The Challenge: Double Agents Episode 14 Recap — Winners & Losers

Winner: All Of Us

Earlier this week, the trailer and the cast list for The Challenge: All Stars got released into the wild. And it starts in two weeks? What a wonderful world we live in.

There’s about a 115% percent chance that this is going to be more enjoyable to watch than Double Agents has been.

Winner: Kyle

I really appreciate Kyle’s ability to just say whatever the fuck, whenever the fuck. Maybe it’s living in the UK and therefore feeling separated from everyone in a real life way, but he’s the last person left that says what he means and means what he says.

Take Fessy’s apology to Aneesa. If there wasn’t a camera in his face, would that have ever happened? He couldn’t even stop smiling he was so happy to be rid of her.

Winner: Darrell’s Sweater Game

Sweater game slaps.

Winner: Staying Out of Elimination

We’re just about two seasons into this win-to-get-in format, and I gotta say, the verdict’s in.

Scrambling to stay out of elimination is intergalactically more interesting than trying to weasel your way in.

This is a celebratory space, so I’ll be brief, but as far as political intrigue/game theory goes the first third of this episode was easily the best we’ve gotten in a long time.

Winner: Big T, The Morning Person

There is nothing a not morning person hates than a morning person.

Winner: Geologists

Loser: Under Armor

I’m not sure what TYR is and I’m not really the target market for scuba gear advertisement’s anyway, but it’s a sad day when Under Armor doesn’t have quite the monopoly that they used to when it comes to Challenge branding.

There’s actually a small part of me kind of surprised that Under Armor doesn’t make wet-suits. Seems like their more than likely already streamlined manufacturing process wouldn’t be upended by this new product, and it’s niche enough anyway that a large marketing budget would be unnecessary as name recognition may be able to carry you to a firm market entry point as well as already established relationships with sporting goods stores at first and that’s an easy pivot…

What’s that? Nobody cares? Copy that. Moving on.

Loser: Cory’s Childhood Friend

The hell? What a psycho.

Loser: Swimcaps

I understand that they probably can’t have exposed skin in that water or something, but let’s be serious for a second.

They all looked like dorks.

Loser: Production Design

Style over substance isn’t always incorrect. There are plenty of times in life where looking great is much more important than practicality, like a wedding or if you ever appear on Wheel of Fortune. But daily challenges is not one of those times.

Look it’s really cool for them that they got to swim in the “clearest water in the world” (shout to to the PA that put together TJ’s fact sheet for the week), but I for one am kind of over the daily challenges where less than half the group can even complete it.

I’m not saying make it easy on them, but at least make it something that they are going to be able to physically do. That’s like the fifth one this season.

I guess it’s entirely possible I might just still be having PTSD from this.

Winner: The Challenge

Big T and Aneesa, who are civilians, have won five out twelve daily challenges. Lolo, an Olympic athlete, couldn’t win anything so she quit and left.

I fucking love this show.

Winner: The Rock

I have a friend named Mike who pulls this ask a question — interrupt with “IT DOESN’T MATTER” move off every once in awhile and it is absolutely gut-busting funny every single time. It’s not ideal when he doesn’t it on vacation to a group of strangers after a Memorial Day afternoon Red Sox game at a rowdy bar, but that’s another story for another time.

Once society is back out here wildin’ again, add this move Kyle pulled off to your repertoire. You’ll be the life of the party in no time.

Winner: Leroy

Watching Leroy be King Dick in the house after spending a decade sitting in the backseat with the aux cord gives me butterfly’s in my stomach.

As far as Klub K0ViD goes, this is always around the time in every season where everyone’s just working out and nobody gets sloppy, but I’ve seen Canasta games more invigorating than any moment we’ve gotten at the Klub this entire time.

How sad. I blame Josh. That’s what I’m supposed to do, right?

Loser: Fessy

lol

Winner: Affirmations

He’s not wrong.

Winner: A Hook Up From 2016

When New Hot Guy Cory hooked up with Aneesa on Battle of the Bloodlines, only on The Challenge does that come in handy on week fourteen of a season five years later.

Darrell and Amber being the house vote presented a potentially huge opportunity for Aneesa and Kyle to shake things up, take Kyle’s suggestion and throw CT down there.

But alas, Aneesa couldn’t do that to her buddy Cory. This is just simply strange behavior by Aneesa. How many more of these does she plan to do? I am all here for Aneesa being on every challenge until she dies so it’s all gravy over here. But voting in Cory and Big T is a move with it roots firmly in the long game.

Kyle had the right idea, as making Darrell and CT go head-to-head after both just fought their way into the Skull Club would have been the best thing for their game. Or hell, even chuck Leroy down there just completely dismantling the power vacuum at the top.

Or we can just give whoever asks nicest the chance, either way.

Winner: Zen Cory

Ever since he made his return post-Pastagate on Final Reckoning, there has been a calm, centered energy emanating from Cory. He’s just as emotional as he once was, but instead of being a hothead perpetually trying to prove something to everybody, he’s cared about only the things that matter.

I like Zen Cory. I talk a lot about how #blessed we all are to be able to have watched Aneesa, CT, etc. grow in front of our eyes over time. But I don’t make enough of Cory’s transformation.

Cory’s found his way into an absolutely stacked field full of guys with chips on their shoulders and a heavy load on their backs. Leroy’s playing for his last shot, CT’s playing for his legacy, Fessy’s playing for his pride, and Kyle’s playing for legitimacy.

Cory’s equally as hungry as the rest, but he seems to be the only comfortable one left. He’s playing with house money and I venture a guess that it would put a smile on everyone’s face if he finally cashed in.

Winner: Darrell

Dirty 30 was sort of a false start for him as a return, which was disappointing for all Darrell-heads out there. So when I saw him on the cast list for Double Agents I was mostly excited, but partly confused. Not as confused as when I saw Theresa’s name, but it’s always crazy to see names like his all these years later.

He had a great run, and hadn’t changed a bit. This wasn’t the elimination for him, which is shocking because he rarely ever loses straight up on this show. But he’s not kidding when he said “these Challenges are a lot harder than they used to be”.

Loser: Amber

Amber has good reason to be crying. Being partnered with Darrell gave her legitimate clout. She was a rookie getting co-signed by a legend. And I’ll tell you what, out of all the rogue agents we’ve had, she’s the only one that truly looked alone at the end there.

Winner: Kam

Boys, boys, boys. Not all at once.