The Challenge Final Reckoning Episode 4 Recap and Power Rankings
The episode starts with Kyle joking about how they are all going to miss Paulie and Cara is not happy about it. Despite how prominently they have been featured, I’m having a real hard time getting a gauge on their relationship. Right now, it seems like Cara has a legitimate issue with Kyle while Kyle is more following the standard drama formula because that is what he was trained to do. Based on their social media interactions, it seems like the two have not come to a reconciliation but perhaps some olive branch is extended, and political warfare does not ensue.
We then cut to the Redemption House, where Paulie and Natalie are elated to still be in the game and explain their situation to the rest of the house. Paulie says he really wanted Joss and Sylvia in the elimination but Natalie wanted Kam and Kayleigh. After Britni and Jemmye leave the room, Jozea tells Paulie and Natalie that Chuck cheated for a reason and that reason being Britni is crazy. Jozea and Da’Vonne also seem to imply Britni and Chuck may still have feelings for each other, will come into play heavily later.
Back at the main house, Shane is wearing a hair growth device supposedly because Kyle told him he needed one (this Shane vs. Kyle storyline is getting a ton of play early on). Brad comes out, and Shane asks him whether having Britni out of the house is actually better for his game. Brad says he really misses Britni and he would love to have her in the house.
Back in the Redemption House, Chuck wakes up and makes Britni coffee as a way to extend an olive branch to her in a showing of peace. The two end up going outside to discuss matters cordially. However, as they come to a peaceful agreement, Paulie lurks ready to use that to his advantage. Paulie remarks via confessional that it appears Britni is still in love with Chuck. After the Redemption House has gotten ready for the morning, Paulie tells Britni and Chuck that he plans to tell the house that they have rekindled their relationship while in the Redemption House. Britni and Chuck of course act with trepidation towards this announcement, but Paulie is not dissuaded.
At the Main House, Kayleigh is talking to Zach, Bananas, and CT about Nelson. Kayleigh says she cares more about Nelson than anyone else from the house which is why her feelings against him are so strong. Bananas says Kayleigh is just using Nelson for game purposes while Nelson has legitimate feelings for Kayleigh. I don’t know if I agree that it is solely for game purposes, but Kayleigh clearly does not seem as invested in their relationship as Nelson.
We then move to a confrontation between Johnny and Shane. Shane apparently has been asking Johnny if voting for him a one-time thing or will it continue throughout the season. Johnny gets upset at him for bothering him constantly about it and especially doing so in front of the entire house. Shane then makes a point of wanting to do so because he wants the entire house to know that Johnny is a snake, which I don’t think is really considered breaking news. Johnny then moves on to having some fun with Angela while we take a peak back at Nelson and Kayleigh.
Nelson is talking to Kayleigh about how they met up after Nelson left Vendettas. Kayleigh says all Nelson wants to talk about is game while she wants to talk about other things. Nelson and Shane have been getting a ton of screen time, which makes me think they might not be around for the long haul.
We head back to the Redemption House where we finally get the clue for how the “Reckoning” is going to happen. The teams then go out to a field where TJ is standing and introduces the double cross for this season. This time, the double cross will work by the team picking it getting to select their opponent in the Redemption House elimination. The teams not selected go straight home, while the winner goes back to the main house and the loser goes back to the Redemption House. This format seemed very odd to me, I would think the loser should join the other teams in leaving or even just they leave, and the other teams stay with a purge or two to clear teams out. However, this will put a heavy emphasis on political play and wheeling and dealing which should make for entertaining TV. The teams start drawing X’s. Jozea and Da’Vonne go first, and get a single cross meaning they’ll have to wait to see if they get to play. Natalie and Paulie go next, and they draw the double cross meaning they will get to select their opponent. However, they will have to wait until they get to the elimination round to see who they select. It was odd to me that would do this hear with no audience instead of in front of the house in at the elimination, but the image of them standing alone in the field with TJ was certainly a cool one.
After this, we head to the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse elimination round (long name) where the main house comes out. They’re all very confused until TJ brings out the Redemption House and then they quickly catch on. TJ announces that the team with the double cross will get to select their opponent for the elimination round, and that team is Natalie and Paulie. Paulie says they want to send Brad and Zach’s girlfriends home and pick Da’Vonne and Jozea to go against them in the elimination round.
The game is entitled Balls to the Wall and has the pairs attempt to wrestle a hammer out of a wall and then use them to break a block of ice. Each person must get their hammer out of the wall themselves without any direct assistance from their partner. The elimination starts and Paulie has little trouble getting his sledgehammer out and goes to cheer on Natalie. Soon after, Jozea gets his sledgehammer out and it becomes a race between the girls. Da’Vonne starts slowly making progress while Natalie is really struggling. Eventually, Da’Vonne is able to wiggle her sledgehammer out and smash the ice before Natalie ever gets hers out getting the win for her and Jozea.
After the elimination, Paulie starts yelling at Kyle and Zach. Once he and Kyle really start to get into it, Paulie rushes the crowd and is held back by Derrick and another bodyguard. Zach starts taunting him by calling him Mighty Mouse and he, Brad, and Kyle do not seem very intimidated by the situation. After Paulie is finally calmed down, he tells Brad that Britni slept with Chuck while in the Redemption House and told him she loved him. Natalie is devastated to have let Paulie down, but he comforts her and tells her they will find a way back into the game.
Extra Notes
o The Redemption House has drawn a lot of ire from fans, but I’ve always enjoyed it and having two different locations to view at once.
o Brad reported that he and Britni broke up in between episodes this week. While there were a lot of reasons cited, one of them was Brad was troubled by what he saw the past few episodes. Here is an article detailing what happened.
Redemption House
1) Paulie and Natalie: Hard to put too much faith in this pair after two failed opportunities. Natalie has shown a lot of potential thus far but has been unable to perform in clutch situations.
Power Rankings
11) Da’Vonne/Jozea: It seems like Jozea has put in some work since Champs vs. Stars; but these two still are the easy throw in right now.
10) CT/Veronica: Looks like an agility-based challenge is coming next week which could be a disaster for this pair.
9) Tori/Derrick: They seem like the team that will stick around a while without making a huge impact on the game.
8) Faith/Angela: Having Da’Vonne and Jozea back in the house gives another rookie team to throw in ahead of them.
7) Kam/Kayleigh: Kayleigh could be the worst competitor in the house but Kam’s social game and knack for performing when she needs too keep them up here.
6) Cara Maria/Marie: It will be interesting to see if these just take turns over their political decisions or how they handle it.
5) Nelson/Shane: I was tempted to move them down with how much screen time they are getting but I didn’t know who to bump up.
4) Joss/Sylvia: The dark horse of little screen time and a physical presence.
3) Zach/Amanda: One of the most combustible pairs but also one with the highest potential.
2) Brad/Kyle: I don’t think the Britni and Chuck fiasco will disrupt Brad’s game, but it could.
1) Bananas/Tony: Kings stay the kings.
