Some of What's Needed in 'The Challenge All Stars: Rivals' | "A Star-Holder Is Born"

The lingering question to begin The Challenge All Stars: Rivals episode “A Star-Holder Is Born” – what will happen to the stars which Devin and Leroy vacated, thanks to Adam and Steve – has an obvious answer for most viewers. T.J. confirms, though, at the beginning of this week’s daily challenge that whichever pair wins the daily wins the two stars. That is unless it’s one of the three pairs already holding stars. If that happens, they get to pick the elimination contender. Then it’s up to the fastest team in the challenge on who’ll be awarded the stars. It’s no big twist.  

Before the daily challenge begins, Veronica mentions that she wants to be rid of anyone physically better than she is, which would be all of them.  

Look online almost anywhere and you’ll see the constant complaint online the show lacks its old, boisterous fun – some of which is the noted drama from drinking too much, yes – but no one wants players to excel merely because they are rich with friends that season. There is a social component to The Challenge, but there are also political, physical, and mental aspects. It’s what makes The Challenge a unique endeavor. A one-trick pony isn’t the answer for anyone but Veronica.

Before the daily challenge, Dario questions if he and Ashley need a deeper conversation on how they failed at their relationship, a bit of foreshadowing of the final scene from the week. He and Ashley end the episode with a talk that seems to clear the air between them and possibly hint at another hook-up between the two. 

Having each episode end with conversation rather than an elimination and a pair going home feels anticlimactic. It stalls the episode’s momentum. It’s a smart move that this season makes an attempt at building drama, but something is off. Corey’s reveal of Veronica and Katie’s outright lies sets up intrigue, but not so much Dario and Ashley’s mending fences. 

Those are lies – not rumors or misleading – that Veronica spreads to save her and Katie’s asses this week. How someone didn’t figure it out and why Da’Vonne doesn’t out them even after T.J.’s behest sets the stage for fireworks. After Frank and Sam win the daily challenge and pick up the stars, they still have to plan for elimination. The result of it all is that Ashley and Dario face Corey and Big T. 

One has to wonder about the sincerity of Corey’s surprise. He claims “now it’s personal” about Steve and Adam’s vote for them, yet he was the one who got pretty rude last week with those two. In the end, it doesn’t matter. After one trip to The Jungle, he and Big T head home. They held their own against the house vote, Dario and Ashley K. Dario and Ashley do work well together and are quicker to balance the spinning table in order to stack five stars and hold them in place for five seconds. 

In the end, though, it’s the friendship Corey and Big T will remember. 

Confessionals:

• If TD were here, he’d evoke a common refrain: Da’Vonne, and anyone else, should learn to swim if the plan is to be on The Challenge. 

• To quote Adam, “Thank fucking god” that they won and forced the house to have someone new in elimination 

• Faysal and Nany’s plan puts Veronica so hard at work that she has to get out of bed to get started early on them lies! 

• It is all for naught, but you have to love T.J. trying to force Da’Vonne, and anyone else, to talk.