“The Challenge: All Stars” is a fan-favorite of those who watched “Road Rules” and “The Real World,” and Season 4 is full of oldies but goodies. This year, we get real-life besties Rachel Robinson, Tina Barta, and Veronica Portillo, which we all know is an immediate alliance.
Most excitingly, Cara Maria Sorbello, Kam Williams, and Leroy Garrett have finally returned, making Season 4 stacked — and interesting with a power couple dynamic.
The group is all assembled in Cape Town, South Africa, and of course, TJ Lavin has to make a grand entrance on his BMX bike.
He gives a special shout-out to Leroy, who said he’d never go back on “The Challenge” after MTV failed to have his back when Camila Nakagawa verbally attacked him in “Dirty 30.”
“The Challenge” is doing a super deep dive with Kefla Hare, who won the first “Real World vs. Road Rules.” Then, there’s 51-year-old Flora Alekseyeva, who we haven’t seen since “Battle of the Seasons” in 2002.
Now for the fun part. TJ tells everyone that the winner will get $250,000. The rest of the finalists who cross the finish line will each get a share of $50,000.
The first challenge sets the bar
TJ explains that the first daily challenge is an individual game and everyone who competes in the final must win a star first. The top three men and women will get a star after this challenge, which mixes puzzles and endurance.
The challengers must match all the stars to eight boxes and race to the top to raise their flag before their time stops.
Matching the stars to the pegs is already proving to be challenging but Ryan Kehoe from “Fresh Meat” says, “I look at the pegs, I use my fingers, I just measure in penis.” His strategy works.
Unsurprisingly, Cara Maria takes first place and TJ is all proud of her. “I want to solidify my place as the top female champion,” she says in a confessional.
Brad Fiorenza and Adam Larson are next, and then Brandon Nelson takes the last men’s star. Averey Tressler takes the second women’s star, which will put a target on her back because she’s not considered a threat until now. Rachel gets the last one, which shows that she’s physically strong but maybe not great at puzzles.
This is Leroy’s redemption arc because he quit “The Challenge” before never winning but unfortunately, he’s in the bottom group. Even Jay Mitchell beat him.
Politics come into play
TJ tells the cast that it’s a men’s elimination round and Kam has to do everything to save her man. “I’m definitely stepping out there a little bit more and just really getting to know everyone,” she says in a confessional. “Since Leroy is part of the losing group, I know that I have to get to work because it’s not just me and Leroy on the line. We now have a family, so my family is on the line.”
During deliberations, Kam just flat-out asks people not to vote for Leroy. Kefla points out that if they’re just going to vote according to relationships, he’s screwed because he doesn’t know anybody. In the end, it’s Tyrie Ballard vs. Steve Meinke.
It’s elimination time and TJ tells the players that the winners have the option of competing to win a star for somebody. This is a game-changer because even if you have a star, you can secure one for your ally. But, it’s risky because you can lose and go home.
In the arena, Steve and Tyrie are faced with a pit of gross water full of balls. They need to collect the ones with a star and the person with the most wins the elimination. They cover their eyes with goggles to hopefully prevent pinkeye.
Tyrie takes the lead first and he’s dominating so far. He soon just needs one more ball but fails to find it.
Tyrie and Steve are soon tied, but Steve has hoarded the balls with the stars during the game and then he remembers where he squirreled it away. As he puts the ball in his bracket, he gives Tyrie a reluctant salute out of respect.
Steve Meinke steals a star
This game is all about winning and keeping stars. When Steve is tasked with stealing someone’s star, he doesn’t even hesitate and takes Brandon’s star because he voted him in.
“I’m not tripping but just know that you took it from me so I’m-a come back and get it,” Brandon tells the cameras. The stars are already causing drama and division within the house. “This star is the name of the game and I have it. I have what you all want,” Cara Maria says in a confessional.
“So people look at me as someone who’s got a very big starget on her back, but I worked hard for the star,” she says. “I earned it, and you’re going to have to pry it from my dead hands to take it from me.”
