Tag Archives: invasion

The Challenge

The Challenge Invasion: Super Teaser

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Did the last Challenge video leave you wanting for me? Well then good news, since we’ve now got a longer look at this season’s Invasion.

As expected, we have the Underdogs arriving first, with the Champions joining them later to show them how the game is really played. As one of the oldest fans of The Challenge ever, I was looking for Shane in this trailer. I think the only shot of Shane is him vomiting all over, but since we could only see the top of his head, I can’t even be sure that was him. I hope he performs well. I would love to see some old Challenge guys return to the scene.

The Challenge Invasion premieres February 7th, so mark those calendars.

The Challenge

The Challenge Invasion

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I don’t totally geek out about many things these days. One of my most embarrassing interests is The Challenge.

In my defense, I started watching The Challenge when it was age-appropriate. The first season came out in 1998, when I was 18 and still way into The Real World and Road Rules. I enjoyed seeing my favorite cast members come back and compete with each other.

At some point, I got in way too deep. I watched every season. I couldn’t possibly skip an episode and miss out on the drama of it all.

And now, I’m closing in on 40 and still watch these kids get drunk and, most importantly, compete.

The point is, The Challenge is back with season 29, Invasion. The format is all about a bunch of new guys I don’t care about vs. old guys I’m excited to see again. Of course Bananas is back, hot off his Rivals 3 win where he took home the biggest prize in Challenge history. CT is back from semi-retirement. Darrell is back for the first time in several years to challenge Bananas. Before Bananas, Darrell was the Challenge’s biggest winner. It’ll be cool to see those guys compete against each other.

Also back is Shane for the first time in 10 years. I’m glad to see him back, but wondering what compelled him to return after all these years.

On the female side, my favorite female competitor, Cara Maria is back. Let’s hope he pulls out a win a little more impressive than the lackluster Bloodlines gave her.

More details are available over at MTV.  Invasion premieres February 7th.

Comics, DC, TV

Is Arrow The Best Batman TV Show?

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I’ve always said that how I thought Arrow got on the air was that someone went and pitched a Batman TV show but got turned down as they felt that the Batman property was too big to be on TV.  They looked at each other and said “Is there another billionaire hero we can just put in his place?  Green Arrow is rich right?”

I’m not saying that that’s a bad thing as it has worked out perfectly.  On paper there is no way this show should work.  A super hero show on the CW where we explore the relationship between Oliver Queen, Laurel (Dinah) Lance, and their peers.  Ugh.  Sounded horrible.  I passed until I kept hearing after the first season that it was actually pretty good.  I saw it on Netflix and figured why not.  After the first episode I was hooked.

Since then we’ve seen them borrow plenty from the Batverse.  Deathstroke while not defined as a Bat Villian has played a big part in the Bat mythos.  Rhas Al Ghul and the League Of Assassins were the center point of season 3.  Similar starts being portrayed as a dark vigilante.  A secret headquarters full of gadgets and weapons.  Eventually creating a superhero family around him.  Last season his tech savy girlfriend and side kick Felicity got shot and was in a wheelchair giving her an Oracle feel about her.

This week we’ve been watching a 4 part crossover between all the CW DC shows (which we can thank Arrow for all the spin off shows) called INVASION!  Slight spoilers below.

On Flash we saw that a handfull of the heroes were abducted by the Dominators.  On Arrow we find that the heroes (Oliver, Sarah, John, Ray, and Thea) were hooked up to a machine that put them in a dream state where they were living out what would be their perfect life.  This immediately made me think of . . . yep something from Batman.

Specifically Batman: The Animated Series.  In an episode titled Perchance To Dream Bruce Wayne awakens to find that his parents never died.  He’s happy and it turns out that someone else is Batman so he can just relax and enjoy life as Bruce Wayne.  But of course nothing ever stays happy.  What I didn’t know about this episode was that it was written by horror novelist Joe R. Lansdale.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kKf2fEwN9xs

There is always minor things like this that make me think more and more that I was right about the original pitch meeting.  I’m not sure why I’m okay with that happening on this show as any other show stealing ideas, villians, or storylines I would not be very excited about it.  But with the CW DC Universe I am perfectly fine.  Maybe it’s my distaste of Gotham that lets me enjoy this as my Batman alternative.  Regardless I’ll still be tuning in every week.  What do you think?