Takin' On 'The Challenge: All Stars': "Starget"

Kefla mentions at the beginning of the episode that the route players will have to take will be going through another to get possession of a star: the guarantee to the final and the money. One of the twists, though, is that after winning an elimination, a player has the choice to give a star to someone else, which is exactly what Rachel did. She took Tina’s and gave it to Veronica. Two players who deserve it the least this season, perhaps. Could either of them win a final if they make it? Maybe if they go against one another! It’s time that these players realize that if they’re going to get cast on the show repeatedly, they may want to get in better shape. 

The daily for this week is a play on an old one: Unbraided. This time, teams of five players were braided together by being attached to a rope on the side of a semi-truck. First, they had to figure out how to get untangled; second, they had to move a peg through a maze from one side of the truck to the other, passing the peg down amongst the teammates. The fastest team one. 

The challenge itself is  a fun watch but occurs without spectacle or much drama. The losing teams consist of Veronica, Cara Maria, Nicole, Rachel, and Flora. It is the ladies’ turn to go into elimination and those are the choices. This week, it’s up to the middle group of Tina, Averey, Jasmine, Brandon, and Jay to decide on which of the two females go into elimination. The other two ladies, Kam and Laurel, are on the winning team. They get no choice in who goes into elimination, but they do get the “sick” choice of going into elimination after hearing about the rules. Not a bad setup! 

This has Rachel realizing that she’s bound for elimination. She’s got a star, so it makes sense. 

In the meantime, Brandon recognizes that he and Cara Maria have a friendship, but he makes her no promises. Jasmine also commits to playing only for herself. It’s this pair who make for the most drama this week. Kam takes a little control of Jasmine and insists she makes a power move of putting both Rachel and Cara Maria into elimination. In that sense, a strong player goes home no matter what. Again, not a bad setup! 

Jasmine runs with the idea, Brandon doesn’t help his friend Cara, and it is Rachel and Cara who have to battle it out. Rachel takes it in stride; Cara Maria? Not as much, but she doesn’t come at anyone with vitriol. 

Somewhere in the mix, Nicole and Laurel decide that they can actually talk to one another and even have some serious flirtatious exchanges as Laurel stands around sans clothes but covered with a towel. Because that’s what’ll get your ex to leave you alone. Plus, the Nicole-Laurel relationship just doesn’t have the spark that others in past seasons have. Oh, well. We’ll take what we can get. 

Here’s where I get baffled: the elimination turns out to be tossing various sizes of throwing stars to a large board with differing squares on them: some make you stand on one foot, others get you five feet closer to the board, and then some have pictures of the two competitors on them. The goal is to get three shots on your competitor’s image before she gets yours. Plus, the players have to avoid her own picture, lest that ends up in eliminating herself. 

The puzzling part is why Kam and Laurel don’t jump at this damn game! It’s not strenuous; it doesn’t require math, puzzle solving, or athleticism. Why not play?! If I’m Kam, coming off of giving birth eight months prior, this is the elimination I’ve been waiting to play! Get that star, girl! But no. Both she and Laurel oddly nix the notion. 

Which leaves us with a subdued elimination where the only thrill comes from Cara Maria accidentally hitting her own image once. She does stand on one foot, too, but that only results in a better throw. And with that, we bid adieu to Rachel, sadly. I’m always a fan of challengers who come to the game, play it well, have spunk, but stay positive. That’s what Rachel does, but she’s now gone. (There were some funny moments where T.J. is worried about the awful throws that don’t hit the board. Look out, crew!)

The episode ends with Cara still burning – albeit slightly – at Brandon’s vote, and thinking aloud on where to give the extra star: a competitor who’s strong or one who’s weak? She decides on someone she deems weak and gives Jasmine the star. 

“Starget” does potentially set up a mini-feud between Cara Maria as well as tension in the house with Laurel and Nicole. Thus far, though, the season has been less exhilarating and more lame. Perhaps Kam’s meddling will bring about some fireworks as we await episode five. 

Confessionals

• 311! What!?! I haven't heard them since 1999!!
• Kam’s taking some serious heat online, but doesn’t Jasmine deserve more? Jasmine’s aggressive demeanor felt unwarranted whereas Kam’s inclusion was just gaming. 
• Plus, Kam’s always been like this. Re: sending C.T. into elimination because he wouldn’t partner with her. 
• I cannot believe no one jumped on that elimination. Is production making some of these easier for the older players this season?!
• Cara took most of this week’s game playing against her well enough. No reason to dislike anything she did. Go get ‘em Cara Maria!