The Challenge: Double Agents Power Rankings — Week 5

Welcome back to another edition of Power Rankings! This week we say goodbye to a favorite, Amber M. wins back an important title in the ‘Battle of the Ambers’, the real Nany almost peeks her head out, Kaycee questions some things, we have a new number one, and much more…

30) Ashley (Eliminated)

29) Joseph (E)

28) Nicole (E)

27) Wes (E)

26) Liv (LW: 22)

I’m gonna go out on a limb here, so bear with me. Out of all the British girls named Liv that have appeared on The Challenge, she’s gotta be in the running for my favorite.

25) Nelson (LW: 16)

I have so much to say, yet nowhere to begin. So I’ll just leave it at this. RIP to the Drench God. You’ll be missed more than you know.

Sing it boys. Do this one for me, I need it…

24) Josh (LW: 26)

On Free Agents, when Jordan threw out the idea of flipping all the skulls to go after Bananas, it sent the house scrambling. Every guy who heard it couldn’t wait to egg him on, knowing that it would keep them all safe another week. And production scrambled to figure out how to best utilize this story line. Some argue that making the elimination a wall-climbing/two handed elimination was unfair to Jordan. I’d argue that production knew his ego was so large, that they wanted to test how far he was willing to go….oh yeah, Josh. His performance this season so far is an instruction manual on the things to avoid doing for future competitors.

23) Amber B. (LW: 23)

Before the season if you told me heading into episode five, Amber B. was still here and hadn’t hooked up with anybody or thrown a drink in Nany’s face, I’d have said you were lying.

Now that she’s relinquished her Nipple Ring Queen title (more on that in a bit), Amber B. is stuck in no-womans land as a character. It’s too bad Cory’s so washed, those two would have definitely hooked up by now.

22) Gabby (LW: 24)

For the sake of my countrymen, I hope she didn’t come away from this experience thinking that Fessy’s attempts at flirting were any indication that that’s the best American men can do.

21) Lio (LW: 19)

He talks the The Miz in his confessionals and again I’ll point out that he has the best hair in the house. But either he’s as much of a zero as we’ve seen, or they’re saving him for something much bigger down the line.

20) Mechie (LW: 20)

Historically, sitting out a daily challenge will put a target on your back. So it may have been worrisome for him initially when he found out he was taking the day off. But fortunately for him, so did everybody else.

19) Amber M. (LW: 25)

Last week in the Battle of the Amber’s, she lost the Nipple Ring Queen title to Amber B. Not to be outdone, this week she and her nipple rings had their strongest showing yet.

18) Jay (LW: 21)

The Challenge Gods didn’t get an opportunity to pit Jay against somebody twice his size and toss him around this week. But if I know them like I think they do, this won’t be the last time we see Hall Brawl.

17) Mature Nany (LW: 18)

We’re close. I can feel it. Here she is double fisting drinks on the fringes of a dance-off at Klub K0ViD. The real Nany is on her way, it’s only a matter of time.

16) Theresa (LW: 15)

I really don’t know what to make of her edit so far. On one hand, we don’t necessarily need too much from her unless it’s effecting the game. We all know her by now. But on the other it’s not like they’re giving the screen time to rookies either. It’s too bad for her this house doesn’t have a basketball court.

15) Aneesa (LW: 17)

Before getting ditched by Fessy, he said “somebody would have stolen me anyway”. What he meant was “I was always leaving anyway”. She knew it was coming from jump street though, Aneesa much too wise to miss that.

Also, let’s just call it like it is. Fessy sucks and Leroy’s awesome. So I’m sure she’s good with this transaction. It’s sometimes as simple as that.

14) Nam (LW: 14)

How do you say fake phone number in German? For his sake, I hope Lolo doesn’t know.

13) Cory (LW: T12)

With Nelson gone, he’s a lot more politically exposed than he’s been in awhile. Luckily for him though, being partnered with Natalie gives him a fighting chance to win every time they hit the field. I expect the first chance he gets, he’s going to throw himself in.

Also, I guess I’ll be the first one with the guts to say it publicly…bad hair cut this season. Just not great. There it is folks. Take it or leave it.

12) Big T (LW: 10)

Is she the only cast member with a 100% Approval Rating? Who doesn’t like Big T? Even if you’re not her biggest fan, it’s not like anyone can be anti Big T. Maybe Darrell is her only competition? Either way, it’s an impressive feat to accomplish on a show like this.

11) Leroy (LW: 8)

All season my fellow internet pundits and I have been very critical of the soft game being played on the male side of the season. Last week Leroy lost Kaycee as a partner, leaving him with long-time colleague Aneesa. Not the worst thing in the world but it definitely screws up Leroy’s “Kaycee and I will win again so I can pick and choose when to get my skull” plan he was working off.

This is why if you’re someone like Leroy you go get your skull ASAP. Last seasons debacle makes me think the producers aren’t going to make it so everybody have a chance to play. It may be treacherous ground for, say, a Devin to walk around having their skull this early, but nobody is calling Leroy out. Nobody is calling Fessy out. Guys like him are going to walk easy to TJ’s Final.

10) Tori (LW: T12)

If Tori was a contestant on The Bachelor she would definitely get out of the limo wearing a costume. That’s not a compliment.

9) Devin (LW: 11)

Runaway winner of the Most Improved Player award. It’s like he Monstared most of Johnny’s best qualities while retaining all of his own. Been fun to watch.

8) Kaycee (LW: 7)

She’s gotta be looking at the other two knuckleheads in her Big Brother Triangle like what in the damn hell is the matter with you two?

7) Darrell (LW: 6)

Last season on Total Madness when the “skull” twist was announced, and it became a rule that you had to win an elimination to get to the Final, there was one single thing that popped into my head. Don’t even give Jordan a chance. Jordan (outside of his rookie season when he finished third which was entirely not his fault) doesn’t lose Finals. Period. And he wouldn’t have lost the slow-paced, puzzle filled one from last season either.

Maybe that’s the treatment Darrell’s getting. Don’t vote him in don’t even give him a chance. If he doesn’t nab a win soon, Amber or no Amber, he could find himself on the outside looking in.

6) Lolo (LW: 3)

Any of the janky carnival games the Challenge Gods put them through aren’t going to work out well for Lolo. That’s going to make a daily challenge hard to win. Which is going to hinder her opportunities to earn a Gold Skull.

She might get stuck getting the Darrell treatment, but unlike him she probably won’t even see it coming.

5) Kyle (LW: 5)

Last season he couldn’t drive a car. This season he can’t drive a drone. Let’s hope nobody lets him get behind the wheel of TJ’s tank.

4) Natalie (LW: 4)

Not a lot of juice to squeeze from this lemon, but it was interesting to see that she voted Nelson and Amber M. for elimination. Now that she’s partners with Cory it’s a bit surprising to see. I get that the other option was her Survivor brethren Jay, but this inter-team division may be something to look for the rest of the way.

3) CT (LW: 2)

In an otherwise translucent episode for CT, he claimed himself to be an OG Gamer, then dropped the code “up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, Start” This was a code that appeared throughout many older videos games, but was made famous by the shooting video game Contra on the NES. Contra was a smash hit widely released in 1986.

Big T was born in 1994.

Is that relevant? Probably not. But it’s not irrelevant. Ya know? No? Okay I’ll see myself out.

2) Kam (LW: 1)

What happened to that ‘lets get rid of former champs energy?’ Let’s just call that early season dog-and-pony show what it was. It wasn’t ‘get rid of former champs’, it was get rid of Wes. Leroy and Kam are both very obviously working with Darrell, and now that CT’s with Big T he’s perceived as less of a threat Ashley was just unfortunate but necessary collateral damage along the way.

1) Fessy (LW: 9)

Bro, I know you’re a good looking cat and don’t have to try that hard, but using the phrase “females” has never and will never be a good look when trying to spit game.

But let’s also be clear on something else. A lot of the guys left are going to be really angry at him when they get back to the house. But what us viewers need to understand is that a lot of them are mad because they know deep down they’re not going to get rid of him now. They’re mad because of the way he handled the entire thing, but don’t forget fear is the backbone of whatever emotional outburst comes his way.

Thanks for reading! In case you missed it: Be sure to check out Volume 2 in my Moment in Challenge History series, as well as last weeks Winners & Losers recap. I’ll see you all back on Tuesday afternoon for another edition of What To Look For previewing Episode 5!