'The Challenge Rivals 2' Episode 7 'Crossing Jordan'
Can somebody tell me why Frank and Johnny have so much power this season? Johnny used to have his gang to back up his bravado (two have allegedly been banned from the challenges for rape allegations) but now he’s essentially a lone ranger. Frank is a hot head with no apparent friendships. So, why do they have the power to get the girls to send in the team they want?
It’s baffling to me. We’re clearly missing some essential piece of the puzzle. The piece that tells us why anybody cares who Johnny wants in The Jungle and why people indulge in Frank’s hissy fits. Johnny is part of an old order of The Challenge, where it was always a given that the rookies wouldn’t make it far because it protect him as a veteran. But all of his friends, save for Old Lady Paula, are gone. So, is it just habit that people care about what he wants?
Frank is something else. Usually when somebody makes a spectacle of themselves like he did on the show, I’d think it was all for camera time. But Frank’s delusion ascends all fame whoring. Take for instance his confrontation with Jordan. Jordan overhears Frank and Johnny tell the girls to vote him into The Jungle. After Jordan makes a snide comment calling Frank out for campaigning, Frank loses his damn mind. Somehow he has it in his mind, only moments after they show him campaigning, that it never happened. Not only that, be he even goes as far as to say that he is the single reason that Jordan and Marlon, the team to beat, are even still there. Delusion can carry a man far.
Johnny and Frank get their way, for whatever reason, sending Marlon and Jordan into The Jungle. Luckily, the boys win against Leroy and Ty. Those two punks can’t get their way all the time. I expect many temper tantrums to come from that revelation.
Meanwhile, the need for communication continues to be a prevalent issue in this season. Diem and Aneesa are this episode’s example. Diem wants to train for the final, but Aneesa isn’t into being bossed around. Diem is condescending and Aneesa is lazy. If any more communication challenges come up, they’re screwed.
However, the two win the day’s challenge. Unfairly, I believe. Because of the heat, the boys and girls go through a maze blindfolded at the same time. They wear shock collars to let them know when they’re going in the right direction. However, Diem and Aneesa simply follow CT and Wes as they navigate the maze fairly. That strategy never would have led to a win if they had been behind Ty and Leroy. It was the luck of the draw that gave them their victory.
• “He might be bigger, scarier but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s my dog on a leash.” Oh Wes. Please never change.
• “Blindfolds and electric shocks. It’s nothing really new to me so I should be okay,” Cara Maria presumed. Yet, she was one of the players who hated the electric shocks the most.
• Leroy and Ty seemed to misunderstand that being shocked was a good thing. They’re at the front for far too long. Plus, Leroy can’t tolerate the pain.
• Nany and Jonna can’t deal with the pain, so they just stay at the front of the maze. Can’t wait until they’re gone.
• Good for Emily for not letting Johnny and Frank get away with whining about integrity as the reason to put in Jordan and Marlon. They wanted to get rid of good competitiors and she wasn’t going to let them say otherwise.
• “CHECK YOUR FACTS,” Frank says as he lies.
• Aneesa and Ty hook up, apparently. Good lord, Aneesa, whatever happened to taste?