MTV The Challenge: Battle of the Seasons | PreChallenge Storylines Outlook

September 10, 2012
Derrick Kosinski's "Ultimate Challenge Radio" Powered by Talent Network
Post Written By: Tim Koskuba
Ultimate Love to: MTV.com
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Hey guys, I want to thank Tim Koskuba for contributing to the web site at various times of the year on many topics (MMA, NBA, MTV). Tim is back with this blog post to present of few storylines he feels will be buzzing during the upcoming season of The Challenge: Battle of the Seasons. I will be back in action on the podcast mic during this season bringing in new and old guest to break down the episodes and cast drama. Thanks again to Tim and hope you enjoy and comment on this post.  - Derrick

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The new season of 'The Challenge' premieres Wednesday, September 19 at 10/9c.

Ten years ago, the fifth ever season of “The Challenge” debuted on MTV. It featured guy/girl pairs, each from a different season of “The Real World” or “Road Rules”. It included such Challenge power-players as Mike “The Miz”, Coral, Theo, Timmy, Veronica, and it was even hosted by Eric Nies and the Godfather, Mark Long. A decade plus later, MTV has brought back the “Battle of the Seasons”, but this time it will focus solely on a collection of reuniting Real-Worlders. On paper, it certainly doesn't look to have the star-power as it's predecessor (as bluntly pointed out by Challenge superstar, Johnny Bananas), but as with most Challenges, it still has some intriguing storylines to explore.

Storyline #1: Wes vs. The World
One of the names that will stand out to any Challenge-aholic that looks at a roster sheet will be Wes. The myth of him being one of the shows most talented physical competitors has been squashed with recent performances, but he's still put into an advantageous position on this Challenge. With so many unproven cast members and no clear social opposition, Wes' political manipulation could play a major role on this show. Usually there's a Kenny, Johnny, or Evan to combat Wes' puppeteering of the cast, but unless one of the new blood is already prepared to deny his advances, the field is clear for him to do with as he pleases. The only foreseeable hurdle in his path is that he'll be forced to team with his former best friend that he back-stabbed on “Fresh Meat 2”. Danny and the rest of Wes' team could hold him back. Danny has been an inconsistent performer at best, Melinda has never impressed, and Lacey is a rookie and a complete question mark. It's hard to have power on these shows without winning the occasional Challenge, but with Wes' proclivity for forming alliances, he could very well align himself with whoever the best foursome ends up being.

Storyline #2: The Debut of Zach
Ever since “Real World: San Diego” debuted, the Challenge Twittersphere has been abuzz with the question, “How is Zach going to do on the Challenges?”. On September 19th, we're going to find out. At 6'3 and with a rich, athletic background, Zach is probably one of the shows best blue-chip prospects to come along in a while. Physically, he obviously has the tools, and for anyone that has listened to him on “Ultimate Challenge Radio”, they know he's an intelligent guy as well. However, if sports fans have learned anything over the years when it comes to scouting, it's that we don't know what someone can do until they're put into real-game situations. Will he  make rookie mistakes when it comes to the social game? Will his relationship with Ashley hold him back? These questions and his competitive prospects make for the second best storyline heading into this Challenge.


Storyline #3: The Prodigal Son Returns
Anytime a knowledgeable Challenge fan lists the best athletes the show has seen, Alton is near the top of the list, if not number one. This will be Alton's first Challenge since “The Inferno 3” back in 2007, where he led the Good Guys team to a narrow defeat in the final challenge. He will not recognize too many of the faces he'll see on this season, but he enters on what could be the team to beat in the competition. In a bit of “old school meets new school”, the producers have teamed up two members of the 2002 “Real World: Las Vegas” cast with two members of the 2011 “Real World: Las Vegas” cast. Alton and Trishelle (making her long-time return as well) along with Dustin and Nany seem to be a foursome that can gel well with one another, will all take the challenges seriously, and have a nice mix of veteran leadership with youthful exuberance. We'll see if Alton still has the mojo that makes him still one of the most respected competitors in the game, even after a five year absence.


Storyline #4: Who Steps Up?
As I stated earlier, there has been some criticism from former Challengers and fans about the lack of star-power on this season. With a few exceptions (Sarah, Kelly Anne, Dunbar, etc), there are a lot of unproven commodities in this talent pool. This could very well be a testing ground for Bunim/Murray to try and uncover some diamonds in the rough. Are there future stars of “The Challenge” here? Who's going to step up and grab the attention of the network and the viewing public?  That can mean athletically or just in a pure entertainment sense. If a handful of guys and/or girls from this show perform well, they'll earn a call-back on future Challenges. It's that simple. There's so many fan-favorites and producer-favorites moving on to pursue other career or personal ventures, it opens the doors for some of this new blood to come in and stake a claim to eventually become Challenge-mainstays.

* What are you guys looking forward to seeing? Let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading and be sure to keep frequenting Derrick Kosinski's UltimateChallengeRadio.com to fill that MTV Challenge fix of yours!


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MTV The Challenge: Battle of the Seasons (Official MTV Web Page)
The new season of 'The Challenge' premieres Wednesday, September 19 at 10/9c.

Watch The "MTV The Challenge: Battle of the Seasons" Trailer Below

They started out as strangers, but now they're bonded for life.

Get More: The Challenge (Season 22), The Challenge (Season 22), Full Episodes

Watch The Spy Cam from "MTV The Challenge: Battle of the Seasons"

Check out leaked footage of this season's competitors from The Challenge Spy Cam!

View at MTV.com