicole, Veronica are all insufferable this season, but let’s give it to Nany, who turns up her annoying factor to ten this week with the whining. 

• Speaking of Nany, she’s the exact type to have on The Challenge when she does not have her large group of friends in tow. It's amusing to see players like her have to navigate the season without pals and their guaranteed help. 

• If you’re like me and you read the titles of the remaining episodes (by accident on my part), you know of one big twist. It seems like it’s the only major one they have in store. So avoid titles if you’re spoiler averse.