Episode 8 : Feel the Burn

Penultimate episode for the Challenge and I think it was a pretty entertaining one.   My suspicions have largely been confirmed that Aneesa/Rachel were the reason for the lack of physical competitions in this season's version.   I think they were one of the main reasons for the slow start, so once again I'd like to thank them for being eliminated.

We begin where we left off last week.  CT and Diem with a decision to make about who to throw into the DOME.   And what a shock, but Diem got her way and threw Paula and Dunbar in.  I don't know how I feel about TJ's editorial comments that it was the dumbest decision in Challenge history.  First off, it was most certainly not.   And second off, TJ has been doing a lot more of this the last few seasons.  He really injects himself and his commentary on to the game.  I guess when you've been hosting this thing for 10+ seasons you've earned that right.   Look if it was Dave Mirra doing it - I'd have a real problem, but TJ has earned the right.    Now as we went over at length I certainly didn't agree with the decision, but I thought CT had an interesting comment about it.  Basically saying he'd rather throw in another team, but it doesnt make a difference and keeping Diem happy was his number 1 goal.   A mature Christopher Tamburello.

The Dome event was a strong one and god only knows why they waited 8 episodes to get this bad boy in the rotation.  Far more entertaining then the 3 domes we had seen before.   Basically you run back and forth in a confined space retrieving balls from one end and putting them on the other.  A classic Challenge game, but one where if contact is made - its just fine.  I couldn't believe 300lb Dunbar decided to play the game straight up.  I'm equally amazed that he almost won.   But with your Challenge life hanging in the balance, knowing that Paula has no chance against Emily - how do you not use your biggest asset?  Your massive girth.   Dunbar was neck and neck, but as the 5th ball was being retrieved he realized he was a little bit behind.   He tried to lower his shoulder, but Ty essentially spun out of it and won it going away.   If I'm Dunbar - I'm steam rolling Ty every time I pass him.  Make him think twice about running as fast as he can.   Emily smoked Paula and bye bye Walnuts.   Can't say I'm sorry to see them go.   Can say I'm sorry to hear people refer to Paula and Dunbar as a "Great Endurance" team.  Did anyone else see Dunbar shirtless?  I thought they invited Vinny back into the house.

Not much doing in the house this week as everyone was pretty consumed with not going home this late in the game.   So lets dive right into the competition.  Basically they used a private jet to have the jet engines blow on the competitors as they tried to move items from one side of a field to another.

CT and Diem as the power couple were able to set the order and took full advantage by throwing a curveball.   They didn't show it, but if you are CT and Diem how are you not making a deal with Ty and Emily.  If either of us win we throw the other 2 guys in.  It wound up working that way, but I was disappointed they didn't come to a more ironclad agreement.

CT and Diem threw Johnny and Camila in first, followed by Mark, then Ty, then themselves.  Camila nearly started crying before the game over the idea of having to go first.  Don't really know what she was so unhappy about, but it really rattled them.   Johnny didn't seem to have much of a strategy so the ducking under the "jet-wash" (a term used at nauseam) that everyone else employed really did them in.  So they came in last place and are automatically in the Dome.

Mark and Robin were a little better and Ty and Emily a little bit better after that.   Ty seemed to be the only guy to lose an item, doing it twice, but he was able to easily recover.   CT and Diem absolutely eviscerated the competition (according to TJ, I thought Ty/Emily looked closer then they made it seem) and were the power couple on back to back days.  

Now the biggest decision of the game so far was whether to throw Mark and Robin or Ty and Emily.   Personally, I think it should have been a moot point and CT/Diem should have teamed up with Ty and Emily.  And maybe they did and we didn't see it.   But the show led us to believe there was no agreement and a huge decision was to be made.

Do they throw Ty and Emily and guarantee one of the two strongest teams going home?  Or do they throw Mark and Robin - the team that had done nothing since they had been there?

They wound up throwing in Mark and Robin and I'm not sure if that was the right decision.  I think if there is no alliance you have to throw Ty and Emily in.  This is about winning money and you have no moral obligation to do the right thing.  

The only other excuse would be to throw them in to try and get rid of Robin.   What in god's name is she talking about and why is she crying so much.  Stop it.

I also was wondering if Mark really had never been in an elimination challenge?  They made it seem like it was a fact, but I doubt that MTV has the Elias sports bureau people pouring over Stats back in MTV headquarters.

Thats the big question - Did CT and Diem do the right thing?  Do you take the moral high ground or try to win the fat cash.... take it away commenters.