Previously on the Challenge: Mark announced that the contestants were there to represent their seasons and try to become the elite team. They would battle it out for $300,000. Tara reminded us that the contestants have been through a hurricane, fighting, and "so much damn drama" that no one wants to go home empty-handed. Sean and Elka lead the pack on the RW side, with Mike and Coral behind them, and Danny and Kelley only a point lower. Theo and Hollywick have a commanding lead on the RR side, with Dan and Tara twenty-six points behind them, and Emily and Timmy in last place. Emily explained that she and Timmy wanted to be the best team there, but that it hasn't happened.
Sean, Kelley, and Mike eat breakfast. Sean says that the further they get in the competition, the more he feels like the RW might win it. He thought that the RW would get crushed. Kelley agrees that they definitely have a chance. Sean says that if the competition is athletic, the RW team might be in trouble. Sean thinks that Danny and Kelley could do well. Mike doesn't say anything, but I'll bet he is wondering if Sean would like to meet The Miz. In an interview, Kelley says that going home with nothing would be awful, because they have worked so hard. Sean tells the others that he's been talking to Theo and Dan about splitting the prize money. In an interview, Sean explains that he's been talking to his opponents about a system whereby the winning team would kick back some money to the losing team. Each contestant would have a partner on the other side with whom to share the money, win or lose. In an interview, Coral says that the theory behind it is that everyone deserves to walk away with something. What is this, caring and sharing hour? It's a contest! The winners deserve the prizes. The losers deserve no prizes.
Emily, Timmy, and Dan eat breakfast together. In an interview, Emily says that they're trying to decide whether they want to split the money, because there are a few people who aren't interested. Timmy explains the possible plan to us again. You know, the editors should spend a little less time telling us how the plan's going to work, and a little more time giving us hard facts as to how the winnings are awarded, because no one seems to be able to solve that mystery. Timmy and Sean discuss the plan. Sean wants to be sure that all of the contestants know what they are getting into. In an interview, Sean says that he often drafts contracts as a lawyer, so his teammates are looking to him to write something up. Oh, dear. I don't know if I would trust Sean with that responsibility, especially when it concerns such large amounts of money. Timmy says that it all comes down to trust. In an interview, Timmy says he thinks that splitting the prize money is a good idea, because it makes it about competition and not greed. Wuh? I don't get that at all. Did they all really go to Mexico for the joy of competition?
Theo and Tara sit on a patio and discuss the pressure they are under. Theo says that each day brings new pressures, because you have to worry about the competitions and your fellow contestants. Theo says that it would suck if his team came in second and didn't win anything. Tara says that she's not working out a sharing agreement with anyone, because she thinks the final mission will be physical, which would mean that the RR team would be a lock. Theo agrees, but points out that if they win, he gets the ultimate grand prize plus a share of the loot. If they lose, he walks away with nothing. In an interview, Tara says that the only thing holding her back from getting in on the sharing plan is that she's sure she is going to win, and she doesn't want to give up any of her money.
Emily's cell phone rings, and she reads the message about their mission. In an interview, Emily reminds us that she and Tim have yet to win any missions. Emily stands out on the patio and talks on her phone. To James. From RR: Maximum Velocity. Who is her boyfriend. What? You heard me. In an interview, Emily explains that she met James on the last Challenge (when he dated Rebecca, I might add), and they stayed friends. About a year later, they planned a bike trip together, and ended up falling in love. Emily thinks that James is "that guy that says the exact right thing at the right time." James? Rugby player James? Ooookay. Emily reminds us that when she was on the Challenge before, her team lost, and therefore she would like to go home with something this time.
The contestants arrive on the beach for their mission. Eric and Mark announce that the name of the mission is "Blockheads." Aw, it's so nice that they named a mission after Eric. There are a bunch of colored blocks floating in a cordoned-off area of the water. One team member has to swim out and gather up blocks. The other team member hangs out on the beach, and once the blocks arrive, builds a structure that is four blocks high, with all of the exposed sides the same color. This might be difficult, because most of the blocks have at least two different colors on them. Once the structure is built, one team member has to stand straight up on top of one block and blow a whistle. The swimming partner and the building partner have to be designated ahead of time. In true B/M style, Kelley explains what Mark just said. Eric explains that the prize will be a surf package from Local Motion. I wish Calvin would come by and award the prize. In an interview, Emily says that the prize is a surfboard and some cool surfer gear. Mark says that it's both a physical and mental challenge.
Each team picks the male partner as the swimmer and the female partner as the builder. The men line up, ready to run into the water. In an interview, Kelley says that the RW teams decided to choose colors before the mission began, so that they wouldn't all be competing for the same blocks. In an interview, Blue Star Theo explains that he doesn't know what Hollywick is building, and he doesn't care. His job is just to go and get blocks. And then Hollywick will yell at him and tell him to go and get more. Well, at least he knows his partner well. In an interview, Timmy explains that he somehow convinced all of the other guys to hold hands and skip into the water. And they actually do it. Dan is wearing a life vest, and I'm reminded of Martin Short on SNL going, "I'm not a strong swimmer." The guys all swim out and try to grab blocks. Sean appears to be the first one back. In an interview, Sean says he's confident that Elka will be able to put the blocks together efficiently. In an interview, Danny explains that getting the blocks back to the beach is really difficult and sucks your energy out. In an interview, Timmy says pretty much the same thing.
Mike brings some blocks to Coral who yells at him for bringing her orange blocks when she needed blue. In an interview, Kelley explains that Danny brought her some orange blocks, but that they also have green on them. It looks like most of the boys have come up with ways to carry in three blocks at a time. An exhausted Danny dumps some blocks on the sand and gasps at Kelley that she has to use the least amount of blocks possible. Kelley promises to do so.
Timmy dumps two blocks in front of Emily, and she tells him to "try three this time." Surprisingly, he doesn't tell her to fuck right off, which is what I would have done. Dan and Tara puzzle over their blocks. Dan spends way too much time helping Tara and not enough time fetching blocks. Then again, he's not a strong swimmer. Emily explains her building strategy to the camera. Sean and Elka finally get four blocks up, and Elka climbs up on top. In an interview, Elka says that she asked Eric if it was done, and Eric said that they weren't ready. Sean makes a small adjustment, but he doesn't notice that one block is still showing a different color. Meanwhile, Emily is climbing atop their block tower and preparing to blow the whistle. And we have to wait until after the commercials to find out who will win. Like it's a big surprise, now that the editors have settled into this pattern of talking at the opening of the show about which team hasn't won a prize yet, and then that team wins a prize. I hope I didn't ruin it for you.
When we return, Emily stands up and blows the whistle. Mark declares Emily and Timmy the winners. Emily blathers into the camera that she has always wanted to be a surf girl. Sean finally figures out the problem with their structure, and Elka blows the whistle so that they get second place. Dan and Tara get third. In an interview, Elka says that she's glad that Tim and Emily won, because they are great people. Sean tells Elka that she doesn't have to say that.
Theo, Mike, and Danny are still carrying blocks up from the water. Danny and Kelley appear to be having some difficulties figuring out how to match the colors. Hollywick and Theo finish their structure, and Hollywick blows the whistle. Then, Hollywick gloats that all of the RR teams are finished. Emily lets Timmy know that he's got some snot coming out of his nose. Timmy handles it in the most gracious way possible (not) by wiping it off and then telling the camera that when he wins prizes, things come flying out of his nose.
Danny and Mike are still getting blocks. In an interview, Kelley says that she and Coral kept looking at each other and realized that they just couldn't grasp the concept of this mission. Emily, Hollywick, and Tara wonder why the remaining teams are having so much trouble finishing up. In an interview, Coral says that they have way more blocks than anyone else, and that Mike has been going in and out of the water "like some sort of sea raccoon." Heh. In an interview, Theo says that the RW teams will still be competing tomorrow. Emily can't believe that the remaining teams can't figure out how to make a tower out of four blocks. It does seem rather pathetic. Danny and Kelley finally manage to get four blocks up. Kelley doubts that she will be able to balance on top of it. Danny helps Kelley up, and then she tells him to run away while she blows the whistle. She blows the whistle, and then tells Danny to hurry back. Meanwhile, Coral climbs on top of their tower and blows the whistle, and then immediately falls onto the sand and laughs. Coral asks the camera, "What do I look like, a preschooler? Who came up with this thing? Call me at home."
Mark announces the standings, from last to first. Mike and Coral are last. Danny and Kelley are . Then come Theo and Holly, Dan and Tara, and Sean and Elka. Timmy and Emily end up in first place, and thus win a prize package for the first time. Sadly, Calvin does not show up to present it. In an interview, Emily says that the chip she had on her shoulder toward the RW from the last Challenge has now dissolved, due both to the great people she has met, and to her winning a prize. Emily demonstrates how she's going to paddle out in the water and then jump onto her surfboard.
The contestants file into the lounge to check out the point totals. I still don't completely understand how the final scoring and awarding of prizes will work, but I'm sure I'll find out eventually. Eric runs down the RW side, which is as follows:
Sean & Elka: 169
Mike & Coral: 158
Danny & Kelley: 154
Mark announces the point totals for the RR team, which are as follows:
Theo & Holly: 178
Dan & Tara: 157
Timmy & Emily: 148
In an interview, Sean says that his team has an eleven-point lead over Mike & Coral, so he feels like he has the top spot locked up. Sean talks to Rachel on the phone and explains that the only way that he can lose now is if he gets a zero from disqualification in the mission. I'm sure that Rachel is pleased that she is now billed on-screen as "Sean's wife -- Rachel." In an interview, Sean says that he is the team leader, and that he feels kind of stressed out now, knowing what his role will be in the final competition. I don't even know what he's talking about. Since when is he the leader of the RW team? Why is that stressing him out? I don't know.
The contestants sit around and eat Mexican food. From Chili's. While they are in Mexico. Does anyone else think that's kind of weird, and generally a big waste? Tara talks to her dad on the phone. She explains that other contestants are going to share their winnings so that everyone walks away with something. Tara asks her dad if she should do that. In an interview, Tara explains that Sean and Dan have a deal so that if RW wins, Sean gives Dan some of his money, and if RR wins, Dan will give Sean some of his money. Tara tells her father that she really thinks her team will win, and that it's all a gamble. Elsewhere, Sean tries to draft a contract. In an interview, Tara says that they all want some insurance that they won't go home with nothing.
Dan, Kelley, and Sean discuss the money-sharing plan. Kelley isn't totally on board, but promises to think about it. In an interview, Kelley says that she doesn't know if she wants to "go all the way" and then have to give half her money away. In an interview, Elka says that she doesn't trust anyone there but Sean. In an interview, Hollywick says that she thinks people are making these agreements out of fear, and that she's not into it. In an interview, Tara says that Danny came up and asked her to share their winnings, and she agreed. Danny tells Tara that they should agree on giving up $7500 flat, instead of a percentage or something. They shake on it.
Emily and Elka sit outside and talk. Emily says she felt like when she and Tim won, everyone was really happy for them, because they hadn't won any prizes yet. Well, I'll bet Hollywick wasn't that happy. Emily says they had the big wheel of prizes on her Challenge, and that she won a Ski-Doo, and then it was taken away from her in the second-to-last mission. They start talking about the money-sharing plans. Emily says she heard that Elka wasn't interested in making any arrangements. Elka says that's not true. In an interview, Emily says that while she would love to walk away with $50,000, it would also be nice to have a guaranteed $20,000. Emily concludes that she has to decide whether to "gamble or play it safe." Suddenly, Sean is sitting there, too. He is everywhere. Elka complains that the only reason she didn't try to make a deal with anyone is because she didn't think there was anyone left on the RR side who was interested. In an interview, Elka says that Emily trusts her and wants to make a deal with her. Emily says that it's really anyone's game at this point, and that Theo and Hollywick are a strong team. Elka agrees that it really could go either way. They both kind of say, "It's up to you." In an interview, Emily says that she and Elka had no handshake or contract, but that you can't look at Elka and not trust her. In an interview, Elka heaves a big sigh and says that everyone has made promises, but that she knows there are people there who won't be honest, and she doesn't even know whether she would give the money up, so we'll have to wait and see.
week: the mission has to do with wrestling. Hollywick is upset about The Miz, and calls someone on her cell phone to complain and cry about it.