[Warning: The following post contains spoilers for The Challenge, Season 41 Episode 7, “At Least Someone’s Getting Laid!”]
Let’s get this out of the way first: Yes, the title of this episode is reflective of the fact that The Challenge house became hookup central for a pair of players: Nany González, who was coming out of a very serious relationship, and Will Gagnon, who was the sadboy who punched a wall at the beginning of the season over Dee Valladares hooking up with Johnny Bananas. Yes, the cameras captured a copious amount of the action and shared it with audiences. And yes, everyone talked about it and made crude jokes, with the parties involved laughing as much as anyone.
It’s typical Challenge fashion to have a few sultry showmances throughout the season — some that last, and some that, like this one, apparently, are just purely physical and temporary.
Moving on! The daily challenge was the show’s first-ever grand prix-style episode, fit with go-karts and a series of puzzles that the players had to take turns trying to solve. Called “Drive Me Crazy,” the game had 13 stations with one car and four stacked puzzles. One member of the pair had to drive laps, and the other had to figure out the puzzle, and they took turns until it was done. Chris “C.T.” Tamburello initially struggled with the car because of his size — “I feel like Bowser,” he joked at his own expense — but with Aneesa Ferreira at his side, the two managed to become true contenders in the challenge. They came this close to finishing first, but that honor went to Nany and her partner, Leo Dionici. The day’s losing pair was Tay Wilcoxson and Yeremi Hykel.
Nany and Leo had to choose who to save from the jury vote for the arena — with Tay automatically going in, since it was a women’s elimination day — and she picked her newest BFF Ashley Mitchell without much incident.
The jury then had to choose who to send in against Tay, and while others like Jonna Mannion and Dee also came into the mix, the vote ultimately went to Izzy Fairthorne (who was partnered with Will).
In the arena, titled “Pick It Up Again,” Tay and Izzy had to shoot hoops and build towers while their ball went through a giant gameboard, catching the ball before it got all the way through to the ground. Izzy struggled dearly with it, thanks in part to the fact that her platform was already leaning, but Tay stuck with it and emerged victorious. With that, Izzy went home, Will became the automatic hangnail, and new teams were chosen.
In the selection, the following new teams were made: Nany and Cedric Hodges; Leo and Olivia Kaiser; Aneesa and Jake Cornish; C.T. and Michaela Bradshaw; America Lopez and Gabe Wai; Derek Chavez and Aviv Melmed; Justin Hinson and Ashley; Sydney Segal and Yeremi; Jonna and Turabi “Turbo” Çamkıran; Dee and Theo Campbell; Leroy Garrett and Tay.
Then came some real excitement: Host T.J. Lavin finally, finally revealed what the points the players have been collecting all season will be good for. Whoever has the most points will get their first pick for their teammate for the rest of the season, he revealed. The only limitation is that they’ll have the same criteria as the prior selections: “Opposite stripe, opposite gender,” he said. He still didn’t reveal when exactly this ultra-selection ceremony will occur, but at least we now know what that tallyboard has in store for the remaining contestants.
The Challenge, Wednesdays, 8/7c, MTV