Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Gauntlet III

Last updated

The Gauntlet III
Season 15
Gauntlet3 281x105.jpg
Presented by T. J. Lavin
No. of contestants33
Winners
  • Frank Roessler
  • Jillian Zoboroski
  • Johanna Botta
  • Nehemiah Clark
  • Rachel Moyal
  • Tori Hall
Location Puerto Vallarta, Mexico [1]
Opening Theme"15 Minutes" performed by Wired All Wrong
No. of episodes10
Release
Original network MTV
Original releaseJanuary 23 (2008-01-23) 
March 26, 2008 (2008-03-26)
Season chronology
 Previous
The Inferno 3
Next 
The Island

Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Gauntlet III is the 15th season of the MTV reality game show, The Challenge (at the time known as Real World/Road Rules Challenge).

Contents

Being the third in The Gauntlet series, The Gauntlet III marked the show's 2nd trilogy (Inferno III is the first), continuing on from The Gauntlet (7th season) and The Gauntlet 2 (11th season). The season was filmed in Riviera Nayarita, Mexico, with former cast members from The Real World and Road Rules competing, along with several cast members from the Fresh Meat challenge. This season was in the format of two teams: Veterans vs. Rookies, with a format similar to The Gauntlet 2 . The contestants on the Veterans team had been on at least two prior seasons of the Challenge, and the contestants on the Rookies team had been on fewer than two prior seasons. [1]

Format

The competition consists of a series of team challenges (sometimes called "missions") with an elimination challenge, known as the "Gauntlet", following each of the team challenges except the final. Each team challenge puts the team of Veterans against the team of Rookies. Prior to the challenge, it is announced whether males or females will compete in the Gauntlet following the challenge. [2]

After each team challenge, on a male Gauntlet day, the winning team selects a male member of the losing team to protect from the Gauntlet and another male member to send into the Gauntlet. The losing team then selects one of its own males to go against the person picked by the winners. On a female Gauntlet day, the players protected and sent into the Gauntlet are females. [2]

After the two players for the Gauntlet are picked, a wheel is spun to determine which challenge is going to be played in the Gauntlet. The loser of the Gauntlet is eliminated from the game. [2]

In this season, minor prizes are awarded after each challenge to the team members that were not vulnerable to elimination in the following Gauntlet; i.e. on challenges before male Gauntlets, prizes are awarded to female members of the winning team, and vice versa. The grand prize is $300,000, which is split among the remaining members of the team that wins the final challenge. [2]

Contestants

Veterans Team
PlayerOriginal seasonFinish
Adam King The Real World: Paris Runner-up
Brad Fiorenza The Real World: San Diego Runner-up
Chris "CT" Tamburello The Real World: ParisRunner-up
Diem Brown Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Fresh Meat Runner-up
Eric BanksReal World/Road Rules Challenge: Fresh MeatRunner-up
Evan StarkmanReal World/Road Rules Challenge: Fresh MeatRunner-up
Evelyn SmithReal World/Road Rules Challenge: Fresh MeatRunner-up
Kenny SantucciReal World/Road Rules Challenge: Fresh MeatRunner-up
Paula Meronek The Real World: Key West Runner-up
Robin HibbardThe Real World: San DiegoRunner-up
Danny Jamieson The Real World: Austin Episode 8/9
Katie Doyle Road Rules: The Quest Episode 8
Casey CooperReal World/Road Rules Challenge: Fresh MeatEpisode 7
Coral Smith The Real World: Back to New York Episode 7 [lower-alpha 1]
Beth Stolarczyk The Real World: Los Angeles Episode 5
Johnny Devenanzio The Real World: Key WestEpisode 3
 
Rookies Team
PlayerOriginal seasonFinish
Frank Roessler The Real World: Las Vegas Winner
Jillian Zoboroski Road Rules: X-Treme Winner
Johanna BottaThe Real World: AustinWinner
Nehemiah ClarkThe Real World: AustinWinner
Rachel MoyalThe Real World: AustinWinner
Tori Hall Road Rules 2007: Viewers' Revenge Winner
Ryan KehoeReal World/Road Rules Challenge: Fresh MeatEpisode 7
MJ Garrett [lower-alpha 2] The Real World: Philadelphia Episode 6
Melinda StolpThe Real World: AustinEpisode 6
Derek McCrayRoad Rules 2007: Viewers' RevengeEpisode 5
Zach MannThe Real World: Key WestEpisode 4
Janelle CasanaveThe Real World: Key WestEpisode 4
Tyrie Ballard The Real World: Denver Episode 3 [lower-alpha 2]
Brooke LaBarberaThe Real World: DenverEpisode 3
Tyler DuckworthThe Real World: Key WestEpisode 2
Angel TurlingtonRoad Rules 2007: Viewers' RevengeEpisode 2
Alex SmithThe Real World: DenverEpisode 1

Gameplay

Challenge games

Gauntlet games

In the Gauntlet, the game played is determined by spinning a wheel. The wheel contains six sections, one for each Gauntlet game and one for 'spin again'. The game that was played in the previous Gauntlet is replaced by another 'spin again' section, and therefore, no Gauntlet game can be played twice in a row.

Army Strong final challenge

Each team starts out on a yacht half a mile off the Mexican Riviera, with one key handed to them by T. J. Levin. Every player has to jump off the yacht, and swim to the shore, in which the remainder of the challenge will be a footrace, containing checkpoints that are reminiscent of the aforementioned challenge games. T. J. Lavin explains to each team that all team members must cross the finish line to win the Army Strong Final Challenge. Each checkpoint contains a key that a team will need in order to obtain instructions for further checkpoints, and after the first checkpoint, teammates must be connected together by chains for the remainder of the race unless they are instructed otherwise. The first checkpoint is a combination of the "Chill Out" and "Assembly Required" games, in which players from each team must jump into a large ice tub in order to retrieve 20 pieces of a puzzle that are located at the bottom of the ice tub. Once a team has solved their puzzle, they can obtain another key, and then race to the next checkpoint, which is based on the "Screw You" challenge. Each team has to unscrew an oversize wing nut until it has been removed off a track, which contains the key to the next checkpoint, which is based on the "Sliders" elimination game. Note: Prior to this checkpoint, Eric collapsed and needed medical assistance, and the Veterans team became disqualified when he was removed from the final challenge. The final two checkpoints are based on the "Man Overboard" and "I Dig You" games. At the "I Dig You" checkpoint, each team must dig deep through the sand in order to retrieve a treasure chest that contains a flag. After digging through the sand, the Veterans raise their flag ahead of the Rookies, however T. J. Lavin does not blow horn, because the Veterans had already been disqualified. Once the Rookies raise their team flag, they are declared the winning team. [12]

Game summary

Elimination chart

EpisodeGenderWinnersProtectedGauntlet contestantsGauntlet gameGauntlet outcome
#ChallengeWinners' PickLosers' PickWinnerEliminated
1Tug of War [lower-alpha 3] [lower-alpha 3] Veterans [lower-alpha 3]
Pinata PitMaleVeteransRyanNehemiahAlexForce FieldNehemiahAlex
2Screw You [lower-alpha 4] FemaleVeteransBrookeJillianAngelRam It HomeJillianAngel
Roped InMaleVeteransTyrieTylerFrankForce FieldFrankTyler
3Wring OutFemaleVeteransToriJillianBrookeBall BrawlJillianBrooke
Blind Man's Maze [lower-alpha 2] MaleRookiesAdamEvanJohnnySlidersEvanJohnny
4Push ItFemaleVeteransJohannaJanelleJillianBall BrawlJillianJanelle
Man OverboardMaleVeteransRyanFrankZachSlidersFrankZach
5 [lower-alpha 5] Assembly RequiredFemaleRookiesCaseyCoralBethBall BrawlCoralBeth
Walk The PlankMaleVeteransMJDerekRyanSlidersRyanDerek
6Pole PushFemaleVeteransRachelMelindaToriBall BrawlToriMelinda
I Dig YouMaleVeteransRyanFrankMJAnkle BreakerFrankMJ
7Over The Edge [lower-alpha 1] FemaleRookiesKatieEvelynCaseyBall BrawlEvelynCasey
Mexican BlanketMaleVeteransFrank [lower-alpha 6] Nehemiah vs. RyanRam It HomeNehemiahRyan
8/9Chill OutFemaleRookiesDiemPaulaKatieSlidersPaulaKatie
Well-BalancedMaleRookiesEricAdamDannyBall BrawlAdamDanny
9Army StrongRookies

Gauntlet progress

ContestantsEpisodes
123 [lower-alpha 2] 45 [lower-alpha 5] 67 [lower-alpha 1] 8/9Finale [lower-alpha 7]
FrankLOSESAFESAFEELIMSAFEWINSAFEELIMWINSAFESAFEELIMWINSAFEWINWINWINNER
JillianLOSESAFEELIMSAFEELIMWINELIMSAFEWINSAFESAFESAFEWINSAFEWINWINWINNER
JohannaLOSESAFESAFESAFESAFEWINSAFESAFEWINSAFESAFESAFEWINSAFEWINWINWINNER
NehemiahLOSEELIMSAFESAFESAFEWINSAFESAFEWINSAFESAFESAFEWINELIMWINWINWINNER
RachelLOSESAFESAFESAFESAFEWINSAFESAFEWINSAFESAFESAFEWINSAFEWINWINWINNER
ToriLOSESAFESAFESAFESAFEWINSAFESAFEWINSAFEELIMSAFEWINSAFEWINWINWINNER
AdamWINWINWINWINWINSAFEWINWINSAFEWINWINWINSAFEWINSAFEELIMLOSER
BradWINWINWINWINWINSAFEWINWINSAFEWINWINWINSAFEWINSAFESAFELOSER
CTWINWINWINWINWINSAFEWINWINSAFEWINWINWINSAFEWINSAFESAFELOSER
DiemWINWINWINWINWINSAFEWINWINSAFEWINWINWINSAFEWINSAFESAFELOSER
EvanWINWINWINWINWINELIMWINWINSAFEWINWINWINSAFEWINSAFESAFELOSER
EvelynWINWINWINWINWINSAFEWINWINSAFEWINWINWINELIMWINSAFESAFELOSER
KennyWINWINWINWINWINSAFEWINWINSAFEWINWINWINSAFEWINSAFESAFELOSER
PaulaWINWINWINWINWINSAFEWINWINSAFEWINWINWINSAFEWINELIMSAFELOSER
RobinWINWINWINWINWINSAFEWINWINSAFEWINWINWINSAFEWINSAFESAFELOSER
EricWINWINWINWINWINSAFEWINWINSAFEWINWINWINSAFEWINSAFESAFELOSER
DannyWINWINWINWINWINSAFEWINWINSAFEWINWINWINSAFEWINSAFEOUT
KatieWINWINWINWINWINSAFEWINWINSAFEWINWINWINSAFEWINOUT
RyanLOSESAFESAFESAFESAFEWINSAFESAFEWINELIMSAFESAFEWINOUT
CaseyWINWINWINWINWINSAFEWINWINSAFEWINWINWINOUT
CoralWINWINWINWINWINSAFEWINWINELIMWINWINWINQUIT
MJ [lower-alpha 2] SAFESAFEWINSAFESAFEOUT
MelindaLOSESAFESAFESAFESAFEWINSAFESAFEWINSAFEOUT
DerekLOSESAFESAFESAFESAFEWINSAFESAFEWINOUT
BethWINWINWINWINWINSAFEWINWINOUT
ZachLOSESAFESAFESAFESAFEWINSAFEOUT
JanelleLOSESAFESAFESAFESAFEWINOUT
Tyrie [lower-alpha 2] LOSESAFESAFESAFESAFEQUIT
JohnnyWINWINWINWINWINOUT
BrookeLOSESAFESAFESAFEOUT
TylerLOSESAFESAFEOUT
AngelLOSESAFEOUT
AlexLOSEOUT
Teams
  The contestant is on the Rookies team
  The contestant is on the Veterans team
Competition
  The contestant's team won the final challenge by default
  The contestant's team finished first in the final challenge, but was disqualified due to a missing team member
  The contestant's team won the mission
  The contestant's team won the first mission and received the good house
  The contestant's team lost the first mission and received the bad house
  The contestant was protected from the Gauntlet by the winning team
  The contestant won the Gauntlet
  The contestant lost the Gauntlet and was eliminated
  The contestant withdrew from the competition
  The contestant was removed from the competition due to medical reasons

Partners

Screw You [lower-alpha 4]
Kenny & EvelynDerek & Nehemiah
CT & DiemFrank & Tyrie
Brad & RobinRyan & Tyler
Johnny & PaulaJanelle & Tori
Danny & BethJohanna & Melinda
Evan & CoralJillian & Rachel
Eric & KatieZach & Brooke
Adam & CaseyDerek & Angel

Episodes

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleOriginal air date
2041"Viva Mexico"January 23, 2008 (2008-01-23)
2052"It's Personal"January 30, 2008 (2008-01-30)
2063"Less Is More"February 6, 2008 (2008-02-06)
2074"It's Not Fair"February 13, 2008 (2008-02-13)
2085"Match-Up of the Century"February 20, 2008 (2008-02-20)
2096"All Alone"February 27, 2008 (2008-02-27)
2107"What Goes Around"March 5, 2008 (2008-03-05)
2118"Cold Blooded"March 12, 2008 (2008-03-12)
2129"The Finale"March 19, 2008 (2008-03-19)

Reunion special

Trim the Fat: The Gauntlet III Reunion was hosted by Lyndsey Rodrigues, filmed in New York, and premiered March 26, 2008. The most common topics of discussion are the various romances, backstabbing and deceit amongst the cast members. Frank and Jillian are still a couple and living together. Tori and Brad are together, though living apart. Johanna and Wes broke up. Paula and Derek decided to remain friends and Casey and Johnny are not a couple, nor are Evelyn and Brooke, and Evelyn is told that Brooke is dating her ex-girlfriend. CT and Diem are not present, Katie reveals they have broken up. Coral heavily criticized Evelyn for betraying the women, Evelyn says she didn't care if the men threw challenges to get rid of them. Both Rachel and Tori say that their conflicts with Frank were in the past, and Evan and Kenny praised Frank for digging for hours to retrieve the winning chest of money in the final challenge, saying Frank should have gotten an extra cut of the final prize. Brad stated they wanted Beth out because she might have thrown missions. Johanna comments about Melinda's false belief that she was betrayed over the Gauntlet deliberations. Eric's failure in the final challenge is discussed, and it is revealed that only Brad, Coral, and Katie are still friends with him. Footage from the upcoming The Real World: Hollywood season is shown. [13]

Music from The Gauntlet III

Challenge 15: Army Strong

Source for this section: [12]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Following the "Over The Edge" challenge in Episode 7, Coral withdrew from the game due to her outcast status on the team, being abandoned by former friend and ally Evan, and being voted into the Gauntlet against Evelyn. Casey volunteered to take Coral's place and was eliminated by Evelyn. [10]
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Tyrie withdrew from the game at the end of Episode 3 due to a family emergency back home. [6] MJ was brought in as a replacement prior to the "Push It" challenge in Episode 4. [7]
  3. 1 2 3 Upon beginning game, an opening Tug of War challenge was held. This challenge was for the reward of superior accommodations at the house. This challenge did not determine any Gauntlet nominees.
  4. 1 2 Due to the Rookies having one less male player than the Veterans, Derek was selected and competed twice in the "Screw You" challenge.
  5. 1 2 In Episode 5, three female Gauntlets into the game, it is mentioned that there are five female Gauntlets left. [8] At the end, only four of those were played, likely due to Coral's departure in Episode 7.
  6. The Rookies only had three male players who were vulnerable for the Gauntlet — Frank, Nehemiah, and Ryan. The Veterans were prohibited from protecting Ryan from the Gauntlet (see the rules above), so they protected Frank, forcing Nehemiah and Ryan to face each other in the Gauntlet. [10]
  7. The Veterans beat out the Rookies in the final challenge, but were disqualified after Eric collapsed and was sent to the hospital midway through the final race. The rules stated that a team would only win the "Army Strong" final challenge if each player was present at the end. Therefore, the Rookies won the "Army Strong" final challenge by default. [12]

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References

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