Review: The Challenge isn&#039;t what it used to be

[QUOTE=brunett;357290]I stumbled across this article about The Challenge this morning - or rather, a review of it. The writer is pretty critical, but she does make some good points. It's long but worth a read, IMO. What do you think? [URL="http://www.examiner.com/review/the-challenge-rivals-ii"]Review: The Challenge is not what it used to be - New York Reality TV | Examiner.com[/URL][/QUOTE] Interesting but short read and, for those of us who remember seeing those earlier seasons, we've noticed the dramatic change. There is one really good point but the editing of storylines and cramming too much together without any backstory.

August 4, 2013 - 8:07am

(Reply to #2) #3

Lindsey Dow should be reading vevmo regularly. We've collectively been saying the same thing since The Island.

August 4, 2013 - 8:08am

(Reply to #3) #4

[QUOTE=Desertpuma;357296]Interesting but short read and, for those of us who remember seeing those earlier seasons, we've noticed the dramatic change. There is one really good point but the editing of storylines and cramming too much together without any backstory.[/QUOTE] It's a long read, I just posted the beginning.

August 4, 2013 - 8:10am

(Reply to #4) #5

[QUOTE=V1man;357297]Lindsey Dow should be reading vevmo regularly. We've collectively been saying the same thing since The Island.[/QUOTE] Why do you think production has changed it so much?

August 4, 2013 - 8:11am

(Reply to #5) #6

[QUOTE=brunett;357298]It's a long read, I just posted the beginning.[/QUOTE] I read the entire article. Most articles I have read of late about a variety of topics tend to 2-3 pages.

August 4, 2013 - 8:14am

(Reply to #6) #7

[QUOTE=Desertpuma;357301]I read the entire article. Most articles I have read of late about a variety of topics tend to 2-3 pages.[/QUOTE] ahhh ok, haha, good to know. I always assume people have short attention spans, especially in this day and age, so I figured people would consider it long.

August 4, 2013 - 8:15am

(Reply to #7) #8

[QUOTE=brunett;357299]Why do you think production has changed it so much?[/QUOTE] It is a drastically different environment from when Challenges started. On Battle of Sexes 2, Derrick, Miz, and Mark Long took off down a highway in Santa Fe in a golf cart they stole from Production to go see a rodeo. Now, they would not have made it out of the front yard. Additionally, Justin Booth has made the living conditions miserable on purpose when before they were not. Challenges used to be a fun competitive experience not a locked down house where they only leave for missions, eliminations, and to go clubbing. In Turkey during Battle of the Seasons 2, there was no hot water and half the toilets were busted.

August 4, 2013 - 8:28am

(Reply to #8) #9

August 4, 2013 - 8:32am

(Reply to #9) #10

[QUOTE=brunett;357299]Why do you think production has changed it so much?[/QUOTE] It believe it began as an effort to produce more drama which those responsible believed would lead to a better rated show. The producer wanted constant and growing friction among the cast. Anything uncomfortable or divisive was good. Everything else was bad. Here is one contrasting example: During the shooting of Gauntlet 3 in Puerta Villarta, Mexico, Beth called me one afternoon, telling me she and some of the cast needed to escape for an evening on a down day. She asked me to book a table (I think for 10) for dinner at a nearby 5-star resort hotel the cast had seen on their way from the airport to their location. I made a call. All they needed to do was inform production and find their own transportation. I'm told it was a good escape and a bit of bonding for some away from the challenge environment. During the shooting of The Island, however, a cast member felt the need to escape without production's knowledge several miles down the road from their location to a store to secure edible food and liquor. Cast members were not allowed to leave the location, and the food was so bad that one cast member stole food from a crew member's lunch. Deprivation was one of production's key factors to influence cast behavior on that challenge. I could go on for pages...

August 4, 2013 - 8:41am

(Reply to #10) #11

[QUOTE=V1man;357306]It believe it began as an effort to produce more drama which those responsible believed would lead to a better rated show. The producer wanted constant and growing friction among the cast. Anything uncomfortable or divisive was good. Everything else was bad. Here is one contrasting example: During the shooting of Gauntlet 3 in Puerta Villarta, Mexico, Beth called me one afternoon, telling me she and some of the cast needed to escape for an evening on a down day. She asked me to book a table (I think for 10) for dinner at a nearby 5-star resort hotel the cast had seen on their way from the airport to their location. I made a call. All they needed to do was inform production and find their own transportation. I'm told it was a good escape and a bit of bonding for some away from the challenge environment. During the shooting of The Island, however, a cast member felt the need to escape without production's knowledge several miles down the road from their location to a store to secure edible food and liquor. Cast members were not allowed to leave the location, and the food was so bad that one cast member stole food from a crew member's lunch. Deprivation was one of production's key factors to influence cast behavior on that challenge. I could go on for pages...[/QUOTE] oh no doubt, i've heard conditions have gotten pretty bad for the cast. but what i'm wondering is why they don't take the time to develop their storylines anymore, they just cram a bunch of random fights into one episode.

August 4, 2013 - 8:46am

(Reply to #11) #12

[QUOTE=brunett;357308]oh no doubt, i've heard conditions have gotten pretty bad for the cast. but what i'm wondering is why they don't take the time to develop their storylines anymore, they just cram a bunch of random fights into one episode.[/QUOTE] Believe it or not, MTV is partially responsible for Short Attention Span Theatre. The editing of videos that appeared on MTV from the mid-80s on has changed how things are shot and edited so much partially because of the style and partially because some music video directors are now big time directors (example: Michael Bay).

August 4, 2013 - 10:04am

(Reply to #12) #13

Have ratings gone down since The Island?

August 4, 2013 - 10:43am

(Reply to #13) #14

Quest

[QUOTE=Desertpuma;357303]It is a drastically different environment from when Challenges started. On Battle of Sexes 2, Derrick, Miz, and Mark Long took off down a highway in Santa Fe in a golf cart they stole from Production to go see a rodeo. Now, they would not have made it out of the front yard. Additionally, Justin Booth has made the living conditions miserable on purpose when before they were not. Challenges used to be a fun competitive experience not a locked down house where they only leave for missions, eliminations, and to go clubbing. In Turkey during Battle of the Seasons 2, there was no hot water and half the toilets were busted.[/QUOTE] didn't they hit derrick with that golf cart? back on topic. So, to me it seems like it's been little liberties the cast gets taken away have been building up. be it types of liquor, unlimited supply of liquor, open trips to venues, getting full functioning amazing homes which they will ruin anyways, lawsuits etc. Had to cover their ***** a bit till the rest of these shows with fights and such gave them a few more liberties to push that and stories instead of the challenges really. Though the finals are actually pretty good competitions, not the repeat members but the actual event. compared to the daily challenges that have been becoming less.

August 4, 2013 - 10:54am

(Reply to #14) #15

[QUOTE=Quest;357320]didn't they hit derrick with that golf cart? [/QUOTE] Yes, it was his rookie Challenge too. ... Back to the regularly scheduled topic....

August 4, 2013 - 11:20am

(Reply to #15) #16

[QUOTE=Quest;357320]didn't they hit derrick with that golf cart? back on topic. So, to me it seems like it's been little liberties the cast gets taken away have been building up. be it types of liquor, unlimited supply of liquor, open trips to venues, getting full functioning amazing homes which they will ruin anyways, lawsuits etc. Had to cover their ***** a bit till the rest of these shows with fights and such gave them a few more liberties to push that and stories instead of the challenges really. Though the finals are actually pretty good competitions, not the repeat members but the actual event. compared to the daily challenges that have been becoming less.[/QUOTE] How did someone from BMP get in here? :pirate:

August 4, 2013 - 12:26pm

(Reply to #16) #17

Quest

[QUOTE=V1man;357323]How did someone from BMP get in here? :pirate:[/QUOTE] Bing

August 4, 2013 - 2:05pm

(Reply to #17) #18

mario21jorge

August 4, 2013 - 2:13pm

(Reply to #18) #19

Cracking down on rules/regulations for the cast members doesn't explain why the format of the show for the viewer is so different, though, which is the theme of the article. Production could still crack down on the rules without cramming a bunch of fights into one episode with no backstory and very little storyline.

August 4, 2013 - 3:40pm

(Reply to #19) #20

Nightwolf

[QUOTE=V1man;357306]It believe it began as an effort to produce more drama which those responsible believed would lead to a better rated show. The producer wanted constant and growing friction among the cast. Anything uncomfortable or divisive was good. Everything else was bad. Here is one contrasting example: During the shooting of Gauntlet 3 in Puerta Villarta, Mexico, Beth called me one afternoon, telling me she and some of the cast needed to escape for an evening on a down day. She asked me to book a table (I think for 10) for dinner at a nearby 5-star resort hotel the cast had seen on their way from the airport to their location. I made a call. All they needed to do was inform production and find their own transportation. I'm told it was a good escape and a bit of bonding for some away from the challenge environment. [B]During the shooting of The Island, however, a cast member felt the need to escape without production's knowledge several miles down the road from their location to a store to secure edible food and liquor[/B]. Cast members were not allowed to leave the location, and the food was so bad that one cast member stole food from a crew member's lunch. Deprivation was one of production's key factors to influence cast behavior on that challenge. I could go on for pages...[/QUOTE] If I may ask, does this have to do with the rumored "different" departure that a certain male cast member had on the show than what we actually saw on tv?

August 4, 2013 - 4:19pm

(Reply to #20) #21

[QUOTE=Nightwolf;357343]If I may ask, does this have to do with the rumored "different" departure that a certain male cast member had on the show than what we actually saw on tv?[/QUOTE] No, that was Abram we saw leave after a phone call with some business partner in Montana. Actually, he was on the phone with Coral according to my sources. Shortly thereafter they went to Hawaii together to attend a wedding.

August 4, 2013 - 7:13pm

(Reply to #21) #22

Nightwolf

[QUOTE=V1man;357349]No, that was Abram we saw leave after a phone call with some business partner in Montana. Actually, he was on the phone with Coral according to my sources. Shortly thereafter they went to Hawaii together to attend a wedding.[/QUOTE] I meant Dave

August 4, 2013 - 7:26pm

(Reply to #22) #23

[QUOTE=Nightwolf;357359]I meant Dave[/QUOTE] Sorry, Dave was such a non-story that I never paid attention to him. I fact, I forgot he was even there. Apparently it is the one time Production and I agreed on anything.

August 4, 2013 - 7:27pm

(Reply to #23) #24

Debut Album

I agree with the article. There's No real Legit storylines anymore. It's just a bunch of Random drunken fights that last all but 5 seconds. They need to get back to actually telling story lines and actually Building up the drama that ensures. And she's only talking about one aspect of the challenges..There's some others things that made this show take a turn for the worse. (*coughfreshemeatcough*)

August 5, 2013 - 5:09am

(Reply to #24) #25

El Scorcho

[QUOTE=Debut Album;357361]I agree with the article. There's No real Legit storylines anymore. It's just a bunch of Random drunken fights that last all but 5 seconds. [B]They need to get back to actually telling story lines[/B] and actually Building up the drama that ensures. And she's only talking about one aspect of the challenges..There's some others things that made this show take a turn for the worse. (*coughfreshemeatcough*)[/QUOTE] What are some examples?

August 5, 2013 - 12:28pm

(Reply to #25) #26

Fullback12

Well think about it this way, they can't real do these long *** story lines because, people get eliminated left and right and unexpected. You don't want to be in a good story line and one of the main people just get eliminated early on.

August 5, 2013 - 12:45pm

(Reply to #26) #27

TheFeedMachi

[QUOTE=Fullback12;357810]Well think about it this way, they can't real do these long *** story lines because, people get eliminated left and right and unexpected. You don't want to be in a good story line and one of the main people just get eliminated early on.[/QUOTE] With the Challenge, you can film the entire season and then pick and choose storylines to portray based on what happens. Sometimes a storyline isn't visible in the first few episodes, and then emerges later in the season. Last season did a horrible job at creating storylines, and it could be because one of the field producers had no association with the Challenge at all and had a background from the Kardashian show and a Paris Hilton reality show.

August 5, 2013 - 5:25pm

(Reply to #27) #28

jhl182

I tweeted this article to BMP. I hope they read it.

August 5, 2013 - 5:43pm

(Reply to #28) #29